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.Well, five of our crew are missing, six if you count Stu Franklin, seven if we count Fish, which I am not inclined to do, but for the most part, we’re all here.I’m excited, aren’t you, Myra?”“I am, more than you will ever know.”Within minutes it was like old times as all of Charles’s chicks bounded into the kitchen.On cue, they ooohed and aaahed over the delicious aromas wafting about.They hugged Charles, smooched him on the cheek, then they all settled down to watch the interaction between Grady, Little Lady, and the four pups wobbling about the kitchen on their rubbery legs.“This is so good for Grady.Even though he flew with me first-class, thanks to Annie, he’s been cooped up way too long.He can run here to his heart’s content.He missed Murphy so much back in the beginning.He wouldn’t eat and he got sick, and we were in a foreign country.It was just awful.When I told him we were going home, he was a new dog.They like each other,” she said, pointing to the two dogs, who were nuzzling each other.“And now he has four additional playmates.Win! Win! Oh, God, Myra, I am so very happy to be here again.I am never, ever going to leave these shores again.Write that down, everybody, because I mean it.”“There is no need to write it down, darling girl.We will not allow any of you to separate from us again.We had our fill of being alone, and none of us liked it.Family is family, and we’re sticking close this time around,” Myra said happily.Yoko smiled through her tears as she cuddled one of the pups close to her chest.No one missed the concern in Harry’s eyes.Small talk continued as Charles poured wine.The toast was simple.“To family and togetherness.”The gathering trooped into the dining room as the dogs headed to Little Lady’s lair and the pen where the pups slept.“Voilà!” Charles said, throwing open the door to the dining room.“It’s like Thanksgiving!” Ted said.“I want a drumstick!”“Everything, just like Thanksgiving,” Yoko said.“We do have so much to be thankful for today.”“I wish the others were here,” Maggie said.“They are, dear, in spirit.See, Charles set places for them.Joseph is going to take some pictures and send them on to Bert and Jack,” Annie said.“We’re hoping when they see us all here at the farmhouse, they will put it together and get in touch somehow.That is, if the pictures make it through cyberspace.”Espinosa stood up behind his chair as Charles poured yet a second toast.He captured forever on film the sparkling glasses being held aloft, the smiles, the beautiful table setting, the succulent turkey, and the pups—who, fortuitously, had just escaped their pen.Myra said she thought that on this day, and during this particular dinner, she was the happiest she’d been since being granted her pardon.Her declaration was received with whoops of agreement from all those at the table.Underneath, the pups whined, demanding to be picked up.Little Lady and Grady picked them up, one by one, by the scruffs of the necks and returned them to their pen.The “Thanksgiving” meal progressed until the men loosened their belts and the women sighed with contentment, all professing they couldn’t eat another bite.Well, they finally conceded an hour later that maybe they could eat the pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream.Hazelnut coffee was served, and the meal was truly over.“I hope we can all be alert and not fall asleep when we do the video conference with Lizzie,” Maggie said.The dining room and kitchen were a beehive of activity as everyone fell into their old routine—I cook, you all clean up.One of many rules Charles had initiated early on.“You have no idea how I missed all of this,” Yoko said, motioning to everyone scurrying about.“We worked so well together.It was as if we could read each other’s minds.”“Don’t you dare start boo-hooing, Yoko,” Alexis said fiercely, a catch in her voice.Yoko sucked in her breath and smiled.“Is it time yet?”“It is now,” Charles said as he turned the dial on the dishwasher.“Follow me.”Their steps were light, their murmurings hushed as they followed Charles to the secret war room they’d utilized beneath the old farmhouse in the early days when they had all come together for the first time.“It seems like forever since we’ve been here,” Alexis said as she took her old seat at the huge, round table.“This,” she said, pointing to the chair on her left, “used to be Julia’s chair.It’s Annie’s chair now.Nikki sat there, Isabelle over there.Myra was the head chair, and Yoko is sitting where she always sat,” she said for the benefit of the others, even though they were all aware of the previous seating arrangements.She was babbling, and she knew it but was unable to stop herself.“It’s like we’ve come full circle somehow.And yet…I don’t know how to explain it.It’s a feeling not unlike what I felt the first time I stepped into this room.Back then, I knew that my life as I knew it was going to change and never be the same again.I feel that way right now.This might sound trite to all of you, but I feel like I, personally, am at a crossroads this very moment.Do…do any of you feel like that?”Every hand in the room shot in the air.Alexis sighed in relief.“Has anyone heard from Isabelle?” Maggie asked.Every head wagged back and forth.Myra stood up and cleared her throat.Her hands were steady on the table and not at the pearls at her throat [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]