Legacy of the Dreams

Chapter 75 - A Different Sort of Holiday

Thanksgiving that year was remembered as the year nobody came. Everybody was busy, spending time with relatives they didn't often see for holidays. Even Matt and Zack were busy. Matt spent the holiday with his future in-laws as expected, and Zack flew to Seattle to spend Thanksgiving with his Dad. Greg, Susan, Jessie and Melody ended up joining Richard, Marion, and their twins at the beach house for a relatively small Thanksgiving Day celebration for just the two families. As a result, the amount of cooking involved was much less. In fact, it was the most relaxing Thanksgiving Susan could remember having during the years since she and Greg returned to the United States.

That year, nobody went down into their cave, and Susan spent Black Friday shopping with Marion for their children in anticipation of the December holidays.

"Did you have fun?" Greg asked when she returned home with her arms loaded with packages.

"I really did," Susan said. "It's been so long since I've spent that kind of time with Marion ... the stores were packed, but we did have fun. And we really did get a lot done shopping wise for the holidays."

"Which is a good thing since Chanukah is relatively early this year. From what I've heard, everybody is coming to our house for the holiday," Greg said.

"We'll be ready," Susan assured him.

c

Chanukah began on Saturday, December 16th that year. Alan and Cindy, most uncommonly, decided to drive with their family from Oakland to Greg and Susan's house for the holiday, instead of flying. It took them all day to do it, but they arrived on Saturday afternoon, an hour or two before sunset.

Susan took the rocking chair down to the little apartment ahead of time and Greg helped Alan and his family unload their car, bringing in all the baby gear and getting them settled before supper. Alan was just coming back upstairs to visit, bringing Olivia with him so Cindy could nurse the baby undisturbed, when the doorbell rang.

"You can leave her in here with me, Alan," Susan said.

"Are you sure? You already have Melody under foot," Alan said.

"Yes, but my kitchen is big enough there is room for them both," Susan assured him.

Meanwhile Melody was approaching Alan who was holding Olivia.

"Hi Olive," Melody said.

"Hi," Olivia said. The twenty-one-month girl looked to her father and added, "Down."

"Okay," Alan agreed and he set Olivia on her feet before he followed Greg to the living room to see who was at the front door.

"Hello Reuben. Welcome. Please, come on in," Greg said.

"Hello Greg. Thank you for inviting me. Am I early?" Reuben asked.

"Not at all. Alan and Cindy are here," Greg said. "We are expecting Julie and her family here shortly."

"Hi Reuben," Alan said as he came up the stairs to join them.

"Hello Alan," Reuben said, stepping forward to shake the younger man's hand. "How have you been?"

"Good. We've been busy since Noah was born, but everybody is healthy, so we're doing well," Alan said.

"Noah?" Reuben asked.

"Alan and Cindy's son; he was born at the end of October," Greg explained.

Reuben stared at him. "I barely remember that Cindy was pregnant. I remember her and Alan announcing her pregnancy at Olivia's birthday party last spring, but no one said anything about it at Passover. I suppose since I never saw her looking pregnant, I forgot that she was."