Boy On A Farm

Part 17

Harvest kept everyone busy. It was a good harvest so far. Ruth was just anxious to get everything cut before bad weather rolled in and ruined everything. Philip did his best to ease Ruth's nerves and for that she was grateful.

Ruth was so busy that she barely even noticed the Trick o' Treaters when Halloween came. It didn't even register with Ruth that Thanksgiving was coming up until Rachel brought it up during one of their lunch breaks.

"What are you going to do for Thanksgiving this year since Ian is home?"

Ruth looked up from the canister of soup that she was eating. "What do you mean?"

Rachel gave Ruth a long suffering look. "Thanksgiving is in 3 days."

All Ruth did was blink at Rachel. "You're kidding me."

Rachel shook her head as she blew on her soup. "I am dead serious."

Ruth dipped her spoon back in the thermos of soup. "I was so busy with harvest that I didn't even realize Thanksgiving was that close."

"We can do what we did last year," Rachel offered.

Ruth gave her best friend a fond look. "I am grateful that you have let me spend the last few Thanksgivings with you, but I think that this year I will do something at home. I won't be alone."

Rachel looked over to where the guys were standing. The murmurs of their voices were too low for Ruth to make out what they were saying. "I am so happy that Ian is home."

"Me too," Ruth murmured in agreement. "I'll ask Ian what he wants to do about Thanksgiving this year."

Rachel smiled at Ruth. "Let me know what you decide okay. My family will gladly accept all of you at the Thanksgiving meal this year."

"I know and I am forever grateful to how wonderful your family has been."

Rachel snorted. "They think of you as part of the family. You were over all the time growing up."

Ruth laughed. "My Mom used to say the same thing about you."

Rachel joined Ruth in laughing before she went back to her soup. "I want to finish eating quickly. It's surprisingly cold today."

Ruth looked up at the overcast sky. "I think I heard that it's going to snow sometime within the next few days."

Rachel shivered. "Will you be done with harvest by then?"

Ruth sucked on her teeth in contemplation. "We will unless we suffer a break down."

"I hope you don't because none of us need that particular stress.

"I totally agree with you."

Rachel hummed, but didn't say anything as she ate her soup. Ruth followed Ruth's example and worked on finishing her soup before it grew cold.

"Thank you," Ruth said as she accepted to extra large mug of hot chocolate that Ian handed her.

Ruth inhaled the rich scent as she cupped her hands around the hot mug. Ruth was sitting curled up on the couch with Philip sitting next to her with his hand resting on her thigh. Louis was lounging in the one arm chair while Ian took a seat in the other one. Ruth took a cautious sip of the hot brew and gave a contented sigh.

"I love how you make hot chocolate just like Dad used too."

Ian smiled as he gingerly sipped his brew. Ruth could see that his cup was piled high with mini marshmallows. "I made sure to watch how he did it so that I could reproduce the exact way he made it."

"I'm glad you did. Who knew that we would lose him so soon?"

Sadness briefly swamped Ruth to where she had to blink back tears. She swallowed the lump in her throat before she spoke again.

"Rachel asked what we were doing for Thanksgiving. I had no clue that it was in 3 days. She invited all of us to her family's house in case we didn't have anything planned."

Ian sat his mug down and crossed his legs in a style so reminiscent to the way their Dad always sat that all Ruth could do was stare. Ian didn't seem to notice her look as he began to speak.

"I have actually been planning what to do for Thanksgiving since I got back. I want to make this one special for you since I am finally home and you won't be by yourself."

Ruth reached down and laced her fingers with Philip's. "It is special because you are here this year Ian. Not only are you here, but so are Philip and Louis. They are both special to me, but in very different ways."

Louis made an affectionate noise. "I am hoping you are saying that you think of me as a brother."

Ruth smiled at Louis. "I do and hope that one day you will become my brother-in-law."

Louis gave Philip a piercing look. "I hope for that too."

Ruth decided that she wouldn't try to dissect the looks that passed between the brothers. Ruth knew that she and Philip would get married one day. Ruth was fine with waiting because it gave them more time to get to know each other.

"Is there anything special you want me to fix for Thanksgiving?"

Ian's voice pulled Ruth from her thoughts. "I will help fix food Ian."

"I am not going to stop you because I know that it is a losing battle."

Ruth laughed before she shifted subtly so that she could lean against Philip. Philip let go of her hand so that he could begin to massage the nape of her neck. Ruth gave Philip a grateful smile. He always seemed to know when her pain decided to flare up.

"I want to have creamed corn, baked sweet potatoes with marshmallows and brown sugar, and some dinner rolls."

Ian nodded as he scratched at his shadowed jaw. "I figured that you would want those foods. I am thinking of asking Louis to make his famous stuffing. It is damned good. Philip has agreed to smoke the turkey. I would like some pie, but I have no clue how to make it."

"I can make pie. Do we want pumpkin, pecan, or both?"

"Do both. If you use Mom's recipe there will be no way that I can choose between only one to eat."

For the first time in years, Ruth was excited for Thanksgiving. Her mouth was already watering just thinking about the food. Ruth began to make a mental list of the ingredients that she would need for the pies. Ruth even knew where the recipes were. They were in the handmade recipe box that Ruth's Grandfather had made for Ruth's Mother for her 16th birthday. Ruth had a feeling that this was going to be the best Thanksgiving that she had had in years.