An Innocent Thanksgiving

Yeah, yeah, I was in pretty damn deep, emotionally.

I started things off by sharing some funny stories from college, bringing it around to my roommate, Natalie. “She’s the one who gets me into these messes,” I said, laughing at the memories. “She’s such a party girl, she’s slept with the entire sorority row, I swear.”

“I do not need to hear about the sexual exploits of your friends,” Dad said.

“She’s an art history major, actually,” I said, ignoring Dad and turning to Cal. “And a huge fan of yours. I let it slip that I knew you and ever since then she’s been asking me about you.”

“I’m not sure how I feel about being in a class with ‘history’ in the title,” Cal joked. “But I’m flattered. It’s always good to know that people appreciate my work—especially younger people. At a certain point you start to worry that you can only speak to the people who are your age, or your gender, or your… whatever. And art should be reachable by more than just the people who are like you. Art should cross boundaries.”

Jesus Christ, it was stuff like that—where he said things like that just easy as breathing—that made me fall more in love with him. Who just said stuff like that? Cal, that’s who.

“I was wondering… you know that thing I wanted to ask you that I was worried about asking you? I was hoping—if you might have some small piece, something you aren’t able to sell, you know, just a sketch or unfinished work or whatever, it doesn’t matter, but—instead of throwing it away or leaving it to gather dust, I was hoping that I could maybe take it and give it to her as a present?” This was why I’d written a script, planned what I was going to say. Between my nerves and the liquor, there was no way I’d be able to know what to say if I hadn’t prepared. “It’s okay if not, really, but I just wondered… it would mean the world to her.”

Cal put his chin in his hands, and it was dorky and adorable at the same time. How could he be so stern and in control one moment and then soft and approachable the next? I would never figure it out.

“It’s not inappropriate at all.” Cal laughed, almost as if he was surprised. “I was gearing up for something insane—Maggie, how long have we known each other, huh? One small piece of artwork? Hell, that’s no problem. Ask me for something bigger.”

My heart started racing, and I told myself that I was being ridiculous. He didn’t mean it the way that I wanted him to mean it. Cal still thought of me as a kid, I was sure. Even though I had filled out and grown, shedding baby fat in my face, sprouting up an extra three inches and finally getting some proper curves. It was up to me to change his mind.

“Come on over to my place and we’ll pick something out for her, something nice,” Cal went on, saying exactly what I had been about to suggest. “You know her taste better than I do.”

“Would it be possible to get it tonight?” I asked, going for it before my courage failed me. “I… have a lot of homework to get done this weekend, and I know you have that other show to plan for…”

“Sure thing.” Cal grinned at me. “C’mon over later.”

Dad was the chef in our family, and he did all the cooking, so the rule was that Mom and I cleaned up. That would take up a couple hours, but if I was really quick about it, I should have time to get ready before I went over to Cal’s.

Mom and Dad were doing a video chat with Mom’s cousins after we cleaned up, so I snuck upstairs to get ready. I couldn’t be too obvious, at least on the outside, or my parents would ask if I was going to meet someone other than Cal tonight. I put my makeup in my purse, and then put on my best lingerie—a dark blue set of bra and underwear that I’d gotten with friends when we went on a group shopping trip about a month back. I’d known that it was most likely wishful thinking when I’d gotten it, but a girl could dream, right?

I did style my hair at home. I couldn’t do that in the car. I put on a tighter pair of jeans than before, and a sexy blouse that I hid underneath a hoodie.

“Be back soon!” I said as I walked past the living room. “Going to Cal’s!”

“Have fun!” Mom called. Dad waved.

Once I was safely in my car—it was my present for getting into a good college—I took off the hoodie to reveal the blouse, put on my heels, and did my makeup. I checked myself in the mirror.