34 comments/ 11390 views/ 37 favorites A Thanksgiving Tale Ch. 01 By: Kraveree The cab driver wished a happy Thanksgiving when the short raven haired sophomore got out of the car. "You too," the girl said already shivering from the strong winds bringing in cold air from the North. Once she had extended the grip on her small suitcase, setting it up so it was easy for her to let it trail behind her, she quickly got inside the terminal building. Thanksgiving had the airport overflowing with passengers, mostly from the nearby colleges and the many that wanted to get to their loved ones somewhere else, not here. Inside the building it was warm but loud, a thousand voices echoed through the architectural nightmare from the late eighties. The terminal building had been renovated recently, only a year ago, scaffoldings had lined the walls and pillars like ivy, now everything looked clean and a touch greener. Waiting in line, Ione Winter checked her phone for messages and saw that her roommate Chelsea had already arrived in Allentown and was waiting for her brother to pick her up at the bus station. She quickly texted back where she was and for Chelsea to have a fun long weekend. A quarter of an hour later, Ione was listening to an argument between a tired but still smiling woman standing behind a check-in counter for first class and business class passengers and a purple and black haired girl. The argument was still going on when Ione was next in line to check-in when she overheard the reason for the distress of the purple haired girl. "I have to be on this plane. I spend thirty-five hours getting here and now you're telling me I won't be able to see my family because you made a mistake?" "I understand your anger, miss, but the flight is overbooked. I can only book you onto the next flight which is tonight at seven," the tall woman wearing a K-T Pacific uniform said using well spaced silences between the important words. There was something so desperate in the voice of the girl that had Ione on edge and when it was time for her to check in she let the family behind her go first while she made up her mind. "I may be able to help out," Ione said. She hadn't even noticed that she had moved over to the arguing women and placed her ticket on the counter. Two pair of eyes were on Ione who just smiled. "I am willing to swap my ticket with you," she said to the purple and black haired girl. Ione noticed that the girl had green eyes and a fair amount of freckles on her nose and under her eyes. "To Minot?" the girl asked. "Yes, it's yours if you want it. I can do that right?" Ione asked the suddenly smiling woman behind the counter. "Yes, miss, if that is your wish." "It is, my family gets together tomorrow instead of this evening. I am not in any hurry." The ticket was taken off the counter and deft fingers flew over the keyboard. "I don't know what to say," the girl said, her eyes were moist. Before Ione could object or react, the purple haired girl embraced her as if she had been holding on for dear life. Almost automatically, Ione hugged back and whispered, "You looked like you could use a break." The embrace lasted little longer because of her remark and made Spencer smile, Ione knew this was the right thing to do. "I've exchanged the tickets," the employee of K-T Pacific said all smiles now. "You, Miss Brennan will now depart in fifty minutes to Minot and you Miss Winter will depart at seven ten tonight. I've upgraded your ticket to first class and I've added vouchers for the premium lounge and one for lunch. I hope you both have a pleasant trip." "Thank you... Wendy," Ione said after she had read the name tag on the breast of the helpful woman. "I hope you will have a nice Thanksgiving as well." When Ione was about to walk off with her new ticket and vouchers in hand she was stopped by the purple haired girl. The hand on Ione's arm was trembling. "You don't have any idea how much this means to me," Miss Brennan said looking deep into the grey eyes of Ione. "I wish I could do something for you in return." "There is no need," Ione said softly. "Your smile has already been thanks enough." For a moment a dark cloud seemed to flash over Miss Brennan's face but it was gone before Ione could really process it. Time seemed to slow down when she watched how dark pink lips moved closer and then touching hers for an electrifying kiss. The kiss lasted much too short. "Thanks, miss Winter." "You're welcome, miss Brennan." Spencer Brennan walked off the plane feeling tired. She had not slept in more than thirty hours, not since she had left London. Like all her movies so far, days had been added at the end to reshoot scenes or to add others. This time she had been lucky, she had made it back home. Her mind drifted to the cute raven haired girl that had made her day. And the kiss. When she remembered the kiss her face lit up like a spotlight and most of her tiredness disappeared. If she had been more confident, less stupid, she would have asked for miss Winter's number. Something that could be called regret nibbled at the memory. After a deep intake of breath, the twenty-three year old movie star went to look for a rental. "Finally," Spencer said when she arrived at her parent's home, a two story house with large garden on the edge of town. Unable to park near the house she looked for a spot down the street, after a few minutes she found one and parked her rental. The suitcase wasn't big but heavy. It held a few presents for her parents and her siblings and a spare set of clothes. Her other belongings had been sent to her home in Seattle. Moira, her assistant would take care of that after Moira had spent Thanksgiving with her family in Portland. Spencer looked at the cars parked along the driveway in front of the house, there were more than she was expecting. She knocked on the door and took a deep breath of chilly November air. "Spencer?" her mother Karen asked surprised and then her face turned from surprise to love to fear. "I... We weren't expecting you." "I told Ashton I was coming when I left London. I didn't want to wake you up." "She didn't tell us..." For a moment a flash of pain made Karen appear years older than her forty-nine years. "Did I do something to tick her off?" Spencer asked as she was led inside the house by her mother. The sounds of many people talking and arguing came down the hall from the living room. "I hope not," Karen said unsure. Ahead of her daughter, Karen stepped into the room filled with family and announced, "Look who I found." Spencer stepped into the room and only found two friendly faces belonging to her brother Lucas and his wife Teresa. "Hi," she said trying hard not to swallow. "Spencer, I thought you said you couldn't make it," Ashton said her voice dripping with honeyed malice. "Did your girlfriend run out on you again?" For a moment the chill in the room could only be measured as fractions of absolute zero. It didn't last. Her father and then her grandfather got up, their outcries of shame and anger drowning out the two cries of support in the room with ease. "How dare you come here after I told you that you weren't welcome anymore," her father shouted. Almost the same words came from her grandfather while Ashton smiled in the back seeing the devastation on her sister's face. "Mum?" Spencer asked her mother who started to