“Actually, we’re trying something different this year,” John told her. “Pastor Kenneth made arrangements for people from the church to go out at Thanksgiving and help hand out supplies and clothing in a low-income neighborhood.”
“Yeah, that’s definitely different for you,” Debra said, disappointed. She had really psyched herself up to find a way to go to the Graham house for Thanksgiving. For all the years that they’d been neighbors, she’d dreamed what it would be like to be a part of all that. Not to mention all the family stories of good times John shared with her. She really wished she could know what that felt like.
“My parents signed us all up and I just found out about it.”
“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to, John,” Debra pointed out to him, using her own mother’s logic to her advantage. John, also being eighteen, should be able to make his own decisions. However, his general attitude tended to favor doing whatever would make the most people happy, or doing what his family asked of him. Debra absolutely loved his loyalty as well as his musical talent.
“I believe in what they’re doing, Deb. I don’t see what would be wrong with going along. Besides, it isn’t like they’re keeping me from other plans. I don’t know what else I could be doing, anyway. Unless you’re aware of something that I might be missing?”
“I was hoping that maybe you could come with me to Grandma Elsie’s for Thanksgiving,” Debra told him. “Mom’s told me she’s absolutely not going this time since I’m eighteen.”
“Oh,” John responded quietly. Debra noted how surprised he looked. “No wonder you made a point of that.”
“Come with me to Grandma Elsie’s. Just like me, you can decide for yourself what to do.”
John scratched his head.
“It seems like you’re inviting me without asking, Deb. That doesn’t seem like the right thing to do.”
“Then let’s go talk to her and find out!” Debra said excitedly.
“I don’t know. We shouldn’t be pushy.”
“But if we don’t ask we’ll never know,” Debra said, echoing her own intentions in talking to John instead of assuming. “What do you say?”
“I guess we could at least ask. Did you want to call her?”
“I was headed over to Grandma Elsie’s to see exactly what her plans were. Then you can make up your mind. I know she’ll have enough for you since Mother isn’t coming. What do you say?”
“I’m in no hurry,” John finally admitted.
He started to turn toward the garage.
“Let me just go get my truck… what’s going on!”
With a burst of energy and possibly a bit of selfish pleasure, Debra scooped John up in her arms and flew with him over the streets of Los Angeles for the very first time.