Thanksgiving at The Christmas Manor

“Thanksgiving is shut down! OMG, the world really is coming to an end,” bemoaned Chloe, a special guest for Thanksgiving Dinner at The Christmas Manor.

“Knowing Chloe had a tendency to live on the dramatic side, Ashanti Peterson, Co-Owner of The Christmas Manor, offered reassuring words. “Don’t worry. We’ll still have a feast, just not one as big as we would have had, but definitely enough.

Together with her husband, Darren Peterson, Ashanti ran this successful upscale soul food restaurant in the Metro Atlanta Area. The Christmas Manor’s Thanksgiving and Christmas Buffets were legendary. Families across the area closed their kitchens for a seat at one of the festively decorated tables. That is, if they were lucky enough to get a reservation. Eager individuals, including some celebrities who made their homes in Atlanta, the Hollywood of the South, started RSVP’ing in June for the succulent feasts that never failed to satisfy and garnered local and regional accolades and awards.

Last year, Ashanti proposed a new tradition for The Christmas Manor. “Darren, people get facelifts all the time, so why don’t we give a spirit lift to eight people who could use some encouragement during the holidays? We can invite them to be our special guests for Thanksgiving Dinner, and they can share a complimentary meal at a private table.” Darren loved the idea, and thus the tradition began. Chloe Jenkins, Andrea Wayland, and Coleman “Cole” Harrison were the honored guests for the first Spirit Lift Fellowship.

“Chloe, Darren and I are so happy that you, Andrea, and Cole pressed your way to be here today. I’m sorry the other five couldn’t make it, though. But that’s totally understandable, seeing that we just got hit with a blizzard out of nowhere.”

The group nodded and voiced their agreement.   

Ashanti continued. “We canceled the Thanksgiving Dinner for all of our 302 paying customers because we thought nobody would show up. Plus, we didn’t want people risking their safety to get here in this weather. I’m grateful we could reach those who RSVP’d, thanks to our staff’s help. Everyone was so gracious and agreed to dine with us this Saturday instead of today. We’ll open early just for them. The roads should be clear by then. Only nine people said they couldn’t make it. But, instead of canceling our plans for you, our honored guests for the very first Spirit Lift Fellowship, we decided to contact you to see if you could still make it. I can’t explain it, and I know it sounds crazy, but I just felt a green light in my heart to move forward.”

“Nothing was going to stop me from getting to this Thanksgiving Dinner, Ms. Ashanti,” said Andrea. “Not even this blizzard. I’ve heard how good the food is here, but I’ve never had an opportunity to come. So, I put on three layers of clothes, two hats, and two pairs of gloves, plus shoes and rain galoshes over my shoes, and walked my cute behind here very slowly. I didn’t see another human being walking the streets, not even a stray dog, but I didn’t care. I’m so glad you didn’t cancel on us because I don’t know when I would have been able to come back due to my work schedule. Plus, I can’t afford your prices. All of my money is going to help put my two babies through college. I’m so proud of them. I reluctantly agreed to let them spend Thanksgiving with their roommates’ families, but they’ll be home for Christmas, and I’ll have them all to myself.”

“Man, this blizzard ain’t playing,” said Darren, pushing his way through the heavy heartwood front door after checking on things in the outside winter wilderness. Though the conditions were harsh, the scene was beautiful, as the velvety snow blanketed the ground, like clouds that made their home on earth rather than in the sky. “We haven’t had a winter storm like this in Atlanta since March of 1993. Remember that, Babe?” he asked as he hung his coat and hat in the spacious coat check room.

“How could I forget!” she said, smiling warmly. “We had so much fun with the kids making snow angels and sliding down the hills on the trash can lids.”

“Yeah, and don’t forget you almost busted my lip open with that snowball. My baby throws a mean snowball, ya’ll,” Darren informed the group.

They giggled.  

“Okay, everybody. Let’s take our seats, please. Dinner is ready,” Ashanti said excitedly to a round of applause from a grateful group. They sat at the table by the century-old stone fireplace, where a real old-fashioned fire Darren had kindled earlier was blazing brightly.

Darren continued to talk about the weather. “I don’t know how long ya’ll have been in Atlanta, but if we get one inch of snow, everything shuts down, let alone a blizzard dumping six inches. Good thing ya’ll live close by.” 

“I’m not complaining. I feel bad for those people stranded, and on Thanksgiving of all days,” added Cole, a divorced father of three. “All flights are grounded at the airport, and all the bus and train stations are closed, too. I hate that my little rugrats are going to miss seeing the snow, but I’m glad they’re able to spend the holiday with their mother and her family. She’s really making efforts to be a better mom now.”