cry. "She's our daughter!" The shout was so loud that Karen's voice cracked up. Chaos was complete when Jason took long strides towards his daughter and started to drag her out of the house. All Spencer could do was cry out in anguish and pain while the world spun around her. Her father was much stronger and already very drunk. Suddenly the painful grip was gone and Jason was on the floor with Lucas standing over his father. "Don't you touch her. If you ever want to see me or your grandchildren, get up and walk away. You and grandpa are too drunk to think." Behind Lucas grandpa Denis looked ready to fight but was held back by Karen. "Spencer, go! I'll keep him here. I'll call you," Lucas said with tears of rage and pain in his eyes. "I love you but you gotta go. This will only get worse." "Mum?" Spencer said once more but there was nothing but shame and defeat in her mother's eyes. Spencer left the house while her head started to hurt and her wobbly legs could barely keep her up. It was the longest walk in her life, the short distance between the house and the rental. She was defeated. Nothing in her mind seemed to work anymore. When she got behind the wheel and looked at her hands she knew she shouldn't be driving. Yet the urge to get away was so strong that she turned the key in the ignition and drove off. Three hours of driving back to the airport had taken its toll when she dropped off the keys at the rental agency. The woman behind the counter didn't even look at Spencer being too busy getting out of the office to be with her family. Something Spencer had just lost. The first plane that would get her to Seattle would leave the following morning at ten. The woman at the ticket agency tried not to show her emotions while she searched for planes that would get Spencer to Seattle. Spencer didn't care at that point what she looked like. She just wanted to find a quiet spot somewhere and hide.   It was her first time flying first class and Ione was amazed at how much better an experience it was. Giving away her ticket had been the right thing to do. Her family celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday instead of Thursday. It had been a necessity with one parent working as a nurse and another as a police officer, getting both off at the same time on Thanksgiving was just too hard. Getting Friday off however always had worked out. Ione's family was big, six brothers and sisters, a fair amount of nieces and an even larger amount of uncles and aunts. Cousins were numbered in the dozens. Her brother Paddy would pick her up at eleven from the Airport which would give her plenty of time to have a meal when she got off. Her allergies made eating on planes a rather dangerous thing. She couldn't eat anything that had milk in it and meat was out of the question for the same reason. When the pilot announced that the plane was descending, Ione got excited. She hadn't seen her family together in two years. Thanksgiving last year had been spend at her ex-girlfriend's house. In retrospect, this had been a stupid thing to do. Lori broke up with her between Christmas and New Year's because she had fallen in love with a tall blonde who worked in the same office building. Lori had just walked out after the announcement that they were done and Ione hadn't seen her since. It had been a long year, spending the summer at a summer camp for blind and deaf children. Her brother Sean had been born deaf and she had learned to sign before she could even speak. Sean being the youngest of her siblings, three years older than Ione, had been her friend and brother while the older siblings were more like fathers and mothers being much older. Sean had asked her to help out which she had done without a second thought. It had been one the best summers of her short life. The plane touched down and Ione looked out of the small window and saw it was snowing. She hoped it wouldn't be getting worse as she really wanted to get home as soon as possible so she could have at least some sleep before her nieces and nephews would wake her up with their sweet adorations. Ione walked into the main hall of Minot Airport and saw that it was almost deserted. Gazing at the clock she calculated that it would still be another hour before Paddy would arrive. A small shop served salads and bread. Being the only customer she was quickly served. Ione ate a small salad and a bun with strawberry jam while she strolled the airport, occasionally sipping from her orange juice. She had never seen the airport this quiet, hardly a sound was heard except for the insistent beeping from the small carts cleaning the floors. "I couldn't be," Ione said to herself when she rounded a corner that took her inside a first class lounge. It had looked completely empty until she heard a sound. On one of the lounge chairs a girl with purple and black hair was curled up with her back to the door. Ione was about to discretely leave the room when she noticed the rhythmic shakes of shoulders and when she listened more carefully there were sobs. With her mind made up, Ione walked over to the crying girl and sat down next to her. "Hi again," Ione said with as much compassion she could muster. "What?" the crying girl said and turned to face the raven haired Ione. When it dawned on Spencer that this was the same girl who had given up her ticket she couldn't stop herself. She howled and then buried herself into the surprised girl. "Oh my," Ione said as she felt how the devastated girl clutched at her as if she was the last straw. Ione put her arms around the heaving girl and spoke soft words of comfort. For a long time they were locked in an embrace while Ione tried not to think of the terror this girl had been through. It brought memories back of a terrible night in her dorm room almost a year ago. It had been Chelsea who had found her on her bed looking at the bottle of sleeping pills. She remembered how she had clutched at her roommate when she threw the pills away and embraced her fiercely, calling her stupid, telling her she loved her, telling her she had to forget Lori. Feeling that it was about time to find her brother Ione gently pushed the girl away. "You shouldn't be alone," Ione whispered and looked around and saw only one suitcase. "Get up, you're coming with me." "I can't," Spencer said between sobs. "Anyone waiting for you?" Ione checked. A short shake was all Spencer could manage. "Any other reason why you shouldn't come with me?" When there was still no answer, Ione sat the girl down and started to collect all her items and placed both suitcases on a baggage cart. She added her hand bag and that of her mystery girl on top of the other luggage. Sheer tiredness marred the otherwise beautiful face of the tear struck girl. She didn't struggle when Ione pulled her up from the chair and held her close. "I refuse to leave you here," Ione said determined. "Whatever happened, you should know that there are still people, like me, that care." Spencer wanted to call out and tell that she was going to be fine, that she could take care of herself but the raven haired girl made her feel safe. Staying alone on the airport wasn't something she was looking forward to, actually, it scared the hell out of her. There had been dark thoughts in her head that scared her even more. It wasn't hard to push the cart while holding Miss