“Mmmm….I brought some Dom,” Luke mused out loud, agreeing with Tina’s recommendation. “They were chilled already, and Bette has them chilling some more in your wine cabinet.”

He and Tina exchanged glances, then simultaneously exclaimed, “Okay, we should pop one right now!”

As they hurried down the stairs, they saw Bette opening the door to Helena, who was followed closely by Peggy.  Before Bette could shut the door, however, a trio of women who were apparently trailing behind Peggy exclaimed.  “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize…,” Bette was saying, confused, as Tina and Luke joined them.

One of the women recognized Luke, “Luke Skinner, what are you doing here?”

“Catherine, my gosh it’s been ages!,” he exclaimed.  Bette and Tina looked at one another, then at
Helena, then at Peggy.

Helena walked quickly next to Bette, then whispered, “I’m awfully sorry Bette, but, I honestly could not see myself spending the rest of the day cooped up in mother’s place with …”

Bette shook her head, “Please, Helena. Don’t apologize…it’s Thanksgiving!  Let’s celebrate with those we love, right?  And Tina and I certainly have cherished having your’s and Peggy’s friendships all these years.”

Peggy had walked up to Bette also, after hugging Tina.  “Bette Porter…Kennard, excuse me,” she said, correcting herself.  “I would like to wish you the very best Thanksgiving.  When you visited me ages ago in Santa Barbara I knew instinctively that you were going to be a first-class gallery owner…and now, even better, you and I have become first-class friends.”  She opened her arms to hug Bette, kissing her cheek fondly.

Half an hour later, Bette, Tina, and Shane had finally corralled everybody around the buffet, where the largest turkey anyone around the table had ever seen, sat, crispy skin waiting to be cut through.  Although Logan’s cook had done a great job prepping the turkey, and Logan had managed to follow directions in making sure it was cooked properly, Lara thought the occasion called for something extra.  So she rubbed a custom mix of oil, butter, and herbs on the skin, then used a special setting in the large oven to flash heat the skin, to make it crispy.

“Okay, will anyone say grace?,” Shane asked aloud, as the crowd settled down.