All this has happened before, and it will all happen again.

Every year is the same, the extended family gathering at my parents' house.

We used to all gather at my grandmother's house until she simply got too old and hosting thanksgiving became too stressful for her.

Our house however was acceptable. We had plenty of seating and place settings at the main table and the kids table was a perfect fit for the younger children in the family. The seating in the living room was rearranged to all face the television because of course many of the family members are going to want to watch the football games.

The backyard was large and had a swing set that the younger children could play on while the older children usually started a game of touch football. Most of my aunts and uncles were already there. We were still waiting on Shane and my aunt Carolyn to get there. Draya and I were currently sitting is some wood patio chairs on the back deck keeping an eye on the younger cousins when we heard Shane’s loud pickup rolling into the driveway. I go over to the side fence to great him.

“Hey Shane.” I greet him with a smile.

He smiles back at me and says “Hey, hang on a minute I just got to let the pups out.” then he opened his passenger side door and out bounded three large dogs; I mean ok they were all only a year old so 7 in dog years and still considered puppies, but still quite big.

“If those are puppies God help us.” I said opening the side gate to let him and the dogs in. “So do these beasts have names?” I asked.

“Well, the German Shepherd is Maximums, Max for short, the Mastiff is Fang, and the Great Pyrenees is Falkor.”

“Isn't Falkor the name of the good luck dragon in The Never Ending story?”

“Yeah, but I always thought Falkor’s head looked kind of like a dog, and I think it's a good name for a dog.”

“It fits too, since he’s so large and all white like the good luck dragon.” I said watching as the cousins previously playing on the swing set were all now far more interested in the dogs and were now running and playing with them. The dogs were being exceptionally good with the kids no mouthing or jumping up they were all behaving perfectly. The kids were also being very good, they weren’t pulling or hanging on the dogs or teasing them with toys or harassing the dogs in any way they were being very good kids and they were all just running around together. That’s when we heard a car pulling into the driveway and we saw my aunt Carolyn’s mini coupe. Within a few moments she stepped out and with a wave and a smile began walking towards us, a white and rust colored puppy fallowing her.

"Carolyn! I am so glad you are here, there is someone I want to introduce you too." I say letting Carolyn in through the gate. The pup was cautiously wandering over to the other big dogs who were clearly curious. They all sniffed at each other and then the little pup play bowed and then the playing resumed.

I led Carolyn over to Draya who was now standing leaning against the deck railing. "Carolyn this is my wonderful girlfriend, Draya." I say.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Draya, I am Sarah's aunt Carolyn. Truth be told her mother has actually told me quite a bit about you, you know how girls like to talk."

"I do. It was all good I hope."

"It was, however, I do look forward to getting to know you in person."

"I look forward to it as well."

"Hey Carolyn, what is the name of your new pup?" Shane asked.

"Oh, its Rusty." she answered.

"How about we all go inside for a while, it's starting to get a bit colder out. Do you think the dogs will be ok staying outside?" I asked

"They'll be fine for a little while well bring then in later." said Shane.

We called the kids inside too. The adults were already watching football in the living room, so we took the kids down to the finished out basement, sat them all down in front to the projector screen and put on Finding Nemo for them to watch until our thanksgiving meal is ready.

Draya and I decided to watch it with them; partly because, yet again Draya had not seen it and partly because it gave us an excuse to cuddle together under a blanket.

We were just finishing the part with the sharks when we were all being called up to eat.

Everyone shuffled upstairs the little kids taking their seats at the kids table while everyone 13 years or older gathered around the main table.

Shane went to let the dogs in and got them their meals with some help from Carolyn before taking their seats at the table.

Draya was seated between me on one side and Carolyn on the other.

"Ok as usual let's go around and say what we are grateful for. Sarah sweety why don't you start." said my mother.

"Well, I am great full that I get to spend this time of year with my family and the woman I love" I said.

"I am grateful that I found you darling the love of my life." Draya said.