Brennan close. Half way down the hall Ione decided it was about time to introduce. "I am Ione Winter." "Spencer Brennan," Spencer said while giving Ione her last name made her feel sick, it wasn't her name any longer. "Nice to meet you, Spencer. My brother's picking me up in his monster truck so don't be alarmed if he starts to cheer when he sees me, we haven't seen each other in almost two years." "Ok," Spencer said unsure where this was going. She had hoped to be alone with this girl who was so easy to hold on to. "Our family is a bit loud but they love as hard as they talk. And they listen, they don't judge and they will make sure you'll be safe. Got that?" Spencer nodded into Ione's shoulder. She believed every word. "Ione!" Paddy waving and jumping in front of the large revolving doors that led out of the building. He was wearing his overall and looked like he hadn't had a shower in weeks. His scruffy red beard seemed to come loose at the ends as if it had been glued to his face by an absentminded makeup artist. "Paddy, can you help out?" Ione said before he could start his bull rush. "What's up sis?" Paddy suddenly concerned. "This is Spencer and she needs our help." Paddy looked at the girl in Ione's arm who he had pegged for his sister's new girlfriend. "Sure," Paddy said as he scooped the luggage from the cart into his arms and nodded towards his truck he had parked a little ways off. Paddy opened the door and helped Spencer into the truck. Ione gave Paddy a long hug and a few kisses when. "Who is she?" Paddy asked "She's someone I met earlier. I think something really bad happened to her. Really bad." Paddy nodded. "Got it sis." Once they were on the road and driving in the snow filled air of Thanksgiving night. "Are you asleep?" Ione asked after a while and felt Spencer snuggle closer under the blanket. It had been Paddy's suggestion to use the blanket. "She's asleep," Paddy said slowly. "Tell me what happened." Spencer quickly explained the chance meeting and how she had seen the thing she had gone through almost a year ago. In Ione's case her saviour had been her roommate. "You're crazy but a good kind of crazy. She could be an axe murderer." "Or she could have been attacked," Ione said as she lifted up the blanket to show Paddy the bruises on Spencer's arm she had noticed when putting the blanket over them. "Or that," Paddy said in a growl. One thing that could set off all males in the Winter family was violence against women. "Better tell mum about her before you arrive." Ione nodded and took out her phone and called her mother. "Hi mum." "Hi honey, you're on your way?" "I am, Paddy's with me. The flight was great." "What time will you be here?" Ione repeated the question to Paddy. "In about two hours with this weather," Paddy said worried. "Two hours, weather's getting worse," Ione relayed. "I've got your bed ready. Your dad's late as well. He's still at the hospital. I'm starting my shift in twenty minutes so I won't see you until the morning," Kathleen Winter explained to her daughter. "Mum, I am bringing a guest. Her name's Spencer and..." "I knew you would get over that girl!" Kathleen shouted into the telephone. "I can't wait to meet her." "Mum..." "Hold on honey, gotta go, a 10-56. I'll tell your sister to move Hailey. Love you." Before Ione could speak the connection was already lost. "That went well," Ione said looking at the white display of her phone. "Now mum thinks I have a new girlfriend and by now the whole family will want to meet her." "Such is life," Paddy chuckled. "I'll see if I can call Lucy." "Just forget about it. I'll deal with it tomorrow. Too tired and I really don't want you to call Lucy, it'll wake up the kids." "Just wanted to help out," Paddy grinned. The two caught up with their lives. Ione learned her two nieces had started dating, Teagan and Tara were the ultimate twins, hard to keep apart and more alike than clones. Perry, a bright little eleven year old had won a spelling bee and William, Perry's older brother was taking piano lessons. When her oldest sister was mentioned by Paddy Ione could only giggle. Regan had moved to London with her Earl, a rising star in the corporate world while her husband John, a doctor, ran the Oncology department at St. Claudia's Children's hospital just outside of London. "Why the giggle?" Paddy asked. "Sorry about that, I talked to her day before yesterday; it was such a great talk. I can't wait to see her." "She told you too then. I thought she didn't want more children after the troubles with Rose," Paddy said slightly worried. "Yeah, I think it wasn't really planned. John's a bit of a nerd but an athlete in bed." "Don't want to know," Paddy laughed. Suddenly Ione turned slightly red and shivered. Spencer had moved a little leaving her head on her breast and a hand in her lap pressing against her inner thigh. She was glad it was dark inside the cabin and that Paddy was concentrating on the road. She tried to gently push the hand away but it returned each time. A Thanksgiving Tale Ch. 01 "Settled on a major already?" Paddy asked trying to keep the conversation going. He was tired and talking would help to keep awake. "I'll be a nerd forever, Paddy. I'm going to double in Math and Astrophysics." "Nerd or not, you're the smartest of all of us. Even though your taste in women is something you need to work on." "Paddy!" Ione giggled. She remembered the day she had come home with the most incredulous expression. It had been her senior year in high school, a dark and gloomy November day, a few days before Thanksgiving. It had been Paddy who almost knocked her over coming out of the living room. Paddy was the only sibling still living in Devils Lake and her most favourite one to talk to. Paddy had seen the look on Ione's face and grinned. "Who's the lucky boy?" he had asked. Ione had almost broken down when she tried to tell her oldest brother that it had been Jane Wilkinson who had kissed her and that she felt like her whole world had been turned upside down. Paddy had taken her into the kitchen, brewed some tea and waited for Ione to be ready to talk. Ione had been an atypical Winter, shy and silent, caring and loving but lonely and at times distant. "Do you remember your first kiss?" Ione asked after Paddy had put the steaming tea in front of her. "I do, Liz Talbot behind the toolshed, her father caught us and things went downhill from there." "Oh," Ione said not having heard the story. "I thought it was Fran." "It was kind of embarrassing so I tell that one about Fran to make me look better." "Do you think I am weird?" Ione asked. "Yes, but who isn't?" Paddy chuckled, he loved his youngest sister as if she were his first daughter, Tara and Teagan weren't that much younger than Ione. "Promise me that you won't tell anyone else?" Paddy promised. "I kissed Jane." It was almost a whisper, "I've kissed boys but that was almost like getting a tooth pulled. This was magical." Paddy got up and sat on his knees while he pulled Ione into his arms. "Thanks for telling me, that was the bravest thing I have ever seen." When Kathleen walked in on the embrace she almost went into panic mode. "Did something happen?" Paddy answered before Ione could. "Yes mum." Paddy felt Ione tense up. Quickly he added, "I realised how little time I have spent with Ione and how much I love her." "Really?" Kathleen