Jaime Porter sat down in the dining room before a table covered with food. Steaming ceramic containers held casseroles, potatoes, salads, and breads. Jaime noticed none of these. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, all the while bobbing her head. Her long fall of hair hid the fact that she was wearing headphones, and her baggy sweatshirt made a perfect secret compartment for her Discman. She continued bobbing her head, ignoring the hustle and bustle in the dining room and kitchen. Nobody noticed.

Mrs. Susie Porter rushed to the over to pull out the turkey. Thanksgiving was the hardest time of the year. Christmas was dominated by grandparents who cooked, cleaned, and shopped. Thanksgiving, though, was all hers. Susie set the turkey in the spot her son Jeremy had labeled the "Turkey’s Turf," and wiped her brow. Every single year it was work, work, and work. Never did she receive a ‘thank you,’ or an ‘I love you,’ or even a ‘you’re the greatest.’ No, every year her darling family just patted their stomachs and left the table. Never had they shown any gratitude. She was this close to just…The oven dinged. Oh, there’s the green bean casserole.

Henry Porter scratched his stomach. His football team was trailing by twenty points and he was hungry. He hoped Susie would be done soon, if she wasn’t he might just have to start in without her. His eyes reflexively moved back to the TV just in time to see the ref. make a false call. "Damn it Ref. what in the hell kind of call was that?" Great, now he was hungry and pissed as all hell. It was a lethal combination in his book. Henry stood and walked to the head of the table in the dining room. He sat down and started shoveling food onto his plate. He ignored Jamie and dug into his food. He was hungry and he was going to eat now.

Jeremy Porter sat on the floor of his darkened lair. He had one mission, and only one mission, and that was to destroy Heihachi Mishima. He crouched, performed a spiral uppercut, and smashed his fist into his opponent’s jaw. He was just getting ready to perform the final death blow, a roundhouse kick, when light burst into his domain. Instead of killing his opponent he, in turn, got thrown across the room. As Jeremy watched, his character, Jin Kazama, crumpled to the ground. "Mom," he said, voice laced with annoyance. "You made me die."

"Well, that’s good," Susie said. "It’s time for dinner." With that said she turned and walked away.

"Great, time for another family dinner."

Everyone settled down at the table. Jeremy was tense with excitement. He really wanted to go back to his room and start Tekken up again; he was sure that this time he wouldn’t die, this time he would succeed. Of course, if he wanted to go back and play he would have to eat quickly. He eyed the food, carefully choosing which dishes could be consumed the fastest. Having made up his mind he reached for a plate.

Susie wanted to cry. Her husband had started eating without her, her daughter was off in her own little world, and her son looked like he was preparing for the world’s fastest eating record. It was going to be another year of disappointment. Again she had slaved for hours to make all this food, and again no one appreciated her. She sniffled and reached for the potatoes.

Henry had his eye on the kidney bean casserole. It was right next to Jaime. She was off in her world again, bobbing her head and not paying attention to anyone.

"James," he said. Nothing, she continued bobbing her head and munching on a piece of bread. "Jaime," he tried again, still no reaction. He lost his patience. "Jaime," he said and shoved her shoulder.

Jaime blinked and fumbled in her sweatshirt. "Huh?" she said.

"Will you pass the goddamned kidney bean casserole?"

"Sure," she said. She handed it to him and them pressed her stomach and started bobbing her head again.

Henry sighed, what was he going to do with that girl?

"Defying Gravity," Jaime’s favorite song from the "Wicked" soundtrack switched on. She would so rather be curled up with a book right now. She was about halfway through Shadow Puppets and she really wanted to finish it. Jaime shoved a forkful of potatoes into her mouth; she’s have to remember to tell her mother that she’d out done herself this year. The potatoes were fantastic.

Even though Jeremy was eating faster than any normal human, it was Jaime who finished first. She placed her fork on her plate and rose from her chair. She walked towards her mother, head still bobbing, and her sweatshirt hanging low from the added weight of the hidden Discman.

Susie looked up at her daughter as Jaime stooped down next to her. Jaime gave her a peck on the cheek and said, "Thanks mom, it was great." Jaime then turned and wandered away in the direction of her bedroom. Susie’s son and husband continued forking food into their mouths, but Susie knew everything was different. She felt a tear of happiness work its way down her cheek. She was appreciated. She couldn’t wait until next Thanksgiving.