Thanksgiving, 2008
Five and a half months had passed since Jack and Rose had graduated from college. Jack had launched himself into his graduate studies at Cal State San Bernardino, working full time during the day to support his family and going to classes three nights a week. On Saturday afternoons, he volunteered at a non-profit mental health clinic in Riverside, gaining valuable experience.
Rose’s career, while not conventionally successful, had kept her busy as well. Between the different jobs she took on, she made nearly as much money as Jack did, enabling him to avoid overtime work. She continued singing at the nightclub she had originally hired on with, and soon hired on with another, singing twice a month on weeknights. Her music wasn’t the most popular kind, but she soon developed a following, small though it was. Her singing for the environmental group and for the city of Riverside had attracted sufficient interest that a small recording company had taken notice. She had recorded her first album in October, an anthology of traditional American ballads. She had also signed a contract to make two more, with the possibility of an extension if there was enough interest. She had finished the musical film, which, while it was never widely released, had done well at the first film festival it was shown at, and she had been cast in another, this time an original one about the building of the railroads to be filmed in Perris starting in January.
In spite of the sometimes hectic directions their lives took them in, Jack and Rose refused to let things get so busy that they had no time for each other and their children. They had breakfast as a family almost every morning, and when she wasn’t working during the day, Rose would take the kids to San Bernardino and meet Jack for lunch. No matter what, they always set Sunday aside as a family day, a tradition they had begun when Lizzy was born and which had continued over the years, although when Jack had had to work Sundays, they had taken Sunday mornings and evenings for family time. In addition, though she could have worked on Friday nights, Rose chose instead to go out somewhere with Jack on those evenings, something that they had been doing regularly since before they were married. Rose took great interest in her music, but not so great an interest that she was willing to sacrifice spending time with her husband and children.
Ruth would have been appalled at Rose’s decision to hold her career back for the sake of her family, but for Rose it made perfect sense. Unlike her mother, Rose’s life did not revolve around her work, though she did consider it to be important. She spent plenty of time with her family, not out of a sense of duty as her parents had, but because she genuinely enjoyed being with them. She and Jack were as close as ever, in spite of their busy lives, and they loved their children whole-heartedly. Life was good.
*****
On Thanksgiving morning, Rose awakened early, snuggled in Jack’s arms. From the kids’ room, she could hear Paul making soft baby noises, probably staring in fascination at the mobile suspended over his crib that glimmered in the faint glow of the nightlight.
She lay back, smiling as Jack turned over and snuggled closer against her. They didn’t have to get up just yet since it was a holiday, and since the kids were still quiet, they took advantage of the time alone together, cuddling close and simply enjoying being together.
Rose sighed contentedly as Jack opened his eyes. "Good morning," she whispered, laying her head on his chest.
"Morning, Rose." He kissed her, stroking her hair gently and pulling the blankets up over their bare bodies, their nightclothes discarded hours before and scattered across the floor.
She smiled at him, returning the kiss, wishing that there was more time before the kids would get up. But since Paul was already awake, he would undoubtedly start to fuss soon, and then Lizzy would be up, wanting breakfast. She glanced around to see where her nightgown was, knowing that she would have to put some clothes on soon enough.
But not yet. She and Jack kissed again, the kiss deeper this time. Even after five years of marriage and two children, their passion hadn’t faded, and they still made love often. Jack had heard the complaints of couples who said that the passion and romance had gone out of their marriage, and sometimes wondered how he and Rose had been so lucky that it hadn’t happened yet. Maybe, he thought, it was because they’d had more than passion and romance to begin with, and maybe it because they took the time to make special moments for themselves. Or maybe it was both of those things, and more. A good marriage took work, but they were both willing to do what it took, and each loved and respected the other. Even when they disagreed, those things were still there.
He looked at his robe, tossed across the end of the bed, considering getting up and closing the door again. Just then, there was a whimper from Paul, which both parents knew would soon progress into full-blown wails if they didn’t get up and take care of him. They also heard the creak of the springs in Lizzy’s bed as she awoke, disturbed by the noise.
"I guess we’ve been summoned," Jack murmured ruefully, pulling away from Rose and grabbing his robe from the end of the bed.
