Mendalie was so excited. The holiday breaks were coming soon. Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday. Runa always thought she was crazy. Runa loved Christmas but, Mendalie had her reasons for getting excited about Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving the Saunters would go away for the weekend to her Aunt Barb's. She loved going there.

They lived way out in the woods in a big, old, two-story home that reminded her of a cabin. It was paneled with large wooden beams and the upper level was surrounded by a wooden deck. There was a large outdoor staircase that led up to the enclosed deck. You went through two sets of sliding glass doors to get into the house. Inside, the house was furnished with the most comfortable, big furniture and warm, homey decorations. There was a large, brick fireplace with a mantle in the center of the room in a square that divided it from the kitchen and dining room.

Mendalie's mom and dad would take her on Friday and spend the night and the whole next day for Thanksgiving. The rest of the family would arrive at about one in the afternoon on Saturday. Aunt Barb was her mom's sister and she was so amazing. She threw the best parties and was such a fun person. Brent was their son and he was a little older. They never had a daughter so when Mendalie was little, they always had her over to spend the night. Sometimes Runa would come and they would bake cookies or have a pajama party with Aunt Barb. She always spoiled Mendalie.

At Thanksgiving, Grandma Griffith would make her world famous apple turnovers. Everyone loved them. And now Aunt Barb still makes them, even though Grandma Griffith passed away. She missed her mother's mom. She was so sweet and funny. She was always playing tricks on people. She loved a good prank.

These thoughts raced through Mendalie's mind as she drove home from school. She couldn't wait to see Runa, now that she was home again. They were going to have so much fun together. She had it all planned out. It would be just like when they were kids.

She didn't even stop at home first. She went right to the store. She strolled in quickly and made for the stairs. Her father looked out from behind a shelf in time to see his daughter climbing the spiral staircase, two steps at a time.

"Mendalie?" he asked.

"Hi dad; I'll be down in a minute!"

"Mendalie there's something I need to tell you," he said but, she was already through the 'Employees Only' door and into the hallway.

She stood there knocking at Runa's door for what seemed like an hour.

"Runa!" she said loudly. "Runa dollface; It's me!"

She listened and heard some shuffling. Then there was some movement by the door. She heard the bolt release and the door opened slowly.

Runa stood there in her pajamas. She had bed-head and looked a mess. At least she matched her apartment.

"My god, Runa!" Mendalie said, pushing her way in. "What the hell happened here?"

There were dirty clothes, unopened mail and dirty dishes laying everywhere. There were also several empty tissue boxes and used tissues, folded up papers and old magazines everywhere. Runa's blankets from her bed and her pillow were on the couch. And that wasn't the worst of it. The place reeked. Houdini's box must need cleaned, Mendalie thought and then she revised her thought. It definitely needed cleaned.

"Sorry about the mess," Runa said. "Come in." She went over to the couch and sat down in the blankets like she was just crawling back into her cave bed.

Mendalie slowly found her way through the junk and sat carefully on the couch arm facing Runa.

"How are you?" she asked.

"Good," Runa said, yawning.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Why?" Runa asked.

"Oh, no reason," Mendalie said sarcastically. "Did you even go to work today?"

"Work," Runa said.

"Yes you know; that place they pay you to be at?"

"Oh yeah," Runa said. "My boss gave me the day off."

"That was nice of her," Mendalie said, "since you haven't had enough time off recently..."

Runa smiled. "You're so funny."

"Uh huh," she said. "Well anyway, I was gonna see if you wanted to go with me and my family."

"Yeah; where?"

"To Aunt Barb's for Thanksgiving," Mendalie said, excitedly.

"When?"

"Tonight silly; tomorrow's Thanksgiving. It would be just like old times... maybe" Mendalie said.

"I don't know Mendie," Runa told her. "I'm kinda tired today."

"I see that," Mendalie agreed. "What if I come over on Sunday then? We could go to a movie or something."

"That sounds good," Runa replied.

"Besides, it might give you time to straighten up a bit," Mendalie said.

"Yeah okay," Runa said.

"Okay. I'll see you then." Mendalie stood up and almost tripped over a bowl. Her eyes grew wide as she navigated her way to the door. "Bye," she said looking back but, Runa was already under her blanket again.

She closed the door and stood in the hall a minute, looking confused.