Sometimes Thanksgiving Means Nerfing Your Mom ( And Dads) for a Tres Leches Cake

November 25, 2021

Beep beep! , beep beep! , beep beep!

An alarm sounds and a young Amir rolls over in his bed to stop it. Click! With a yawn and a stretch, the young boy sits up and looks at his alarm clock. It says ten o clock am. Amir makes a confused sound because he doesn't have school and can't think of a reason for him to be up this early. He picks up his phone to check the date. "Oh it's Thanksgiving", the boy thinks nonchalantly as he readies himself to go back to sleep.

"Oh! It's Thanksgiving!", he exclaims while shooting out of bed to his closet. In the closet, Amir hurried to put on a pair of old shorts and a paint-stained t-shirt. Then he grabs his Nerf gun, Nerf bullets, a small thing of light blue paint, and heads back to his bed. Picking up his phone from where he threw it, Amir sits on his bed facing the door and waits. At exactly 10:05 am, the phone rings.

He answers.

When he does, he sees his family in what looks like different places in the house. Ama is in her bedroom, which is down the hall from his and next to the bathroom. Gianni is in the kitchen cupboard. Papa is in the downstairs bathroom and Baba was somewhere upstairs with him and Ama. His Baba always made sure they couldn't fully tell where he was during the call. That's a part of why he always wins. Well, that's why he always won before but Amir beat him last year. He was determined to do it again this year. His mother's voice brought him out of his scheming.

"Good morning my loves", Amelia said with a syrupy sweet smile. Earning a chorus of responses from the others in the call. " Welcome to the hunger games, every man for themselves. I shouldn't have to go over the rules so let's get to the point.", she ordered in her no-nonsense voice. Everyone nodded as she continued. " Amir won last year so he is first to leave and gets two rules, what say you, amor? " Amir hummed in response, thinking about his rules. He needed something that would be an inconvenience to his opponents.

" For my first rule, everyone but me has to wear shoes that make noise when they walk.", Amir watched as his family's faces turned slightly sour at his declaration.

" Accepted, please continue ", Demitry signed with an eye roll. Before giving his second rule, he grinned widely at his vertically challenged father.

" Little Baba."

" Amir ", Hassan toned with dread laced in his voice. Although his face remained calm.

" Three strikes and you're out sounds a little harsh on a kid, right?", Amir asked in mocked innocence. " Why don't you let me hold onto one of your strikes Baba?" Hassan's eyebrow twitched in irritation but he smiled brightly at his son, showing off his dimples.

" Of course, you'll need the extra help ", Hassan sneered competitively. Both keeping up their fake politeness.

" Inshallah, Baba ", Amir says with a smirk.

" Indeed ", Hassan replies with a head nod and squinted eyes. The tension was thick enough for a butter knife to cut through it. Amelia and Gianni—the family instigators—"ouued" at the father and son's stare-down." This is gonna be goood ", Amelia squealed. "Alright get ready...and may the best man win!"

When the call ended Amir sat his phone on the bed and then readied his ammo by dipping the ends in paint. Then he opened the door into the hallway and slammed it.

The game begins

Amelia's door opens and Amir shoots her without a second thought.

" Oh come on, really!? Amelia, strike one!", she shouts in frustration.

"Sorry Ama", Ali drones

"No you're not", she bites as she makes her way downstairs to the "recharge" spot in the living room. Amir follows her in hopes of getting his little brother out the way first. Rounding the stairs, he sees his brother shoot Demetry.