#anywhere

Well... she reaches in to rescue the brave never from the spinning toys.

"Oh, be careful! You'll mash your fingers like that." Frankie speaks with the voice of experience. Indeed, Trina does end up with a top hitting one of her fingers! Not as bad as a fingertip in a drawer, but it smarts. The rescued Never chatters at her, clearly he had things under control!

"Sorry! I thought I saw something in there..."

"You're right, it stings!"

"They sparkle when they spin." He nods, agreeing.

BUZZ BUZZ! Now what... oh, that's just her phone!

"They're pretty cool. Y'know, I bet you could make them like little battle bots... " She checks her phone.

It's Art!

Text?

ringing, actually

Buzz buzz! Buzz buzz! Soon it will go to voicemail.

A face, but she answers. "Hey, Art." An aside to Frankie. "It's my friend, Art."

A squawk of noise as she answers, it's LOUD on the other side! Then, muffled, and she can barely hear - "No, QUIT IT. I'm on the PHONE! This is MY ROOM." And then more muffled sounds, and a door shutting.

"Geeze, sorry about that Trina... it's a madhouse over here. How can there be so many family members in one home? Everyone is a cousin, or an uncle, or a twice-removed..."

Frankie nods, and returns to stacking up his 'guys' in some eldritch order known only to him...

"Yeah, just gotta grin and bear it for a few hours."

"I know, it's just..." POUNDING on the other end.

"I'm in here!!" Art calls back, frustration in his tone.

Back to her, he says, "Listen, I had a.... I saw something, right? Like before. I don't know what it means. I figured I'd check with you..."

"Yeah? You write it down while it's fresh, too - draw, if you can."

"I did... or I will, it was just... really weird, you know? I wasn't sure if I should bother them over at the Big House."

THUMP THUMP

"JUST A MINUTE!" He pleads.

"They have four kids sharing my room.... four! And there's some ranking going on that has me seated at a table with the children..."

"Fuck it. Go to the big house. Bet they have turkey."

"Maybe... They have this large oil vat set up in the yard... I am not going anywhere near it, even for the promise of Turkey.... I'll call Gwen, at least. Here I have been tasked with minding these... sticky-fingered children who want to touch all of my..." The realization is nearly audible. "My books! I gotta go!"

"Go!"

"Thanks! Sorry! Oh, Happy Thanks - Giving." He hangs up - does he realize it's not two words? Does it really matter?

A never flitters near her phone, and trills curiously, a hand tapping the screen.

"Be glad we don't have a giant Thanksgiving, Frankie." She gently shoos the never with a wave of her hand.

It flashes with a happy pink glow...

Perhaps an echo of what it sees!

She does shoot a quick text to Art - "Good Luck"

She gets one back! "Thankful For You!" Maybe he does understand the holiday, or at least, he's trying!

Meanwhile... the good smells have INTENSIFIED. But not just turkey, etc... something exotic, or spicy? Maybe not hot, but definitely redolent with spices, wafting in.

Frankie sits up, and his belly rumbles audibly. He gives a sheepish laugh. "I think my tummy wants turkey?"

"Oh yeah. Your nose is telling tales to your tummy." She boops his nose and then.... TUMMY TICKLE!

"Kids, dinner is on the table!" Dad calls!

Frankie is rescued from his bout of giggles!

"Coming!"

Trina follows!

"Oooooooo" The chimes of the nevers are echoes of the family as Dad brings out the turkey! Roasted brown but with a bit of a golden gleam... sniff sniff, THAT'S what the smell is. Curry! There are curried spices on the bird! The rest of the table is fairly traditional - and of course, Mom's sweet potatoes, made just how Trina likes them. It's a bit of a family secret, that, and Trina's not sharing that with Janice!

Frankie whoops and runs for his chair. "Taters and gravy! Corn and biscuits! Stuffing and-" Janice interrupts, "And you'll have some green beans and yams too."

He retorts cheerfully, "I haven't eaten in SO LONG I'll even eat beans! Specially if I can put gravy on 'ems!"

Sniff. Nose-wrinkle.

"Who got experimental?"

Janice gives a tentative smile. "I really think you'll like it." Clearly hopeful. "I used curry and jerk spices, they're so good on chicken and wings, I figured we couldn't go wrong."

"I think it smells fantastic." Dad says with a smile. "Shall I carve?"

"Well, the sweet potatoes are a secret."

"Diane always used to kick me out of the kitchen when she'd make them." Dad says with a chuckle. "I would guess and guess, but she never would let on if I got it right. Has she indoctrinated you to her secret society too, Kit-Kat?"

"Maaaaaybe."

Frankie pipes up. "What's that? What's the secret? Tell me the secret too! I want to know!"

"Secret spices!"