Chapter 45: Thanksgiving Traditions

Thanksgiving in Cortis was always a massive community affair defined by church potlucks, high school alumni football games played on muddy fields, and endless dining tables piled high with roasted turkey and sweet pecan pie. James bravely played in the traditional alumni game, limping off the field in the fourth quarter with a bruised shin and a wide, triumphant grin, while Lily cheered enthusiastically from the chilly sidelines wrapped in a heavy wool blanket with a thermos of hot cider.