But did Jack say yes? đ
Ask and you shall receive. I think this is actually longer than the original post.
âBits, what are my parents doing here?â
Jack looked down at the screen of his phone, after ending the call with the doorman.
âWe didnât make plans with them, did we?â
âUm, yes, actually,â Bitty said, still peeling potatoes. âDidnât I tell you? I talked to your dad when you were in Winnipeg, and mentioned that we were doing Thanksgiving, and he said he and your mom would like to come. You donât mind, do you?â
âNo, I donât mind but â wait, you talked to my dad? Did he call you or ââ
âHello, and happy Thanksgiving!â Alicia was stepping through the door, arms already extended to embrace Jack. Bob was following with a cooler bag with wine. There was also a bottle of champagne, but Jack wasnât to see that. Yet.
âHowâre you boys doing?â Alicia said, deftly stepping into the living room and bringing Jackâs attention with her so Bob could stow the wine (and champagne) in the kitchen.  âJack, did I tell you about the work the foundation is doing to bring hockey to underserved communities in the greater New York area? Weâre starting with street hockey there, but âŚâ
In the kitchen, Bitty put the last of the potatoes in the colander to rinse before putting them on to boil.
âEverything under control?â Bob said. âItâs a go?â
Bitty nodded. âThe turkeyâs cooking already, and I have a pan of stuffing to slide in for the last 45 minutes,â he said. âOnce I get these on the stove, I have to roll out the dough for the tourtière â can you grab it from the fridge? Bottom shelf on the right â and fill it and put it in. to bake. Rolls are rising, pies are done, green beans and salad and gravy get done once the the turkey comes out. This is really so easy with a double oven.â
âYou know thatâs not what I meant,â Bob said. âWe all have confidence in your ability to get a stunning dinner on the table. Are you going to pop the question?â
Bitty wiped his hands on his apron before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a blue velvet ring box. âWhen I serve dessert,â he said.
âWant to try it out?â
âSure,â Bitty said. âVeââ
âBits ââ Jack was coming around the corner. âTry what?â
âYour dad saw a recipe for pumpkin squares,â Bitty said. âBut not today, because dessert is done. Maybe next time.â
Bob, now behind Jack, was mouthing at Bitty, âPumpkin squares?â
âPapa doesnât like pumpkin,â Jack said, an adorable furrow in his brow. Lord, Bitty was gone on him, âDo you, Papa?â
âIf anyone could make me like it, it would be Eric,â Bob said with a shrug.
âOh,â Jack said. âMaman wanted a glass of wine.â
Bob reached into the fridge and brought out a bottle of sauvignon blanc. He poured a glass and handed it to Jack. âOne for you, too?â
âNo, thanks,â Jack said. âIâll have one with dinner. Bits might want one, though.â
âSure, Bob. Thanks. Jack, honey, after you take that to your mother, could you see if you can find the rust colored napkins in the linen closet? They werenât in the drawer in here.â
âBut we have napkins on the table already.â
âI know, but those are just placeholders until I find the rust ones. Please?â Bitty said.
âOnly to make you happy,â Jack said with a faux grumble before leaving to deliver his motherâs wine.
âOkay, weâve got a minute or two before he finds the napkins,â Bob said.
âLonger than that,â Bitty said. âThey donât exist. We always use white. Now here goes. Veux-tu mâĂŠpouser?â
He almost had a heart attack when he realized there was someone in the doorway, but it was Alicia, holding her wine.
âDid you just ask my husband to marry you?â she said, laughing. âI thought it was my son you wanted. You canât have Bob. Heâs mine.â
âHush, you,â Bitty said. âOf course itâs your son I want. How did I do?â
âGreat,â Bob said. âI promise he wonât laugh.â
âI mean that, yes, I can still hear your accent, but itâs better than most Americans do, so stop worrying.â
Once dinner was over and Bob and Jack had cleared the table and Alicia made coffee â regular and decaf â they gathered in the living room with the pies â a tarte au sucre and an apple â on the coffee table.
âWe never said what we were thankful for,â Jack said. âLetâs do it before dessert.â
âGood idea,â Bitty said. âLet me start. Since this is Thanksgiving in Canada, let me say how thankful I am for the custom of having Thanksgiving on a Monday, with two whole days to prepare. Iâm also thankful that yâall introduced me to a new cuisine, and a new culture, even if I didnât do so well learning French. Iâve been working hard and I did learn one thing.â
He turned to face Jack fully and pulled the ring box out of his pocket.
âJack, veux-tu mâĂŠpouser?â
Jack stared, mouth open, then started to giggle. His giggle turned into a laugh, until he saw the way Bittyâs face had fallen.
âNon, lapinou,â he said. âI wasnât laughing at you. Of course Iâll marry you.â
Bitty started to look up at that.
âWas it that bad?â he said.
âBad? Was what bad?â Jack asked. âI really wasnât laughing at you.â
He pulled a ring box from his pocket.
âItâs just, I was going to ask you when it was my turn to talk.â