[When I received the invitation from The General to join him for Thanksgiving Dinner I nearly declined. Spending time in his company now left me with a level of anxiety I had not encountered since childhood or Sarah's affair and subsequent death. Certainly not something I deliberately sought out. Before I could say no, I was contacted by Steve at the Exo-Shel Project. He was completely beside himself. It seemed his pet "lab rat" a.k.a Mark was slipping through his grasp. Regaining his Independence. Going out for a Holiday with Ohio and the General. After listening to the man rant on the phone it became evident he thought I would somehow put an end to this (as he referred to it) "Gross Dereliction of Protocol". I assure him that on the contrary I, too, had been invited to The General's for the holiday meal. I would, of course, be joining them. All would be fine. His sense of resignation and disapproval registered through the line and was quickly followed by an audible click. After the call, I wondered to myself how much of it was his obvious loss of control over Mark, and how much of it was the friendless adolescent boy who was, once again, left on the bench while his team-mates suited up.]
[Arriving at the now familiar circular drive Patty, his housekeeper and cook, met me at the door.]
"Theys all in the settin' room, suh. You go on in an make yourself tah home."
and with that, Patty quietly disappeared back into her realm, also known as the kitchen.
"Doc!"
[Mark greeted me surrounded by his children. Ohio was seated beside him and The General radiated with an air of a magician who has just pulled off The Ultimate Sleight of Hand. To the General I mouth a single word- Amazing. He nods with a self-satisfied grin.]
"Dad really pulled it off, Doc. He even got Joshie and Jade for the day!"
Mark is beaming. Steve Drossinger should see him now. His life-like artificial hand holding a Jack and Coke, balancing his children on mechanical knees that until this year were only a memory, grinning from ear to ear, and engaging in glory-day tales with "the guys". He has, miraculously, regained his seating at the Round Table of The Alpha Males. It is a table that Steve would never know.
"Watch This!" Josh exclaims excitedly and pressed the circle in the middle of Mark's chest (which looks an awful lot like a press on closet light).
The Circle lights up, and Jade dissolves into a fit of giggles.
"Now he REALLY is Ironman", he laughs.
"I was really hoping Tracy would make it." Mark begins...but is cut off immediately by The General.
"She has been really really busy, Mark. I am happy she had time to drop the kids off last night."
As if on cue, and ending the line of thought, Patty summons us into the dining room.
I watch Mark steady himself on David's arm then walk into the dining room under his own power. The kids are bookends surrounding him. Basking in their lost father's love and attention. Ohio is next to me, and at the head of the table is The General. An Old Lion surveying his Pride. The table is filled with food. Baked Turkey and Ham, devilled eggs topped with bacon, green bean casserole like everyone's mother used to make topped with those crispy deep fried onions, piles of mashed potatoes to smother with turkey gravy, candied sweet potatoes with toasted marshmallow topping, soft-as-a-pillow fluffy yeast rolls and honey-cinnamon butter with which to slather them.
Pumpkin, peach and pecan pies sit tantalizingly on the side-board for afters.
Patty has outdone herself.
Still The General has one more surprise. He pulls a bottle of Vintage Domaine Leflaive Montratchet Grand Cru from France, like a rabbit out of a hat.
"I have been saving this for a special occasion, and by God, this is it!" he booms.
The enormity of this moment is totally lost on David, Mark and the children. Probably Patty, as well, as she walks behind us pouring the nearly $4,000 dollar bottle of white wine from stem glass to stem glass- even providing Josh and Jade with a small sip to taste.
"Cool" John exclaims "Mom would NEVER let us try wine."
His eyes are huge.
The General's gaze meets mine, for he knows that his grand gesture has not been lost on me. This time I am the one who is nodding appreciatively.
He stands and raises his glass
"To Family, and Thanksgiving Together"
Glasses clink, and we laugh as Jade wrinkles her rabbit-button nose at the unfamiliar sip disapprovingly.
Then we join him in possibly the best meal I have ever eaten my entire life.