Thursday had finally came as Anthony and Julia were in the kitchen preparing their feast as Payne and Sylvie came down.

"Good morning mom, Anthony."

"Good morning darlings. Coffee anyone?"

"Sure." Payne said as Julia fixed them two cups and set it down.

"How's dinner coming along?"

"Great! We'll be eating at six."

"Is everyone still coming that were invited?"

"Yes, hopefully Mary Jo will too."

"She might have plans mom."

"I know Mary Jo darlin' and I still worry about her."

"That's what your mama always did was worry about you, me and everyone else she loved." Anthony said as Julia laid her head on his shoulder.

"She always made sure everyone came before her and all the time that I have known her, she never stopped worrying."

"I always worry because that's my job as a mother, wife, friend and boss."

"Mom, for long as I have lived, you never made anything about you and that just shows how selfless you are and that makes you the best mother, wife, friend and boss."

"And we love her for everything she is."

That we do."

...

Everyone came around five o'clock that evening just as Anthony put the turkey on the table.

"Mary Jo, we're so happy to have y'all."

"Well, it's tradition and we decided to bring a few things just in case you run out of something."

"That was really sweet of you."

"How are you feeling Aunt Julia?" Claudia asked her.

"I'm feeling great sweetheart, now I heard you got straight A's on your first semester term?"

"Yeah, but it's nothing."

"It most certainly is sweetheart." Julia said.

"How about you Quint, my man?" Anthony asked him.

"I'm good too. I got a crush on a girl."

"Oh really, what is she like?"

"She's really pretty and we eat lunch together everyday."

"That sounds very familiar."

"Yeah, that sounds like you and Aunt Julia." Quint said as Julia blushed and Anthony kissed her cheek.

"Well, that's very true Quint and I enjoy spending all my time with your Aunt Julia."

"And I feel the same way about your Uncle Anthony." Julia said.

"Is everyone ready for dessert?" Suzanne asked.

"Is it your infamous maroon dish mom was telling me about?" Payne asked his aunt.

"No, it's a pie.''

"This shall be interesting." Julia said

...

Everyone finished with dessert as they started cleaning when a knock came to the door.

"I wonder who that is." Julia wondered as she went and opened the door to see Bill, Charlene and Olivia.

"Hi Charlene. We weren't expecting y'all.''

"Well Charlene told me about this being a tradition and it's true because ever since we got married and we've had Olivia, we've been here every Thanksgiving."

"I'm glad you're here, but we just made plates for leftovers and everyone is about to leave."

"We just wanted to say how grateful you are for everything and that's why we we're here to tell y'all something."

"What is it?"

"Bill and I are moving!" Charlene said as everyone looked at them.

"You're moving?" Julia asked as her voice cracked.

"Yeah, we wanted to tell you yesterday but it would've been too much."

"And it wouldn't be too much for her right now?" Suzanne asked them.

"Julia, they won't be living that far away."

"Actually, we will."

"How much farther?"

"Bill accepted a job offer in England." Charlene said as Julia looked at them.

"If y'all excuse me for a moment, I forgot to do something this morning and it really has to be done." Julia said as she grabbed her purse and coat as she quickly hurried outside to her car.

"Now, I have to be excused." Anthony said as he seen Julia crying as he went over to her.

"Baby?"

"She's leaving." Julia cried into his chest as this broke his heart.

"I know baby."

"Next thing you know, Suzanne or Mary Jo will leave me too. Everyone always leaves me!" Julia cried harder as Anthony could feel Julia shudder as the frigid air cut through the material of her dress and jacket, even as he held her close to him.

"Baby, they're just moving temporarily."

"No, that's not the same."

"Honey, let's just go inside. This cold air is not good for you or our baby." Anthony said as he rubbed her stomach.

"You're not gonna leave me, are you?" Julia asked him as he looked at her.

"No baby, I'm never going to leave you and I promise you that."

"Then why did Hayden and Reese leave me? They died and I was left here for what? To be sad and alone still?"

"Baby, you're not alone in anything. You have me, our family and friends and next month, we get to meet our daughter. You'll never be alone and I won't let you be sad."

"Everyone has said that and you know what I get in the end? Sad, depressed, lonely and I'm left all alone in this damn house with nothing but my memories." Julia said as she unlocked her car door as Anthony stopped her.

"Honey, calm down before you go into early labor. Now, let's go back inside and be with our family and friends."

"Anthony, I can't go back in there."

"Then, where are you gonna go?"

"I need to clear my head and find a new office manager."

