Thanksgiving Family Love

.1

"Here's your flour," Brandi snapped, slamming the plastic cup down on the counter by her father.2

"Thanks," he snapped back, snatching the cup and turning to tend to the gravy.3

Oh yes, it was definitly Thanksgiving. Everyone was cranky with everyone else, and there was too much to do. They were all starving, so the delicious aromas of the turkey, dinner rolls, and sweet potatoes didn't help any.4

Brandi stomped back up the stairs, nearly knocked over by her cousin Heather who was on her way down. "Watch it!" Brandi shrieked, and pushed past.5

"No wonder you don't have your license," Heather mumbled. Brandi stopped, turned around, grabbed Heather's arm and pulled her back downstairs and into the laundry room.6

"Heather, listen, do I make fun of you for being a fat tub of lard with an abnormally huge head?"7

"No."8

"Am I a bitch?"9

"Yes."10

"Think I could severely hurt you?"11

Heather winced, and rubbed her arms. "Yeah, and you have," she retorted.12

"Good. Now that we have that established, here's the deal: not one more word about me not driving, ever again, okay?" She stepped closer to her cousin, and let her see the anger she was struggling to control. Heather agreed, and Brandi dashed up the stairs to find the source of her aunt's yelling. 13

Later that night, the food had been eaten, and the overweight clan languished lazily in the living room. Brandi's cousin Holly brought out a slice of pie, and all eyes followed her fork as she lifted that first bite to her mouth.14

Brandi was mentally tallying the reasons that she shouldn't have a piece of pie, when she heard Heather say something about driving. Their uncle Larry laughed uproarously, and looked at Brandi. Brandi didn't even think. She reached for her water bottle, unscrewed the cap, and dumped it on Heather's head.15

While Heather sat sputtering with ice fragments in her hair, Brandi started to stand and run when she was dealt a blow to the side of the head. It was Holly, who was screaming, "Leave my sister alone!" Brandi raised her hand, and probed her head with her fingertips. Pie.16

"You little bitch! I didn't do anything to you!" she fumed, and scooped some of the pie out of her hair and onto the middle of Holly's face. Heather had cut her own piece of pie, and with tears in her eyes slammed it right into Brandi's face while Holly leapt on Brandi's back.17

The three girls were screaming, kicking, punching, mashing pie goop on each other, when suddenly, Brandi began to laugh. She laughed so hard she toppled to the floor, Holly still clinging to her back pulling her hair. Holly paused, and started to giggle. Heather stood there, a sopping wet, pie-covered mess, which only made the two laugh harder.18

"It's not funny!" Heather wailed. Then she caught sight of Brandi's hair standing straight up and dripping cherry pie juice, and joined in the laughter.19

The adults went ballistic, yelling at all of the girls. They changed their clothes and, linking arms, went outside to play frisbee. There were a few more knock-down drag-out fights, and at one point Holly swore her arm was broken. Heather and Holly's mom came outside to watch the kids play, and sat in a warm pile of dog poop. There was much cursing, and laughter from her kids.20

A few hours later, all of the relatives gathered plates of extras and headed out the door. They all hugged, and smiling said how much they wished they could get together more often. None of them could wait until Christmas.21