A Thanksgiving Black Eye
After Halloween things sped up around the house. November was coming and not only did we have thanksgiving to get ready for but Nathaniel was going to be one on the twenty fourth. So we had a party to plan. It became hectic and I became a person that nobody wanted to be around, I never handled stress well. But with a little encouragement I was able to make it just fine. Before I knew it, it was the twenty second.
Things always played out like this. If there was a holiday come up, everybody came out to our house. No matter what. Like they can’t get enough of my house or something. Jana and I had spent all night working on a turkey that J.L. ended up taking home so that we could get some sleep.
All the next morning we made the sides that go with the turkey, that way there would be enough for everybody. When you are in a huge family, married or not, there is a lot to do which makes thanksgiving a royal pain in the ass.
The day of we had a lot to do, we finished the turkey and got together plates and silverware, clean the house and get dressed. Everybody started showing up around 4 and we started eating. It was a real rush of people that all wanted to have their say on everything at the same time so that you had no clue who was saying what or what they are even trying to say.
Bits and pieces traveled through the house.
“It’s freezing.” Jason, Justin’s cousin complained
“So Amanda when are you going to quit having babies?” Justin joked, an uncalled for joke but that is what it was.
Everything was covered from the weather to nothing, just a bunch of family catching up with everybody but me. For the most part I stayed to myself, I never was sure if anybody but Jana even really liked me.
While waiting on the rest of the people to show up I sat there and imagined myself telling everyone in the room what I really felt. That I just wanted them all to except me into the family. That was it.
Jason was a big man, he stands 6 something and he is heavier set with two boys of his own. He loved the kids. Mostly Nathan, probably because Nathan was one of the older ones out of all the kids and he would actually play instead of sit there and stare at you like you are an idiot.
Nathan was climbing on the chair that Jason was sitting in when it happened. I felt my heart in my throat, he got half way to Jason and fell, as Jason tried to catch him Nathan’s eye hit the chair. You could hear it in the back of the house. Everyone fell silent, and when Nathan started crying he was rushed by more people than he wanted and he cried harder.
“Mama, I want mommy.” Nathan cried
“Is he okay?” Jason asked
I looked down as I swooped Nathan up into my arms and there it was, the biggest black eye I had ever seen. I fought back the tears.
“He’s got a black eye.” I said
“Ali, I’m sorry. I tried to catch him and it did more damage than good.” Jason apologized.
“It’s not your fault, he was climbing it was bound to happen.” I said, trying to convince him and myself that it was truth.
“If it will make you feel better you can black my eye.” Jason said to Nathan.
I couldn’t help but to laugh to myself at the thought of that.
“Jason, really it’s okay.” I tried to reassure him.
It wasn’t long after Nathan blacked his eye that Jason and Amanda left, they were followed by everyone else that was at the house. And we were left to clean up the mess.
“Jason should have caught him.” Justin said, irate.
“Justin he tried. There is nothing that could have been done. It is going to happen. He is almost one.” I said
“Ali your being fucking stupid, you know as well as I do that if that were anyone else’s kid here earlier they would have flipped out.” Justin said
“That is the difference between me and them, then. I can control my temper.” I said
The fight didn’t escalate that night, because I refused to let it, he tried his best to get me to lose it but instead I left the room. I know that it made him madder but it was a small price to pay, fighting did us no good. Not now that we’ve gone this far.
Things always played out like this. If there was a holiday come up, everybody came out to our house. No matter what. Like they can’t get enough of my house or something. Jana and I had spent all night working on a turkey that J.L. ended up taking home so that we could get some sleep.
All the next morning we made the sides that go with the turkey, that way there would be enough for everybody. When you are in a huge family, married or not, there is a lot to do which makes thanksgiving a royal pain in the ass.
The day of we had a lot to do, we finished the turkey and got together plates and silverware, clean the house and get dressed. Everybody started showing up around 4 and we started eating. It was a real rush of people that all wanted to have their say on everything at the same time so that you had no clue who was saying what or what they are even trying to say.
Bits and pieces traveled through the house.
“It’s freezing.” Jason, Justin’s cousin complained
“So Amanda when are you going to quit having babies?” Justin joked, an uncalled for joke but that is what it was.
Everything was covered from the weather to nothing, just a bunch of family catching up with everybody but me. For the most part I stayed to myself, I never was sure if anybody but Jana even really liked me.
While waiting on the rest of the people to show up I sat there and imagined myself telling everyone in the room what I really felt. That I just wanted them all to except me into the family. That was it.
Jason was a big man, he stands 6 something and he is heavier set with two boys of his own. He loved the kids. Mostly Nathan, probably because Nathan was one of the older ones out of all the kids and he would actually play instead of sit there and stare at you like you are an idiot.
Nathan was climbing on the chair that Jason was sitting in when it happened. I felt my heart in my throat, he got half way to Jason and fell, as Jason tried to catch him Nathan’s eye hit the chair. You could hear it in the back of the house. Everyone fell silent, and when Nathan started crying he was rushed by more people than he wanted and he cried harder.
“Mama, I want mommy.” Nathan cried
“Is he okay?” Jason asked
I looked down as I swooped Nathan up into my arms and there it was, the biggest black eye I had ever seen. I fought back the tears.
“He’s got a black eye.” I said
“Ali, I’m sorry. I tried to catch him and it did more damage than good.” Jason apologized.
“It’s not your fault, he was climbing it was bound to happen.” I said, trying to convince him and myself that it was truth.
“If it will make you feel better you can black my eye.” Jason said to Nathan.
I couldn’t help but to laugh to myself at the thought of that.
“Jason, really it’s okay.” I tried to reassure him.
It wasn’t long after Nathan blacked his eye that Jason and Amanda left, they were followed by everyone else that was at the house. And we were left to clean up the mess.
“Jason should have caught him.” Justin said, irate.
“Justin he tried. There is nothing that could have been done. It is going to happen. He is almost one.” I said
“Ali your being fucking stupid, you know as well as I do that if that were anyone else’s kid here earlier they would have flipped out.” Justin said
“That is the difference between me and them, then. I can control my temper.” I said
The fight didn’t escalate that night, because I refused to let it, he tried his best to get me to lose it but instead I left the room. I know that it made him madder but it was a small price to pay, fighting did us no good. Not now that we’ve gone this far.
