Mission: Thanksgiving

1000, T-8 Hours

1000
Mother continues the stuffing while father squeezes past her to the fridge, placing the pumpkin pie inside. Steve and Anne begin to clean their rooms, and the cat, Leroy finally wakes up, wanders to its dish, eats, and hoes back to sleep.
1015
Mother is finishing the turkey stuffing, placing into a tupperware dish, and into the fridge. Then, a car pulls up outside. Father runs downstairs and sees the beige station wagon, 'Hell,' he mutters receiving a glare from Mother who sits peeling potatoes. 'It's my brother,' Father moans in despair, as Uncle James, Aunt Caroline, Cousin Calvin, Cousin Thomas, and Cousin Susanna pile out of the station wagon in their stiff, starched suits and turtleneck dresses, and superior smiles.
1021
Having filed in, the earliest relatives sit stiffly on two couches, staring at the black television screen as though it were the Stargate. Then, Uncle James does something you wouldn't expect from a man dressed as a Pilgrim named James. He belches and says in a loud, obnoxious voice, 'Bring me some beer, H-----!'
'I'm sorry, James, but it is 10:00 in the morning, and far to early for beer,' Father says, setting his jaw.
'Aw, shit, come one Hare Bear, I've had three already,'
'No,' Father says, turning on the Thanksgiving Day Parade and sitting quietly, sipping his coffee, 'I will get you coffee, but nothing with alcohol,' he amends.
'Fine,' James says sullenly, sinking into the couch.
1049
Mother finishes preparing the traditional stuffing that does not enter the turkey and peels more potatoes for the mashed potatoes. Uncle James is sitting, slowly sobering up while his wife ignores him and the children go to the other living room to play cards.