You are Enough

Chapter 19

As we sat at the table eating our Thanksgiving meal we talked about what we were thankful for. I was thankful for my family of course. After we all eat we help get the kids cleaned up and put the food away. The kids go play with their toys in the living room that mom has in totes for them. Once everything is cleaned up and put away. We all load up and head to my dad's forty-five minutes away for his Thanksgiving. Corey and Charolette rode with Stewart and Max while we took our car. Once we arrive at my dad's I turn to Scott and say, "Whatever my dad says about me don't get angry. He does it all the time so I'm used to it." "Kat, you know I don't like it when people say bad things about you including yourself," he says. "I know you don't but I want to try and get through a holiday with my dad without it turning into some kind of fight," I say. "I'll do my best to keep from saying something to him," he says. We all file into dad's house and say our greetings. I ask if there is anything that they needed help with. My dad and Elizabeth had ended up divorced and dad had was with Riley who had three children, Zoey, Addison, and Chase. I couldn't understand why I was jealous of those kids. Maybe because they got a different version of my dad then us kids did. We got a young immature version of him. He tried his best but it always seemed like we were a burden on him. I'm pulled from my thoughts when my phone started going off. I excuse myself to answer the phone, only to realize that it was Dylan. "Hello Dylan." "I want to talk to my kids," he says. I open the door and holler for the kids. "Holden, do you want to talk to daddy," I ask? "No we are playing mommy," he says. "Well there you have it Dylan they are busy playing," I say. "You can't keep them from talking to me. I bet you told him to say that," he says. "Dylan, it's not my mission in life to keep the kids from you. They are busy playing with their uncle right now," I say. "I'm sure they are," he says. "Now if that's all I'm hanging up and rejoining my family for Thanksgiving," I say. I help in the kitchen trying to get over the shakes that he causes me to have every time I hear his voice. Scott must have seen the change in me because he comes up behind me and wraps his arms around me. Once everything is ready we set the table and say grace. My dad and his new family were in church and were Pentecostal. I was raised that but as an adult I questioned a lot of things in the religion. Scott believed that there was a higher power just not God. We ate and chatted away. Then of course my dad had to comment on my weight and the kid's weight which in turn made me angry. We didn't stay long after we finished eating. I feared Scott would say something to my dad. We loaded up in the car and headed back to my mom's to hang out for a bit before we headed home. "Nanny, nanny," Holden yelled once he was out of the car. Mom was sitting on the front porch watching her goats and cows roam the fields. Mom and George had a little farm with just a few animals. They used to have chickens but mom got rid of them. We watch the kids run around playing in the yard. "So how was it," mom asks? "It was fine until he dad commented on her and the kids' weight. We left soon after we were done eating," Scott says. "I don't understand him sometimes. Does he think that he's funny and what he says isn't hurtful," mom asks? "Honestly I don't know anymore," I say. It's about two hours later that my brother pulls in with the other three. "Well you missed it Kat, dad realized that he must have upset you in turn making you all leave soon after eating," he says. "He always has something to say about my weight and I'll be damned if he talks about my kids that way," I say. "I't okay babe, you don't have to put up with that," Scott says. We watch the kids race around and play including Max. Though he was older he still enjoyed playing with his cousins. The weather was a sunny cool day in fall. I love this kind of weather. No too hot and not too cold. Just enough that you need a hoodie or long-sleeved shirt. We let the kids play until early evening when Stewart and Max packed up and left. We decided to go ahead and go home. I had wanted to put up the Christmas tree with the kids. Now that Thanksgiving is over it's the right time to put it up. Once home we take out fake tree out of the storage and set it up in our living room. After we are done we all sit and admire our work.