“Did you put in for vacation for the week of Thanksgiving?” Jamie, a server who had been hired over the summer, came into the back office. Well, she kind of stood in the doorway.
“Yes.”
“Will we be packed that week?”
“From Black Friday until Christmas, unless it snows hard,” I replied.
Jamie eyes went into a ‘thousand yard stare’ and she gave a slight nod.
“You’ll be fine. Miriam’s coming in to work part time, she’ll help to keep everything in check..and I’ll ask her to give you her tips.”
Miriam Thomas was my senior co-worker two years ago, but she retired a few days before she got married to the late Paul Thomas, the father of our current mayor. He would have been ordained as one of the pillars of the community if he didn’t relish annoying his son.
“Thank you. Also, there’s two old guys in section B asking about you.”
I smiled as I locked the computer, got up and followed Jamie out to the floor.

“What’s the special for today?”
“Fried fish Friday, Mr. Johnny.”
“How they been treating you, Nikki?” Reverend Al asked as he picked up a cornbread muffin.
“Pretty good. I can’t complain.”
“You still with Paul’s grandkid?”
I blushed a bit as I held my hand up to show a gold ring with a ring of stones.
“I told you, Tony, Did I tell ya? Because I told ya.”
“Miriam told us both, Al. I’m just trying to get firsthand information.”
Reverend Al rolled his eyes and then turned to me. “So, he really is serious.”
“Yes sir,” I replied as I motioned for Jamie to take out her order book.

Miriam, Mr. Johnny and Reverend Al had taken Mr. Thomas’ ashes on a cross-country journey to all of the cities he always wanted to go. They were to place a few ashes in each location they visited. They took the trip in a restored Volkswagen bus. They did not have permission to take the ashes or the urn. The mayor somehow thought he outranked Mr. Thomas’ wife, so they moved the ashes to another container and filled the urn with kitty litter…where it sits on the fireplace mantel at the mayor’s house.

“I’ll take the fish, give me fries and some okra and a lot of tarter sauce.
“And for you, sir?” Jamie asked Reverend Al.
The Reverend pointed at the now empty “roll” bowl and nodded.
“I’ll get you some more rolls.”
“I’ll get them, Jamie.”
“Good to see you again, Nikki!” Mr. Johnny yelled.
“Nice to have the two of you back. Please say hi to Miriam for me.”
“She should be here in a few minutes,” Reverend Al said as he pointed his thumb to the parking lot.”
“Jamie, Miriam likes an Arnold Palmer.”
“A what?”
“Iced tea and Lemonade,” I replied as I picked up the bowl and went to the kitchen.

As much as I wanted to enjoy taking a few days off from work I felt the crippling anxiety of leaving town for the next five days. I had only ever had gone so far as to Nashville and did not feel like I could step a foot out of Tennessee. My family would need to tie me to the rear bumper and drag me out. And as much as my older brother Danny had planned on how much rope was needed to secure me Garrett spoke up and said he would go with us.
“Are you sure? It’s a long drive.”
“It’s just Texas,” he replied with a shrug,
“You can drive for twelve hours and still be in the same state.”
“As long as they got great Mexican food and you’ll be there, then I’m good.”

I continued packing, wondering if I should dress for the weather or for comfort, there was no middle ground at that time of the year and knowing Adam, my oldest brother, he would want to take us to every single touristy spot in the state, even if said locale was under a sheet of ice and we had to stand in below-freezing temperatures. Unfortunately, my parents would take him up on that trip and try to strong arm Danny, Garett and myself into going. Lena had the excuse of being seven months pregnant so she could stay at Adam’s home next to a roaring fire.
“Best to pack for the weather,” I mused.

Garrett nodded as I took several pairs of jeans down and two dresses…just in case I had to be somewhere proper, say, dinner or for some function at Adam’s church. I cringed at having to do anything there. Sure, let me sit near the back and allow me to hold a candle and sing “Adeste Fideles” in a low whisper; that would be fine. I dreaded having to stand in the front pew and to have to turn around and greet everyone with a smile and a wave and have everyone come up and shake my hand like I was some form of royalty. Mr. Thomas blew a few raspberries when a camera crew came to town to thank him for donating a tree. A tree that was going to become firewood kindling but instead it was donated to be used as a set piece for some state debate. The key was to give it just the right pitch.
“I got a, well, I guess it’s a weird question,” Garrett started.
“Lay it on me.”
“Sleeping arrangements?”
“No doubt you will be placed in the high belltower where you’ll need to climb up a rope to reach the top.”
“Seriously?”
“This is Adam we’re talking about. If not, then we’ll be in separate rooms on different floors.”
“I can understand that,” he replied.
I nodded and folded my clothes into a suitcase. “Have you packed yet?”
“Not everything. I still need to grab a few things at the store.”
“Oh, if I gave you a list, could you pick up a few things for me?”
“A list? How long?”
“It will be as long as we need it to be,” I said as I smacked his butt. “You knew what you were getting into with this family.”
“I have no regrets.”

“Are you coming back afterwards?”
“I can if you want me to,” he said as we walked past the living room.
“Yeah, but you’re driving and we’re leaving at seven.”
“Six!” Dad shouted. “The caravan leaves at six.”
“Got it, Dad,” I shouted in reply as we walked out the front door and into the driveway.

“Six in the morning?”
“Yeah, Dad likes to get an early start so he can power his way through three states at fifty-five miles an hour.”
“Just fifty-fire?”
“The cruise control has never been set higher.”
“It will take all day to get there.”:
“Two, actually,” I replied and flashed two fingers.
“I plan on going seventy any chance I get.”
“And that, Garrett, is one of the many reasons I am riding with you.”
“What’s another reason?” Garrett asked as he dragged me closer.
“So I can think of the most lewd thoughts to talk to about as you drive and there will be nothing you can do about it.”
“Do you have any right now?”
“I got plenty.”