**My knowledge of football is limited to the basics. So if someone else wants to write “The Game” chapter, feel free. Otherwise, just use your imaginations - bj88
“We’re here.” Evan announced his family’s entrance into the Danvers’ house. They’d backed their jeep up to the garage, just as they had at their own home, so Spencer would slip out without being seen.
Jonathan met them in the hall that lead to the den. There, he and Tom were watching the “early” NFL game. When the Lawson’s car pulled up, Elle’s and Jonathan’s three dogs started to bark excitedly, and scratched at the back door. Jonathan went to restrain them.
“Get in this hug kiddo!” Tom said upon seeing granddaughter coming down the hall. Spencer smiled and let her grandfather hug her, though he was squeezing her arm in a very uncomfortable way. While hugging Spencer, Tom waved to his daughter, and his son-in-law, who each had a platter of food in hand.
“Hi Tom.” Spencer said once her grandfather released her. One of the few things Tom Carson hated was being called a grandfather. So he told Spencer to call him by his first name.
“How’s my little warrior doing?” Tom asked.
“Good.” Inside Spencer was thinking, “Better now that you’ve stopped crushing it.”
“You certainly are a tough nut. Taking a beating like that, and then going and…”
“Dad…” Maggie really didn’t want to bring Jeremy up right now. They’d just rid themselves of the Bower family. And today was supposed to be for relaxing, overeating, and being grateful that after spending six hours with your relatives, you’d racked up a lot of “good karma” points.
“Alright, change the subject. I get it. How about you tell what that new guy you’re seeing is like? Elle tells me he’s quite a catch.” Tom said.
“Eric’s nice.” Spencer muttered, under her fur turning red.
“I’ll bet, He got your father’s stamp of approval. And believe me, I know how hard that can be, I’ve got two girls whose taste in men was about as well refined as their taste in…”
“Dad, please stop talking.” Maggie almost pleaded.
“What kinds of guys did Mom date?” Spencer asked, a sly grin on her face.
“All sorts. I can’t begin to tell you how happy I was when she and Evan started seeing each other. There was no way I was going back to all the delinquents, drop outs, and entrepreneurs who thought they’d make a fortune with machines that cleaned toothbrushes.”
“That’s not a bad idea.” Spencer said.
“No. But the machine was just a toothpick attached to one of Maggie’s…”
“For the love of all that’s decent, Dad SHUT UP!” Maggie said. Her face felt as hot as a burner.
Tom finally stopped embarrassing his daughter, but took a moment to whisper to Spencer he’d be more than willing to share additional stories.
“I’ll hold you to that.” Spencer whispered back, ignoring the furious look her mother was giving her.
“Where are Mom and Elle?” Maggie asked once she’d calmed herself down.
“Doing cooking things in the kitchen. Offered to help, but you know how your mother is. She just shooed me out.” Tom said. He then returned to his seat in front of the TV. Jonathan, who had been standing there holding his dog’s collars, tried not to show how amused he was. The spectacle before him seemed like something straight out of a sitcom.
Maggie went into the kitchen to help. Both Evan and Spencer knew they’d just be in the way if they went in there. Evan couldn’t cook, and Spencer had one good arm. And she’d end up shedding fur over everything.
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An hour or so later, Evan got a phone call. He was expecting it to be Derek or someone calling about yesterdays events. But was surprised to hear his father’s voice on the other end.
“Dad, something wrong?” Evan asked. He stepped outside to take the call, knowing that whatever his father had to say it wasn’t going to be pleasant. Mike liked Thanksgiving because it was the one day a year he could drink, watch TV, and eat whatever he wanted without his son giving him grief about his health.
“You bet your ass there is! I find out you nearly got yourself blown up and then drive all the way down here to make sure you’re still in one piece and you’re not even at the house!” Mike complained.
“Oh for the love of… I told him didn’t I? Didn’t I?” Evan thought, and after a bit realized he hadn’t told his dad what happened.
“I’m sorry Dad, I thought I told you…”
“No you certainly didn’t! I heard about it from one of those damn bar flies! Some freakin’ stranger telling me you and Bower’s father had it out and he nearly sent chunks of…”
“Okay I get it! Where are you now?”