asked. "Stop prying, mum, we're having a sibling moment." Paddy stopped the truck at a gas station, mostly to use the restroom but he also filled up the tank to be sure. "Spencer?" Ione asked softly when Paddy had gotten out of the truck. "Hmm?" the dazed movie star asked and started to move closer to Ione. Spencer moved her face up Ione's breasts and then opened her eyes to look at Ione. "What?" Spencer asked as she jumped away surprised and a bit frightened. "I need to use the little girls room. You were sleeping in my lap." "Where are we?" Spencer looked around and only saw the white of snow and a few neon signs flickering further down the road. "About half way to my parent's house. You slept most of the time." "Oh," Spencer said looking embarrassed. "Spencer, don't be embarrassed. I am a grown girl and can stand up for myself. You needed to sleep and I kept you safe. Do you understand? You will be safe with me, I promise." Spencer simply nodded. Ione's voice was almost hypnotic. When Ione started to move away and out of the truck Spencer suddenly started to tremble. "I'll go with you," Spencer said quickly not wanting to be inside the truck alone. "Put on your coat. It's freezing out there." Together the girls went to the restrooms which were quite clean for such a place. Paddy would have known where to stop. Ione waited until Spencer was done. When the purple haired girl walked out of the stall she looked a little better. "Come, I'll fix your hair," Ione said looking at the mess and Spencer complied almost too eager. The girls walked out of the restroom a little more refreshed. "Want something to drink?" Ione asked spotting her favourite flavour soda. "Water?" "Sparkling?" Spencer nodded and the two bought a water, mountain dew light and a regular coke for Paddy. Spencer added a pack of breath mints. After paying the bored clerk, the two walked back to the truck and found Paddy already waiting for them. "Thanks," Paddy said as he accepted the cola. He opened it and emptied half in one swallow. "I needed that. One more hour of this and we're going to find a bed. It's going to be snowing the rest of the night so we will have a white Thanksgiving." "Hailey will be complaining all day," Ione grinned at Paddy. "Who's Hailey?" Spencer asked. "My older sister. She moved to Florida because she hates the cold." Spencer got under the blanket while Paddy started the truck, soon they were inside the flaky world of a snow filled night. "How are you feeling?" Paddy asked when he saw Spencer shiver. "A little better. My day has not been great." "Want to talk about it? Sometimes it helps dealing with stuff." Spencer sighed. Did she really want to tell about her personal life? So far neither of the two had made any comments about her movie star self. Perhaps the purple hair had thrown them off. "My dad threw me out of the house. He was drunk. He told me that I was no longer welcome in his home." Ione instantly pulled Spencer close to her and felt her stomach contract. "On Thanksgiving?" Paddy asked his anger showing in his voice. "Spencer, you are welcome at our house. Or at my parents. If you need a place to stay to get back on your feet you've got it. I have two girls and two boys. If anything bad would happen to them I would I hope someone like my sister will come along and help." "Thank you," Spencer said her tears now dripping freely from her eyes. Ione took out a handkerchief from her bag and handed it to Spencer while she kept her other arm around the young woman. "I can't understand why you would do that for me," Spencer said, her distress increased. "Because that is who we are," Paddy answered. "We never turn people down when they need help. If we can help we will. If we can't we'll see who can. Simple as that. Especially to people who have been abused." "I wasn't abused," Spencer denied. "Your arm says otherwise," Ione said carefully. Spencer looked at her arm and saw it had turned all kinds of purple and almost choked. It took Ione a long time to calm Spencer down while Paddy was fuming behind the wheel. If he would ever meet her dad he would kick his drunken ass. "This is your stop," Paddy said looking at his sister. Spencer was slowly waking up. "I'll see you tomorrow for dinner. If you need anything before lunch call me, ok? I'll drop by after lunch to pick up mum, Regan and John to do some shopping." "Ok," Ione said as she reached over to kiss her brother on his scruffy cheek. "Sleep tight." "Spencer?" Paddy asked when she opened her eyes and rubbed the sand out of them. "Yeah?" Spencer asked half awake. "If you need help, ask. Don't think asking for help will make you weak or vulnerable. There is nothing to be embarrassed for. Will you promise me that?" Spencer nodded. "I will." Then she reached out and hugged Paddy softly. "Thanks for everything." "You are welcome." The two girls watched the truck pull away and then started to make their way to the large two story house half covered in snow. When they stepped through the gates, the front door popped open and there stood Sean. He was dressed for bed but was articulating frantically. A short red haired man stood in his skivvies. His eyes were big and his ears a little flappy. There was no point in counting the number of freckles on his face as they were literally all over his face, neck, arms and hands. A set of white teeth flashed a huge smile at the girls. Spencer signed with one hand. "That's my brother Sean, he's deaf but he reads lips, just speak normally." "I know how to sign," Spencer said with a smile, the first one that she had since her father's outburst. Sean was so excited his hands were a blur. "Sean, we only just got here," Ione said and signed. "It's so good to see you. And looking so happy. Is this your new girlfriend? Why didn't you tell me you found someone new?" Sean signed as if he was desperate to know the answers to those questions. "Can I get inside first? Sean, this is Spencer." Spencer smiled and introduced herself signing her name. "Nice to meet you," Spencer signed awkwardly but with each sign she started to remember how to sign. Sean was so excited that Ione was glad Geena pulled him away from the door so they could get inside. Geena looked like a giant next to Sean almost a neck and head taller. Her blonde hair was long and curly and her eyes were dark blue with a hint of green. "Thanks Geena," Ione signed to her brother's girlfriend. "We're both really tired." "Kylie made you two a bed above the garage, so you can have some privacy. At least the kids are at Paddy's so you won't have to deal with them," Geena signed while Ione took off her shoes. Sean took all the luggage and disappeared into the house. "Dad only got home a few minutes ago, he's still in the shower," Geena continued to sign. "It is really nice you met someone. I was so worried about you when you were at camp this summer." Spencer watched with a kind of glee how Ione started to blush. "Wait," Ione signed but before she could set the record straight Kylie rushed down the hall and wrapped her arms around Ione's neck and kissed her sister with tears in her eyes. Kylie had the Winter trademark of red hair, although more auburn than light orange, and was almost as tall as Geena. She was a bit overweight and had large breasts that got in the way of a good hug but that didn't make her less