Thanksgiving-read ‘Ten for Dinner’ ~ Ruthie L Manier

The Holidays are here! In my family the holidays begin with my mom’s birthday on November twentieth and then Thanksgiving. I love the holiday season and this is the reason I decided to write my Celebrations collection in 2024. I began with A Miracle For Santa’ in Deember of 2022 which led to a follow up in De-cember of 2023 with ‘A Journey To Believe.’ Ienjoyed writing them so much I simply had to do more. there are now eight in the Celebrations collection whith holidays stories that will touch your heart. Below, are chapter one and two of ‘10 for Dinner’ a short story you will enjoy, especially if you have a large family with a lot of quirks. Holiday Worries One week before Thanksgiving. “Martha, that turkey you call “Girty” is the biggest we have ever had. It is going to be the juiciest turkey, too,” husband Garrett said, licking his lips. “Oh, stop. Your mouth is watering, GD,” Martha replied. “You know it is my favorite holiday. I love the delicious food and pies you make. It’s so good,” Garrett added, rubbing his belly. Then, he leaned down and kissed her warmly. Martha brushed her long brown hair before pulling it back into a loose bun. Then, she added, “Thank you, but your turkey steals the show every year.” “Any fool can cook a turkey, my love. But it takes a master chef to make the rest of dinner and dessert,” her husband replied. A few quiet moments passed as husband and wife prepared for the day ahead. “GD?” “Yeah?” “Here it comes. She is concerned about the kids,” he thought as he continued buttoning his flannel jacket. “Do you think all the kids will show up for Thanksgiving dinner this year?” Martha asked, her blue eyes filled with worry. The subject was a sore spot for GD. He paused before answering, but his mind raced. The darn kids are constantly acting up, fighting with each other, and stressing out their mom. This fighting must stop. I’ll drag them by the hair to get them to Thanksgiving dinner if I must. “Martha, they wouldn’t miss your Thanksgiving dinner for anything in this world,” he replied. Martha rolled her hair into the bun she wore during daylight hours. GD’s kind words did not fool her. Their children had been sharing harsh words for a while. She prayed they could resolve their differences soon. Garrett grabbed his keys off the duck-shaped wall key hook and sat his cowboy hat on his head. “I will be out on the north pasture. If you need me, call. I will come running,” he added. “My knight in shining armor,” Martha replied. She beamed as she watched him go. After forty years of marriage, she still loved him with all her heart. “I don’t know about that, Martha, but I will ride up on my black stallion, dirty work clothes and all,” he said and winked as he disappeared through the opened door. Martha muttered a silent prayer that her children would resolve their differences and began her morning chores. CHAPTER 2 Warning for All From the barn, Garrett called his son, Charles, who answered on the first ring. “Hi, Dad.” “Chuck, I am glad I reached you,” Garrett said. “Me too. What’s up? Are you and mom okay?” “Yes, we are good. I hope you are doing well. I know you are busy, so I will get straight to the point. I need your help.” “Sure, how can I help you?” “You might not want to agree so fast; this task will be more difficult than you think. Your mom wants all of you kids at Thanksgiving dinner. With so many feuds festering between your brothers and sisters, Martha is afraid some of them will not show,” Garrett explained. “I understand her concern. Those idiots, Trapper and Randall, still are fighting over that mustang from years ago. That’s gone on far too long,” his son replied. “Agreed. And what about the girls?” “You are talking about Harley and Maddy. I think they are still bickering over that guy they both liked five years ago.” “Yep, it has them all bickering and taking sides. Do you think you can help me to persuade them to set their quarrels aside long enough to enjoy Thanksgiving together?” Garrett asked. “I can’t promise anything, but I will do my best.” “That is all I ask, Chuck.” “See you on Thanksgiving morning, Dad.” “Looking forward to seeing you and the family. Take care, son.” Garrett ended the call, feeling confident his eldest child would intervene and convince his siblings to be civil for their mother’s sake. Next, Garrett called his eldest daughter, Samantha. “Good morning, Dad. Is everything okay?” she inquired. “Good morning, Sam. We are both well here on the ranch. I know you are a busy woman. So, I will jump to the point of this early morning call. Your mother wants all of you kids home for Thanksgiving dinner.” “Where else would we be? Of course, we will be at the ranch with you and Mom,” Samantha replied. “That is good to hear. Have you spoken to your sisters or brothers about Thanksgiving?” “Some of them. I had lunch with Maddie and Des yesterday. They said they were planning to attend.” “That is great!” Garrett said. “I do not understand why Mom is worried. We all show out of respect for you and her. I know how much everyone loves your turkey and Mom’s cooking. How they interact with each other is what you need to worry about, don’t you think?” “That is a concern that bothers me. If a firestorm over stupid things in the past erupts and they ruin your mother’s day, your brothers and sisters will have to deal with my wrath,” he warned. “Oh, no. I will pass this along to the others,” Samantha said. Her father chuckled and said, “See that you do. Have a nice day. I will see you on Thursday.” “You, too, Dad. I love you,” she added before ending the call. “I love you too! Bye for now.” “Bye.” Garrett knew his eldest daughter would spread his message to the rest of the family. Word would spread like wildfire on the range. Confident his children would show up for Thanksgiving and behave like adults, he finished saddling his horse. He rode to the north pasture, assured peace would prevail on Thanksgiving Day. Now, he had to finish his work before dinner time. Martha did not like it when he was late. I hope you enjoyed this preview of ‘10 for Dinner.’ Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your loved ones❤ What’s Next?

A heartwarming read of empty nesters with a pending divorce after the Christmas holiday. Can a Red Stone be the answer to all their problems?