Trying to be Thankful

 Steve felt bad that Victoria went on her own to Kansas City, but she made it sound it was something she had to do on her own. "But, Thanksgiving won't be the same-"

"We'll have Christmas," she reminded him.

He guessed she was right. He hadn't meant to be selfish. There was always his parents. And maybe he was making more out of the holiday than he should. He'd hoped he would have been making pies with her today, but instead, he was making beef stew.

A knock came to the door and he was sure it might be Steve wanting to stay with him, but it was someone he'd never seen before. Naturally, the guy looked a little shocked to see him.

"Oh, I was looking for my little brother," he said. "I..I thought he still lived here."

Steve invited him in. "I didn't know him, but he moved some time ago."

"Was he with a girl?" He wanted to know.

"I dunno." Steve shrugged. "I didn't know them."

He introduced himself. His name was Daniel. Before long Daniel was eating the beef stew and devouring plenty of the warm cornbread from the oven. They talked about where they'd spent their elementary school days.

"I went to that school," Daniel nodded with a smile. "But it was just a short while." He was an orphan and it hadn't panned out well with the new family he was supposed to be with. "Back in those days, it was against the law, somebody like me to live with white people."

"Anyway, I did end up on the Reservation where my mother lived," he said she'd visited him when he was small at the orphanage.

"I didn't forget her." His even teeth showed when he smiled and yet Steve sensed he was sad at the notion to mention her. "See, she had my brother after me. And yeah, I've always wondered why she didn't throw him away, too."

Steve told him everyone had their reasons. Maybe they were doing the best that they could.

"I know." He drank another glass of milk. "But it doesn't make envy any easier."