This is the 4th story in my series covering Daria's senior year in college.

Thanksgiving

Chapter 1: To Daria's House He Goes

"No Mother, I am not coming home this weekend," Tom said over his mobile phone.

Kay Sloane replied, "Its Thanksgiving Tom and we would like to see you! Your Father and Elsie will miss you terribly."

Tom was getting irritated. "Elsie will be glad I'm not there. Look, I only have Thursday and Friday as a break from school. Daria and I decided to spend the holiday together in Boston in part because there is not much time. If we tried to go back to Lawndale we would spend the equivalent of a full day either on the train or flying. The train is four hours each way. The layovers to get flights from Baltimore to Lawndale make it four hours by plane. In an hour I can be in Boston enjoying my long weekend."

Kay shot back, "Whatever. But Tom I'm getting tired of this fling of yours. You need to think more about your family and your future. I guess we'll see you at Christmas."

"I have to go. The train is pulling in and I can see Daria waiting for me on the platform. Goodbye." Tom flipped his phone shut ending the call. In fact as they were nearing the platform he didn't see Daria. But, that statement would at least have some effect on his mother. A part of him was sad that his mother just could not see that Daria was very important to him. She was no fling.

The train slowed and Tom got up and grabbed his backpack and duffel bag off of the shelf above his seat and headed toward the door. There was a lurch as the train came to a halt, but Tom made sure he was hanging on to something when that happened. By the time he reached the door the conductor had already opened it and people were getting off. Since this was the peak travel day of the year the train was nearly full and the platform was crowded.

While Tom was talking to his mother Daria had been standing impatiently holding on to a pole as the subway train made its way toward the railroad station. She could see as they passed various subway platforms that the crowds were beginning to build. It was a long holiday weekend and many people were getting off work ahead of the usual rush hour. She had to admit to herself that she was really anxious to see Tom. Thoughts of his angular face, sandy hair and gray eyes went through her mind. It wasn't that he was all that tall at 5' 10" (178 cm). The real thing in this relationship was that she enjoyed his company and conversation. They were intellectual equals, though in different fields. He was majoring in accounting and she in English.

Finally the subway train reached the station and she jumped off as soon as the doors opened. While walking she quickly checked the time on her phone. Tom's train should be reaching the platform any minute. Maybe it was an irrational thing to do, but Daria actually walked up the escalator's stairs just to get to the platform faster.

The crowd was thick enough that Daria could not see Tom. At 5' 3" (160 cm) she was not tall enough to see over most of the people. So, she took up a position at the end of the platform. She flipped open her phone and fired off a quick text message to Tom, 'c u end.'

Walking down the platform Tom stepped aside and flipped open his phone to read the text from Daria. He continued on. About two minutes later he spotted Daria. There was no way he could miss her thing frame, auburn hair, oval face, and round glasses.

Daria reached over, grabbed Tom's arm and pulled him in for a very quick kiss. A little out of breath she said, "We need to head for the 'T' right away. It is almost the start of rush hour and with the holiday crowds we will be packed like sardines if we don't get on a train right now."

Still holding his hand Daria said nothing and guided Tom as they moved as quickly as they could through the crowd toward the subway station. Daria knew that time would be of the essence, so she had already bought a ticket for Tom to get him back to the station near Raft. They went through the turnstiles and onto the platform. A train pulled in less than a minute after they arrived and the two jumped on. They were even fortunate enough to find seats next to each other!

Feeling the acceleration of the subway train pulling away from the platform Daria finally asked Tom, "So how was the train trip?"

Tom replied, "It was OK. Traveling on a peak travel day has its downside, though. Every seat was taken and the noise level was pretty high. I love my cell phone, but with so many people having them it gets loud in the train car. Sometimes the conversations are ones you don't want to hear. There was one woman behind me that was talking about her former lovers and the disease she got from one of them! Wearing headphones and turning up my music helped, but that was just something I couldn't unhear!"

