It was Thanksgiving when all my family was visiting for the weekend. Even the family that I had never even met before were hugged and smiled at me. And of course all of the older women were pinching my cheeks and the older men pretending that they stole my nose. I laughed to go along with it and make them feel better about their "old people jokes".

All of a sudden my fake smile turned into a real frown. My seven-old-cousin twice-removed named Liam skipped inside the house. I’ve only seen him once in my life before, and that was at his disturbingly old and mentally challenged dog’s funeral. And at the time, he was being a grumpy and depressed twerp. He kept making fun of me about my pointless characteristics like my curly hair and knuckle hair.

Even if a tornado hit our house, I still wouldn’t want to share a bedroom with him, let alone put up with his family staying in the same household as me.

“Curly haired Keenan”, he said with an agitating grin.

I rolled my eyes and proceeded to smile at other relatives. As soon as possible, I made an escape to my room.

“Why don’t you make the beds while you’re up there?” My mom asked.

“No problem”, I replied.

It really wasn’t a problem. As long as I was away from Liam, I was perfectly fine. Unfortunately, when he came upstairs to announce that we were sleeping in the same room, it was like he was rubbing it in my face.

“Look away!” he whined as he was changing into his pajamas.

When I turned around, my imagination went crazy. I was thinking about the time when I wouldn’t have to worry about the ticking time bomb inside me that would explode, resulting in me dragging Liam’s scrawny little body out of the door by his stubby feet.

“Well goodnight Curly Keenan”, Liam broadcasted, with that annoying grin on his face.

“What?” I was dumbfounded, lost in my evil thoughts.

“Goodnight? ” he said with a confused appearance, trying to make me feel stupid. “You momma’s boy”, he whispered, once again.

“Oh yeah… and please do let the bedbugs bite”, I came back.

He mumbled something, probably a comeback that he was trying to think of but failed. I chuckled myself to sleep. I woke up to Liam slapping me repeatedly in the face, teasing and taunting me. I palmed his small head out of my face and made my way to the bathroom where I could have some peace and quiet. When I got out, Liam was standing right outside the doorway. I tripped and stubbed my toe, causing me to hop on one foot, which then caused me to fall over. I never even noticed his existence in the hallway because of his height, and how short he was.

Standing there in his onzie, I gave him “The Brow”. He was such a meatball, acting like he was four.

“Meatball”, I grumbled at him.

He stood there, giving me a creep look, and his eyes half shut from the so-called fairy dust, which I guess happens over night.

I could already smell my mother preparing the turkey in the oven and all my aunts, uncles, and grandmothers preparing other foods, like the stuffing and cranberry sauce.

For the special occasion, I put on some nice clothes for Thanksgiving.

Liam dressed up in clothing that made him look like a dejected little boy, attending an all boys private school. And he had he nerve to call me a momma’s boy. Later in the afternoon, the table was all set for dinner and ready to eat.

Later in the afternoon, my family gathered around the table to taste the food that the he best cooks in the family had put together.

“God has specifically blessed this family on this day”, my religious grandmother, on my father’s side, proclaimed. No one really cared or understood what she was saying but we just kept eating the delicious food.

After the filling dessert, we all just sat in our chairs, bloated and yawning.

I couldn’t wait to kick Liam out of the house. It would’ve been one of the few highlights of my weekend. I was about to fall asleep in my chair, if it hadn’t have been for the announcement that Liam’s family better make their way up the road. At this point in my night, nothing else mattered except for my peace of mind. I was finally relaxing and calming down.

My tasteful day, with the football games, and everybody else’s smiling faces, and Liam’s departure, it was all just sublime. I truly was thankful.

Then I remembered that I had an English paper due the next day.