Page 111 of Perfect Chemistry

Chapter 40

I don’t know what I was thinking when I told Katie, ‘The more the merrier,’ when she asked who to invite for Thanksgiving. Everyone said, ‘yes.’ Every single one. Andie and Katie decorated and organized the house the night before so that we could seat thirty people. Thirty. The island was too small for the eight kids, so we set them up around the kitchen table, and decided to use the island like an open buffet.

We had two long tables set up in the living room for all of the adults, and set up more spaces with tray tables in case it got too tight once everyone filled into the house. Katie was up at five to put the turkey in the oven and I was just doing my best to not add to her stress.

I told everyone to dress comfortably, so there wouldn’t be any stress about dressing up. Katie was relieved when she heard me confirming with Lacy and Val that jeans and t-shirts would be perfect. It was just after one when Katie’s folks showed up, followed quickly by my own. I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes, when our mothers started talking about all of the ‘trials’ we had overcome to get here.

There were no secrets between Katie and I, but I didn’t want her to hear about how fucked I was after she left. I didn’t want her to know how far down I fell before hitting rock bottom. I was heading to answer the door when I heard Katie starting to yell in the kitchen.

“Jesus Christ, mom! Can you stop telling everyone that I was in a hospital for depression and PTSD?”

I quickly doubled back and pulled a fuming Katie to greet our guests. “Breathe, Kitkat,” I whispered against her ear as we walked.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispered back, turning into my chest to stop herself from crying. I stopped and hugged her tightly.

“You get the door, I’ll take the parents,” I offered.

She looked up at me like I had just saved Christmas for all the Whos in Whoville. “Thank you. I don’t want bloodshed on our first Thanksgiving,” she whispered, giving a quick peck before running to the door.

I stalked back into the kitchen to find our mothers looking like misbehaved children. “You four, out back, please,” I gestured to our parents.

Katie’s dad gave me a gruff look like he was prepared to go toe to toe, but I didn’t give a fuck. We had come too far, to let these gossiping busy bodies fuck up the day. When we were outside, I closed the door and took a deep breath before speaking.

“I know today is all about being thankful, but I will kick you out if you start comparing stories about which child was more fucked up. We’re adults. It’s taken a lot for us to get here, please don’t humiliate either of us by gossiping,” I said quietly.

My mother was the first to pipe up, “Who was gossiping? We were catching up, Kai. We haven’t talked since you two went to prom, for crying out loud.”

The next thing I knew the two women were going back and forth trying to explain (and justify) discussing our shit with anyone who would listen. Ten minutes in, I threw my hand up to silence the squawking. I looked at my mother like I didn’t know who she was. “What the fuck does my drinking have to do with catching up? You couldn’t think of anything else to talk about today other than the lowest points in your child’s life?” I asked her.

She blanched and stepped back toward my dad. Then I turned to Katie’s mom. “And you don’t get to tell everyone everything about Katie either. You want to brag? You need to catch up? I am a fucking doctor, and Katie is one of 3000 craftsman in the country certified to do what she does. Rather than shaming us by digging up our fucked up pasts, try a little humble bragging. It’s what normal parents do!” I shouted the end.

Katie’s dad looked at mine and the two cracked a smile. “Let’s go get a couple beers while these two sort themselves in time out,” he offered, walking toward the house.

“That sounds delightful,” my dad replied, following Katie’s dad.

I gave our mothers one more reproachful look before walking inside as well. Grown women should not have to be told what was appropriate topics of conversation at Thanksgiving. Katie was beet red when I walked in the door, and on the verge of tears.

The whole house was pin drop silent and everyone stared in shock and horror at something beneath Katie. “What the fuck happened?” I asked, crossing the room as quickly as possible.

On the other side of the island, Andie and Val were dropped onto the floor holding a steaming hot turkey with towels. I didn’t think, and grabbed said hot turkey with my bare hands. I quickly regretted that and tossed it up on the Island. It bounced twice, then slid to the other side of the island and onto the floor.

“TURKEY DOWN!!”

“STRIKE!”

“WE HAVE A TURKEY DOWN!” the kids started yelling.

I turned to look at Katie, horrified that I had just stolen the saved turkey and launched it onto the floor. Not to mention burning the ever loving shit out of both hands. No one said a word. I was regretting ever inviting these people into our house. Family, friends… Didn’t care. I swore if she cried today, I would disown every single one of them. Then I threw her turkey on the floor.

Jonas picked up the turkey with oven mitts and set it onto the tray. “Five second rule?” he asked Katie.

She made this weird “Hic-” noise, and looked at me. She bit her lip, and the tears started brimming in her eyes. I saw every emotion that rushed over her face. We started laughing at the same time, and it was contagious. Andie, Val, and Katie had all been splashed with dressing, when the pan tipped. So the floor was a slippery mess.

“It bounced!” Katie wheezed.

Andie was now hunched holding her very pregnant belly as she laughed her ass off. “It fucking bounced! Holy shit!”

As we were laughing hysterically, my mother came back in with Katie’s mom. “What’s so funny?” They asked, smiling at all of us laughing.

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