Pokerfaced Playboy

                                    

                                          
Dedicated to cricket_lover for the awesome banner :) 
                          
"Mom?" I asked aimlessly after swallowing down a forkful of waffles. 
                          
"Yes Carly?" my mother asked looking slightly annoyed. She was always irritated and stressed out whenever Thanksgiving was near, she hated cooking and hated cooking big meals like turkey and heavy duty meals like she called them even more. 
                          
"Are you and dad going to spending thanksgiving with us?" I asked.
                          
She sighed. "Do you think I'm stressing about cooking thanksgiving lunch and searching for my grandmothers recipes for Easter?" 
                          
I shrugged. "With you I never know, you could be searching for those recipes to frame them and put them up in our living room; keeping them as mementos and whatnot." 
                          
She eyed me with an exasperated look. "I'm not in the mood for your funny jokes missy." She said before running a hand through her hair.
                          
I chuckled and then spoke seriously. "On a serious note though mom, I'm really glad we'll be spending thanksgiving as a family after such a long time." I smiled. "Because you never know when it can be ones last holiday with one's family, I've come to realize just how important little things like thanksgiving lunch with the whole family are." I added more to myself. 
                          
"And since when have you become so sentimental and wise sweetheart?" my dad ruffled my hair and took a seat next to me. 
                          
I grinned at him and made an expression as if I was in deep concentration thinking over my answer. "Um let's see..." I trailed off and tapped my chin with my finger. "Maybe since you and mom got back together and I've come to appreciate my family." I smiled and rested my head on my dad's shoulder. 
                          
I loved doing that, I was a bit of a daddy's girl and I always felt little when I was around him. "I love you daddy." I murmured and felt a small lump in my throat as I said that. Who knew that maybe next year this time I wouldn't even be here with my family, maybe I would just be a memory in their minds and a picture on the wall. 
                          
When I pulled away I looked at my dad who had a quirked brow. "Okay how much is this going to cost me?"
                          
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
                          
"My daughter is hardly ever so sentimental so you must want something or you're Carly from a dimensional universe."
                          
I laughed. "This time I want nothing dad." I shrugged and smiled. "I just wanted you to know that I am sorry for all the trouble I've caused over the years and even though I might not say  or show it a lot but I really do love you guys." And that lump was back again. 
                          
My dad put his arm around me and gave it a slight squeeze as he pulled me to his side. "You have your whole life to tell us that. Your mother and I are so proud to see the change in you. We're so happy and honoured to call you our daughter."
                          
"Your father's right honey and we love you too, very much." my mother added with a smile.
                          
I smiled and blinked away the moisture that was threatening to escape from my eyes. I cleared my throat, "Well life is so unpredictable that today we're happy and deciding what to cook for thanksgiving and tomorrow you could be preparing for my funeral."
                          
"Carly!" my mom and dad scolded in unison. 
                          
They both looked pretty annoyed, all the smiles and sweetness disappeared. I swallowed seeing the distress in their eyes by just the mentioning of my funeral. They might've been mad but I was touched, their annoyance, anger and distress proved that even though my family wasn't around much they still cared. I decided to lighten the mood and laugh, even though it sounded nervous. "I'm just kidding; you guys aren't getting rid of me that easily. I want that dance with you when I get married dad." I looked at my dad then averted my attention to my mother, "And I want to argue with you when you complain about my wedding dress neckline being too deep."