"Right on schedule, too," Rose added, glancing at the clock. It was exactly 7:15, when Paul usually began fussing.
Climbing out of bed, she pulled on her nightgown again and opened the door the rest of the way. They always left it ajar in case one of the kids needed them, except for when privacy was essential. Then they locked it, having learned the hard way that curious children would walk in on anything—and Lizzy was definitely curious. One night, about a year before Paul was born, Lizzy had heard what she regarded as strange noises from her parents’ room and had come to investigate, finding them in a compromising position. They had immediately moved apart and pulled the blankets over themselves, glad that she hadn’t turned on the light, and then had spent half an hour explaining that they had been playing a game that was only for grown-ups, not telling her exactly what they had been doing. Later, after Rose had become pregnant with Paul, they had given her more details—at which point, much to their embarrassment, Lizzy had wanted to watch them play this mysterious game, an idea they had immediately vetoed. But ever since the night that Lizzy had walked in on them, they had locked the bedroom door when they made love, only opening it again later.
Rose went to Paul as his whimpers turned into wails, carrying him into the living room and sitting down on the couch to nurse him. Lizzy wandered out a few minutes later, Jack behind her. Looking at him, she turned around and jumped up on the couch beside her mother, shouting "Happy Thanksgiving, Mommy!"
Paul was startled and let go, beginning to cry. Rose hushed him and returned to feeding him, crooning softly to soothe him. Lizzy shook one of his hands.
"Don’t cry, Baby Paul," she told him. "It’s Thanksgiving."
Jack sat down beside them. "Do you know what Thanksgiving means, Busy Lizzy?"
"It means we eat turkey," Lizzy said confidently.
"But what does it celebrate?"
Lizzy thought for a moment. "Food?"
"You’re close," Rose told her. "It celebrates having plenty, and the harvest. That’s where it came from."
"Oh. That’s nice." Lizzy climbed off the couch. "Can I have some cereal?"
"You can have breakfast as soon as you’re dressed," Jack told her, taking her by the hand and leading her back to her room. "Let’s go find you something to wear."
Rose sat back, looking down at Paul as he nursed contentedly, his eyes closed. When he let go again, she lifted him to her shoulder, placing a well-worn towel over her robe, and patted his back. Rocking the baby, she thought about the plans for the day.
This is the first time since Jack and I were married that we won’t be going to Palm Desert for Thanksgiving, she thought sadly. David Fleming had died suddenly six weeks earlier, not from heart trouble, as everyone had expected, but from an esophageal ulcer that had suddenly hemorrhaged. Kathleen had been struggling to cope without him, and was in no mood to host the annual Thanksgiving dinner. She had decided to visit with Ruth in Masline for the holiday, but considering that Ruth and Rose were still estranged—the funeral had been the first time they had seen each other since Lizzy’s birth, and they had avoided each other then—the Dawsons had decided to visit with the Hamptons for the holiday.
Rose sighed. This holiday would be different from the ones preceding it. They wouldn’t be spending the weekend with the Hamptons, since Bill and Helga and their two young children didn’t have the extra space. They would only be there for the afternoon before returning home. But Tommy and Sophie would also be there, and it was a chance for the group of friends to have a reunion. Lizzy and Daniel could play together, and everyone would coo over the babies. There would be plenty of food and lively conversation, and it would be as pleasant, in its own way, as spending the holiday with her grandparents. She was sad to see the old tradition fade away, but perhaps this would be the beginning of a new tradition.
*****
The Dawsons arrived at the Hamptons’ home in Los Angeles at two o’clock, after three hours in the holiday traffic. Lizzy and Daniel squealed in delight at seeing each other and immediately ran outside to play, Lizzy carrying a box containing her Barbie and doll clothes. Rose somehow doubted that Daniel would be any too eager to play with them, but it didn’t matter as long as they didn’t fight or destroy anything.
Paul was left in the room with Bill and Helga’s daughter, Lena, the two infants sharing the ample space in Lena’s crib. The adults milled around, greeting Tommy and Sophie when they arrived, until finally the three women retreated into the kitchen, leaving their men outside to talk and watch the kids. They chatted contentedly, catching up on each other’s lives, as they put dinner together. Each group had brought a couple of dishes, reducing the amount of work and expense for the Hamptons.
