Special Chapter 3: Thanksgiving

Months passed since Audrey and Asher, along with Flora, moved to the countryside.

It was Thanksgiving Day. Mr. and Mrs. Vargas came to celebrate with them.

Audrey opened the door, and the elderly couple immediately ran up to her with open arms. “Ah, Hija! It's so good to see you!” Mrs. Vargas exclaimed as they all embraced warmly.

“Welcome to our home. We hope you find it comfortable,” Audrey said, taking in their expressions of joy at being in a place that was so tranquil and cozy. She smiled as Asher happily waved his tiny hands towards them to be enveloped in their embrace.

The elderly couple positively bubbled with excitement when they laid eyes on their beloved grandson again.

“Oh, my goodness! Look how much he has grown since we last saw him!” Mr. Vargas marveled. His face lit up at the sight of Asher with his bright smile.

Mrs. Vargas then asked, “Would you like for us to take him out for a walk? The neighborhood looks delightful.”

Audrey nodded eagerly and pointed out various places around the area that could be interesting for them to explore.

“Look, Hija!” Mr. Vargas said in awe as they arrived at the park. “Look how many children are playing. Several years later, Asher will be one of them jumping and running around in this same park.”

Audrey's lips curled in a smile as she took in the sight of the playground. Mrs. Vargas smiled to herself and laughed softly as she watched her looking excited.

“Let's keep going,” Audrey suggested, and the three of them continued their outing, marveling at the chirping of birds and scurrying squirrels.

They soon discovered a petting zoo with goats grazing in a nearby field! Mrs. Vargas carefully lifted Asher out of his stroller and brought him close to one of the goats which nuzzled its head against his small hand before wandering away into another part of the field. Audrey squealed in delight at the sight, while Asher chuckled softly in amazement.

“Oh my! He loves them,” Audrey commented and laughed.

On their way back home, Mrs. Vargas pointed out different types of birds perched atop trees or branches singing cheerfully as they walked past - there were sparrows, pigeons, and even seagulls! All three of them couldn't help but admire the beauty of nature around them.

When they arrived home, Flora had prepared a spectacular dinner. Mrs. Vargas went to put Asher down for the night with Audrey, while Mr. Vargas made his way into the kitchen to admire the spread on the table.

“My goodness Flora,” he exclaimed. “You've outdone yourself! Just look at all of these amazing dishes.”

The turkey was golden and crispy, and as everyone gathered around the table, they could smell its delicious aroma. Each dish was perfectly seasoned, and everyone shared stories of what they were grateful for that year as they savored every bite of Flora's cooking— it truly tasted like heaven! She learned from the expert after all.

“Thank you, Sir.” Flora smiled proudly at the compliment.

As they shared laughter and love over their scrumptious meal, Mr. Vargas looked around with tears in his eyes. Everyone in this room was so special to him and he couldn't help but be thankful for all that life had brought him—it was an evening filled with joy that no one would ever forget.

Mrs. Vargas noticed her husband's tears and asked him what was wrong. He struggled to find the right words, and when he couldn't he just smiled and said, “I’m just happy, that's all.”

Mrs. Vargas felt a warmth growing in her heart as she looked into his eyes, and pressed his hand as if to tell him that there was no need for further explanation. She kissed him on the forehead and said how much this night meant to her too. Together they enjoyed the rest of the meal with their family enveloped in unconditional love and support from each other.

The evening seemed to last forever but the fun was yet to begin. After dinner, they moved the festivities to the living room and played bingo and charades. Everyone was filled with anticipation as they eagerly waited for their chance to call out a winning number or guess the right phrase. Cheers erupted when someone shouted 'Bingo' or guessed the phrase correctly.

The energy in the room was palpable and incredibly contagious! Audrey laughed as she watched her family being goofy and having so much fun. She couldn't help but feel content and grateful that everyone had come together to make this night special for her.

Suddenly, a shiver ran down her spine as she looked out of the window into the darkness outside. Shane had promised to come over for the night to visit their son, but he still hadn't shown up. Despite knowing better, Audrey found herself disappointed yet again.

“Time for dessert!” Mrs. Vargas announced. At once everyone started chattering excitedly while rushing towards the kitchen table where mouth-watering cakes that Audrey had baked were displayed with well-deserved pride - all homemade desserts that had been prepared using her own recipes.

After weeks of planning everything seemed perfect - even better than what Audrey had ever imagined! Surrounded by wonderful people who cared for her more than anyone could imagine, Audrey wished this moment would never end. “I'm so glad you all could make it,” she said with a smile.

At midnight, Audrey received a text from Shane. The message was brief, telling her the reason why he couldn’t make it and a promise that he would be there next time. Placing her phone away Audrey lie down on the bed and closed her eyes.

“It’s fine though,” she mumbled. “Really, it’s fine.”