Page 110 of Someone to Remember
“I’m so glad you guys did that. Self-care for the win.” I gesture to the bags. “What’s all that?”
“We’ll tell you when the others arrive,” Wynter says with a mysterious smile.
“Hmmm. Why do I feel like something’s afoot?”
Wynter shrugs. “That’s just your suspicious nature working overtime.”
Eleanor laughs and then coughs, as if she’s trying to hide it.
“It’s okay,” I tell her. “You can’t not laugh when Wynter is around.”
I introduce her to them and then to Roni and Derek when they arrive, each of them holding a handle on a large cooler.
“What the hell is happening?”
“Stuff,” Roni says. “None of your business.”
Joy comes in with yet another huge bag and a cooler slung over her shoulder, followed by Kinsley bearing a bag and Naomi with an actual box.
“Someone better start talking right now,” I say with pretend outrage. Whatever they’re up to, I’m well aware that it’s all for me, and I’m incredibly moved.
“Where’s Gage?” Kinsley asks with a nervous glance toward the living room.
“So this was his doing, then, huh?”
“I can neither confirm nor deny any form of advance plotting,” Joy says.
“Don’t go all defense attorney on me, missy.”
“I represent neither side.”
The others laugh when I stick my tongue out at her.
Christy, Lexi, Brielle, Angela and Luke arrive next, bringing a whole host of new aromas that’re beginning to add up to one conclusion: Thanksgiving dinner.
“You guys…” I peek into the bag that Brielle deposits on the counter and see a huge pan of stuffing. “What’ve you done?”
“We took over Turkey Day, so you don’t have to do anything.”
“But Mimi said they ordered it.”
“I lied,” Mimi says with a giggle from the doorway to the garage where she, Stan and the four kids are waiting to join the party. They were supposed to be taking my kids and Carter out to dinner while we had our meeting.
“We drove around the block, Mom,” Tyler says with a peal of laughter that brings joy to my heart as he comes in to hug me.
The man who planned this surprise comes strolling into the kitchen, right out of the shower, and my heart skips a beat at the sight of him. I still love him, even when he plots behind my back.
“You and I need to talk, mister,” I say to him while the others gather around to enjoy the show.
“Did anyone bring popcorn?” Derek asks as he munches on one of the carrot sticks I put out with celery and ranch dip.
“I didn’t think of that!” Roni says. “Next time we plot with Gage against Iris, there needs to be popcorn.”
“I’ll make a note,” Joy says.
“Welcome to Friendsgiving.” Gage puts his arm around me and kisses the top of my head. “We thought you had enough on your plate?—”
“Metaphor intended,” Wynter says.
