Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice, Chapter 15 (Panic, Persuasion, and Poultry)

Brandon paced across his living room, his mind racing. He could practically feel his pulse pounding in his ears as he tried to catch his breath. His family was always a handful, and now, thanks to Laura’s last-minute “brilliant” idea, they were all going to be under one roof, Adalynn included. He felt himself spiraling as he imagined the inevitable chaos that would unfold, with Adalynn smack in the middle of it.

Unable to handle it alone, he pulled out his phone and dialed Damarae’s number. It rang twice before his friend picked up, his voice sleepy and annoyed.

“What, man? It’s barely ten!”

“D, we’ve got a serious problem,” Brandon said, barely pausing for breath. “My family… they’ve gone rogue. Laura’s invited my mom and Roberto to join us at Thanksgiving with her and Garth. And Adalynn’s coming.”

“Oh, I know,” Damarae replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “I’ll be there too, if you even care. Don’t think for a second I’m not part of this family drama you call a holiday.”

Brandon sighed, rubbing his temples. “Sorry. I just… I didn’t think it would actually happen. Now they’re all going to be there. Together. And Adalynn… I mean, how am I supposed to handle this?”

“Easy,” Damarae said, feigning indifference. “You tell her how you feel, genius. You know, instead of pretending you’re some monk who’s above dating. Just go to her now and tell her.”

“Yeah, right. Like that’s going to happen,” Brandon muttered, sinking down onto the couch. “Not after what I said in the car yesterday. She asked me if I was dating, and I told her dating wasn’t in the cards for me. I totally blew it.”

“Wait… wait, let me get this straight.” Damarae’s voice grew serious for a second, then he burst out laughing. “You said what? No wonder you’re in a panic, man! You told her you’re not dating, then expect her to think you’re interested?”

“I know, I know, alright?” Brandon snapped, feeling the embarrassment creep over him again. “I hesitated, and I just said something stupid.”

Damarae sighed, dropping the laughter. “Look, if she was asking about your dating life, that means she’s interested. Trust me, she wouldn’t be bringing it up otherwise. Women don’t just casually ask questions like that.”

The realization hit Brandon like a cold splash of water. He’d been so caught up in his own awkwardness that he hadn’t even considered that Adalynn might actually be interested in him too. For a moment, his panic faded, replaced by a glimmer of hope.

“But,” he said slowly, “I still messed up. What if she thinks I’m not interested now?”

“Then you fix it, genius,” Damarae replied dryly. “Your family’s already set their plans in motion. You can either tell Adalynn how you feel now, or you can wait until Thanksgiving when the inevitable circus sends her running for the hills.”

Brandon groaned, letting his head fall back against the couch. Damarae was right—there was no way to stop his family now. All he could do was try to get ahead of it. He was about to thank Damarae when he heard a loud beep on the line.

“Oh, hold on, I’m getting another call,” Damarae said. “Good luck, man, you’re going to need it.”

With that, Damarae hung up, leaving Brandon to wrestle with his thoughts.

Meanwhile, across town, Garth and Roberto walked into the bustling grocery store, each man’s face set in determination. The Thanksgiving turkey showdown had officially begun, and neither was about to back down. But as they stepped into the poultry section, they were greeted by a crowd of angry patrons, all facing an empty refrigerated case where turkeys were supposed to be.

An exhausted-looking store clerk stood behind the counter, clutching a clipboard as the shoppers began to raise their voices. She cleared her throat, trying to keep her voice steady.

“I’m really sorry, everyone, but we’re out of turkeys for now. There’s been a shortage, and we’re not sure if we’ll get more before Thanksgiving. I really apologize—”

The crowd’s angry murmur turned into a full-on protest, customers complaining about ruined holiday plans and demanding to know how a store could run out of turkeys so close to Thanksgiving.

Standing at the back of the crowd, Roberto turned to Garth with a smug smile. “Well, well, well, looks like you’re out of luck, buddy. No turkey for you.”