affectionate. "I missed you Tails," Kylie said. She hadn't seen her sister in two years. "Don't stay away from me so long again." Spencer looked confused. "I missed you too Rabbit," Ione said emotional. Without missing a heartbeat Kylie looked at the purple haired girl. "My god you look just like that movie star, Spencer something." "I get that a lot," Spencer said unable to fend off the hug she received next and a few kisses. Kylie was really a hugger. "You must tell me all about how you two met," Kylie said before she let go. "Let them breathe first," a rumbling voice came from the dark hallway. "You'll get to talk to them tomorrow. Now go back to your rooms or I'll use my power as head of this mad family to disown every one of you." The patriarch of the Winter family walked down the hall wearing shorts and a long t-shirt. Bald but sporting a dark red beard, Gerald Winter looked a lot younger than his actual age of fifty-five. A bear of a man, muscled and strong shouldered, he was a sight to behold. "Dad," Ione said with happy tears and rushed over. She hadn't seen her dad since January when he had visited her on campus on his way to visit her brother Henry down in San Francisco. "Ione, you take my breath away every time I see you," Gerald said softly. Despite his appearance, Gerald was a caring and gentle person, hardly ever needing to raise his voice in anger. "It is so good to hold you again." Kylie stood next to Geena who both had gentle smiles on their faces. Spencer slowly realised how close this family was. How much love their was to give, even had to spare. She tried to fight back her tears but it was no use. She was too tired, a wreck, an outcast no longer worthy to be called a Brennan. "Oh my goodness," Gerald said when he saw the big tears roll down the cheeks of the purple haired girl. He opened his arm and pulled Spencer close as if she were his daughter. "You two must be so tired." Two faces rubbed into his chest which put a smile on the face of Gerald. "Then we better get you to your room. There will be plenty of time tomorrow to talk." Gently Gerald guided the two to the kitchen and then to the garage and pointed up the stairs. Sean had passed them in the kitchen and had waved them goodnight. "You two got the best room of the house," Gerald said. "Mr Winter, I just want to tell you how much I appreciate you taking me in." Gerald said with a big smile. "A friend of Ione is a friend of mine. Now go and get some sleep, you look like you haven't in quite some time." With those words and a kiss on each of the girls foreheads he walked off into the kitchen and closed the door behind him. "Was this your room when you grew up?" Spencer asked when they walked into the room that covered the entire floor. It held one king sized bed and lots of draped furniture. On the walls were paintings and one wall was entirely dedicated to photos of the family. "It was. It is almost the same as I left it more than two years ago," Ione said after she spotted the couch under a sheet she said, "You can have the bed, I'll take the couch." "Absolutely not," Spencer said almost angry. "I will take the couch or if you don't mind we can share the bed." "It would not be proper," Ione said looking at the floor. "I... I am gay." "Yes, I got that from your family's reaction when they saw me." "So you don't... You're fine with that?" With two steps Spencer crossed the distance between them and took the raven haired girl's hands. "We need to talk. Tomorrow. For now we just sleep. And I am more than fine with you being a lesbian." "What..." Spencer pressed her tiny finger on Ione's lips. "Tomorrow, sleep now." "Tomorrow," Ione agreed and then they went to their luggage. "You can use the bathroom first," Ione told Spencer. "Thanks," Spencer said as she spotted the door at the other end of the room. After gathering all she needed Spencer rushed into the bathroom, a need to pee superseded anything else. For a moment Ione stood quietly in the middle of the room, her mind a chaotic mess of unrelated thought and ideas. It didn't last when someone knocked on the door. "Ione?" a voice asked. "Come in, Hailey," Ione said with a smile. The door opened and a small woman with long red curly hair walked in. She was a few inches shorter than her sister and was almost flat chested. Compared to Ione's grapefruit sized breasts, Hailey still looked more like a boy than a girl. "I missed you," Hailey said as she walked over to cry into her sister's shoulder. Hailey had broken up with her boyfriend of three years when she found out he had been cheating on her while doing her masters in a science station on the Antarctic. Hailey was four years older than her sister but looked three years younger. It was her smaller stature and the large childlike eyes and white skin. "I missed you too, Hails," Ione said as she kissed her sister on the lips. They had almost been mortal enemies growing up until Hailey had fallen through the ice at fourteen. Ione, ten at the time, had been telling her sister not to try the ice. When she saw Hailey disappear she rushed over and started to yell but when Hailey didn't appear she rushed into the water and went underwater. Hailey was pushing against the ice with her eyes closed. Ione had pulled Hailey out by her jacket and into the hole. When they surfaced again, Hailey was screaming as if she was about to die. It was hard for Ione to get Hailey out of the water. Luckily, a police car stopped on the bridge and the officer driving it had been Kathleen, their mother. After that Hailey changed. Once a terror and menace she became a quiet and doting sister to Ione, almost closer than was proper. They shared showers, slept together and shared secrets that were only to be shared between lovers. "I heard about Simon," Ione said as she pulled Hailey closer. "I am so sorry." "I'll get over him. Like you got over that bitch." "It's not like that," Ione started not wanting to lie to her sister. "Spencer is..." "Hi," Spencer said as she stepped out of the bathroom wearing a long shirt with a picture of the tower of London. "Oh my, you look so lovely," Hailey said as she pushed away her sister and walked over to the purple haired girl. "You look every bit that vampire girl in... in... Help me out." "Lost Girls", Spencer said. It had been a long time ago when she had played the part of Ginny, vampire and in love with a mortal. "Yeah," Hailey said, "You get that a lot I think." Spencer shrugged. "It has happened before." "Welcome to our family. Ione can be so private at times. She hardly ever calls me." "You were on the Antarctic for a year!" Ione gasped. "I had Skype," Hailey said with a smile. "Don't keep her up too long, I really like to speak to my sister before noon." "Hails!" Ione shouted pointing at the door. Hailey moved her mouth close to Spencer's ear and whispered. "She likes to be kissed in her neck." Seeing Ione's face Hailey retreated with a wink to Spencer. "Sisters," Ione said when she heard the garage door close. "I like her," Spencer said still a bit blushing. "Yeah that what makes it worse," Ione said and picked up her toiletries and went into the bathroom. Spencer walked over to the bed and sat down on the left side. The side she preferred but waited for Ione to return to make sure it was ok. Slowly it became clear to Spencer that she was falling for Ione. Her