Helga, however, took pride in preparing the turkey herself, and she was pleased when the others asked her to show it to them. She opened the oven, pulling the turkey out partway to baste it.
Both Helga and Sophie looked at Rose in surprise as she suddenly paled and sat down, clapping a hand over her mouth and breathing deeply. Helga pushed the turkey back into the oven and closed it, sitting down beside Rose.
"Are you okay?" she asked, touching Rose’s shoulder. "I’ve never known you to be squeamish before."
Rose straightened, the episode over. "Yes, I’m fine. I just…get a little queasy sometimes. It happens."
Sophie looked at her inquiringly. "What’s wrong, Rose? I know the stomach flu has been going around."
Rose knew it, too—both Lizzy and Jack had come down with it the week before. Nevertheless, she shook her head. "That’s not the problem."
"Then what is it?"
Rose took a deep breath, looking at her two friends. "I’m pregnant."
"Again?" Sophie stared at her. "I thought you said you only wanted two kids."
"Rose…I’m not a doctor, but I don’t think that it’s the healthiest plan to have babies so close together. Paul is only five months old." Helga looked at her in concern.
"It wasn’t planned." Rose shrugged. "We didn’t plan on it happening at all, but…"
"But what? Did the birth control fail, like when you got pregnant with Lizzy?" Helga asked.
"Well…no…not exactly. I guess it could have failed, but we…uh…we forgot to use it one night." She shook her head. “I don’t use birth control pills while I’m nursing, because I don’t want the extra hormones in my milk, so we were using condoms. We just…kind of forgot to use one.”
Sophie shook her head. "Rose, as the mother of two, you should know that birth control only works if you use it."
"I know that. We both do. It just kind of slipped our minds."
"And now you’re having another baby. Some women can’t get pregnant while nursing, but I guess you aren’t one of them," Helga remarked. "Does Jack know?"
Rose shook her head. "Not yet. I was planning on announcing it at dinner."
They were interrupted then by two childish shrieks, followed by the kitchen door being flung open. Lizzy and Daniel ran in, trying to shove each other aside.
"What are you doing?" Helga asked. "Didn’t I tell you to stay out of the kitchen?"
"But, Mommy, she’s—"
"No, he’s—" Lizzy interrupted him.
Rose looked at them. "I thought we told you to go to your daddies if you needed anything."
Daniel frowned. "They’re busy talking and holding the babies, and Uncle Tommy said we were being silly."
"You’re being silly," Lizzy told him indignantly. "You’re just a dumb boy."
"I am not!"
"Yes, you are!"
"Lizzy! Daniel!" Helga stared at them severely. "What are you fighting about?"
"He said I wasn’t a girl," Lizzy complained. "He said only girls are supposed to play with dolls, and he said that I’m not a girl. I am too a girl!"
"No, you’re not," Daniel retorted.
"Am so!"
"Are not!"
"Lizzy! Daniel!" This time Rose reprimanded them. "Daniel, if Lizzy isn’t a girl, then what is she?"
Daniel looked puzzled for a moment, his face thoughtful. Then he announced, very proudly, "Lizzy’s a Dawson!"
At that, all three women went into gales of laughter. Daniel stared at them, his lower lip trembling. "She is too a Dawson!" he insisted.
Helga finally stopped laughing, soothing her son before tears could result. "You’re right, Daniel. Lizzy is a Dawson. But she’s also a girl, and you shouldn’t tease her about it. Maybe you can find something that you both want to play."
"Can we play in my room?"
Helga looked out the window, seeing that the sun was beginning to set and the three men had gone inside. "I’d rather you played in the living room, Daniel. Why don’t you get out your toy cars? Lizzy likes playing cars, too."
"I’ll even play with you," Rose offered, wanting to get out of the kitchen. The smell of all the cooking food was upsetting her stomach more than she had thought. She just hoped that she would have an appetite for dinner. Rising from the chair, she escorted the two children out of the kitchen, hurrying to catch up as Daniel tore across the living room, the argument with Lizzy forgotten.
