About Time

Chapter Fourteen - Thanksgiving

A week later was Thanksgiving.
Cal and Zoe always took turns hosting and this year was Cal's turn.
It was the day before and Cal was busy cooking while Gillian sat on the island and watched.
"I didn't know you were a gourmet chef."
"I'm a man of many talents."
Emily was in the living room playing with Sophie.
Gillian and Sophie had been here since they got home from Boston a week ago. Gillian had gone home twice to get more clothes. In that time, Sophie and Emily had gotten rather attached to each other.
"So what time do you want me to leave?"
"What do you mean?" Cal asked confused.
"Well, this is your family Thanksgiving thing so I'm just going to take Sophie and go home but I didn't know if you'd rather me go tonight or in the morning."
"You and Sophie aren't going anywhere. You're as much a part of this family as anyone else. You're staying. No buts."
Gillian wasn't going to put up an argument. If Cal wanted her to stay, then she wanted to stay. She never wanted to leave anyway, she just thought that with Zoe around, Cal might not want her here.
"Do you need any help?"
"I've got it. I'm just going to finish this and then I'm done. I'm going to actually cook everything in the morning. I'm just getting it ready today."
"What's for dessert?"
"Whatever Zoe brings. I always leave that up to her."
"And what does she usually bring?"
"That bloody pumpkin pie. It's the grossest thing I ever tasted."
"Can I make a cake?"
"You can make whatever you want to, love."

She ended up making a chocolate cake and chocolate chip cookies after dinner that night. Cal left her alone in the kitchen while he went to help Sophie get ready for bed.
He'd helped her get dressed, done her hair, bathed her, fed her, everything really at times when Gillian was in the middle of something. He was so good at it. She supposed it came from years of helping Emily. It was rather adorable, something one usually wouldn't use to describe Cal Lightman.
She had just taken the cookies out of the oven when Cal came downstairs. Emily had insisted that Sophie sleep in her room and she'd sleep in the guest room.
"She's waiting on you to tuck her in. I told her you'd be up in a minute."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For not making me go home."
"I meant what I said, Gillian."
"I know."
She kissed him, something they'd been doing more and more. They still didn't really consider themselves a couple but they were getting there.

Emily was downstairs when she heard somebody wake upstairs. The sound of light footsteps was heard as they came down the stairs. It definitely wasn't her dad then.
It was Gill. She was in nothing but her underwear and one of Emily's dad's t-shirts that barely covered her butt. Then she spotted Emily and her cheeks grew red.
"I'm sorry Emily, I didn't think anyone else was awake."
Before either of them could say another word, the front door opened and few seconds later, Zoe walked in.
"What are you doing-" The question fade from Zoe's lips. She and Gillian stared at each other while Emily stared at the pair.
"What are you doing here?" Zoe asked again finally, getting the whole question out this time.
Gillian opened her mouth to answer, not that she knew what she was going to say; but she was cut off by the sound of someone coming downstairs. Cal came into the living room in his pajamas and observed the scene before him.
"This is exactly what it looks like." He smirked. "Well almost. Considering we didn't actually do anything last night. Gill just prefers to sleep in one of my shirts rather than her own pajamas."
Emily started laughing, followed closely by Gillian's delicate giggle. Zoe's expression, however, hadn't changed.
"Gill, love, why don't you go put on some clothes?"
Gillian gratefully followed his advice and went back upstairs. Cal watched her go then turned back to Zoe.
"I thought you said you wouldn't be here until noon."
"I came early. What was that?"
"What do you mean what was that? I told you, it's exactly what it looked like."
"I walk in on Thanksgiving morning and see Emily talking to your naked business partner."
"It's not a crime, Zoe. And she was hardly naked."
"That's not the point, Cal."
"Then what is it? The fact that it's Gill? Zoe, my personal life is none of your business anymore."
Zoe didn't say anything, she was too distracted by the toddler coming downstairs, who walked right up to Cal.
"Where Mama?"
"She's getting dressed. She'll be right back." He told the little girl before scooping her up into his arms.
"Who is that?" Zoe asked, thoroughly confused.
"Sophie, this is Zoe. Zoe, this is Sophie, Gillian's adoptive daughter."
"Oh my god, this is ridiculous."
"Do you have a problem, Zoe?"
"I am your wife!"
"Ex-wife. And as I recall, you left me. So enough of this I don't want him but nobody else can have him either game. Or do you really just have something against Gillian?"
"I don't have a problem with Gill."
"Cal, I'm just going to take Sophie and go home." Gillian said quietly. Cal turned around. She had pulled on a pair of jeans and one of the blouses she'd brought from home.
She took Sophie from him and walked towards the door. Cal threw Zoe an annoyed glare and walked after her.
"Gill, you aren't going anywhere."
"I'm obviously not wanted here." She said with a pathetic gesture at Zoe. Cal could see the tears shining in her eyes.
"It isn't Zoe's house. If she doesn't want you here, she can leave."
"Hey!" Zoe exclaimed looked at Emily as if to say side with me. Emily in response stepped closer to her dad and Gillian.
"You are not my wife, you are my daughter's mother. That doesn't give you the right to tell me who can come and go in my house."
"I have a right to know what Emily's being exposed to!"
"She's in college! She's been exposed to far worse things than Gill walking around the house in one of my t-shirts! And Em, was seeing Gill in her undies so horrible that I'm going to have to get you a shrink? Which with my budget would probably end up being Gill, so really it would do no good."
"No, Dad. I'm fine." Emily responded.
"Now Zoe, either Gillian stays for your little "family Thanksgiving" or you can go."
Gillian looked into Cal's eyes and he pulled her close. He knew Zoe had upset her. Now he was making Zoe choose.
But she watched as Zoe gave up in defeat, knowing she really didn't have the right to be resentful towards Gillian anymore.
"I brought breakfast." Zoe sighed. "That pancake place you and Em love so much." She glanced at Gillian, who was still holding Sophie. "And I got extra too. For some reason, I even brought chocolate chip." She added.
Emily and Zoe went out to get their breakfast and Gillian faced Cal.
"Cal, you didn't have to do that."
"Well, Gill, this is practically your house now too after the past week and I'm not kicking you out just because Zoe doesn't want you here."
"Thank you." She told him and gave him a quick kiss.
"Does everybody know I love chocolate? She asked when she pulled away.
"Everybody. Everyone also knows you love orange slushies."
"Aw, now I want a slushy."
"Me twoo!" Sophie chimed in.
"I don't think the slushy place is open today girls." Cal chuckled. Then Zoe and Emily came back in and they went to the kitchen table to eat their pancakes.