last girlfriend had been a bad influence on her. She had made her a bitch, a diva, because that was what Fallon had expected and wanted. It had ended when she found Fallon doing lines of cocaine in the bathroom. Drugs were the lines she would never cross, whatever the circumstances. Fallon was two years in the past. Two long years without a loving touch, without a non-self induced orgasm. She knew why she hadn't tried again. It had been the scare she had had picking up a girl, kissing her and seeing the photograph in the paper the next day. Headline: "Fan gropes Spencer" Lucky for Spencer her face had been one of utter disgust on the photo. It had not been because of the kiss but because a man had shown his erection two tables over. She had never tried to go to clubs after that. "Is it ok for me to use this side?" Spencer asked when Ione got out wearing panties and a half shirt with small hearts printed all over it. "Of course," Ione said looking at Spencer. With those words Spencer pulled down the covers and waited for Ione to join her. When they were both under the covers, Spencer faced Ione who did the same. "Thanks for being there for me," Spencer said with a much affection and love she could find inside. "I was glad I could be there for you," Ione said flushing. The soft kiss that followed melted her heart and left her breathless. "Goodnight, Ione," Spencer said caressing Ione's face with her fingers. "Goodnight, Spencer." When the light was switched off by Ione the room was pitch black. It wasn't long before both girls fell into a strange sleep. Light slashed through the tear in the drapes cutting the bed sheet and part of the floor near the stairs on the other side of the room. Ione slowly opened her eyes and closed them again when part of the piercing light hit her face. A second attempt failed as did a third. The soft hand that was touching her stomach moved up a little. When Ione moved her buttocks a little Spencer started to push back with her abdomen. For a while Ione drifted between sleep, pleasure and tenderness. When she opened her eyes once more the slashing light had moved over to the far wall cutting a painting in half. She wanted to stay and be held by Spencer but her bladder had other ideas. Slowly she entangled herself from arms and a mouth drooling on her hair to step on the cold floor. Ione reached the bathroom barely in time and felt the aching feeling disappear with the yellow liquid disappearing in the depth of the toilet, it almost felt orgasmic. A Thanksgiving Tale Ch. 01 She stripped down and stepped into the shower to turn the water on quickly avoiding the cold water and looked around for shampoo. There was none so she walked back naked to get it from her suitcase. "You have a lovely body," Spencer said as she watched Ione bend over and sticking out her bottom. "Thanks," Ione said and smiled. "I am going to take a shower. If you're quick we can share the warm water or you'll need to go downstairs. The boiler up here isn't that big." "Shower sounds good," Spencer said and was out of her long shirt and tiny panties within seconds. She was even inside the bathroom before Ione actually walked into the shower. Ione stepped into the shower and held open the curtain to let Spencer get in as well. Even though it was all looked very sensual and romantic, neither Spencer nor Ione felt uncomfortable or strange. The warm water was needed to wipe away the sleep and the bad memory for Spencer. "There's a tray with sandwiches on your dresser, Ione. I saved some for you," a woman said from outside the bathroom. "Thanks mum," Ione said rolling her eyes. Her mother had always been prone to walk in on her most private moments. Masturbating in her bedroom had been one when she was fourteen, another shaving her pussy in the bathroom. Both occasions had been followed by long talks with her mother, that made her feel less insecure and more open to her mother. "Thanks, Mrs Winter," Spencer said which caused Ione to giggle. "You're welcome Spencer. See you soon." "That was stupid," Spencer said after a long stare at Ione trying hard to stop laughing. "No... No..." Ione heaved while her giggles died down. "It is ok. Even if I wanted to I couldn't convince my family that we're just friends, besides Paddy." "Err..." Spencer started as her hands soaped Ione's hair and massaged the strands lost in thought. "What?" Ione asked. "I'm going to ask you if you're willing to give us a try." "Are you serious?" Ione said and turned to face Spencer, her lips were only an inch away from Spencer's now. "Yes. I am gay too. That was what I wanted to talk about today. My dad threw me out because I am gay. He and my grandfather and my sister really hate me because of that." "Oh no," Ione said and hugged Spencer hard and long. "There is another thing. I am not really out of the closet. My family knows and my assistant but no one else besides you and probably by now the rest of your family. Which is half of North Dakota?" "Approximately, yes." "Ok then. Great. So... I really like you," Spencer continued as her lips moved closer to Ione's, "I really, really like you." "When I woke up this morning and you were spooning me I wanted to turn around and kiss you. I am not impulsive. Never been before." The kiss that followed was sweet and long. "These are great," Spencer said as she wolfed down a sandwich. "Yeah, mum really does a good job. She knows what I like and can eat. I am allergic to milk and meat so there isn't a lot I can eat out of the box." "Wow that's harsh," Spencer said looking at her girlfriend. She loved how it sounded in her mind. "We still need to talk though." "We do?" Ione asked confused. "I thought that kissing took care of most of that?" "That part we 'talked' about but there is another thing you need to know about me." "You're actually an axe murderess?" Ione asked while she moistened her hands. "Hmm, I can't remember... I was a vampire once who killed a lot of stupid students. Oh, and I also shot a drug dealer on television." "You're not making sense," Ione said confused. "Here, this is me," Spencer handed Ione her passport and a photograph of playing Kimberly Solaris, a member of the superheroes group The Strange Seven who could shoot beams of raw energy from her hands and was super strong and resilient. Ione looked at the passport and then at the picture and then stared at her girlfriend. "You're Spencer Lucas?" "Yeah, I couldn't use my real name as there is already an actress with the name Spencer Brennan. I had to pick another name so I used my brother's name for my surname." "And your real name is Spencer Brennan?" "Yeah, look at my passport, I have yet to official change my name. It will be soon, I don't think I want to be called Brennan ever again." Ione nodded and handed back the document but kept the photograph. "Can I keep it?" "You're not one of those strange fans who get off from my photographs?" Spencer half joked. Ione got up and walked over to the wall filled with a gazillion pictures and started to rearrange them until the photograph had a place and got pinned. "It is my passion, taking photos. People, landscapes, buildings, but mostly people. I actually like to travel after I am done with college but I guess that will always be dream." "We'll see," Spencer said as she joined Ione and pulled the raven haired girl closer. "Let's get