Kate let out a carefree laugh as JC animatedly told her a story.  It was something that she had definitely missed and tried to figure how she went six years without it.

Dinner went well, although the food looked much better than it tasted.  There were some things she knew would never change about him.

"So is Kendra always this quiet?"  JC asked.

"She's spending the night at a friend's house."  Kate explained.  "Gosh, if that girl was here, you would know.  She is a loud little girl."

JC chuckled.  "Sounds like another little girl I know."

"I'm not so little anymore, Josh."

JC sat back in his chair and admired the girl in front of him.  "I still can't believe how the years have gone by."

"Please don't get all sappy on me.  You know I can't stand that."

JC smiled slightly.  Tonight he was displaying a softer side of his personality.  It was a side that was most vulnerable, but to Kate, it was simply another aspect of the boy she had grown up with.   

"You heading home for Thanksgiving?"

He rubbed his face with his hands then propped himself up on his elbows.  "I don't even know if my parents will be home for Thanksgiving."

She rose to clear the dishes into the kitchen, making sure her voice traveled back into the dining area.  "That's right.  It seems like ever since Tyler moved out, your parents have been everywhere but home for the holidays."

"More like ever since my uncle died, my parents have been everywhere but home for the holidays."  He joined her in the kitchen, leaning back against the refrigerator.  "My aunt wants me to convince my mom to host Thanksgiving dinner this year."

"Oh yea?  That would be great.  I'm sure you could convince her."

JC's stomach turned at the sight of Kate.  She looked up at him with a childish grin, reminding him of simpler times in life.  "I know I can get her to do it.  I have no doubts about that..."

"But..."

"But I don't know if I want to deal the negative feelings that could arise."

She wiped her hands dry on one of the red dishtowels and then placed her hand gently on his.  "Wouldn't it be nice to see everyone though?  It's been years and maybe this is just what everyone needs."

He froze at the feel of her touch.  It was something that he realized he missed.  Taking in her words, he felt it would be best to just change the topic.  "What about you?  Are you going home?"  She shook her head.  "Why not."

She finally released his hand and turned around to aimlessly reorganize the spices.  "I don't have enough money." 

He could barely hear her words, but they were just loud enough for him to distinguish her excuse.  "That's stupid, Kate.  I'll take care of everything for you and Kendra."

"Josh..."  She turned around with pleading eyes.

"All you have to say is thank you."  He held his hand up in protest.  "And really, you don't have to say anything.  I'll always take care of you; you know that."

She hated taking money from him.  She felt it made her seem dependent on him and that was the last thing she wanted.  "You can't always take care of me."

He nodded, understanding where she was coming from.  "I know, but when the opportunity is there, I'm always going to jump on it."

She placed her feet on either side of his and wrapped her arms comfortably around his waist, resting her head on his chest.  She relaxed at the feel of his arms around her body.  "Thank you, Josh."

"Anything for you, Kate."  He stroked her hair softly and took in the sweet smell of her shampoo. 

______________________________

Kendra kicked her legs freely in the back seat of the rental car.  Her nose was glued firmly to the window as she watched the scenery pass her by.  Kate could since her energy growing bigger once she drove down streets that Kendra was familiar with.  To Kate, every street from the airport was a memory stored in her mind.  This time, all of her memories involved JC in one way or another.  She just couldn't shake him from her thoughts.

Seconds after the car came to a stop; Kendra jolted out and ran into the house.  Kate was too tired to try to slow down the young girl's energy.  She knew it was rare for Kendra to see her cousins and it was something she looked forward to each year.

The aroma quickly surrounded her when she entered the house.  It was three o'clock and Kate knew that dinner was almost ready.  She always enjoyed the feeling that holidays brought to her and being able to see her family was something that she never took for granted.  She knew that most of the women in the house would be working on the feast, the men would be yelling at the football game on TV, and her three sister-in-laws would be in the basement with all of the children.  That was Thanksgiving at her house every year.

"Oh, there's my baby!"  Her mother, Molly wasted no time embracing her youngest in a hug.

"Hey mama.  I hope Kendra stopped long enough to say hello."  Kate said her hellos to her two aunts and sister.

"A quick hello, but she hasn't seen her cousins in such a long time."  Molly brushed off the child's manners.  "We missed your help in the kitchen this year, but we're glad you made it home.  How did you end up coming up with the money?"

"I guess all my extra work in the office finally paid off."  She lied.

Madison looked up from the stove.  "Hey, don't you get a salary pay, Katie?"

She knew her sister would try to out her, even though she promised not to.  Right now, she didn't feel like going through an intense integration about her and JC.  "I got a bonus this month, Maddy."  She said through clinched teeth.

"Must have been quite the bonus to pay for a plane ticket last minute on Thanksgiving day and have enough left over for a rental car."  Madison innocently spoke.

