Chapter 16: Mission Grateful

"Come on ….. Come on …" Miles was in his parents room as his mother sleeps soundly. "Almost…" Miles nearly knocked over an alarm clock but caught his before it hit the floor. "Nearly seven." Miles said as place the clock back.

He finished what he was doing and quietly slipped out of the room.

"That was a close one." He sighs as he turned to the three boarders Ernie, Oscar, and Mr. Hyunh. "Is everything set up?"

All three nodded.

"I hung them all up around the halls." Mr. Hyunh spoke in a quiet tone.

"I got the types of rocks we needed." Ernie grinned with a brown paper bag.

"And I have the socks!" Oscar laughed.

"And I got these stupid looking sweaters." Phil appeared with sweaters in his arms. "Is your plan all ready?"

Miles gave a thumbs up as they all heard the alarm clock going off.

"Quick, throw these on!" Phil quietly rushed everyone as they put the sweaters on.

They waited patiently for Pookie to appear from her room. When she opened the door to greet the day, she was met by the four as each one looked as cheery as ever.

"Merry Christmas!" they all shouted. All dressed in ugly christmas sweaters with decorations around the hallway, and Ernie with a bag of coal.

Pookie just looked at them quietly until she randomly shouted. "Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!" She danced down the hall. "I'm going to help Stella out with the turkey!"

When she was out of earshot, all four men jumped up for joy. "It worked!"

"Now we can actually celebrate Thanksgiving!" Ernie cheered.

"It's so beautiful." Mr. Hyunh started shedding cheers of joy.

"Let's do this every year!" Oscar threw his arms up in the air.

"Great idea!" Phil said to all of them. "We'll start decorating for Christmas early around this time, we'll write our Christmas List, do the Secret Santa early…."

"No one can top my Daughter Mai." Mr. Hyunh said proudly. "I still don't understand how that miracle worked."

Miles smiled at the three cheering as they head down the hallway.

"Well Dad, it worked." Arnold walked up to him and smiled. "But you do realize that you practically commercialized Christmas at the boarding house, undermining Thanksgiving."

"...Oh boy." Miles held his head and smiled at his shame. "WannA go volunteer at a soup cafeteria?"

"Sure thing."

Arnold smiled as both father and son walk downstairs to help the needy, until Grandma appeared again now wanting to celebrate Arbor Day.

End of Chapter