Only Fools

Chapter Sixteen

"Hey, lil sis," Alex yells over FaceTime, his face glitching slightly on the screen of my dad's laptop. I smile at the sight of my older brother who I haven't seen in months.

"Hey, Al," I say as I carry the laptop into the dining room and place him at the head of the table. Alex narrows his eyes at the nickname, but is clearly too excited to see us to stop smiling.

"Alex!" my dad exclaims as he walks into the dining room, store bought rotisserie chicken in hand since he's the only one currently residing under this roof who actually likes turkey.

"Hey, dad. Store bought chicken again?" Alex asks with a chuckle.

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure that what Aspen and I are most thankful for today is that I didn't attempt to cook this dinner," my dad says with a laugh. Alex and I both crack a smile at the joke.

"Yeah because if your chicken cooking skills are anything similar to your spaghetti making skills, there'd be no edible food for us," I tell him.

"Oh shush, Aspen. You were too young to actually remember that happening," Alex says as he motions his hand at me, as if waving me off.

"I've heard the story enough times," I say with a shrug.

"Hey. So what if I learned the hard way that every box of noodles is different?" our dad tries to defend himself.

"One box said the noodles needed to be cooked for four minutes, the other needed to be cooked for eight. You cooked them for six minutes. I'm not sure a single noodle actually tasted right. They were all really undercooked or over cooked," Alex recalls with a laugh.

"But you see, that was a learning experience. Made me a better chef.... maybe I will cook thanksgiving dinner next year,"

"Thank goodness I'm graduating this year," I say with a sigh of relief. My dad just chuckles at my comment as he shakes his head.

"I can't believe my little girl is growing up," he says with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Dad," I drag out.

"I'm sorry. I just really don't want my little girl to leave me," he explains.

"Hey. If I remember correctly, you just shipped me off. Now you're getting emotional about Aspen? What's that about?" Alex demands.

"Eh," my dad just says as he waves his hand in dismissal at Alex. Alex's mouth drops open, clearly at least slightly offended by the comment, which then causes for my dad to crack a smile.

"Oh, you know I'm joking, kiddo. You know I miss you," my dad tells him.

"You better. Otherwise I might have to rethink coming home for Christmas break," Alex says.

"So that's a for sure thing them? You'll be home?" our dad double checks.

"Yes," Alex rolls his eyes as my dad simultaneously lets out a cheer in excitement and I let out a groan in fake disapproval. And while dad shoots me a warning look, Alex smiles, knowing that I'm not being serious and I miss him too.

"Well, should we dig in?" my brother asks. I nod my head enthusiastically, but as I look over at our dad, he doesn't have quite the same response.

"Aren't we going to go around and say what we're thankful for? It's tradition," he reminds us. Both Alex and I let out a sigh, knowing how important tradition is to him, and so we go along with it.

"You can start, dad," I tell my father to which he nods in response before looking down at his hands.

"Well, ok. I'm thankful for the food on this table, the roof over our heads, the fact that Alex somehow got into college and hasn't flunked out yet, grocery store bought rotisserie chicken so I don't have to burn the house down cooking by myself.... But most of all, I'm thankful for my kids. You two are the lights in my life and I couldn't have wished for any better because there wouldn't be such a thing. I love you two," he says, his eyes slightly misty as he finishes.