"Baby, you're not gonna find anyone today."

"I know, but I need to clear my head still."

"Okay." Anthony said as Julia got in her car and turned the key to switch on the engine.

...

Anthony came back inside to see everyone sitting there, Charlene did not make eye contact with him as she thought this was all her fault because Julia left for awhile.

"Anthony, we're sorry this happened."

"No man, this is not your fault and I know why she's emotional."

"What's wrong?" Payne asked him.

"She misses your father and Reese. She said that everyone is leaving her and that she's left here all alone in this house."

"But Anthony, you're here now. She'll never have to be alone again and next month, Presley will be here."

"I know and I tried telling her that, but I've come to the conclusion that I'm not good enough because I'm not Hayden or Reese."

"But you're Anthony and you made her happier than she's ever been in a long time."

"I don't think that matters."

"Anthony, would you like us to stay here until Julia gets back?" Mary Jo asked him.

"No, no. Y'all go on home and Payne, y'all have a plane to catch."

"Anthony, I won't go if it makes Julia sad to see me go." Bill said.

"Bill, I understand that but don't miss out on an opportunity such as moving to England." Anthony said.

"And I won't leave if it makes my mother unhappy." Payne said.

"Payne, y'all have your own lives now and you have to be back in New York for work." Anthony said.

"We're not leaving until Julia gets back and that's our final say." Perky said.

Anthony, at this moment was completely lost on what to do about the whole situation as they all stared at the door, waiting for Julia to come through it, however long it takes for her to do so.

...

A few hours later, Julia finally returned home as she switched off the ignition and opened her door to see everyone still here as she felt tired. She went to the park where she used to take Payne as a little boy and where Hayden confessed his love to her.

All her memories of them felt like they had been locked into a time capsule and buried in the backyard as she heaved herself up and out of her seat as she stepped into the frigid Georgia night and walked up the steps to her house.

She opened the door to see the eyes of her loved one staring at her, not one blinking a single eye until a voice pierced the quietness and stillness from the room where you could hear a pen drop.

"Where'd you go this evening?" Mary Jo asked her.

"To the park, it's where I do all my best thinking these days." Julia said.

"You had us all worried this evening darling." Perky said.

"I just needed some time by myself and I earned it." Julia said.

"Julia, you're not the only one hurting. You really hurt Anthony." Suzanne said.

"I know I did, but how would you all feel if you were me? Everyday, y'all leave and in the end, I'm still alone."

"But you're not anymore, you have Anthony and like we said, next month, y'all will have Presley."

"Y'all just don't get it, do you?"

"I'm confused on where you say you're all alone." Charlene said.

"Y'all did not have two men who you loved more than anything, die and soon after, your child goes off to college and no one to tend to like you've done all these years."

"You're gonna have plenty of that time back because of Anthony and Presley."

"Yeah, you'll be begging for one of us to babysit her." Mary Jo said as Julia noticed Anthony on the patio.

"If y'all will excuse me for a moment." Julia said as she went over to the backdoor and slid it open.

"Anthony?" Julia asked as she noticed he'd been crying.

"Is that how you really feel about me?"

"Darling, that's usually how the holidays are for me and you know that."

"Well since I make you unhappy and leave you alone, I'll be staying elsewhere tonight."

"That sounds like leaving."

"You're clearly miserable with me and I can go draw up those divorce papers real quick."

"You're gonna make a huge fool of yourself if you do that."

"Well, maybe if my wife would show me a little credit for what I've done for her then I would not consider it."

"Now, how would that look if your divorced me right now? I'm eight months pregnant and I have given you more than just a little credit for everything you've done for me."

"Apparently getting married doesn't simplify anything."

"It does to me."

"Then why do you always say that everyone leaves you? At the end of the day, I'm the only one who stays here while they leave."

"Sometimes you leave and don't come home till late until early morning."

"Because we get late night delivery calls and I happen to stay at Mary Jo's so that way I don't have a wreck coming home because I'm tired."

"I understand that, but I'm still here half the time by myself."

"Sometimes I do that to let you have some time to yourself."

"I've already had all the time I want to myself, I don't want that anymore."

"Then, what do you want because I get mixed signals from all you ladies."

"I want you."

"And baby, you have me one hundred percent." Anthony said.

"Promise you won't leave me, ever?" Julia asked as she loved these moments with him.

"Like I promised to you in my vows and earlier today, I'll never leave you baby."

"I'm sorry for acting the way I did."