Garth scowled, but before he could respond, he caught a glimpse of the young clerk’s face. Her eyes were welling up with tears as she stammered an apology, clearly overwhelmed by the commotion. Garth recognized her—Cassandra, he thought her name was—from his past trips to the store, and he felt a pang of sympathy.

Roberto, however, was undeterred by her distress. “You know,” he muttered, watching her with a judgmental look, “stores like this ruin Thanksgiving for everyone. How hard is it to keep a few extra turkeys in stock?”

“Enough, Roberto,” Garth said firmly, shooting him a look. But he could tell his words had done little to sway his stubborn rival.

As the crowd continued to protest, Cassandra quietly slipped away, disappearing into the back of the store. Garth watched her go, feeling a pang of guilt. Ignoring Roberto’s smug comments, he followed her, determined to set things right. Roberto, with a sigh of annoyance, trailed behind him.

They found Cassandra huddled in the stockroom, clutching her clipboard and wiping her eyes. She glanced up in surprise as Garth approached.

“Cassandra, I’m sorry,” Garth said, his voice softening. “I didn’t mean to add to the chaos out there. It’s just… well, Thanksgiving can bring out the worst in people.”

She sniffed, managing a faint smile. “It’s alright, Mr. Stewart. It’s just… there’s nothing I can do. I’ve been fielding complaints all day, and it’s just… overwhelming.”

Roberto crossed his arms, clicking his teeth in disgust. “So, what’s the plan here? Just give up? Thanksgiving’s practically ruined, Cassandra.”

Garth shot him a sharp look. “Ignore him. You’re doing the best you can.”

Roberto raised an eyebrow, undeterred. “Unless, of course… you’re not a big fan of Thanksgiving. What, are you a Jehovah’s Witness or something?”

Garth’s eyes widened, and he quickly apologized, shaking his head. “Ignore him, Cassandra, really. He’s… well, he’s Roberto.”

Cassandra managed a weak laugh, and Garth took the opportunity to press forward. “Look, maybe you could help us out. If you have any supplier info, Roberto and I could go see if we can find a turkey ourselves. We’re… not exactly above begging for a bird at this point.”

Cassandra looked at him, then at Roberto, her expression caught somewhere between amusement and sympathy. Finally, she nodded, reaching for a small notebook on her desk. She quickly scribbled down a name and address, then handed it to Garth.

“Monty Sparks. He’s a local farmer, just outside of town. He might still have a turkey or two left. He’s… well, a little eccentric, but he’s your best bet.”

Garth looked at her gratefully, folding the note and slipping it into his pocket. “Thank you, Cassandra. I really appreciate it.”

She gave him a small smile, then turned back to her clipboard, her eyes already looking a bit more hopeful. “Good luck.”

As they headed back to the car, Roberto shot Garth a sidelong glance, clicking his teeth. “A turkey road trip, huh? Can’t wait to see what sort of farm this guy’s running.”

Garth shrugged, glancing down at the note in his hand. “If it gets us a turkey, it’s worth a little adventure. Better than standing in that madhouse, anyway.”

Roberto muttered something under his breath, but he didn’t protest as he climbed into the car. The Thanksgiving mission was officially on.

Back at his apartment, Brandon sat on the edge of his couch, staring at his phone. Damarae’s words echoed in his head, urging him to finally tell Adalynn how he felt. He took a deep breath, his mind racing with possibilities, fears, and worst-case scenarios.

His phone buzzed with a new message, and he glanced down, feeling his pulse quicken as he read Laura’s latest update:

Laura: Great news! Jazlyn and I are so excited. We’ll have plenty of sides, and Garth with Roberto is getting the Turkey. It’s going to be amazing! Adalynn is going to have a Thanksgiving she’ll never forget!

Brandon’s eyes widened as he read the message, the realization hitting him with full force.

Thanksgiving was no longer just a holiday dinner—it was turning into a full-blown family spectacle, and Adalynn was about to be at the center of it all.

As he stared at his phone, trying to process the whirlwind his life had become, one thought echoed in his mind: it was now or never.