"I'll be right back, love." Cal told Gillian.
"No, don't leave me alone with Zoe!"
"You won't be alone. Emily's here."
He left before Gillian could say anything else.
"Actually, I'm going to go." Zoe said, coming into the kitchen. It was nearly five o'clock; they'd eaten lunch hours ago. No major fiascos had occurred.
"Oh, okay."
Zoe gathered her dishes.
"Thank you." Gillian told her.
Zoe looked at Gillian, rather surprised. She didn't really deserve a thank you and Gillian was offering her one anyway.
"I didn't really do anything. Certainly nothing I deserve to be thanked for."
Gillian shrugged.
"You make him happy, Gill. Happier than I ever did. You always have. That's the only thing I've ever had against you. You've always been better for him than me. And at given time during our marriage, he always had more pictures of the two of you together than the two of us."
Gillian didn't know what to say. This wasn't a conversation she'd really wanted to have and it was making her uncomfortable.
"Sorry, I know I'm making you uncomfortable. Goodbye, Gillian."
Zoe left and Gillian stood there.
Emily came into the kitchen.
"Hey, sorry about Mom this morning. She was just a little surprised, that's all. Anyway, Sophie said she's hungry. Though I don't know how, she ate more than I did."
Gillian shook her head. The child was always asking for something to eat.
"You can give her a cookie. But tell I said that's all."
"Okay."
Thirty minutes later, Cal came back.
"I see Zoe left." He said, coming into the kitchen.
"Where did you go?" Gillian asked him.
"Well, you and Soph said you wanted slushies so I went and found a place that was open today."
"You got me a slushy?" Gillian asked excitedly.
"Large orange."
Gillian flew off the couch and into the kitchen where Cal had put the slushies on the counter.

"You know, it may not have gotten off to the best possible start but this has been the best Thanksgiving I've had in a while." Gillian told Cal later that night.
"For me too."
"Now, hurry up and get in the bed. You're coming Black Friday shopping tomorrow with me and the girls.
By "the girls", she meant Sophie, Emily, Ria, and Anna. Loker was being dragged along to by Torres.
"Do I have to go?"
"Yes."
Cal sighed. He decided he'd go quietly tomorrow to make Gillian happy.
"Goodnight, Gill."
"Goodnight, Cal."