The Cheating Game

Ch. Ten

Ch. Ten

What to wear, what to wear? It was Thanksgiving weekend and my family had plans. Unlike other families, we didn't spend it with our extended families. My aunts and uncles were all scattered around the United States and other provinces. My dad and mom were raised in Vancouver so that's where most of them were.  However, we didn't do Thanksgiving alone. Instead, we celebrated with the Michels.

Every year since I was ten, my mom, dad, brother and I would all walk over to the Michel's house and sit around the table with Grayson and his family while eating a perfectly prepared turkey, courtesy of Grandma Michel. Since my mom passed, my dad had continued the tradition she had initiated and walked us over to the Michel's to celebrate.

I had an hour or so before we were supposed to walk over, and I had just gotten out if the shower. I stood in my towel in front of my closet looking for the perfect outfit. There were so many choices but they seemed kind of bland and not fit for the occassion. I decided, after fifteen judgmental minutes, to go with this pretty black dress that flared out at the skirt with a halter top that dipped down in the back. There was a lace detail over the material on the breast piece and the skirt reached about mid thigh. I paired it with a pair of simple black heels and a black over the shoulder purse. For my last fifteen minutes of preparation I decided on a style for my hair. I wasn't sure at first, but after some Googling I was left with the loose curls over my bare shoulders. 

Knock knock.

"You ready sweetheart," Daddy asked me from the doorway.

"Yup," I said, just finishing up my eyeliner. I turned to him and beamed when he looked astonished at me.

"You look beautiful honey," he said, coming over and giving me a hug. "You remind me so much of..."

"Mom?"

"Exactly," he confirmed. I smiled sadly, reminiscing on the last Thanksgiving she spent with us.

"Well no point in thinking on the past," dad said abruptly. I gave him one last smile before we walked downstairs. At the door we found a very handsome looking Jacob, and I made him aware, to which he only rolled his eyes.

He looked very suave in a black suit with gold cufflings. He had church type shoes on and his newly cut hair was in a quiff.

"Ready, " he asked. I nodded, nerves filling my belly. The Michel's Thansgiving was very fancy. Everyone dressed in their sunday best, the adults all talked like they were royalty. I always felt out of place there,  while Jacob fit right in. He was such a people person. The only person I actually talked to there was Grayson's cousin Kyle. He was a pretty interesting fello and didn't mind whenever I suddenly went quiet.

When we were all gathered we started over to the house next door. There were cars parked on the street in front of their house, indicating that their family was already there. Jacob rang the bell and we were greeted by a smiling Mrs Michel. She was wearing a white blouse and black pencil skirt. Her hair was curled and put into a tight ponytail.

"Hello, Katy," she smiled as my dad and brother made their way in. She gave me a quick hug followed by those European air kisses.

"Hey Kim," I greeted back as she ushered me in. She held me by the arm as she lead me through to the living room where most of the family hung out. The adults were all gathered there and there was a quiet hum. Because there wasn't any noise I knew they had banished their children to some other room.

"The children and teens are all up in Grayson's room," Kim whispered when she realised that I had no interest in mingling with the adults. I smiled my gratitude to her and walked up the stairs to Grayson's room. It was just as it was the day we ditched school but it had many more children. There were maybe seven kids from the ages of 6-12 and maybe four from 13-17. I found that my brother had already discovered the land of youths and was chatting up one of Grayson's cousins in the corner.