Tethered by A.K. Chatham

Author:A.K. Chatham
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ashley Key
Published: 2022-01-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day was a busy day. Her mother and Nellie had decorated the house and perfected the menu. She wanted Ana to be involved with the meal and preparation as much as possible.

“How was Thanksgiving at your old home?” her mother asked the evening before Thanksgiving as they sat in the kitchen.

“It was just like a day, I guess,” Ana said.

“Really? You didn’t share a meal?” her mother asked. “Yes, I am sure there were at some point but truthfully, I don’t remember it ever being a big deal. But I had Thanksgiving with friends many times,” Ana said.

“Oh really, who?” her mother asked. In the past, Ana's mother had asked her about her old life, and Ana always felt odd talking about it, but it was getting easier.

“My friend Judy. I worked with her and her daughters. She taught me how to cook some things,” Ana said.

“You mean your friend had daughters your age?” she asked Ana.

“No, Judy was old, like in her late sixties. I lived with her for a short time before I went to the Academy. Her daughters were great too.”

“You lived with someone? Your mother didn’t mind? Judy didn’t mind?” her mother asked, shocked.

“Yeah, I lived with Judy. She let me stay in the spare room. For at least four months, I think. My parents sucked. I really didn’t ask them,” Ana said.

“I don’t understand. You mean you ran away?” her mother asked.

“I don’t know if you would call it that. She knew where I was. He was in and out of jail. They had more important things to deal with,” Ana said.

Andrea still didn’t understand. “So, she wanted you to be away?” her mother asked.

“I don’t know, maybe. I think she really didn’t care.”

“I cannot fathom that. Thanks to God for Judy. Is she still living?” Andrea asked, seemingly talking to herself more than to Ana.

“No, she passed while I was at the Academy. I loved Judy and her daughters. They treated me like I was a part of the family. Judy cried when I left for the Academy. I’ll never forget that. That really touched me. I really miss them,” Ana said, reflecting.

“I imagine she was the sweetest person,” Andrea said, getting mushy.

Ana laughed out loud. “Yes, she was sweet, but she was also very strong, let's put it that way. She would say, ‘I can’t do everything, and I ain’t going to do it either.’ I’ll never forget laughing with her daughters when she would get all riled up. Judy was a hard worker and she had lived a hard life. She was the motivation for me to do better than my gene pool. We had a great time with her,” Ana said.

“Oh, I am so grateful for her, Ana. I just can’t imagine not caring where my sixteen-year-old child was staying at night,” Andrea said.

“They weren’t like us, Mom. There were no bedtimes or family meals. I don’t know how to explain it. She was more like someone who I didn’t really like but was tied to.

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