“Didn’t you hear me before? I’m standing in your living room!”
“In my… how did you… nevermind. We’re at Elle’s.” Evan felt his blood pressure rising the longer he was on the phone. He did manage to stop himself from saying anything he’d regret.
“Who?”
“Maggie’s sister,” Evan breathed, somehow keeping his voice level. His dad enjoyed pushing his buttons, like Spencer did. And the worse thing Evan could do was respond.
“Oh, thought her name was Ellen. Alright, I’ll come over.”
“Like Hell you will! What happened to wanting to spend the day at home? Alone?”
“That was before I heard you got yourself into trouble.”
“I didn’t get myself into anything! Bower’s father showed up here! You think I wanted him to come after my family?”
“I dunno Evan. You always did like playing hero.” Mike said.
Those inside the house tried their best to ignore the shouting match going on outside. Well half the shouting match, since they couldn’t hear what it was Mike Lawson was saying that was getting his son so worked up.
“We’ve got enough for for everyone even if Mike joins us.” Elle said to her sister.
“That’s not it. Mike’s probably angry at Evan for not telling what happened yesterday.” Maggie said. She knew that Evan had been too tired to deal with her parents. There was no way in Hell he’d have had enough energy to deal with his father too. And the last thing either of them wanted was for Mike to worry.
“They usually get along, don’t they?” Amelia asked Maggie.
“When they’re not butting heads over something else, sure. Evan usually goes up to Seattle to check on his dad once a week. Mostly because Mike never leaves his house.”
“What does he do all day? He’s just retired, hasn’t he?” Amelia and Tom were both retired themselves. And those first few years, they wanted nothing more than to go back to work. They didn’t know what to do with all their time.
“He’s been retired for some time now. But ever since his wife passed, he’s gotten crankier. No one really expected Colleen to die so soon. Mike and Evan are the only two of their family left.” Maggie said.
Now there were a pair who needed some family counseling. Forget Spencer and her problems, Mike and Evan both kept quiet in regards to Colleen’s death, or even Rod’s, whom Maggie never knew since he died so young.
Jonathan and Tom came into the kitchen, asking if Evan was alright. They were sectioned off in the den of the house, so they heard even less than the women. Spencer remained, sprawled out on the couch. She wasn’t that interested in what her father was arguing about. She hadn’t seen her paternal grandfather in five or so years.
“About as alright as they’re going to get.” Maggie sighed.
“Well, on another note, did you bring something else for Spencer wear?” Jonathan asked.
“Why?” Maggie now had a new problem weighing on her mind. Spencer hadn’t been too thrilled about wearing her mother’s old clothing, but after Maggie stared her down she worse the thing with a “smile” on her face.
“Go see for yourself.” Both Jonathan and Tom said at the same time. Neither of them had the heart to tell Spencer that, with her lying on her stomach on the couch and her tail swishing back and forth, the dress not nothing more than a bit of fabric covering her back.
Maggie, with an impossible to read look on her face, went into the den to see what Jonathan and Tom were talking about. And then her raised voice was added to the mix, as she chastised her daughter for sitting there with her furry butt exposed for the world to see.
“I told you this wouldn’t work Mom.” was all Spencer had to say, or got to say, before her mother chewed her out again.
“And THAT is why we’re not having children.” Elle said, glancing at her parents, and then Jonathan.
“I don’t blame you. After you and your sister his your teen years, I was quite tempted to runaway. Gave me plenty of headaches.” Tom said.
“It wasn’t that bad.” Elle remarked.
“Really? Remember your high school graduation party?”
“Dad, for the love of God don’t you dare…”
“Says she’s just going out for a bit of fresh air. Meanwhile, we’ve got half the family inside and she’s making out with…”
“Dad!” Elle stopped him before he said anything else. Fairs fair, so it only made sense to Tom that he make his elder daughter just as red and uncomfortable as Maggie had been. After all, isn’t that a parents’ job. To embarrass their child their entire life?