Chapter 4: Thanksgiving

The administration of CSU Marysville took notice of the sentiments of students, faculty, and staff, and closed the campus for the entire week of Thanksgiving—Monday through Friday. At the Victorian, Kerri, Paul, and Talia worked on making the formal dining room, the parlor, and the living room tidy and decorated for the holiday.

Paul had done a little research to learn what would be appropriate for the centerpiece and so on, and his great-aunt’s vintage (in other words, delicate) porcelain dishes were carefully unpacked for the occasion.

Ric was going to be absent as his family was gathering in Visalia, a four-hour drive south of Marysville towards the southern end of the Great Valley.

This would be Paul’s first Thanksgiving without his mother, and he tried hard to put aside his sadness. She was deteriorating fast by this point; he wasn’t sure if she would last through the end of the year. And she was a long way past being able to understand the holiday, or leave the facility that was caring for her.

From time to time, Talia would find him looking sad, and she would try to cheer him up. She made a point of being affectionate and helpful with him and worked hard on her money management tasks. However, they had not progressed beyond kissing and a few hugs.

Paul wasn’t sure what the issue was, but he intuited that she wasn’t yet (?) ready to become intimate with him. And certainly they were both slammed with unexpectedly difficult coursework, which was completely distracting.

Kerri was the only one of the three remaining residents who had close family within a reasonable distance. As her parents had a small condo in the Lake Tahoe area with a minimal kitchen, they were pleased to be invited to spend Thanksgiving with their daughter and her new friends.

Paul had a remaining unused bedroom with a full-sized bed to offer, which the Russell’s accepted gratefully. It was up on the third floor, next to Ric’s room, but the stairs were not an issue. Kerri’s mother, Pam, was aged 46, in good health. Her father, Barry, was a medical doctor, an orthopedic surgeon, who had to retire early because of arthritis in his hands. He was 67 years old but looked younger.

When Pam and Barry began dating, there was a lot of scandalous gossip because of the age difference, but neither of them cared. Her job then, and now, was in hospital administration, which was how they met. But the gossip died out as there was no work connection between them. Barry Russell worked at the hospital, but not for the hospital. In fact, he floated among three different hospitals as needed. And it was obvious early on how much in love they were.

When they pulled up in front of the Victorian, Kerri left her chair on the veranda and rushed to meet them.

“Mom, Dad, so good to see you!”

“You live in this amazing house?” asked her father.

“Yes, indeed. Paul owns it outright; he can tell you all about it. He will, too, if you let him. Pop the trunk so I can get your bags and I’ll introduce you.”

“Paul Takahashi, meet my mother, Pam Tolson, and my father, Dr. Barry Russell. But, careful, my dad has arthritis, so please don’t squeeze his hand.”

“We could hug, OK?”

“Sure!”

“I really enjoy having your daughter here with me and Talia and Ric, she’s a great addition to the house.”

“This elaborate home is all yours?”

“It is, I’ve lived here my whole life with my mother and my great-aunt. Unfortunately, my aunt has passed, and my mother is in her very last stages of Alzheimer’s, so I was living here alone until Kerri and Talia and Ric were able to move in here with me. Ric is away with his extended family so there will be five of us eating turkey tomorrow.

“Oh, here she is. Talia Winters, meet Pam Tolson and Dr. Barry Russell.”

“My pleasure. May I ask, what flavor of doctor are you?”

“Certainly, I am a retired orthopedic surgeon.”

“You seem young to be retired, Doctor.”

“I’m afraid arthritis in my hands has ended my career early. I read scans, uh, x-rays, from time to time as a consultant. And please, call me Barry.”

“OK, Barry. And Pam, you’re definitely too young to be retired.”

“Oh, I work in hospital administration, things like purchasing and payroll and automation. Barry and I never worked together, which is just as well. I’m completely phobic about seeing blood.”

“Sounds like your main hazard at work, then, is paper cuts. I’m studying business, so maybe I will end up with a job like yours. Come to think of it, Paul is in information technology; I’m sure you and he could talk shop.”

Paul said, “Let me take you upstairs so you can see your room and freshen up. Hang on to the railings, the steps are steep and twisty. I’ll have dinner ready in 90 minutes, we’re having pasta salad and steak.”

Probing Questions

After the parents had unpacked and finished with the bathroom, they sat on the bed with their daughter and caught up with family news. Then, Barry got a serious look on his face and addressed his daughter.

“Kerri, how much do you know about Talia’s history, her life before you all moved in together?”

“She is very, uh, reticent about her past. The only thing I know is that she was very poor for quite a bit of her life. Why are you asking me?”

“Bear with me, please. You share a bathroom with her. Does she use tampons or pads?”

“Really, Dad? Why?”

“I have a good reason for asking, please, tell me.”

“As far as I know, she doesn’t use either, I don’t think she menstruates at all.”

“You know I was an orthopedic surgeon. I’ve had to operate on women and men who have a certain syndrome that leaves them with severe osteoporosis.”