Heroic Wingman!

There was no more of chatting except satisfied moans leaving the brisk mouths.

"It's delicious!"

"The turkey is amazing, Anna."

"Lia, you can have more Mac&Cheese if you'd like."

"I thought you made it also for me."

"Keep dreaming until the day you can't write anymore."

"Rude! Stingy!"

"Ignore her, Lia. You can have whatever you like!"

"Do you mean like Blueberry pie that I don't see anywhere?"

"It's Thanksgiving tradition to make pumpkin or pecan pies and I made them both. That's more than enough!"

"Yes, you made both because Diego loves pecan pie-"

"I do too, Lilly, " Anna interrupted.

"I'm not asking you, " she added.

"I'm just saying that Blueberry pies are delicious even at Thanksgiving dinner too, aren't they, Lia?" Lillian asked the child sitting next to her.

Anna starts to lose her patience to her friend's shameless tantrum. However, Lia nodded to agree which soothed Anna to take it easy of Lillian's temper. She exhales.

"I- I will bake you Blueberry pie another time, dear. Let me know if you need anything else!" Anna politely said to remind.

"Her mother would be fine!"

Lillian instantly snorted to mutter and everyone gaped at her. Lillian ignored to smile as she helped Lia in cutting her little pieces of turkey meat.

"So-" Jake interrupted.

"No comment on the cranberry sauce?" he says to distract.

"It's sweety-" Lia answered innocently to cheer Jake.

"Are you sure, Lia?" Lillian added.

"Someone's jealous, " Jake remarked softly.

Lillian grinned at Jake, expressing her disinterest in his comment despite the harsh truth. Lia did become cheerful with Jake.

"I'll wait until she reaches the age to appreciate the fine taste of a glass of wine. Then, we'll see who's her favorite!" Lillian challenged as she took a sip of the wine she gifted Anna and Jake. It tastes fruity, smooth as silk as it went down the throat.

"You do have the nerve to say that in front of her mother, Lillian," Jake commented.

Lillian realized those words about enticing Lia into alcohol. She glanced at Giselle to find her already looking back with a cautious countenance.

"I'm kidding. I'm kidding."

She replied to Jake, but it meant to affirm Lia's mother.

It was a wordless moment for all.

Anna and Jake laughed from the sight of Lillian being scared of earning Giselle's distrust.

Lillian stuck between innocent Lia and her skeptic mother.

All of these happenings silently observed by Diego.

"Can I have some of the gravy?" Diego asked. His eyes only stared at Lillian while occasionally gets distracted by Giselle or at Lia.

"Yes, Diego!" Lillian exhaled for his unintended rescue.

"Jake's been having too much gravy. It's time he gave it up!" she added with a nasty grin. Jake returned to pass the gravy along to Diego while his smile continued to annoyed Lillian Grey.

"Diego!" Anna called.

"How do you like the food?" she asked in the midst of Jake and Lillian's bickering.

"It's delicious. You did a fantastic job, " he smiled warmly to praise her.

It is during these moments that Diego's own dark side disappears to a kind fellow who loves his friends and deeply cares about them. His relationship with Anna is always filled with love and warmth, along with a sense of protection over her. Nonetheless, with Lillian, his emotions run eccentric and he loses his soft nature to his deep dark devotion. All these years of suppressing it only made it awful. This long bond as the trio was too thick to break apart. They grew together from kids to responsible adults. Despite having their own lives, their memories kept them going, never leaving one behind.

Anna continued to express how much she misses Donna's cooking and inquired about her health. Diego informed them about Donna's blessings.

"Yes. It's been long since I had Donna's food. Maybe, I'll visit her sometime!" Lillian muttered on her own.

Diego's face lightened to her comment and he was glad to see that Lillian didn't care to ignore. It made him happy.

"You should come with me, Giselle!" Lillian added immediately, almost making Diego indignant. His face returned to its lifeless gloom.

"Lia too!"

"Your mother knows this already, but Diego, that man's mommy, cooks so good that you'll feel as if you're in heaven."

Lia's eyes listen to Lillian's tales whereas there was one who necessarily did not partake in this as his own feelings gone numb. He's been watching it all from the moment Lillian requested Lia to sit next to her. Her subtle glances at Giselle, Giselle's averting blush, and how well Lillian seems acquainted with the child.

He watched as well to find the similarities between the mother and daughter. It amazed him once again how much Lia resembles Giselle, especially their faces and certain mannerisms. Along with it were some boldness added to her character, which must have come from the father. The more Diego watched, the more he got hurt inside from seeing Lillian accepting this child of Giselle's.

By the time, his train of thoughts reached its destination, the scrumptious feast neared its end. Anna sliced each of their choice of pie.

Except for Diego and Anna, everyone went for pumpkin pie.

***

Anna scanned everyone lounging in the living room, watching random shows, chatting lazily, and reminiscing memories. She noticed Lillian sat next to Jake who gave company to the child and Giselle. Diego had moved to sit next to Lillian while Anna left the spot for a short break.

The view from the kitchen may not be the full picture, but one can get a hold of what's going on with a peek. Anna moved back and forth to crack her mind for a plan.

"Jake!"

"And Diego too, " she yelled from the kitchen.

Startled by her loud voice, the two men turned to attend her, but to their view, Anna wasn't available, except for her voice.

"Jake! Diego!"

Another yell echoed clearly that even Lillian, Giselle, and Lia too turned to heed.

"Come help me make Margaritas. We're out of Lilly's wine and there's still Jake's cranberry sauce left to rot, " Anna reappeared to their sights to explain.

"Excuse me, " the victim of her tease, Jake, groaned.

"Come- right now, both of you-" Anna said to eye the men. Her poor acting still called forth Jake's obedience and Diego's concerns. The two walked to join her in the kitchen.

Anna looked out again to find little Lia stuck in between Lillian and Giselle.

"Where are the ingredients?" Jake called.

Anna ignored to answer and after two-three calls, he found out the reason for her impoverished manner.

Jake saw through that Anna was trying to give Lillian and Giselle, some private time to talk through their hearts.

He caught the signal but felt embarrassed about her needy execution. It was apparent to anyone's notice if they saw her performance.

She vaguely responded to the guys to show them the ingredients locations.

"Lia!" She called again.

The three remaining in the living room turned around at once. Panicked, Anna took a breath before talking.

"Giselle, I bought some ice creams for Lia. If you could send her to me, I can let her have some, " Anna approached.

"I got a bunch of flavors she could try, " Anna coated her words.

Giselle thought for a moment, questioning why would another dessert be necessary, but looking at Lia's glowing face, she let go of her reluctance.

"Sure, " Giselle allowed, giving Lia a kiss before letting her go.

Gesturing Lia along with her, Anna glared at Lillian Grey, shooting a signal towards her special company, and giving an encouraging nod, she left the scene.

Serene silence filled the space as Lillian glanced at Giselle, to find her desperately trying to suppress her smile.

"You knew it?" She asked.

"Of course, all the time I've known Anna, I never saw her struggle this much. She couldn't be more obvious, " Giselle exclaimed gleefully.

Lillian was not sure if Anna's performance was outstanding or not, but it did make Giselle smile. She wasn't trying to run away too, which is a good sign.

Grateful for her heroic wingman work, Lillian stared at Giselle, finally breathing the air of intimacy, with no one to disturb them. She chose to reconcile with Giselle.