Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice, Chapter 26 (Thanksgiving Truce)

As Brandon, Adalynn, and Damarae pulled up in front of Garth and Laura’s house, they were immediately greeted by the sounds of chaos echoing from within. Brandon exchanged a weary glance with his friends before opening the door, and they stepped into a scene that was as close to a battlefield as Thanksgiving could get.

In the living room, Laura and Jazlyn were mid-argument, their voices rising over each other, while Jazlyn, red-cheeked and swaying slightly from the wine, looked defiant. From the open kitchen, pots and pans cluttered every available space, their contents bubbling unattended on the stove. Brandon took it all in, running a hand over his face in disbelief.

“Alright,” Brandon sighed, rolling up his sleeves. “We’ve got to bring some order to this madness.”

Damarae gave him a determined nod and headed straight for the kitchen, ready to tackle the unattended stove. Adalynn took a deep breath and walked over to the living room, positioning herself between Laura and Jazlyn with a look of calm authority that belied the tension in the room.

Meanwhile, Brandon made his way through the house and stepped out into the backyard, where Roberto was hunched over, tending to both the smoker and the fryer. Roberto’s face was set in a grim scowl, his body language defensive as he glanced up, noticing Brandon’s approach.

“I don’t want to talk right now,” Roberto muttered, his tone sharp.

Brandon nodded, crossing his arms. “Fair enough. But heading into today, I thought I was the only one with issues. And then, everything started falling apart. But I’ve made amends with my friends, I found Dad and talked him down… and I’m not letting anyone—including you—ruin the rest of this day.”

Roberto said nothing, but Brandon noticed a faint softening in his expression as he continued.

“There was this kid I met earlier,” Brandon went on, “who reminded me what Thanksgiving’s all about. It’s about giving thanks. I know you’re frustrated, but I want to say thank you. You went above and beyond to make today happen, because family and food mean the world to you. I see that, and I’m grateful for it.”

Brandon extended his hand, his gaze steady. For a moment, Roberto hesitated, his tough exterior faltering, before he reached out to shake Brandon’s hand. Then, in a rare moment of vulnerability, he pulled Brandon into a hug.

“Gracias, Brandon,” Roberto said quietly, pulling back with a warm smile. “You’re a good kid.”

Inside, Damarae found himself staring at a stovetop filled with simmering pots and bubbling side dishes. He quickly checked each one, doing his best to manage cooking times without fully knowing what was what. He’d never been so glad for an excuse to shout into the living room.

“Can one of you come help me in here?” he called out, shaking his head as he tasted a suspicious-looking sauce and made a face.

In the living room, Laura and Jazlyn had paused their bickering to glance at Adalynn, who had stepped between them, her arms crossed as she addressed them both firmly.

“Listen, the affair alone is bad enough,” Adalynn began, “but throwing it out in a drunken fit during Thanksgiving? That was uncalled for.”

Jazlyn rolled her eyes, swaying a little as she crossed her arms defensively. “I was tired of carrying the burden.”

Laura snorted, barely containing her frustration. “Maybe you should get tired of the bourbon, too.”

Jazlyn’s face reddened as she glared at Laura. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

Adalynn quickly intervened, raising her hands. “Both of you, stop! Think about what you’re doing. For weeks, you’ve been working together to make Thanksgiving special. You can’t be the ones responsible for tearing it apart.”

Laura and Jazlyn shifted uncomfortably, the weight of Adalynn’s words starting to sink in.

“Brandon found Garth and talked him down,” Adalynn continued. “He’s calm, and he’s coming home soon. But he doesn’t need to come back to this kind of chaos. It’ll just drive him away. Laura, do you love him?”

Laura’s gaze softened, and she nodded, her voice barely a whisper. “Yes, I do.”

Adalynn turned to Jazlyn. “And you, Jazlyn? Do you love Roberto?”

Jazlyn took a moment, swaying slightly as she thought it over. “Yes, despite him being obsessed with Thanksgiving, always being grumpy, and spending way too much money on that turkey… yes, I love him.”

Adalynn gave them both a pointed look. “Then what is this between you two? Was it just for pleasure? For excitement? Were you hoping to get caught?”

Neither woman could meet her gaze, both looking away as they struggled to answer.

“Is it love?” Adalynn pressed gently.

Laura shook her head first, looking down. “No… I’m not in love with Jazlyn.”

Jazlyn laughed, a little too loudly. “I’m not in love with Laura, either!”

“Then what is it?” Adalynn asked, exasperated.

Jazlyn shrugged, her expression softening as she spoke. “I’m always home now. Being retired, I have all this time… and I was just there.”

Laura nodded, a faint smile of regret on her lips. “And I work from home, alone. It was just… convenient.”

Adalynn looked between them, letting their words sink in. “Maybe you both let a little selfishness get in the way. But if you want to save your marriages, you need to end this. Right here. Right now.”

Laura and Jazlyn exchanged a glance, and then they nodded, both of them looking relieved and a little embarrassed.

“You’re right,” Laura said, reaching over to place a hand on Jazlyn’s arm. “We’ll end it.”

Jazlyn nodded, her expression earnest. “We’re done. It’s not worth tearing our families apart.”

Damarae cleared his throat loudly from the kitchen doorway. “Okay, great! Now can you two actually get in here and help me? Because I have no clue what I’m doing.”

They all chuckled, the tension dissipating as Laura and Jazlyn shared a smile. Jazlyn patted Adalynn’s shoulder as she headed outside, her steps a little steadier as she prepared to talk to Roberto.

Brandon met her at the doorway as she passed, and Jazlyn gave him a small hug, whispering a quick “Thank you” before heading out to the backyard to find her husband.

With a relieved sigh, Brandon joined Adalynn in the dining room, where they began setting the table together. As they laid out the plates and silverware, they cast occasional glances toward the window, watching Jazlyn and Roberto as they talked quietly in the backyard. Though they couldn’t hear the conversation, the atmosphere between the two looked calm and hopeful.

Adalynn nudged Brandon with her elbow, giving him a small smile. “We make a pretty good team, don’t we?”

Brandon chuckled, feeling a warmth in his chest. “Yeah, I guess we do.”

The sound of the front door opening broke the moment, and they turned to see Garth stepping inside, his expression somber but calm. His eyes swept over the room, finally landing on Laura, who was standing by the kitchen door, her face full of emotion.

For a moment, they just looked at each other, an unspoken understanding passing between them. Then, from the kitchen, Damarae’s voice broke the silence with an exaggerated sigh.

“Laura, if you don’t get back in here, we’re going to have charred potatoes on top of everything else!”

Laura let out a small laugh, wiping away a tear as she gave Garth a nod, a silent promise to talk later. She disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Garth standing in the doorway, watching as his family bustled around him, working together in harmony.

Brandon caught his father’s eye and gave him a small, reassuring nod. And as Garth looked around the room, taking in the sight of his family—flawed, imperfect, but together—a smile slowly spread across his face.

For the first time in days, Garth felt a glimmer of hope that, despite everything, this Thanksgiving might just be one to remember.