"Would you just shut up?"  She tried to change the subject before her mother caught onto what Madison was hinting at.  Molly was the type of mother whose house was always open.  She enjoyed being apart of her children's lives - especially through their public school day - but she was a bit naive about events in their lives.  She never believed that any of her children practiced underage drinking, did illegal drugs or had premarital sex.  "So how's dinner coming along, mama?"

"Is that your car out there, Kate?"  Matthew, the youngest boy in the family butted into the conversation.

"Yes."  She mumbled.

Her oldest brother Daniel placed a hand on her back.  "You have to let your favorite brother take it for a test drive."

"What's going on?  What's the big deal about a car?"

"Mama, Kate is driving the brand new Impala.  It's just such an amazing car."  Matthew drooled.

When her father, Jim and other brother, Scott finally joined the room, Kate knew that JC's name was about to be brought up in the conversation she wished she wasn't having.

"Katelyn, how were you able to afford all of this?"  Jim's voice bellowed throughout the kitchen.  Her father usually kept his distance from most family conversations, but when he did put his two cents in, he was demanding.

She let out a heavy sigh before announcing her answer.  "Josh paid for all of this."

There was a sudden moment of silence.  The only sound that could be heard was the television in the background.  Then all at once, everyone began speaking their mind.

"Hold on!"  Molly raised her voice above everyone's as they quickly wrapped up their thoughts.  "Let Kate have the chance to explain herself."

"There's really nothing to explain."  She nervously swallowed the lump in her throat.

"How long have you two been speaking?"  Her aunt Lucy offered up the first question.

"Just a couple of weeks."

"How'd you two find each other?"

Kate closed her eyes as the questions were thrown at her, one after another.  This was what she had been trying to avoid, but she should have known her family better and known that they would push and push until they got the answers they wanted.

After being grilled, Kate helped to set the dinner table.  Her aunt Heidi, the interior designer in the family had already decorated the dining room.  The rest of the family was called up to pray over the food.  The parents dished up their children's food and then dove into their own.

Kate smiled throughout the meal; happy that she had the chance to be with her family.  They ate the wonderful food until they were all stuff and then continued to eat some more.  The women finally cleared the food from the tables and began washing the dishes.

"So how's life going?  It's been awhile since I last talked to you."  Lucy started small talk with Kate while they washed the pots and pans.

"Its life I guess."

"You know you can always move back home.  We would all be more than willing to help you care for Kendra."

At this point, Kate wanted to scream.  Ever since she found out she was pregnant, her family had been trying to convince her to move back.  "It's not about that."

"Oh.  Then what is it?"

She handed over a soapy dish for her to rinse.  "It just gets frustrating not being able to find a man.  I mean, who really wants to go out with a twenty-five year old with a kid?"

"You'll find the right man."  Lucy paused when she heard an unfamiliar voice in the entryway.  Despite her curiosity, she kept talking.  "You just have to be patient.  And remember that you can't make a guy be your ideal husband.  He has to already hold that title before you meet him."

Before she had a chance to respond, her mother's words distracted her thoughts.  "Joshua!  Come here, baby.  I haven't seen you in such a long time." 

Kate watched Molly hug JC as if he were her own child.  In reality, he was her own child.  Growing up, Molly and Jim had the authority to ground the Chasez kids just as Karen and Roy could ground the Lauder kids with no questions.

"I see you on TV every once and awhile and I've even listened to a few tracks on your record."  Molly beamed.  "But some of those songs are just so filthy.  Does you mother know you sing about that?"

"Mama, knock it off."  Kate gave him an apologetic smile.  "I'm sure Josh doesn't want to be lectured right now."

He laughed lightly at the mother-daughter relationship.  "Nah, it's all right.  But my mom did send this over for you."

Molly accepted the aluminum-covered dish.  "Tell her we'll be meeting at a quarter to six."

"That's right.  You two still do that after Thanksgiving shopping, huh?"

"35 years and going strong."

"I know my mom always made sure she made it home in time for that."

"I'm still trying to get the girls to join us."

"Never gonna happen, mama."  Kate and Madison said in unison.

Molly shrugged and moved on to wiping down the counters.  "Maybe I can get Kendra to go this year.  Usually she just sleeps and sleeps.  It's impossible to get that girl out of bed."  She shook her head.  "You've met Kendra, right?"

"No, actually I haven't.  I've just seen pictures."

Molly turned to Kate in disbelief.  "Why hasn't he met her?  That's such a shame."  Kate simply shrugged.  "Kendra!  Come here, baby girl."

The little girl bounced out from the other room at the call of her name.

"I want you to meet Josh.  He's a good friend of the family."

JC knelt down to her level.  "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Kendra.  You're much more beautiful than your pictures lead on to believe."

"Thank you."  She smiled, reviling the gap in her teeth from where her adult teeth had yet to surface.  Kendra raced back in the living room where the rest of the kids were watching a movie.

JC couldn't help but smile at the little girl. 

"Isn't she just-" Molly paused, looking from JC to Kendra.

"Mama, are you okay?"  Kate wondered.

Molly shook herself out of the trance she was in.  "Yeah, yeah.  I'm just fine."