A couple of days before Thanksgiving, I began preparations for our holiday dinner with family. With approximately fifteen people showing up, it takes a lot of planning/coordination, so I try and start early as I can. There is so much to be thankful for this year with regard to the state of my own health, yet, there are those around me who have recently learned of their own health challenges, and theirs are wars yet to be fought and won. We will certainly celebrate my continuing recovery, but the others remain steadfast on my mind, and in my thoughts.

My usual time spent writing these posts is on Thursday, but of course, I couldn’t do that this week. So, as I sat down on Tuesday, and in between baking sweet potatoes for a sweet potato casserole and starting to set up the dining room, I began to think about what to write for this post. My memory was quickly jogged as I read past the first sentence of Chapter 25, which is my usual way to approach what I want to write. What a coincidence to realize this part of the story was taking place at the very same time – two days before Thanksgiving.

Sonny and her mama are in the kitchen, painfully aware trouble is brewing, and it’s about to take them where they never wanted to go – although they don’t know this yet. All they know is Frank Fowler took Sonny’s brothers with him when he went to settle a situation. Sonny and her mama don’t want to dwell on what might be happening, so they do what I’d been doing – prepare food ahead of time. Collards, corn bread dressing, a decision on pecan or pumpkin pie.

After they finish, they wait. Night comes, and the longer Mr. Fowler and Sonny’s brothers are gone, the more anxious she and her mama get.

Chapter 25

Going to sleep was impossible, knowing Mr. Fowler was out there, likely doing someone some kind a hurt.