- Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Please read and review!
Chapter 16

"Don't touch that, AJ. Its for after dinner," Nick said as he caught AJ eyeing the apple pie he had taken out of the oven before. Nick had been cooking since eight that morning.

"Come on, Nick...it smells so good..." AJ whined as he watched the turkey come out of the oven. Nick loved Thanksgiving and enjoyed cooking, but he wished that Katie had helped out instead of emptying a half bottle of wine. Nick knew she was testing him so he ignored her and AJ helped him out. Between the two of them, they managed to have dinner finished by two that afternoon. The three of them sat down at the table.

"Dinner looks great," Katie commented as they dug in. Nick carved the turkey and they began to eat. Everything was delicious, Nick had gone all out.

"Damn, Nick..did you get a big enough bird this year? We will be eating this thing for weeks."

"Not to worry, Joey will have no problem helping to eat the leftovers," Nick laughed. Dinner was going smoothly, and the three of them were talking about past holidays, laughing and joking around. Nick loved Katie when she was like this, liked her sense of humor when she had one.

"Can you get the door, Jay? I have to get the potatoes." Nick said as the doorbell rang. AJ went to the door and a small boy stood there. He was skinny with a mop of blonde hair and brown eyes, bruises on his arm.

"Nick, there is a kid at the door," AJ said. Nick came to the door, then stopped in his tracks as he laid eyes on the boy.

"Are you Nick?" the boy said. Nick thought he was looking at himself as a child.

"Yes, do I know you?" Nick stammered. He closed the door and walked out on the porch.

"I'm Aaron, your brother." the boy replied with a smile. Nick didn't know how to react. He had never known about having a brother in his life, he hadn't talked to his mother since he was 18. Aaron looked like he was about eleven, with bruises on his arms and face.
"My....my brother?" Nick stammered, looking at him.

"You're on this paper." Aaron replied, holding up a letter. Nick read it, it was from when he had placed a restraining order on his mom.

"Mom never told me about you. How did you get here..."

"I ran away." Aaron said tearfully, and Nick put his arms around him.

"Are you hungry? You lool like you could use something to eat." he said. Aaron nodded and wiped his eyes as Nick led him inside.

"Who the fuck is that?" Katie demanded as Nick walked into the dining room with Aaron trailing behind.

"This is my brother, Aaron. He is joining us for dinner." Nick explained, pulling out an extra chair. Katie looked at the boy with deep disgust.

"Why? His mother didn't want him?" Katie said and Aaron's eyes filled with tears.

"Don't listen to her, Aaron. You can sit here, I will get you a plate." Nick told him. Katie sat across from Aaron, shooting him a dirty look.

"I didn't know you had a brother, Nick." AJ said as he ate more stuffing.

"How do you know he is related to you?" Katie yelled, her eyes threatening.

"Stop it Katie. Its Thanksgiving." Nick stated as he gave Aaron a plate of food and smiled at him as he began eating.

"Thank you!" Aaron said, his mouth of turkey.

"Can't you call someone to pick him up?"

"No, he is staying, whether you like it or not. If you don't like it you can leave." Nick said coldly. Katie stood up and started cursing at him.

"Katie, don't do this in front of him."

"Until ten minutes ago you didn't know you had a brother! How do you know he isn't lying?" she screamed.

"Like I said, if you don't like it you can leave." Nick repeated, and he continued eating. Katie growled and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her.

"Lock the door, AJ." Nick said, sighing. AJ laughed.

"With pleasure!" he grinned as he went to the door. A street over, Amanda and Lance were enjoying a quiet dinner when there was a knock at the door. They both looked at each other and didn't move at first.

"I have a bad feeling, don't answer that," Lance said as his wife went to the door. She found Katie standing there crying, tears running down her face.

"What do you want?"

"Nick threw me out!" she wailed. Amanda couldn't help feel sorry for her so she let her in, after all it was thanksgiving.