"I am grateful for the good food and even better company." Carolyn said.

“I am grateful that my dad is no longer in pain” Shane said a bit somberly.

The week we had visited my cousin his father was visiting his brother and had recently died of pneumonia and a heart condition.

We continued to go around the table, people said the typical things, good health, good fortune, the simple and beautiful things in life. Even the little kids found something sentimental to be thankful for. After that we sat down my father said grace and then began carving the turkey and we all began to fill our plates and small talk began.

Carolyn began to practically interrogate Draya.

"So do you do a lot of traveling Draya?"

"More than someone my age would normally get to."

"What's your favorite place you've ever visited?"

"I think I would have to say New Orleans, I love the culture and the music and well, all of it."

"Do you collect anything from the places you travel?"

"Only memories."

"If you were left on a deserted island with either your worst enemy or no one, which would you choose? Why?"

"In many ways we are our own worst enemy and isolation can drive a person mad, so I would rather be on the island with my worst enemy than alone."

"Are you a morning person or a night person?"

"I am definitely a night owl."

"What is your favorite time of the day, and why?"

"3AM the witching hour. In folklore, the witching hour or devil's hour is a time of night that is associated with supernatural events, whereby witches, demons and ghosts are thought to appear and be at their most powerful. Definitions vary, and include the hour immediately after midnight, and the time between 3:00 am and 4:00 am. The term now has a widespread colloquial and idiomatic usage that is associated with human physiology and behaviors to more superstitious phenomena such as luck. I went through a phase where I was rather fascinated with this stuff."

After the meal most of the adults gathered around the television for the football games and we took the kids back downstairs to finish the movie. After Finding Nemo was over, we put on another movie, this time the live action Aladdin. The older cousins aged 10-12 lost interest quickly and gravitated to the pool table and electric dart board.

It wasn’t long before they were calling us all back upstairs again for pie. I had a slice of pumpkin pie with lots of whipped cream. It was my absolute favorite. Draya decided to have apple. After pie the younger cousins all wanted to go outside and play with the dogs again. Draya and I volunteered to keep an eye on them.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, family members slowly began to bid us farewell and go home.

Shane and Carolyn left around the same time as they were staying with a family friend together and after lots of hugs and kisses eventually everyone except for my mother and father Draya and I was gone.

Draya was staying the night one more thing I had to be grateful for today. I am truly blessed to be with someone like her. I smile with the awareness that, of all the things I had to be grateful for in my life I know that I am the most grateful for Draya, for the love and happiness she had brought into my life. Before I met her, I thought my life was complete and it’s almost hard to believe that there was a time that I was without Draya because now I can’t imagine my life without her.

When I crawl into bed and Draya's welcoming arms, I immediately snuggle into her, tucking my head under her chin and nuzzling her like an overgrown cat.

"You are exceptionally affectionate tonight."

"Sorry, I am in a snuggly mood." I say stopping in my nuzzling for the moment.

"It wasn't meant as a complaint darling, I actually quite like you like this.”

“Good, because I am feeling very snuggly, and I don’t think it’s going to change any time soon…or at least not tonight.”

Draya giggled as resumed my nuzzling and she traced intricate patterns on my back. When I finally drifted off to sleep, I thanked God for my angel my Draya.

THE END next story is titled Snow

I had trouble trying to end this one I don't know why, but lately I seem to be hitting a lot of creative blocks and have been under a lot of stress so, maybe that is affecting my writing and causing the block, I don't know, but I will get through it one way or another. I have tons of stories started and a couple finished so I hope to be posting every 1-2 weeks. I won't make any promises that I'm not sure I can keep though. My other worry is running out of steam, I don't want to write myself into a corner and have nowhere to go with it because I will not abandon this series I won't, I won't, I won't!!!!!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this story sorry for any spelling, punctuation, and grammatical mistakes if there are any and let me know what you think or at least give it a like thank you! 🖤💜😃