Chapter Twenty-Four
Dinner was delicious. Garrick had been off ever since “Lost” played. In fact, all his siblings begged Kurt to disclose Keira’s identity. Each time, he successfully evaded the question.
What a mess.
I dried my hands in the restroom before heading back to the playroom with the kids. I felt a headache looming in the back of my head. I knew Garrick was worried, but I hated to put a damper on our first Thanksgiving. Maybe if we had talked more before we came over. But I just wasn’t sure. After all the preparation to make it perfect, I felt a little deflated.
My phone vibrated with a text.
Sawyer: Did Kurt tell you what he did?
Me: Yeah, I heard about the turkey call.
Sawyer: Yeah, the turkey call. I may have been a little too aggressive when I cut my turkey today.
Me: Ha-ha! Poor Tom.
Sawyer: I’m going to up my game.
Me: Maybe take his rival band and do something.
Oh no! I’d done it again.
Me: Ignore me!
Sawyer: You’re a genius. I knew you were on my side. My lips are sealed.
Me: Happy tormenting!
Sawyer: Hells yeah! Has Kurt left yet?
Me: Yeah, with the song mess…he showed up late, ate, and then had to leave.
As soon as the song had finished playing, she’d called me and I’d told her what happened.
Sawyer: I can’t believe what those assholes did. I hope Garrick and Kurt stick it to them. Gotta run. Dessert time!
Me: See ya.
I had to giggle. Sawyer always knew how to lighten the mood.
I went back to the playroom and looked down the hall. No sign of Garrick. After dinner, he’d disappeared to the study with his dad.
“Aunt Knoah, look at my car.” Derrick sped a car around my feet as I entered what could only be described as pandemonium.
“Wow, it’s so fast.”
Another kid zoomed by, flying a pretend airplane.
Garrick’s two sisters and one brother each had two children, which made for a very loud and chaotic playroom. Laura and Lucy, Melissa and David’s kids, braided my hair. The last time I’d been here, I promised to come up and play.
My mind kept wandering to what was going on with Garrick. Kourtney walked in and sat beside me. “The kids were excited for you to come over.”
“I missed them. How’ve you been?” Lunch with her and Melissa, Garrick’s other sister, at the beginning of the week had been a nice way to catch up. Marcus’s wife, Amanda, hadn’t been able to meet us. They were a lovely group, and I knew we would continue to get closer.
“Good. Busy. Is everything okay with Garrick?” She’d noticed, too. I wasn’t able to tell if Garrick successfully hid it from everyone.
Instead of answering, I sidestepped the question. “Why do you ask?”
“He was more withdrawn than normal today. It was just odd. I wanted to make sure you guys were okay.”
This was an easy one to answer. “Honestly, we’re great. I promise. He’s been pretty busy at work this week since the honeymoon. I haven’t seen him much.”
And I missed him. But Garrick working a lot was part of the package. I understood this. But it was lonely not being able to do much.
Her hand touched mine, and I loved the gentleness of it. She truly cared. “You okay, Knoah? You seem a little more withdrawn, too.”
Withdrawn? Am I? I didn’t feel like I’d been withdrawn. Again, I answered honestly. “I’m great. I’ve been baking…a lot.”
“Uncle Garrick! Uncle Garrick!”
The kids ran to him where he stood in the doorway. He squatted and hugged them. Oh how he loved children. If only one day I could give him his ultimate bucket-list item—a family. My therapist told me not to focus on it, but be prepared for either outcome. It was okay to do the what if scenarios as long as they stayed constructive. So confusing.
“You guys taking care of Aunt Knoah?” Garrick gave me a wink.
Savannah, Kourtney’s daughter, replied, “Yes! She’s been playing with us.”
“Good. But I’m going to take Aunt Knoah now. I need to spend some time with her.”
Kourtney grinned as she looked at her brother adoringly. From the beginning, Kourtney and I had hit it off. It was a little harder with his two other siblings, Melissa and Marcus. At least things were looking up now.
They groaned. “No! You just got here. Don’t take her.”
Actually we had been here for over three hours. “I promise to make it up to you guys.”
“Ice cream and a slumber party with Aunt Knoah?”
Garrick looked at me. I nodded. “Yes.”
They cheered. Then Savannah stood with her hands on her hips. “When? We’re not going to fall for your trick, Uncle Garrick. You kept Knoah away for way too long last time.”
Chuckling, he said, “Next Friday. My apartment. Ask your parents.”
They all took off out of the room. Derrick and Savannah apparently forgot their mother was sitting there. “Thanks a lot, Garrick. For the next week, it’s going to be nonstop asking when it’s time to come to your house.”
He smirked. “Good. Bye, Kourt.” She hugged him and whispered something in his ear. He said, “That’s what I’m planning. I had to make some arrangements.”
“I figured as much.”
I gave everyone hugs and jotted down the mint chocolate chip cookie recipe for the women. It had been a hit. Garrick’s brows drew together again when I commented how cooking had never been my strong point, but with more time on my hands, I was getting better at it.
We got in the car as the late afternoon sun began to set. A very pensive Garrick sat beside me. Apparently, he hadn’t completely worked through his off mood.
“What are we going to do tonight?” I asked. Anything to get the stagnant silence out of the car.
“What would you say to going to the house in Utah for the weekend tonight?”
I stared at him in astonishment. “Really? That sounds amazing. What about clothes?”
“I had some of our things sent there when I bought it and forgot to tell you. I know how important it was to you to have the perfect Thanksgiving as a couple. Though things didn’t go quite as planned, I think this will make it the most memorable, spending our first night together in the place we fell in love.”
“Yes!” I threw my arms around him. “You have no idea what this means to me.”
His hand cradled my back. “I do. It means the same to me.” He squeezed me tighter. “Joe, to the airport,” Garrick instructed.