Catch Me When I Fall

Thanksgiving

"Good morning, Tyrone! And Happy Thanksgiving! Can you guess why I have to wake you up this morning? It's cause the turkeys not around to do it anymore."

I stare at Khai, amused and still trying to wake up. It's too early for his shit.

And what a dark thing to say so soon in the morning. So much for a bright start.

"Okay Khai. First of all, when has a turkey ever woken me up? Secondly... what the fuck? That's so dark... And thirdly, turkeys aren't the ones notorious for waking you up in the morning. Those are roosters. But bonus points for the creativity." I laugh and rub my eyes, and Khai chuckles.

"Oh... right... yeah I might've confused them... still, close enough."

I join Khai in his laughter and shake my head.

"You are something else, Khai." I pause. "I think that's the most interesting way I've ever been woken up on Thanksgiving day."

Khai's face is beaming, and he seems very proud of his joke. But soon his appetite takes over and he tugs on my arm.

"C'mon let's go have breakfast!"

"Khai could you maybe give me a chance to properly wake up?"

Khai's face turns sheepish and just a little concerned.

"Did you sleep okay?" He asks.

I shrug.

"It was alright, I guess."

Khai doesn't say anything at first, but his expression is sympathetic and I know he cares.

Well, until his eyes brighten with that enthusiastic spark.

"What did you dream about? Do you even dream? I dreamt that we were eating a lot of really yummy food and then we were about to eat the turkey but when my mom set the plate down there was no turkey and instead it was the moon and then we were also sharing our thanksgiving dinner with some homeless wolves and then you said that you were going to go home because you didn't want to eat the moon or it would be dark outside and then I said I didn't want to eat it because it was really pretty and then-"
"Khai... I love listening to your crazy dreams, but please stop." I say seriously, though I'm holding back a smile.

"Sorry..." Khai apologizes.

"Also homeless wolves? Do you hear yourself?"

"Yeah, but it was a dream..."

"Not even stray. Just homeless." I keep going.

"Shut up!" Khai exclaims playfully, picking up a pillow to hurl at me.

"What a morning... only been awake for two minutes and all this already?" I say after the pillow collides with my face.

"I'll race you downstairs." Khai challenges.

"Don't even think about it. You're gonna trip, fall down the stairs and die. Or some other very similar situation where you'll get yourself killed."

Khai frowns.

"Fair enough." Khai laughs as if he's suddenly recalling something funny. "So in my dream, guess where the turkey actually was..."

"Oh, not this again." I groan.

"It was in the sky where the moon was supposed to be."

🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

"Happy Thanksgiving! How's your morning been so far?" Hazel asks when I step into the kitchen right ahead of Khai.