Destiny Rewritten

Chapter 178

"So, you're closing Queen Consolidated tomorrow for Thanksgiving? I thought they didn't do that?" Laurel asked.

"Thanksgiving is a time for family, not work. That's why I've insisted on closing the company for the holiday. The board wasn't very happy about it, but from what I heard, the rest of our employees were very happy that they'd be able to spend the holiday with their families." Oliver said.

"Good, best to keep the employees on your side." Laurel pointed out.

"My thinking exactly." Oliver said.

"Speaking of Thanksgiving, don't forget that tomorrow is the canned food drive at City Hall Rene and I have been working on." Laurel said.

"Relax, that's part of the reason I closed the office. It didn't seem fair to make my employees work during thanksgiving if I didn't have to be there, since I was already planning on being there. There's no better way to spend Thanksgiving than helping the less fortunate." Oliver said and Laurel smiled.

"Sometimes I still can't believe how much you've changed from the man you were when we first met." Laurel said as she placed her hands on his cheeks.

"Neither can I. Honestly, I think that guy did die when the Gambit went down 10 years ago. I think someone else came back." Oliver said and Laurel smiled.

"Maybe so. Anyways, back to tomorrow, after the canned food drive, we are going to your parents' house for Thanksgiving dinner. Who else was invited?" Laurel asked.

"Us, Thea and Roy, Emiko, your dad, Samantha and William and Mom said that we could invite whoever we wanted, so I invited John and Winn, not sure if either of them are bringing dates. I'm surprised she didn't invite Sara and Alex." Oliver said.

"She wanted to, but I told her not to, since they are celebrating with Alex's family this year. We get them for Christmas since it's also Sara's birthday." Laurel explained and Oliver nodded.

"Sounds fair. It is nice that both of our families both live in Star City." Oliver said.

"And convenient." Laurel added.

"What about your mom?" Oliver asked.

"I honestly don't know what she's doing. I invited her to join us for Thanksgiving, since as far as I know, she and dad are still friends and I thought she'd want to be here to spend time with her granddaughter." Laurel said and Oliver nodded.

"Maybe she's trying to surprise you." Oliver suggested.

"Maybe." Laurel said, since it could be a possibility.

"Glad you were able to make it." Rene said to Laurel when she arrived at the canned food drive they were holding at City Hall for Thanksgiving.

"What, you forget that this was my idea?" Laurel asked her deputy mayor.

"No, but since you're still on maternity leave, I wasn't sure if you'd be able to make it." Rene explained.

"Fair enough, but even though I can't get back to work yet, I can be here to help oversee this event. Besides, look who I brought with me." Laurel said as her husband walked up them, their daughter in his arms.

"Rene, it's good to see you again." Oliver said.

"You to Oliver. I'd shake your hand, but you appear to have your hands full." Rene said with a chuckle.

"Yeah pretty much." Oliver agreed.

"So, is your daughter here?" Laurel asked.

"Yeah, Zoe's helping out over there." Rene said, pointing to where Zoe was helping sort out of some newly arrived items.

"Well, maybe you could call her over." Laurel said.

"Zoe, can you come here please?" Rene called to his daughter.

"Yeah dad?" Zoe asked as she walked over to them.

"This is my boss Laurel Queen, her husband Oliver and their daughter Jasmine." Rene said.

"It's nice to meet you." Zoe said politely.

"You look about the age of my son." Oliver said.

"You have a son?" Rene asked.

"From a prior relationship." Oliver said and Rene nodded in understanding.

"My son William and his mother Samantha actually just moved here from Central City. He'll be attending Star City Middle School next week." Oliver said.

"That's where I go. Dad was quick to pull me out of Glades Junior High after he got this job." Zoe said.

"Just because Laurel and I are doing a lot of good to help clean up the glades, doesn't mean that my girl shouldn't be getting the best education possible and she's getting that at Star City Middle." Rene said.

"Agreed. I think William and his mother will be here today." Oliver said.

"Actually, we just arrived." Samantha said.

"Samantha, William, it's so good to see you could make it." Laurel said to them both.

"We wouldn't miss this." Samantha said with a smile.

"William, this is Zoe Ramirez. She's going to be one of your classmates at Star City Middle School." Oliver said.

"Nice to meet you." William said as he held out his hand to Zoe, who shook it.

"You to. Do you want to help me out?" Zoe asked.

"Yeah sure." William said as they walked off.

"I'm glad to see he's already made a friend. It'll make it easier for him to adjust to his new school if he already knows someone." Oliver said and Samantha nodded.

"So, what are you and Zoe doing tonight for Thanksgiving?" Laurel asked.

"Just a quiet night for the two of us at home. Nothing big." Rene said.

"Why don't you two join us at my family's place for thanksgiving tonight." Oliver offered.

"Thank you, but I don't want to intrude." Rene said.

"Don't worry about it. We've got plenty of room and my mother said we can invite who we want. Besides, since it will mostly be adults there tonight, I think William will enjoy having someone there this age to talk to." Oliver said, though after seeing the looks briefly shared between Rene and Samantha, he had another motive.

"Okay, we'll be there." Rene agreed.

"Can't wait." Laurel said as they continued on with the drive.