A Sister's Heart

Chapter 19

"Dinner!" Ivy bellowed and it could be heard throughout the house. It had been almost two hours since Clue had been put away and although they all would rather have kept on playing than clear it up, the promise of a proper family Thanksgiving dinner was what was getting them all through.

"Finally." Sighed Matthew, taking his seat and reaching for the potatoes.

"Um... not yet young man!" Ivy warned, slapping her son's hand away from the bowl.

As everyone else took their seats around the table, Ivy carried in the turkey and placed it on the table in front of her. "Now, before we eat, the three of us," She gestured towards her sisters. "thought it would be nice to each take it in turns to share one of our favourite memories of Grandma." She looked hopeful and the others all glanced around at one another, not wanting to be the one to go first.

After a few awkward moments of silence, Alexis spoke. "I remember when I was a kid, maybe eight or nine, I had a spelling bee at school and obviously I invited Grandma and Grandpa. They turned up and they had this huge banner that read *GO LEXIE* and I was so embarrassed, but looking back on it, I realise that they just wanted to support me and show me how proud they were." There was a sadness in her eyes; something which didn't go unnoticed by her mother, who gave her arm a slight squeeze.

Diana went next and spoke about how Esther had barged into the delivery room whilst she was in labour with Alexis with armfuls of both pink and blue balloons because Diana had kept the baby's gender a secret. Matthew shared about the one time he tricked his Grandma into playing one of his zombie games, while Veronica told of how her mother had warned her against marrying her ex-husband and how the reasons she had given at the time had been the very same reasons why the pair had gotten divorced years later.

When it was Lauren's turn to speak, she was hesitant and unsure what to say, but then the perfect story came to her. "So, you all how how much I love Harry Potter," At this, the room erupted in loud, comical sighs. "but it's actually all thanks to Grandma. She bout me the first book when it came out and she would read to me when I was sad or whenever I got sick. I loved that. It was like our special time." Tears welled up in her eyes, and even though she turned her head and tried to wipe them away without anyone seeing, when she glanced around the table, it was clear that she hadn't managed to hide anything.

Ivy was last up and she had spend the whole time while the others were talking with her mind flicking between a number of memories, but none of them really fit. It wasn't until she heard her daughter's story that she finally decided on one; one that would allow her to be completely honest with those closest to her. "When I was younger Mom always used to tell me that no matter how far I strayed, I would always be able to find my way back home. I used to think it was just something she would say to make me feel better, but I didn't realise just how right she was until I moved back home." Sobs began to escape her mouth, but she persevered. "She was here, and I felt safe; like I was where I needed to be. Mom was always my safe place." Ivy couldn't hold her emotions in anymore, and so her make up quickly became streaked with tears.

Lauren passed the box of tissues over from the counter behind her and handed them to her Mom. "We miss her too." She said softly.

Ivy smiled at her daughter before trying to compose herself again. "Why don't we raise a toast to to Grandma?" She suggested, dabbing away the last of the tears.

Everyone smiled in agreement and raised their glasses in the air. "To Grandma!" They said in unison

"Right. Dig in!" Ivy commanded, picking up the knife and carving the turkey as the rest of her family piled their plates high with food. They seemed happy, but she knew that underneath their smiling faces, the sadness lingered.

*****

After everybody had had their fill, seconds, seconds, and dessert, they chilled and watched tv for a while, but it wasn't long before Matthew was bored and wanted to do something a little more fun. He point blank refused to play that stupid Harry Potter game (his words) again, suggesting a classic like monopoly instead.

Lauren grunted. She hated playing Monopoly because it was the one game she usually lost, and she was a very sore loser. However, she knew that the right thing to do would be to give in and play. "Fine." She said. "But, I get to be the dog!" She was doing this for her brother; it was the least she could do after he played the game she wanted to earlier on.

Everyone else appeared to be on board and began to argue over which piece would be theirs whilst Matthew ran to get the game from the cupboard. "I want to be the thimble" Lexie shouted. "No. I'm always the thimble!" Diana retorted. "How about neither of you get to be the thimble?" Ivy interjected.

By the time Matthew had returned, it had been settled that other than Lauren playing as the dog, no one would be the thimble, and the others would be decided by pulling at random from a hat. Ivy reached in first and retrieved the iron; Diana, the boot; Alexis, the battleship; Matthew, the racing car; and finally Veronica got the top hat.

The game commenced and soon the youngest member of the family was raking in the fake money' already owning multiple houses and hotels on some of the most expensive properties; one of which his sister had just landed on. "That'll be $890 please?" He said with a grin on his face, but when Lauren took her time complying, he decided it would be a good idea to make a dig at her expense. "Awww, what's the matter?" He mocked in a high pitched whiny voice. "Bit of a sore loser, are we?" He laughed.

Lauren was not impressed with her brother's attitude, and the fact that he had hit the nail on the head. "No!" She shouted. "It's just that's practically all the money I have left. You know I don't like this game, but you always choose to play it. Why can't we play something else for a change? Or maybe it's that you're really the sore loser and not me so you have to play the one game you are actually good at." She snapped the last part somewhat more aggressively than she intended, but the point was made all the same.

Head now hung low, the boy mumbled something under his breath that was barely audible.

"What was that? What did you say?" She asked.

Speaking bolder and more clearly now, he repeated what he had said. "I said, it was her favourite!" He didn't have to specify who the her he was referring to was because they all knew.

Monopoly had been Esther Hart's favourite game ever since she was a child and had kept her original board until it fell apart, replacing it with the one they were currently playing in the early nineties. She loved the game and played with all of her children and grandchildren as they grew up.

"Oh Matty, I'm sorry!" Lauren now felt extremely guilty for having a go at him. "I forgot." She reached over and gave him a hug. At first he leaned into it, but then he pulled back, seemingly remembering that he was the man of the house now and too old for hugs off of his bug sister.

"It's okay, but can we please get back to the game?" He asked. Lauren nodded and handed him the $890.

The rest of the night went by rather smoothly, with no more arguments; serious ones anyway. Of course Matthew won that game, but Alexis came from left field to win the second. Or rather, when it got too late and they all decided to call it a night, she was the one with the most properties and money.

Matthew had been surprised, but before he came along, Alexis had been their Grandmother's Monopoly buddy and she had taught her all of her little tricks too, just like she had taught him.

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Author's Note - Sorry it has taken so long to update, but I'm writing again so there should be more updates soon x