Chapter 20 - Thanksgiving Grace
The Thanksgiving dinner at David’s home turned out to be remarkably peaceful and healing. Far from the tense, forced environments I had quietly dreaded, David and his wife welcomed us with genuine warmth, zero awkward questions, and an abundance of genuine hospitality.
Mason immediately disappeared into the backyard with his two young cousins to toss a football around, his laughter echoing through the crisp autumn air. David pulled me aside near the kitchen while his wife carved the turkey.
"Thank you for coming, Elena," David said quietly, pouring two glasses of sparkling cider. "I know it couldn't have been easy walking through that door."
"It’s okay, David," I replied, taking a sip of the cider. "You were always good to us. And Mason deserved to reconnect with his cousins. Family shouldn't have to suffer for one person's mistakes."
"How is... how is he doing?" David asked hesitantly, lowering his voice. "Tyler, I mean."
I looked out the window, watching Mason make a spectacular diving catch on the lawn. "I honestly don't know, David. And for my own peace of mind, I stopped asking. I heard he moved out of state to live with an old college buddy, trying to find some kind of work outside aviation. But our lives are here. We've moved on completely."
May you like
David nodded slowly, a solemn mixture of sadness and acceptance in his eyes. "He destroyed everything he ever cared about because he couldn't appreciate what was right in front of him. Some lessons are learned the hard way. I'm just glad you and Mason found your way to solid ground."
As we sat down for dinner around a beautifully decorated dining table, surrounded by laughter, shared stories, and gratitude, I looked around the room. The dark, stormy chapters of the past year felt distant—like a movie we had watched long ago. We had survived the crash landing, repaired the damage, and built a brand-new flight plan that soared higher than ever.
