”Call it intuition, fate, destiny, kismet, however you’d like to frame it,” Bette replied. ”I knew I had to focus all resources in your direction. Was I wrong to do that?”

”Apparently not,” Tina admitted. ”Perhaps your intent changed the direction of how our next meeting unfolded.”

”Perhaps my focus became clear to you without my having to state anything explicitly.”

”The silent communication we’ve managed to have from the beginning,” Tina said.

”Just because I become so single minded when I get an idea of what I want,” Bette said.

”And you wanted me,” Tina replied.

”I still want you,” Bette said. ”Every day.”

”See,” Tina said. ”Honesty brings us closer, even though the genesis of our conversation was disconcerting to you.”

”A theory well explained,” Bette said. ”We should hurry, everyone will be arriving soon.”

Within the hour, everyone was gathered around the table for a feast and to give thanks. The banter they always shared had morphed into what the day represented. Each took a turn in verbalizing their gratitude.

”I’m grateful for friends and family to share the good as well as the bad. It’s our personal interactions that define our lives,” Bette said, as they started around the table to offer their thoughts on the day. ”It’s not stuff, or accomplishments, but how we all make each other feel that matters.”

”Why do I have to go after the philosopher?” Alice asked.

”Because you sat to her right,” Dana replied. ”You knew the rules coming in…”

”Alright,” Alice relented. ”Well, of course I’m grateful for everyone here. You’re my chosen family. I know I drive you crazy. But you put up with me anyway, and how can I not be grateful for that.”
There was another lull before Kit took her turn to speak.

”I’m grateful for sobriety,” Kit started. ”To have my wits about me in a way I rarely have had in the past. I can enjoy being here to truly experience this type of interaction without feeling like I have to be numb. I am grateful to appreciate that feeling bad actually helps you enjoy the good that much more.”

Tina reached to squeeze Kit’s hand in support of what had to be a difficult thing to say.

”I’m grateful to have love in my life,” Tina said. ”Emotions are what make memories happen. The love of friends, of family – even those who are no longer alive, but still exist here,” she placed the palm of her hand over her heart to indicate where those memories lived on, ”make us who we are. I’m thankful for every one of you.”

Bette mouthed ‘I love you.’ to Tina from her end of the table. Tina smiled and offered the same gesture in kind.

”I love you guys,” Dana said. ”Because I can’t be who I am with my family, I have a new family. I don’t have to struggle to fit in when I’m with you; I feel like I belong. I am grateful for having a place where I belong.”

”We all belong together,” Alice said. ”We are each other’s family, even when our blood families are bat shit crazy, we still have each other.”

Shane let her hand rest on Dana’s back for a moment in support of what had obviously been an emotional sentiment for her to share.

”I’m the last word, hey?” Shane said. ”Well, I guess at this time of year, I’m grateful to be alive. It didn’t always seem as though I’d make it this far. And to stick with the theme, it’s because of the support from the people I choose to spend the day with. You are my friends; you are my family. You rescued me from myself.”

They all sat silently before Bette spoke again.

”Thanks everyone for coming and celebrating the day with us,” she said. ”Know that wherever we go and whatever we do, when we’re together, it’s home.”

(The End – Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving. Let us all focus on being kind rather than being right through this holiday season…justkeepswimming)