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There was in fact one set of sheets still clean and fresh in their packaging, but I had been taught to always wash new cloths and linens before wearing or using them. So I left the kid with an old towel and set him to wiping everything in the guest room down for dust while I headed downstairs to put all of the girl’s tablecloths in the washer.

I remembered to throw in the clean set as well. Should end up with at least one set good to go.

There was enough dirty clothes to make it a full load, but I set the machine on hot and large load for just the sheets to hopefully take care of any grease stains. The rest of it would have to wait. Of course I did have space and money to put in a second set of washers and dryers. You know, live it up. But I doubted it was worth it, just the normal one and one would do most days.

So now I would have a room ready for my son and his wife, and I had enough food for them and the kids for a weekend. But was I going to have enough to feed the other guests? I would imagine this was going to be be a long talk, and I was looking at six of them, plus my son, his wife, and the kids. Then myself and my two seconds. So fourteen people all together.

I was still going to need to find two people, and I needed to know what kind of food to get. The one guy was born in Japan. So even living in America for who know how long, it might be an insult to not offer him something from Japan. Even worst if I screw up making that special something which most likely would be something I had never tried to make before.

Yeah. Going to need to talk to the expert about this.

From the sound of it the girls were still talking as I got back to the kitchen, with the phone now on speaker.

“Hey John, or Yuki I guess. What should I plan on for dinner for all these people, and since they’re going to be here at noon, I’m guessing lunch too?”

It was Yuki that answered. “Turkey for the dinner. A whole Thanksgiving meal in fact. It will irritate my great grandfather but it will also symbolism that it is a family meal, and that his family is American now.”

“Something light for lunch, both literally and figuratively, would be nice. Sandwiches maybe?”

Okay, a bit more of an answer then I was expecting. “I wouldn’t think upsetting your great granddad would be the best idea.”

She huffed. “He is going to be upset no matter what. But if it is deliberate and done to make a point, he will be unwilling to acknowledge it. He will also know it was my idea and to some degree respect it.”

Great. My son married Sun Tzu “Sounds like a busy day. But no special dishes, vegetarian or anything like that?”

She laughed. “No. I don’t think so? John?”

My son spoke up. “Candy, sweets. Not candy bars, but old fashioned hard candies and some fancy chocolates. No, let me worry about that, we’re making a few stops on the way up there. So I’ll take care of those.”

Those sounded pretty good actually I hoped he got enough so there would be leftovers. “Got it, I’ll try to pick up some fancier serving trays.”

I looked a the grand kids. “Say you’re good byes or call them back on Ami’s phone, I need mine back.”

There was plenty of good byes on both sides, especial since both girls each just had to say their own goodbyes to both parents and their uncle by name. But I finally got my phone back just as Yuki asked. “Is Aran being extra quiet or do you two loose track of him again?”

The girl’s heads snap around looking for their brother as I spoke up. “I left him wiping down the furniture in you two’s room. I’ll set the girls to tracking him down.”

She bid me a cheerful “Okay. See all of you tonight. Bye girls, bye Mr Lathe.”

Hmmm. I guess I should get her to call me John to show us as being close in front of the witch and warriors. But her husband is also named John. Should I tell her to call me Dad?

The girls ran off as I stood there pondering that. I guess I wasn’t going to know how that would feel until she did, but it would avoid some confusion. At least until on some future day that me and her father ended up in the same room and we had double Dads.

Next, I poked the button for Shyster Charles. “Hey Uncle John. I’m planning on heading up to my Dad’s this afternoon. Are you going to be able to… do the thing this weekend?”

“Yeah. About that. The head of my ex’s family, the witch queen? She’s going to be here tomorrow at noon for a meeting with the head of a clan of magical warriors for hire. That's Yuki’s family. Along with two sidekicks each including my ex. I supposed to have two people with me as the host to have even numbers. My son and his wife, who will be here tonight, don’t count.”

“I also have to lay out an entire Thanksgiving dinner for tomorrow as well as putting out a spread for lunch.”

My nephew made a sort of distracted “Yeah huh?” sound.

“So I figure having a lawyer present might help, especially one related to the kids by blood. So will you be my second?”

There was a pause. Then. “I’m going to need more details, and it’s a yes, but I still a lot more details.”

I nodded at the phone. “I’ll call you after lunch, better yet, I’ll talk to my boy and see if he’s good with talking to you himself. He’s some sort of agent for hire and knows the protocol for this sort of thing.”

Charles sounded much more reassured. “Now that sounds good, I got… someone else I just found out is on the inside of this kind of thing. Someone I can talk to after the sun sets...”

Oh? Ohhhhh. “Then you should definitely talk to my son, there is a lot of subtext in knowing someone like that then either of us have been read in on.”

He snorted. “Yeah, I picked up of some of that. What about my Dad?”

I grinned to myself as the girls wandered in with their brother and glares on their faces. Directed at me? What did I do now? “Well your Dad loves to cook, and I got two meals to prepare tomorrow. I also need another second. I’ll get him over here myself.”

Charles agreed. “Yeah, it might look good having two family member’s there, especially if they think theirs a whole gang of werewolf relatives backing up your son. Let’s have some subtext of our own.”