“Take your son’s lead and just be civil,” Nora nodded.
“It’s not fair to me that you asked him to be here,” Randy argued, his best attempt at a whisper failing miserably.
“You’re right,” Nora agreed, more loudly than she had meant to. “It was so rude of me not to ask if you wanted to invite Cindy. Please forgive my oversight.” Then, frowning, she shook her head. “I didn’t mean that…I’m sorry.”
“Jack,” Granny laughed as she busied herself straightening the centerpiece on her table, “I remember it like yesterday…you and Nora running around playing while your Mama, God rest her soul, and I were fixing lunch.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Jack nodded courteously. “All of my best Thanksgiving memories took place right here in this house. I looked forward all year long to your special Thanksgiving feast.”
“Nora, do you remember how you and Jack used to lick the butterscotch icing from the bowl with your fingers?” Granny mused purposely. “The two of you would pure fight over who got to take the first lick.”
“I remember,” Nora smiled.
“You should have seen them, Randy,” Granny declared. “They were the cutest things. Warms my heart just remembering them that little.”
“After Thanksgiving dinner we would all sit around and string popcorn garland for the Christmas tree. It was tradition,” Nora recalled fondly. “Every year, Daddy took Jack, and they picked out the Christmas tree and brought it back here…goodness, I miss him.”
Granny wiped the counter with her trusty dishtowel as she inched closer to Nora, in order to whisper, “Nora Jean, I just pray he is not rolling over in his grave, given the situation you have managed to get yourself into.”
Nora bit her lip to keep from saying anything, but she couldn’t help the tears that started streaming down her eyes.
“Oh, Darlin’,” Granny insisted, sweeping Nora up into a forced hug. “Don’t you cry now; I didn’t dare mean to upset you.”
“It’s okay,” Nora sobbed. “It’s just that…”
Grant leaned his lips down toward Hailey’s ear. “Cue the Ike meltdown…”
Nora moved easily to Randy. “Can we walk?” she asked.
As they disappeared toward the living room, Grant stood with his arm around Hailey. “How did it go with your dad?” she asked.
“Well,” Grant shrugged, reaching for a slice of cornbread, “seeing as how various miscellaneous tactics have failed, it seems the general has studied the history of West Point’s basketball program and formulated a new plan of attack… thinly-veiled bribery.”
Hailey rolled her eyes. “You seem to be handling it well.”
Grant nodded, his mouth full. “I’m afraid if I actually internalize anything going on around us today, I might actually spontaneously combust.”
“We made it past introductions, so surely we can manage heavy food and light conversation,” Hailey suggested.
“We shall see,” Grant winked, reaching for a slice of turkey.
Granny walked his way, swinging her dishtowel. “Shoo, Shoo…” she called as she popped him with it.
Hailey laughed as Grant reached for another slice of turkey before scampering out of Granny’s reach.
“You’re bad,” Hailey whispered with a point of her finger.
“And you love it,” Grant winked.
Hailey blushed, embarrassed, which only made Grant laugh harder as he pulled her into a quick hug and pecked the top of her head.
Outside on the back porch, the conversation had hesitantly moved from Ike. “Randy,” Nora scolded, eager to change the subject. “Would it be too much to ask of you today for you to spend a little quality time getting to know Hailey?”
“Jack’s daughter?” Randy shrugged.
“You would have to be blind/oblivious or both not to notice that your son has been shot by Cupid’s arrow,” Nora crossed her arms.
“It isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last,” Randy said dismissively.
“I want you to talk to him, Randy,” Nora insisted. “Though you’ve not set the best example lately…you are Grant’s father, and …”
“What do you want me to say to him?” Randy laughed off the suggestion.
Nora let out a long sigh. “Randy, Hailey is a good girl, and I just don’t want…”
“Then why don’t you and Grant and Emily just come home with me where you belong?” Randy begged.
“Don’t change the subject…Grant likes it here,” Nora countered.
“No, Grant likes her,” Randy laughed.
“Yes, he does,” Nora agreed.
“If you ask me, having two eighteen-year-old lovebirds living under the same roof is just asking for trouble,” Randy declared.
“So, Randy, would you please just talk to him,” Nora begged. “Show some interest in his life…aside from his college plans.”