ready, I don't know why but I really like to meet your mother and the rest of your family." "I don't want to lie to my family," Ione said as she turned to face Spencer. For a while they shared a haunting look until Spencer broke the silence. "Do you want to be my girlfriend?" "I do," Ione said almost a whisper. "I want nothing else than that." "Perhaps a sandwich, you do need to eat," Spencer said matter of fact. The smile that painted Ione's face almost made Spencer reconsider going downstairs and meet the family. "There you are," Kathleen said when Ione walked in holding the empty tray, Spencer followed closely with large eyes experiencing the huge kitchen for the first time. It opened up into a large dining area where one could easily fit two dozen people. To Spencer the whole house looked big, it extended deep into the yard behind the house which was visible through the kitchen side door. Snow had claimed most of the yard and the garden beyond, an arch with white ivy sculpted around a mesh fence ran deep and wide. Hailey was signing with her brother and his girlfriend Geena at the kitchen table. They were cleaning green beans and throwing them into a large bucket filled with water. Deeper into the house sounds of running children and deep male voices discussing the weather leaked into the kitchen. "Let me get that," Kylie said when she walked into the kitchen from the hall, her hair wet with melting snowflakes. She took the tray from her sister and rushed off to the side kitchen where an industrial sized dishwasher was pounding the floor. To Spencer this all seemed a dream. A family that wasn't dysfunctional, weren't passive-aggressive, abusive, something that she had never seen. Not when she was growing up between homes of broken up families, there had never been a place that made her associate family with comfort and love. "Did you two have a good sleep? I know the room can get a bit cold. I already asked Paddy to move the heater to your room." Spencer could only gape foolishly at Ione's mother who was wearing an apron over her police uniform and holding a toddler in her arms. "It wasn't too cold," Ione said as she flashed a smile at Spencer who seemed to have lost her voice. "I am Kathleen and this little one is Brandon." Spencer shook the offered hand but wasn't prepared for the pull and almost stumbled into Kathleen's arms. "Winters like to hug," the powerful woman said. Spencer instantly knew where Paddy had gotten the red hair and strong physique. After she was released from the hug and a giggle from Brandon who had pulled her hair with his tiny fist, Spencer felt Ione's arm slip around her waist. It had been unthinkable to show such affection in her home, deadly even, thinking about it for a moment. "Come, let me show you around the house and meet the rest of us," Kathleen said, her face an open book of care and love. To Spencer it was almost frightening. "You already met Hailey right?" Kathleen asked when they walked over to the kitchen table. "Only in the passing," Spencer managed. Kathleen nodded and prodded her daughter with her toes. Spencer almost burst out in laughter when she noticed Kathleen without shoes. Hailey got up as did her brother and Geena. "This is Hailey, my own little ice queen. She only got back from the Antarctic two month's ago." Hailey smiled and pulled Spencer into her and kissed her softly. "Nice meeting you." Sean looked eager to take her place and did so without the prompting of his mother. "Sean's my precious, he calls me Gollum when I don't sign when I am speaking." "You shouldn't call your mother Gollum," Spencer signed and spoke, her signing was a little rusty but it made both Sean and Geena laugh loudly like deaf people do, too loud for normal people. Spencer felt happy hearing their laughter. "Well, that's a surprise," Kathleen said watching Spencer sign. "You'll have no problem making friends in our family now." Kathleen moved on to Geena who looked happy and giddy at the same time. "Geena is the happiest person I have ever met. She's so good with children it is amazing. She's also the next in line to get married into the Winter family." "Are you engaged?" Ione signed when she heard the word married. Geena held up her hand as a response, a cute engagement ring was on her hand. Her brother held up his hand and showed his sister the matching one on his. Ione rushed over to her brother while Geena hugged Spencer who signed congratulations. Kylie walked in on the group hug and rolled her eyes. "All that for a ring... Pathetic." Before Spencer could react Kylie was mercilessly tickled to the ground by Sean and Hailey. "Take that back," Hailey shouted and giggled. "Let's leave them," Kathleen said as she pulled Spencer along into the dining room where they exited through the far right door and into another hallway that connected the middle of the house to the bedrooms away from the living room and a play room where six kids were playing, laughing and hugging. Most of them had red hair except for one girl who had blonde hair that curled down her face and down her back. She was the oldest in the room. "These are my grand children," Kathleen said as she pointed out each one and naming them. "The wayward one with the blonde hair is Sondra and the one with the bow in her hair is her sister Rose. Their brother Alexander is the one in the union jack shirt. They are all Regan and John's kids. You'll meet them when they return from shopping with Paddy." Spencer waved at the children but they were too busy with playing except the blonde girl who looked to be frozen in mid-stride. Her eyes had turned into saucers and her left hand let go of the doll she was holding. This didn't go unnoticed by Ione. Then Sondra rushed over to Spencer and hugged her for all she was worth. Ione held up her hands when her mother beamed the unspoken question to her. "You're my favourite Spye," Sondra said with tears in her eyes. Spencer got to her knees and hugged the girl back. "I am on a mission so don't tell anyone, ok?" Sondra nodded and zipped up her lips and then threw away the virtual key. "What is that all about?" Kathleen asked Spencer when Sondra ran away with the biggest smile Kathleen had ever seen on the face of her grandchild. "Just something between girls," Spencer said mysteriously. Ione shook her head. "We'll explain later. Better get that over with in one go." A shrug was all Kathleen needed to get rid of the questions. She trusted Ione more that any of her other children, something Ione had earned through a lot of hardship. "Ok then, that is Zooey, Brendan's older sister playing with the crayons. She doesn't like to be picked up so be aware of that. Only her father Henry can." Scanning the room she spotted Perry and William playing computer games in the far end. "Perry, William, drop those controllers and meet your aunt's new friend." "Do we have to?" Perry asked, he was the youngest of the two brothers who were both dark red and spotted with freckles. Spencer had never seen so many red haired people in one house before. "Yes," Kathleen said in a voice that couldn't be ignored. Two sullen kids dropped their controllers and walked over to the three women. "This is Perry and this is William," Kathleen said with a loving voice. "Boys, this is Spencer Brennan, she's your aunt's friend." The boys shook hands and looked