*****
Dinner was uneventful. Sophie, Helga, and Bill brought the food into the dining room and set it on the table, while Jack, Rose, and Tommy chased children and got them cleaned up. Lizzy and Daniel sat happily next to each other, their earlier argument forgotten, and tried to transfer food onto each other’s plates while Bill blessed the meal. When the adults put a stop to their activity, they sulked, then whined in outrage when they saw Jack dig the cucumbers from his salad and put them on Rose’s plate. Sighing, their parents finally let them trade the foods that they didn’t want, as long as they still had balanced meals.
The babies lay in their carriers on chairs near the table, gurgling contentedly until they dozed off near the end of the meal. Shortly thereafter, as Helga and Bill were getting ready to clear the table, Rose cleared her throat.
"I have an announcement," she said, getting the attention of the adults.
The three women smiled secretively at each other. At Jack’s interested look, Rose made her announcement. "I’m going to have another baby."
Jack dropped his fork, gaining the attention of Daniel and Lizzy, who had been whispering to each other and looking at the babies. "You are?"
Rose nodded. "Yes. Sometime early in July."
"What’s in July, Mommy?" Lizzy wanted to know.
"I’ll be having another baby then, Busy Lizzy."
"Another one?"
"Yes, another one."
"So is Paul going to be a big sister, too?"
Jack laughed. "No, Lizzy. You’ll be the baby’s big sister. Paul will be its big brother."
"Yeah," Daniel said disdainfully. "Boys are brothers."
Lizzy threw a piece of candied yam at him. "Shut up."
"Lizzy!" Jack reached over and took away her now empty plate. "You don’t throw things, and you don’t say shut up. Remember?"
Lizzy scowled. "Yes."
Helga shook her head firmly at Daniel before he could gloat. "Daniel, that’s enough. Be nice. Now, you two go and watch TV while we clean up and get dessert ready. Okay?"
Reluctantly, Daniel and Lizzy got down, heading for the living room.
"I want to watch Cartoon Network!" Lizzy announced.
"No, let’s watch Cartoon Network," Daniel argued before he realized that she’d agreed with what he wanted without him even saying it.
Jack and Rose laughed, amused by the kids’ antics.
"Rose…you’re going to have another baby?" Jack asked, still sitting beside her as the other adults began to clear the table.
"Yes. I was waiting for tonight to announce it, but I just found out for sure yesterday."
"How far along are you?"
"About two months. I have a pretty good idea of when this one was conceived."
"Me, too," Jack muttered, remembering the night.
"Jack…this isn’t a problem for you, is it?"
"For me? No, not at all. It’s unexpected, but I’m not sorry it happened. What about you? You’ve been doing so much work…"
"I can continue my work. I sang when I was pregnant with Paul, and I’ll do so while carrying this one, too. It’ll work out, just as it always has."
*****
It was nine o’clock before the Dawsons left, each carrying a sleeping child in their arms. Lizzy stirred slightly as Jack buckled her into her car seat, but soon dozed off again, feeling safe and comfortable. Inside the house, Daniel and Lena were both asleep, their doors closed against the sound of voices from the living room.
"We’ll see you when we next get out here," Rose told Helga, hugging her. They saw Tommy and Sophie frequently, since Redlands was not far from Riverside and San Bernardino, but they saw the Hamptons far less frequently.
"Or maybe we’ll come by Riverside or Redlands," Helga suggested, waving as Tommy and Sophie drove away, headed for home.
"Whichever. Don’t be a stranger. We don’t see you nearly enough."
"I know. Remember back when we all lived together? It’s been a long time."
"We haven’t lost touch, though. Our lives just took us in different directions, is all."
Jack came around the car. "Good night, Helga. See you soon. We’ll come here—"
"—or we’ll go there," Helga promised. "Count on it."
Jack and Rose waved to Bill, who had come out of the house to see them off after making sure the kids were tucked in securely. Climbing into the car, they rolled down the windows and called to them.
"Bye! See you soon!"
"Drive carefully!" Helga called after them. "I’ve seen too many drunk driving victims on holiday nights."
"We will." Jack rolled up his window, putting the car in gear and setting off down the street. Rose waved one last time and rolled up her window as well.
Looking into the back seat at the sleeping children, she settled back in her seat, yawning tiredly. Relaxing, she smiled in contentment as they headed for home.