I’d Like You To Meet Someone

The turkey was golden, oozing with buttery juices, and Dawn was admiring it sitting in the roaster. Looks like we wouldn’t have a dry turkey this year now that Dawn was in charge of Thanksgiving.

“You’re carving it this year,” she said, sliding the knife to me. Just then, the garage door slid open knocking the draft dodger into the hallway.

“Hi Hank,” I said seeing that Dawn’s dad had arrived first. He was wearing his blaze orange hunting cap and his Mossy Oak coat. Only the best for special occasions, I thought to myself.

“Smells like Mother’s dressing in here,” Hank said as he gave his daughter a pat on the back. The door shut, and in the dark the hallway I saw a figure standing behind him.

“Pete, Dawn, I’d like you to meet someone,” he said, gesturing behind him with a jerk of his thumb. “This is Faye.”

Faye stepped out of the hallway into the kitchen, a small woman with tightly permed brown hair. It was probably her natural hair color circa 1985 but some old ladies were like that. Like their hair was the only thing about them that wasn’t getting old.

“Hello, thanks for having us,” Faye said, her voice breathless like an old time actress. She offered up a saran-wrapped pecan pie, Dawn’s mother’s specialty.

I extended my hand and gave hers a shake in welcome but Dawn hadn’t moved at all. The bit of chest right at her throat was speckled with pink spots and her lips were drawn into a thin line. It was the face she made when she was just about to cry or right before she started to yell at me. Those two things often happened simultaneously.

She moved suddenly. The spoon she was holding was thrown down with a clatter and she walked out of the kitchen. Then we heard the front door slam.

I ran after her. She was standing in the driveway crying, her hands pressed to her eyes like she was trying to keep the tears in there. She reached for me and I held her as she cried and shook in my arms.

“How could he?” she asked between breaths. “The first Thanksgiving without Mom and he has to bring her? Do you think they’ve been together all this time?”

I realized then that we had seen Faye before, at our engagement party. That was what, twenty-six years ago? There had been this rumor in town that Margie had heard about Hank and this other woman...God Almighty that had been a night full of confrontations, crying women and doors that were nearly slammed off of their hinges.

The door opened to reveal Hank.  

“Dawn, I didn’t drive an hour for my daughter to walk out on me. Get in here.” He motioned to her like he was calling his springer spaniel to his side.  

“How could you bring her here? Mom’s only been gone for nine months.” When Hank didn’t reply, Dawn turned around and walked to the end of the driveway. She continued onto the sidewalk and just kept walking until she was out of sight.
    “It probably wasn’t the best day for this, Hank.”

“What would’ve been a better time? My funeral?” He went back in, slamming the door behind him. I wandered into the driveway to look for Dawn, and a green sedan coasted into the driveway in front of me. Dawn’s brother with his family, I groaned. At least they beat the girls home from college.