slightly startled but didn't say much more than 'hello' and 'nice to meet you' before they walked back to their game. The three plus one carried walked down the hall to get to the living room which was like all rooms in the house, big. On one of the three large couches Gerald was sitting nipping at a coffee. Across from him on a comfortable chair sat another version of the winter family, a dark red haired man with a serious face and the greenest eyes Spencer had ever seen before. Next to him, on another couch, a man of mixed blood, partially asian, partially caucasian who looked out of place, almost a bit shy. His eyes darted to Spencer and then to Ione, there was a slight hurt when he saw the raven haired girl but it went away when Gerald got on his feet. "Come in," Gerald said to Spencer and guided her to the serious man almost afraid that he would hurt the movie star. "This is my son Henry." "Hello, nice to meet you," Henry said in a deeper voice than his father. "It makes me very happy to see my sister with someone as pretty and accomplished as you." Spencer nodded too surprised at the casual remark to her other life. She had only ever met another person as down to earth as Henry and that was her assistant Moira. "Nice to meet you too. I hope I can remember all the names later on." "You'll do just fine," Henry said with kind smile. Gerald pulled the black haired man close to him as he introduced Sander. "Sander is Kylie's other half, they're tying the knot in January. He's been waiting on her long enough to make up her mind." After the introduction Spencer was guided to the seat next to Gerald while she watched Ione holding her brother and whispering to him. His face turned into a slight mess but he held it together. "I'm going to the office for an hour to finish a report then I'll pick up Tara and Teagan from Selene's birthday party. Anything you need from town?" Gerald shook his head. "Is there anything you need?" he asked Spencer just to be sure. Spencer shook her head. There wasn't anything she needed at the moment. She never had been happier in her life. Spencer took the seat next to her girlfriend after she had hugged Sander who seemed a little less stressed afterwards. "Don't worry about all the names, Spencer, I even get them wrong at times," Gerald said to reassure the purple haired girl. "It is sometimes hard to keep track of all the family. Take Sander for example, he and Kylie have been together for four, no, five years now and I have seen him only ten times. It is how life goes but I am not getting any younger. How about you? I wish my daughter would still tell me things." "Me?" Spencer asked uncertain. When Ione was about to intercede Spencer placed her hand on her girlfriend's knee and stopped her before she could speak with a squeeze. "I live in Seattle when I am there. I don't see it much, work keeps me busy more than I would like to. I hardly have a social life. Perhaps I should take a break and do something else for a while." "What's it you do?" Gerald asked noticing the amused stare of Henry. "I'm in the movie business," Spencer said vague. "Been it in for a while now." "You don't look that old," Gerald said. "I started when I was eight," Spencer said with a smile. "Eight... Then you're an actress?" "I am," Spencer said and suddenly Sander started to cough. "Spencer Lucas!" Sander said after he took a swallow to get rid of his cough. "That's me," Spencer said with a smile. "But..." Sander said but then stopped. "I am sorry. I'll behave." "Good idea," Kylie said as she slipped into his arm and on his knee. "I wouldn't want you to get all tongue tied, that will really not work when we kiss." Slowly the room filled with children and adults talking and laughing and completely ignoring the fact that Spencer was a famous person. It was as if it wasn't important. Slowly Spencer realised that it wasn't at all. Her arm had found Ione and her hand kept caressing the raven haired girl's arm. She looked around the room. Sean was into a political discussing with Sander and Hailey who was doing the translation. Geena was playing with the children in a corner of the room and Gerald was telling Henry about a new procedure they were doing at the hospital later that week. From that she learned that Henry was a doctor. "Is Henry divorced?" Spencer asked looking at how he held Zooey in his arms. The red haired girl was holding a small bear in her arms and eating a cookie. "No, Stacy died while giving birth to Brandon," Ione said slowly, it was still a hard thing to talk about for anyone in the family. Spencer looked at the man with new eyes and then she locked eyes with Zooey. For a long time the girl nibbling on the cookie stared at the purple hair. While listening to the conversation between Sondra who had found a spot on Ione's lap her eyes kept flickering to the deep brown eyes of Zooey who never seemed to take her eyes off the purple hair. With a slow push, Zooey let her father know that she wanted to get off his lap. She slipped down and walked over to Spencer. When she stopped in front of Spencer and pointed at the purple hair Spencer reached out to pick her up. Henry was the first to act. He tried to rush over to stop Zooey from freaking out but when he saw that the girl didn't cry, didn't struggle and touched the purple hair he felt stupid. Stupid and relieved. "That is really something," Gerald said looking at the tiny girl on the lap of Spencer next to him. He had tears in his eyes when he brushed the girl's cheek. "She doesn't like to be picked up." "Oh," Spencer said suddenly remembering the warning and felt shame smacking her head. "I am sorry." "Only Henry can pick her up," Ione said amazed. "Purple," Zooey said and snuggled into Spencer's arms while she ate her cookie and played with the purple hair. An hour later, the kitchen was filled with people while Spencer sat on the couch with Hailey. Ione was catching up with Sean and Geena on the other side of the room. Soft music set the mood in the house. Hailey was telling Spencer all about her time on the Antarctic and how cold it had been when Paddy, his wife Lucy and Regan and John arrived from shopping. Spencer heard the new voices but didn't get up afraid to wake up the girl in her arms. "You've met Paddy right?" Hailey asked when she heard her brother's voice telling Sander to get more stuff out of the truck. Cold air came into the living room from too many open outside doors but that didn't last long as many hands made sure the truck was unloaded in record time. "I met him yes. He's almost like your dad." Hailey nodded. "He's almost eleven years older and I think of him more like a dad than a brother sometimes. He keeps reminding me that he changed my diapers and picked out my first training bra when I was fourteen." "Why?" Spencer asked curious. "Mum's a busy one and dad's only second to that. I was shopping with Paddy to get clothes for Perry and William when I wandered into the bra section. My breast were just starting to get in the way of playing tennis and I had tried to mention it to mum a few times but this house gets really busy sometimes." Spencer nodded, the image of a house filled with kids of any age wasn't too hard to picture. "Paddy came to find me and called over a woman in the store to ask her to help me pick out a training bra. He was so nice. He always is."