Thanksgiving Chaos: Four Stories of Family Turmoil

 emerged from the bathroom, I swear her sweater looked bulkier than before. She stiffly entered the dining room, keeping her arms crossed over her chest as if protecting whatever was beneath the thick fabric.

I nudged Jeff. “Something’s not right,” I whispered. “What’s she hiding?”

He glanced at her and raised an eyebrow.

“Uh, maybe she’s smuggling the turkey she was supposed to bring.”

I rolled my eyes, but his joke didn’t ease the knot of suspicion growing in my stomach. Everyone was enjoying their meals when we heard a faint rustle. At first, I thought it was the chairs scraping against the floor, but then Ava’s voice rang out.

“Grandma, why is your tummy wiggling?” she asked. Linda let out an awkward laugh. “Oh, no, no, sweetie,” she said.

“It’s nothing. I, uh, I had a big lunch earlier.”

Suddenly, another muffled sound came from her direction. This time, it was a soft, unmistakable “meow.”

“Did anyone else hear that?” I asked.

We all looked at Linda, who avoided eye contact. “Mom, seriously, what’s going on?” Jeff asked. “You’ve been acting weird all night.”

Before Linda could respond, Ava ran up to her.

“Grandma, what’s under your sweater?” She lightly tugged at the hem of Linda’s sweater and then it happened. “Oh my God, Linda! WHAT IS THAT?!” I shouted.

Three tiny heads peeked out from beneath the fabric. Linda sighed and pulled back her sweater gently. I couldn’t believe my eyes as three tiny kittens tumbled out.

They blinked at us with wide, curious eyes, unsure of what was happening. “Mom,” Jeff began. “Why, uh, why do you have kittens under your sweater?”

Linda’s eyes filled with tears as she reached for the closest kitten, cradling it in her hands.

“I found them abandoned on the side of the road. It was freezing, and I couldn’t just leave them there.” Her gaze landed on me and then shifted to Jeff. “I didn’t want to make tonight about me, but I couldn’t leave them alone either.

They’re just babies and they needed somewhere warm.”

“Mom, you could’ve told us,” Jeff said gently. “We would’ve helped.”

That’s when tears started rolling down her cheeks. “I-I was afraid you’d think I was ridiculous.

Or that I was trying to fill the hole your dad left. I was scared you’d think I was no longer feeling his absence and was more interested in adopting kittens. I, uh… I just didn’t want to ruin Thanksgiving.”

Her words made me realize she’d been trying to protect us from her pain, even if it meant isolating herself.

Ava, oblivious to the tension, clapped her hands in delight. “Kitties!” she squealed. “Can we keep them, Mommy?

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