“Awwww. That’s a blessing, Cole,” said Chloe, resting her chin on her clasped hands. “I love it when people turn things around and take advantage of second chances. I work at a pet shelter, and we had a guy who adopted a sweet puppy named Sammy. Then,” she threw her petite hands in the air and held up two fingers, “two months later, he brought him back, saying he didn’t realize taking care of a puppy would be that much work. Then,” her voice range increased by an octave, and she started twisting in the chair, “a month after he returned Sammy, he came back begging for another chance. I was the only one who would hear him out. He seemed really sorry and had tears in his eyes. Everybody else was like, ‘No way. Get out!’ Somehow, I convinced the Shelter Manager to give him another chance. She did. He never came back, except to let us see how well Sammy was doing.”

“That’s a beautiful story, Chloe. And each one of you is beautiful in your own way, always looking out for others. We just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for the loving and kind way you live your life and for the many ways you make a positive difference.”

“Ditto that,” said Darren. Let’s pray.” They grabbed hands, but as they bowed their heads, they heard a loud boom at the front door, as if someone were trying to knock it down with a battering ram. It startled them all.

“What is that?” asked Darren.

“Sounds like somebody’s trying to kick the door in,” replied Ashanti.

They all rushed to the door, Darren leading the pack.

“I have my blade in my purse if we need it,” Andrea said.

Opening the door, Darren found a glittery red gift box sitting in the snow in front of it.

“What is that?”

“Oh my,” Ashanti said, pressing her hands into her honey brown cheeks.

“Who in the world would drop off a gift in this weather?” asked Andrea as they all stared warily at the box as though it were a glowing meteorite from outer space. 

“Pick it up, Mr. Darren. Let’s see what’s inside,” instructed Chloe.

Darren stepped over the threshold, scanning all directions for the person who had delivered the gift. But no one was in sight. He picked it up and pressed his ear against it.

“Babe, if somebody wanted to blow us up, I think they would have picked another day,” voiced Ashanti. As he carried the gift box carefully to the table, the others fell in line behind him like kids following the pied piper.

Darren removed the shiny lid and lifted four cream colored envelopes out of the box. One envelope was addressed to Chloe, another to Andrea, the next to Cole, and the last to Darren and Ashanti. Darren distributed the personalized envelopes to the respective person.

“Should we open them?” asked Cole, holding his envelope, bewildered by the entire situation.

Andrea gave him a ‘duh’ look. He understood clearly her non-verbal response.

“Okay. I’ll go first,” Cole said. His pulse racing and hands sweating.

They glanced nervously at one another. The air brimmed with anxiety and anticipation.

Cole removed a $1,000 Gift Card to Ikea from the envelope. His mouth dropped open. A tennis ball could have easily fit inside it. He fought valiantly to fight back the tears, but he lost the battle. “I’ve been wanting to fix up my kids’ bedrooms. They’re such good kids, and they deserve a nice place to sleep. I couldn’t afford it before. Now, I can.” The women in the group released a collective heartfelt ‘Awwww,’ while Darren slapped Cole on the back, congratulating him.

Next, Chloe tore open hers. Inside, she found a diamond bracelet. The engraving read, ‘Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.’ “O-M-G!” she stood and chanted repeatedly, stomping her feet to the spontaneous beat that overflowed from a joyful heart.

The group chimed in with jubilant giggles.

Seeing Cole’s and Chloe’s generous gifts, Andrea tore hers open, revealing a certificate to massage, nail, and facial services at Diamond Dreams Spa for the next six months. The ‘For’ line on the certificate read, “Don’t forget to take care of you!”

Andrea burst into shouts of praise as she took off running around the restaurant. God is sho-nuff good! Whew, thank you, Jesus! Hallelujah!” She layered her praise with a COGIC dance. Those who knew how to do a COGIC dance joined her. The others clapped along, laughing, and glowing with gratitude.

Then, it was Darren and Ashanti’s turn to see what fate, or whoever left the box, had gifted them. Darren glared at Ashanti, who stared back with wide eyes.

“We’re waiting,” Andrea interjected softly.

They opened the envelope together. Inside was a check for $15,500. The exact amount they needed to upgrade some kitchen appliances for the restaurant. Darren grabbed his wife and held her tightly, the way a couple whose commitment had been forged in the fire clung to each other.  

Releasing Ashanti, Darren pressed his hands against both sides of his head. “Who did this?”

“Who knew we would all be here together today, especially in light of this blizzard?” asked Cole.

“Yeah, and who knew what we all needed?” Andrea added to the list of puzzling questions.

“And who knew I dreamed of having a diamond bracelet one day?” asked Chloe, bringing up the rear with her inquiry.

“You know what’s funny?” asked Ashanti.

“What?” said the group in unison.

“When Darren opened the door, I could have sworn I saw Ms. Nellie, the elderly lady I paid to do some odd jobs around here, standing across the street. She applied for employment, and even though we weren’t hiring, I felt bad for her, so I paid her to handle some small projects for me.  She was always asking questions, but a lot of times she seemed to already know the answers. She did really great work, but I haven’t seen her in a couple of weeks.”

“Do ya’ll know what’s really funny?” Darren asked.

“What?” they answered in unison again.

“There were no footprints at the doorstep or on the walkway leading to the door, and there were no tire marks in the parking lot.

The End

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