I nodded, and left the room a minute later, watching the way he moved very carefully around Alice and the way he spoke to her softly as he worked, telling her what he was doing. I was suddenly positive that he was a fantastic father (or would be, since I couldn’t remember if he’d told me he had children).

I was only in the room for a few minutes before Tina and Helena came in with a bunch of food from the Planet. “Shane and Jenny sent this over,” Tina said, giving me a hug as she set the containers on the little table. I smelled what could only be turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy, complete with stuffing and cranberries.

“Jenny said it was time you had a good meal,” Helena said with a bit of a laugh in her voice. “So, she made you what appears to be Thanksgiving dinner.” I didn’t miss the way Tina laughed at this, and the smile Helena gave her for it. I hated to admit it, but I could see where Alice had been coming from when she’d said last month that she could see a renewal of Helena and Tina’s romance in the near future. Since Bette had died, and Dylan a few months afterward from another type of cancer, they’d been getting very close and had been spending a lot of time together.

Of course, I’d told her it was just because they were old friends, and were both mourning their partners. Alice had just shrugged and said she wasn’t going to be surprised when they got back together, and watching them interact as they got the food together, I could see why.

We were eating happily a few minutes later when Charlie walked in, still in his suit and tie. I’d just been about to tell them the good news, but now that he was here it would be even better. “Here, Charles, have dinner,” I told him, thrusting one of the glass plates Jenny had sent in his direction.

“Thanksgiving? Again? We just did this,” he said, but he took the plate happily. “Hi Moms, hi Helena,” he said as he sat down heavily.

We all ate in companionable silence for a little while until I broke the news to them. I was happy to see all their faces just light up at the news. After we’d finished eating, they all went in to talk to her for a little bit. While they were in with Al, I called Kallie and let her know, then called the Planet. Luckily Jenny answered so I didn’t have to play phone tag, and before I knew it everyone that mattered was at the hospital.

They didn’t stay long. I think they all understood that Alice needed her rest, and that I wanted some time with her. That, and they all had things to get to themselves. They promised to be back at various points tomorrow, though. Before she left, Helena handed me a bag of clothes and toiletries, and I put them on the chair next to the little mini-fridge where I was storing the leftovers from the dinner Jenny and Shane had made me.

“So everybody came in and bugged you, huh?” I asked Alice when I went back in to sit with her. She opened her eyes when she heard my voice, and I thought I saw the faintest hint of a smile. It didn’t last long, and her eyelids looked heavy, so I smiled and kissed her. “It’s okay, sweetie. Go back to sleep, you’ve gotta be tired after listening to all of them babbling at you." She smiled again, and it pretty much made my year.

“I love you, baby,” I said after I’d kissed her again. “I’m so glad you’re awake, Al. I’m so lost when you’re not with me.” She squeezed my hand and shut her eyes, sighing contentedly before she fell asleep. I sat with her for a few hours before kissing her cheek and leaving her to go get some sleep myself.