"Just never say we ever leave you baby, because they are just one call away and I'm here to stay for good, no matter how hard it is for you to get me out the door at times."

"That's always hard to do, but I enjoy when you come back to kiss me."

"That's because I just cannot get enough of you Mr. Bouvier."

"And I cannot get enough of your sweet loving, Mrs. Bouvier."

"How about this, after everyone leaves, we go upstairs and practice inducing labor techniques."

"Are you trying to have her tonight baby?"

"No, but I do want you."

"Then you shall have me." Anthony said as he kissed her.

Back inside

They were looking at them outside as they were so happy that they made up.

"I'm glad they made up."

"Yeah, me too."

"Well, it's too cold to turn the water hose on them." Suzanne said.

Anthony and Julia came inside as he made sure she was warm, knowing cold weather made her get a terrible cold real easy.

"Y'all finally make up?"

"Oh yeah." Julia said.

"It's about time."

"Some of y'all have a plane to catch."

"I'm not leaving." Payne said as he looked at Julia.

"No darling, y'all need to catch your plane."

"Mom, I understand, but what about earlier?"

"I understand you all have your own lives and I have Anthony now, so I'm not alone anymore." Julia said.

"And we're just so happy to finally know that you're happy." Mary Jo said.

"I really am."

"I just want you to know Julia, I'm not leaving you without finding a new office manager." Charlene said.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah."

"Who'd you get to fill in your place?"

"My sister." Charlene said.

"Oh great Julia, she hired another one of her hillbilly siblings to fill in her place." Suzanne said.

"Suzanne, be nice."

"I'll try. I bet her sister is nuttier than she is."

"It doesn't matter Suzanne."

"Are you okay Julia?"

"Oh yes Charlene, I'll be fine." Julia said as she gave her a hug.

"Are you sure because I can stay."

"No Charlene, I understand and I'm more than fine now. I just want you to call me from time to time."

"I will and I'll write to all of you as well."

"We'd like that and it's gonna be hard not to see you every morning."

"I know and y'all don't know how much you mean to me."

"I love each and everyone of y'all in this room. Mary Jo, Charlene, Anthony and Suzanne, for helping me run Sugarbaker's and being everything from my partners to my backbone in everything in my life. My mother, who loves me and Suzanne more than life itself. My son, Payne, I thank God everyday for giving me the gift of you and Hayden, even though he's not here visually, but spiritually and giving me you and the design firm. Anthony, for being there with me through everything life has thrown at me, from personal to business, darling, I love you and I could go on and on, but it would take the rest of my life to tell you how grateful and blessed I am that I have you, I love you." Julia said as Anthony kissed her head.

"I love you too baby, for giving me everything I ever wanted from you, our home, our marriage, great friends and in one month, I'm going to be a father to a beautiful baby girl and one of the greatest triumphs with all of that, the day I met you and I got this job as y'all's delivery man and baby, your partner."

"Well, let's raise our tea glasses and toast to great friendship and for everything that we're grateful for."

"I want to tell you all what I'm grateful for before we raise our glasses." Bernice said.

"We'll be happy to hear Bernice."

"I'm happy for all of you. Perky, for being a great friend and for giving me two of the most precious ladies who I consider my daughters too. Julia, for being a great friend too and always being there for me when you mother is away in Tokyo. Suzanne, you make me laugh when I need one and for always calling me your little fruitcake. Mary Jo, ever since I have known you, you have always been so gracious and sweet to me, thank you for always being that way. Charlene, for always being so down to earth and making me feel like apart of y'all."

"You'll always be apart of us."

"I know, but I'm not through. I'm also grateful to Anthony, you've always been like the son I never had and you always let me come along for the ride."

"There's no one else I'd rather have calling me at every hour of every day, well I do, but you used to do that before I married Julia."

"And that's one of the greatest things I'm thankful for, you made Julia happy again, now I don't have to worry about her being lonely ever again. I thought about moving in here myself if you didn't hurry up and ask her to marry you."

"Well, you'll never have to worry about her ever being lonely again." Anthony said as Julia smiled.

"I believe we've all got our happy endings."

"Mary Jo, I worry about you being alone as well." Bernice said.

"I'm not alone Bernice, I have y'all and my kids, that's all I ever need."

"Well everyone, let's toast to a wonderful Thanksgiving and let the odds be in our favor."

"Okay, on three. Toast and I hope all prevails."

"Ready?" Julia asked as everyone said yes in unison.

"One, two, three!"

"Happy Thanksgiving." Everyone said in unison.