"Gobbke gobble"
"Mmmm turkey"
"DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT"

"Shrek and Persia!?" I exclaim as I peek through the window of the front door.
"WHAT!" The twins exclaim in sync.
I can hear the two of them scrambling out of their room.
"Surprise!" Our mother calls out from the kitchen.
I open the door quickly, my hand nearly slipping of the smooth cold knob of the door.
"Come in!" My face hurts as I smile and I wave them in to where the twins are now eagerly bouncing.
"We've missed you!" Persia pulls me into a tight hug, "Happy Thanksgiving!"
"We've missed you too!" I sigh in her arms.
I pull back after a moment and go in for a hug with Shrek.
"Come see Daisy!" The twins tug at Persia's arms and lead her to the livingroom.
"We're coming," Persia brushes her long black hair over her shoulder and laughs as she goes with them, Shrek close behind her.
Who picked them up from the airport-? I question.

"Shrek!" Our father exclaims as he enters the kitchen where Shrek and I are helping my mother prepare for dinner.
This was obviously a surprise for him as well. My mother had raised Shrek and Persia, though their mother was occasionally in the picture. Our Father was a single dad when the two of them met and soon had me. I was definitely unexpected, but the two of them got married and have been happy ever since. Persia is only ten months older than me, but as soon as her mother found out she was expecting her it was decided that she would go with my father since the two were in the middle of a break up when the pregnancy was discovered. My mother had always been their mother, regardless of science.
"Daddy!" Persia runs into the room just as Shrek finished hugging our father.
"Persia!" Our father holds out his arms and Persia runs into them, throwing her arms tightly over his shoulders.
Shrek goes back to helping my mother prepare Mashed potatoes.
"What are you two doing here?" My father asks.
I work on the fruit salad as they talk.
"Mom got us plane tickets and flew us in," Persia refers to my mother, "she even sent money to get a taxi."
"Thatnk you honey," he leans over and kisses my mother just as she closes the oven after checking the turkey.
"You're welcome sweetheart," she coos.

"Can someone pass the gravy?" I glance down at my plate, heaping with Mashed potatoes and fruit salad.
I'm glad we bought the paper plates with the sections like lunch trays, my fruit salad needed every bit of protection from the flood of gravy I'm about to pour.
Once Persia passes me the gravy I pour it over my tray, carefully avoiding my dinner roll and my fruit salad.
"You realize that you're skipping the biggest Thanksgiving food, right?" My father raises an eyebrow at me as he reaches for the turkey.
"What? I don't like turkey all that much," I shrug, "unless it's shredded in this gravy, I'm not interested."
"How have you two been?" My father asks, moving his attention to Shrek and Persia between grabbing slabs of turkey.
Shrek glances to Persia, "good," he nods, "She's going to school, I'm still working."
"I actually have something I wanted to share," Persia looks around the table, her gaze lingering on my dad at the end, "I have a boyfriend."
I press my lips together so I don't laugh as our fathers eyes go wide. I can almost see a little smoke coming from his ears.
He looks to Shrek, "have you met him?"
"I have," Shrek nods, "I required it before they went out for the first time."
"Good man?" My father looks between Shrek and Persia who both nod.
The rest of the dinner goes on pleasantly, though my father grinds his teeth at every mention of Persias new boyfriend. Finally the move was visibly getting on his nerves.

"Do you have to go?" I pout.
Persia smiles, sympathy laced in the look, "I have school on monday."
"Take me with you!" I squeeze her tightly and consider never letting go.
"We're not leaving until Saturday," Persia laughs.
"You didnt say no!" I point out.
"No, we can't take you with us," Persia rolls her eyes, laughing some more, "I'm sorry. Now, I'm going to go to my room, goodnight."
I sigh and watch her go down the hall towards the guest room nearest to my room. What would I have done if she had said she'd try? I walk to my room a moment after, thoughtfulness furrowing my brows slightly.

11-26-2020

I've wanted to go home so much that it's become a constant thing, a background thought at all times. But if I were to get the opportunity to get to go home now, I would have to say goodbye to all the friends I've made here. I don't know if I could leave all my friends again, even if it meant getting back home.

In the morning I'm woken up by the promise of pancakes- and Shrek is the one who made them. I scramble into the kitchen, following the smell of perfectly made, golden pancakes.
As I step into the room I let out a happy sigh, seeing the round breakfast items stacked high on a plate beside the stove.
Persia hangs up her video call as the twins come into the room.
"Who was that?" I ask, a hint of playfulness tugging at the corners of my smile.
"The boyfriend," Shrek says, setting another, final pancake on the tower, "Eat up."
"The boyfriend?" I laugh and start to load a plate with pancakes.
"Ha, ha, ha," Persia rolls her eyes, "Good morning to you too."
I pour syrup over the pancakes and sit in my usual chair.
"So, Lana," Persia stands and heads over to the pancakes, "any boys with you?"
I open my mouth to speak but Kelly beats me to it.
"Just Clyde," she says.
I look at her with raised eyebrows, "she meant relationship wise, Kelly."
"Yeah?" Kelly shrugs.
"Clyde and I are just friends," I shake my head.
"Who is this 'Clyde'?" Shrek sits beside me with a full plate.
"The neighbor- who I am not dating and am not interested in," I roll my eyes.
"I want to meet him," Shrek decides.
I take a bite of pancake, "be my guest. He lives next door."
"And you're not together?" Persia smiles mischievously and ends her sentence with a wink.
"We are not dating!" I shout, "we're friends!"
"Whatever you say," Persia laughs.