"Eeew," Daria said while contorting her face to show disgust. She continued to gaze at Tom. He seemed unfazed as he told the story.

Tom went on, "Otherwise, it was a fairly normal trip." The two sat together holding hands for the remainder of the ride. The train pulled into the station; they got off and started walking toward Daria's apartment.

As they walked Tom commented, "I'm surprised there isn't more traffic here. It's rush hour and there is barely anyone out."

Daria replied, "It is amazing how empty and quiet the campus is. By noon people were heading out in droves. God forbid that anyone would work a full day on Thanksgiving-eve! There are only a few of us left for the weekend and then there are the international students. They are keeping one food service location in the Student Union open for them over the weekend. If you want I could freeze the turkey breast I bought and we could have cafeteria food for Thanksgiving!"

Tom responded in total deadpan, "I think we should stick to the plan. I find cafeteria food about as appealing as getting my Thanksgiving dinner at a gas station."

Daria deadpanned back, "What's wrong with 5 hour old hot dogs? I'll bet some of the gas stations have turkey franks on Thanksgiving. After all they have to compete with microwave dinners."

"We could always have frozen lasagna," Tom quipped.

"Bite your tongue," was all that Daria said in reply.

As they approached the door to Daria's building, she pulled out her key card and slid it through the reader. The door unlocked. She grabbed the door handle and let Tom into the building. The elevator was right by the door and the two rode up to Daria's floor. There she used her key to let them into her apartment.

Tom looked around as he put his things in Daria's bedroom. He then hung his jacket on one of the hooks behind the front door. The apartment was modern and kind of cold with the standard issue university furniture, but the girls had added some touches to give it personality. Tom had to admit to liking his place better. The old Victorian house had character. Still, this place had one thing his place did not – Daria.

As Tom sat down on the rather hard sofa he asked, "So what are the plans?"

Daria sat down next to him and replied, "I thought you could take your poor half-starved girlfriend out to dinner and then maybe we could go to a movie or something." Looking up at Tom she went on, "Then we can come back here and figure out what to do." Daria actually cracked a half-smile.

"That sounds good. What about tomorrow?" Tom asked.

"Well, Jane and Owen will be coming over about 1:00. So, I for one plan to sleep late. I bought a turkey breast for us. A whole turkey is just too much for four people. Also, I bought stuffing mix. You brought the wine, right?"

"Four bottles of German Riesling are nestled in my bag and lovingly wrapped in bubble wrap!" Tom replied.

With a serious look on her face Daria said, "Good. We don't have to worry about the RA this weekend. She went home and won't be around to enforce the 'dry campus' rules. I can't tell you how humiliating it is to get 'inspected' to make sure there is no alcohol in the apartment even though everyone is of age. Anyway, once we kill those bottles we will need to dispose of them in off-campus trash receptacles."

Tom chuckled, "Do I detect a hint of Melody Powers in that statement? Really, I can just take them with me when I head back to Newtowne. I can always just dump them in the trash at the train station. So what are Jane and Owen bringing?"

"They are bringing potatoes, vegetables and Jane is baking a pumpkin pie. I have whipped cream here."

Tom asked, "Is it in a pressurized can or do we have to whip it ourselves?"

Daria replied, "I bought a couple of cans. I thought it would be easier."

"So if we used part of a can tonight we would still have some for tomorrow!" Tom stated.

Daria made a fist and hit Tom in the arm. "You are terrible! Get any thoughts not related to using whipped cream as food out of your head, mister."

"Ouch," Tom said. "I was planning on eating it!"

Daria hit him again.

"OK, then it sounds like a great feast! Our first Thanksgiving together." Tom hugged Daria.

"Now be a good boyfriend and put the wine in the fridge. Then you can take me to dinner."

It occurred to Tom that Daria's last statement almost sounded like something Quinn would say. He also thought it best not to mention that out loud lest it have serious repercussions. Besides, his arm was already a little sore.