Song Chaser (Chasers) by Kandi Steiner

Author:Kandi Steiner
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Kandi Steiner
Published: 2014-06-29T00:00:00+00:00

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Sharon and I are in the kitchen all afternoon, prepping and cooking and baking and then prepping again. I’m so used to being in the kitchen practically by myself when I cook at home and I can tell Sharon is, too. But we fall into a rhythm together and laugh and talk all day as we cook. She tells me embarrassing stories about Tanner as a little boy and asks me questions about my family and schooling, and I can tell she’s not just asking – she’s actually interested. Hours fly by in what feels like minutes and before I know it, we’re setting the table and the boys are turning off the game to join us.

“Is it just the four of us?” I ask, wondering how in the world we’re going to eat all the food we prepared. We have enough for at least twenty people, but there are only four spots set at the table.

“Right now, yes. But don’t worry dear, our hard work won’t go to waste,” Sharon says, winking at Tanner.

“Mom and Dad take the leftovers down to Dad’s office every year after we eat,” Tanner fills in. “A lot of my dad’s patients don’t have much, especially since pediatric care isn’t the cheapest thing in the world. My dad helps out by offering payment plans and he gives free services whenever he can, and every Thanksgiving we have two dinners – one here and one there.”

My heart swells and I turn to David, who’s smiling modestly at his wife. “That’s amazing,” I say softly.

“Oh, Tanner makes us sound like superheroes. We’re just normal people doing what any other family in our situation would do,” David says, still smiling.

I return his smile as I take a seat, but we all know it’s not what anyone would do. Hell, it’s not what I would do, though now I want to. I make a mental note to research how I can do something positive with my major later. Suddenly, I see where Tanner gets the goodness in his heart. I see why it was so easy for Paisley to break him, why it was so easy for him to give himself to her the way he did – no reservations, no worries of what might happen. With parents like this, how could he not?

The food is delicious and the conversation rich. I find myself smiling and laughing more at this table than I have in the past decade. Tanner and David fire jokes back and forth and Sharon chimes in with the best punch lines. Jack lies by my feet under the table and Tanner slips him a piece of turkey every now and then, making him wag his tail in gratitude. The funny thing is that I should probably feel like an outsider, but I don’t. My ribs hurt from laughing with them and I feel comfortable, home-like even.

I tell them stories about me and my hometown, about my family’s syrup business and my Mee Ma’s crazy antics.

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