Chapter 25 - A Quiet Thanksgiving
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The dining room table was crowded, chaotic, and wonderfully loud.
Arthur sat at the head of the table, carving a massive turkey while Ethan attempted to steal pieces of the crispy skin.
“Get your hands away from the bird, Ethan,” Arthur scolded playfully, swatting his hand away with the carving fork.
“I’m the architect, I require immense caloric intake to sustain my genius,” Ethan argued, laughing.
Maya rolled her eyes from across the table, passing a large bowl of mashed potatoes to Elena.
“He drew a box yesterday, Mom. It wasn't genius.”
Elena laughed, a bright, genuine sound that warmed the room.
She looked healthy, relaxed, and entirely at peace.
“Be nice to your brother, Maya. He worked hard on that box.”
Sebastian sat at the other end of the table, quietly nursing a glass of red wine.
He looked slightly out of place, but Ethan had explicitly invited him, and Arthur had fully supported the decision.
“The turkey looks excellent, Arthur,” Sebastian offered politely.
“Thank you, Sebastian. Grab a plate, there’s plenty.”
Arthur paused carving for a moment, looking down the length of the table.
He remembered the Thanksgivings of the past.
The heavy, suffocating dinners at the Whitmore estate. Victoria glaring across the table, Charles dictating conversation, the constant, terrifying fear of making a mistake.
Now, the room was filled with laughter, mismatched plates, and genuine affection.
There were no secrets hiding under the table.
There was no fear weaponized as discipline.
They were a completely unconventional family, forged in the fires of betrayal and completely rebuilt by choice.
“Alright, before we eat,” Arthur said, raising his water glass.
The table quieted down, looking toward him.
“I just want to say how incredibly grateful I am,” Arthur said, his voice thick with emotion. “Not just for the food, or the foundation, but for all of you. For the choices we made to be sitting here today.”
Maya raised her glass, smiling brightly.
“To choices,” she said.
“To family,” Ethan added.
May you like
They clinked their glasses together.
As Arthur took a bite of the turkey, he realized that for the first time in his entire life, he wasn't dreading the holidays. He was finally home.
