Family Reunion

Prologue

Baltimore, Maryland

Thursday, November 22nd, 2007 (Thanksgiving Day)

Florence's POV

I was growing impatient, waiting for Thanksgiving dinner to be done. As if on cue, my stomach started to growl. I was playing with my cousins, Becky, and Larry. They came to my house for Thanksgiving from Virginia. Becky was my age, while Larry was older than us by six years. He made sure that we would stay out of trouble. Harold was only a year older than Larry. He is my older brother, and he was watching the big football game.

Becky and I played Tag, and we ran all throughout the house. "Hey, stop that running!" demanded my Aunt Pamela. "You two sit down, before you hurt yourselves!"

"Sorry, Mom!" said Becky.

"Aunt Pamela, we were just playing!" I protested.

"You do that outside, hear? You ain't careful, you gonna knock things over! This ain't a playground!"

"Shut up!" I snapped.

"I know you didn't tell me to shut up!" exclaimed my aunt. "I'm your aunt, and you don't talk to me like that! You hear me?"

"Yes, Ma'am," I nodded.

"What grade are you in, girl?" asked my Uncle Milton.

"4th Grade," I replied.

"You staying out of trouble?"

"Yes, Uncle Milton," I sighed.

"That's good. You ready to eat?"

"Yeah, I'm starving."

The kitchen smelled of Mac and cheese, corn bread, stuffing, collard greens, and sweet potato pie. The intoxicating aroma filled my nose. Outside, it was a balmy 74 degrees. Pretty mild for Thanksgiving.

"Thanksgiving dinner is ready!" announced my mother. "Come on into the kitchen, so we can bless the food!"

We all filed into the kitchen, and held hands. My father said grace. We all bowed our heads and closed our eyes.

"Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for bringing our family members here today, on this gorgeous day. We thank you Lord, for all the love and comfort you given us. We ask you to look out for those less fortunate, that don't have any homes to keep themselves warm. And, we also thank you for this food we are about to eat, in Jesus's name we pray. Amen."

"Amen," the rest of us chimed in.

"Look at this gravy!" said Harold. "This is definitely going on the stuffing." He got some some turkey, stuffing, and spooned some gravy onto it, and got some corn bread, and collard greens. He then put some Texas Pete hot sauce on his corn bread.

My mother served me some turkey, stuffing, corn bread, mac and cheese, and collard greens, and some sparkling apple juice to drink. Harold was whistling the Spiderpig song from The Simpsons Movie.

I ate my food, and burped a few times, getting scolded by Aunt Pamela. "You better stop fooling around, hear? You're at the table now.

"You got gravy all over your dress, Florence!" snapped my mother. The gravy trailed right down my red dress, leaving a stain.

"Sorry!" I said.

"You were supposed to keep it clean! I wanted you to wear that special dress for just this occasion!"

"Look at you, you're a mess, girl!" said Uncle Milton, eating his corn bread.

"Sorry, Milton," I said.

"Uncle Milton!" corrected my father, eating his mac and cheese.

"Sorry, Uncle Milton! How long are you and Aunt Pamela staying here?"

"You watch your mouth now!" warned my mother. "This is Thanksgiving, and I don't want any arguments!"

"You best mind your tongue, girl!" snapped Aunt Pamela.

"Shut up! I can't wait for you guys to go back to the hotel!"

"I'm gonna send you to your room, if you don't cut it out!" warned my mother.

"May I be excused please?"

"Eat your food!! You haven't eaten your mac and cheese!"

"I don't like how Aunt Pamela makes her mac and cheese! Its not the same as yours, Mom!"

"Sis, she worked so hard on cooking that!" snapped Harold. "You don't have to be rude!"

"Exactly!" said Larry, drinking his sparkling apple juice.

"I helped her make it, you know," said Becky, getting defensive.

"I still prefer my mom's mac and cheese," I said. Everyone just gave me angry looks, while I ate the rest of my food. I hated Aunt Pamela so much. She can't tell me what to do in my own home.

When I am a grown woman, she won't be treating me this way no more. Being a kid is tough.

A/N Hey guys! What did you think of the prologue? What do you think of Florence's relationship with her aunt? What do you think of her attitude towards her? Just bear in mind this prologue is about the main character as a child. The first chapter will be about her as an adult. Don't be a silent reader. Please show some love and support, by voting, leaving feedback, and sharing this book with others! Thanks guys! Love you all!! ❤❤❤❤❤😘😘😘😘😘