Chapter 18: Thanksgiving Time

† Tuesday, November 20, 2023.

In her kitchen, Julie was collaborating with Sylvie on their grocery list.

“Since you two are originally from Quebec and I’m a terrifyingly bad cook, we’ve agreed not to do a turkey for Thanksgiving. I’m thinking a 3 lb. glazed ham would work. We’re going to have Nate, Pam, you, Theo, Sette, and me. Naturally, at six months Tilda is still nursing, but Pam should have a good appetite.”

When they completed the list, Julie put down her pen and spoke directly.

“Sylvie, I need to bring up a sensitive subject. After we finish the feast on Thursday, Tilda and her parents are spending the next two nights here.”

“Oh, should I help you clean up the fourth bedroom upstairs?”

“No. Actually, they will stay in the master with me. Um, let me say, ah, intentionally, I did not use the word sleep.”

“I don’t ... Oh, wait, you mean—”

“Yes. Indeed. All three of us. I love Pam, and I still love Nate, even though we are divorced now. So, they have been staying with me here frequently, since well before the baby. So, is this going to be a problem?”

“Wow. Oh, this is, uh, well, jeez. It’s unusual for a woman to get along, uh, that well with their ex. And with his second wife, too. But Julie, well, it’s your house and your life. I couldn’t possibly have anything to say about what you do. But it will be hard to explain to Theo, and, good grief, to explain to Cosette.”

“Um, sorry, but I believe Sette already has some idea. She saw the photos in my room of Pam and Nate and asked me about them. I think she recognized my feelings towards those two, although I was being careful with my words.”

“Alright, Julie, you’re full of surprises; I’ve never met anyone quite like you.”

“Uh, I’m not sure how to take that. You don’t approve?”

“The opposite! You’re kind, and smart, and so generous. You’re sharing your house with us. And, my god, you’re sharing your bed with your ex and his wife! This is off the charts, I don’t know, it’s crazy. I don’t have the right words, Julie, I just...”

Sylvie threw her arms around her and hugged hard. And hugged some more.

In a strained gasp, “OK, Sylvie, I got it, can I breathe...”

“Sorry. So, you DO have a flaw.”

“What’s that?”

“You need oxygen.”

“Oh, that. I guess you like me, then.”

“That word ‘like’ is a pallid wisp of insignificance incapable of describing my feelings. If it was allowed, I’d have my tongue in your mouth and my hands under your bra.”

Julie shifted her feet, nervously.

“Whoa! Um, well ... OK.”

“What? Wait, what? Did you just say, ‘OK’?

Julie offered a small smile. “Yes, Sylvie, I did. What are you gonna do about it?”

“This, I guess.”

Sylvie reached out, pulled them together into a tight embrace, and pressed in for an ardent and sloppy kiss. Then she unwrapped and settled unsteadily into a nearby chair.

“Uh, something else unexpected. But, Julie, I don’t really know what I’m doing.”

“Hey, it’s alright. I guess you aren’t objecting to Pam and Nate staying over, then?”

Sylvie chuckled, “I guess not. But eventually we should be giving Cosette and Theo a head’s up, too, to avoid surprising them about you and me. Wait, I said that already. Before we kissed. Oh, I’m lost. What can, what should we do?”

“For now, nothing. But now I want you to know, Syl, your feelings are returned. Every bit of them. But we should wait for a better time to, well, let’s kick that can down the road a few days, OK?”

“Kick the can? Your soft, round, delectable, curvy can?”

“Yes. Ahem. That one. Indeed. Um, speaking of ham...”

They returned to discussing how to prepare the upcoming feast.

When Sylvie and Julie approached Theo about the guests, his first reaction was just to ask for clarification. Then he shrugged his shoulders.

“Your house, your decisions. It’s nice you get along so well with your ex-husband and his wife. No problem from me,” he said.

Sette also simply shrugged.

“Duh. Julie, you already told me that you loved them. They’re bringing their daughter, Tilda? That’s who I care about.”

“There’s a portable crib for Tilda in your bedroom closet. Would you mind having her stay in there with you? She’s old enough now to sleep through the night and she won’t disturb you.”

“That’s fine, of course. If she’s fussy I’ll just read to her from my World History textbook. That puts ME to sleep in ten minutes. Let me show you why.

In a bored tone, she read, “This is from Chapter 8: ‘At right is a painting of Napoleon. He was considered short, but he was a big general and he wanted to conquer (that means to take over) all of Europe. And this shows one of Napoleon’s girlfriends, Josephine, after she became his wife. And this giant painting from 1804 shows his wife, his mother, and a lot of celebrities and important people around Napoleon. He’s standing in front of Pope Pius VII. Popes are the supreme rulers, like kings, of the Catholic church in western Europe. Pope Pius traveled from Rome (that’s in Italy) to Paris, the capital of France. He was to run the crowning ceremony, known as a coronation. But Napoleon surprised the Pope. Against tradition, he took the crown and put it on himself to become the Emperor of France.’”