It's Thanksgiving and at the Donahue Ranch, Carol is just starting set the table when Cody comes in.

Carol: Oh, good, you're here.

Cody: It's a bit early, don't the caterers usually serve the dinner later than this? They have in the past.

Carol: No caterers this year, this time around, I cooked.

Cody: You cooked?

Carol: Yes, is that surprising?

Cody: I've never seen you cook, we've always had a cook here and the holiday dinners have been catered.

Carol: I'm going for a little more of a family oriented touch this time, after the things that have happened in the past year, I think we should all start acting more like family.

Cody: Okay, I get that, but I just want to know if this dinner is edible.

Carol: You and your wisecracks. I have cooked before, when your father and I were first married, I used to cook dinner all the time.

Cody: If you say so.

Carol: The dinner is fine, do you smell anything burning or see smoke?

Cody: I'll reserve my judgment until later.

Norm comes into the dining room.

Carol: You certainly are dressed to the nines.

Norm: I'm wondering if you wouldn't mind too much if I left dinner a bit early.

Carol: Why?

Norm: I have a friend who can't make it home for Thanksgiving and I thought I'd spend some time with her so she wouldn't be alone.

Carol: So that's why you dressed up.

Cody: Who is it?

Norm: Leigh Elgin.

Carol: Edmund McGregor's ex-wife? When did you hook up with her?

Norm: You know we go way back. We reconnected recently and it's been good for me.

Carol: She was trouble then and she's probably trouble now.

Norm: It's not like I'm exactly a saint, so I can't judge whatever Leigh has done.

Carol: She always struck me as an opportunist looking for a rich husband. She got one with Edmund, do you want to be her second?

Norm: You don't know her like I do.

Carol: Whatever, just be careful.

Norm: I know what I'm doing. If you'll excuse me, I'll have to go call Leigh and tell her that I'll be on my way soon.

Norm excuses himself to call Leigh.

Norm: Hey, glad I caught you.

Leigh: This better be about the plan, I'm getting restless.

Norm: Don't worry, it is. I've got a conference call later with someone who could seal this thing up.

Leigh: Are you serious? You can get something done on the holiday

Norm: Some of my people work around the clock

Norm: It could be the smoking gun, if it pans out, the judge will not look at Edmund favorably do to his associations.

Leigh: I like this.

Norm: Meet me at my office in about an hour.

Leigh: Of course.

Leigh hangs up and pumps her fist in excitement.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

At the Athletic Club, Teri is just arriving at George's suite.

George: I'm quite surprised to see you, when you blew me off in the south of France last year, I thought we'd never see each other again.

Teri: We had a fling and it fizzled out because we were going in opposite directions.

George: So, what brings you here?

Teri: There's something you need to know.

George: I can't imagine what it is.

Teri: You remember that last night we spent together? We had way too much champagne and ended spending the night on that beach.

George: How could I forget that?

Teri: Well, now we both have a reminder. You're a Dad now.

George: Excuse me?

Teri: You've got a son.

George: A son? I don't believe this.

Teri: It took me a while to get the courage to come here to tell you. I just want to say up front that this is not about money, it's about you knowing your son.

George: Where is he? I want to see him.

Teri: He's with his governess right now at my hotel.

George: I'd like to see him.

Teri: Of course. I was sort of shocked when I found out you were in Novi, this has been my family's home for a long time.

George: Wait, you wouldn't happen to be related to John Phelps, the SEC vet?

Teri: Yes, he's my father.

George: Oh, boy.

Teri: What's wrong?

George: It's nothing important, let's just go see my son.

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

At the McGregor Estate, Anna is answering the kitchen door for Andrew.

Anna: Come in.

Andrew: You look wonderful.

Anna: Thank you, but we really need to talk.

Andrew: Fine.

Anna: I don't like that you involved my aunt in this.

Andrew: I'm sorry, but it was my last resort. She's always been able to get you to see the upside of things and I needed someone else to plead my case.

Anna: Well, I haven't forgiven you yet, but I do think that our children deserve to know the truth and that should not hinge on rather or not we work things out.

Andrew: My children. It's been so long, so much has changed, I don't even know what to say.

Anna: You've got that right, I filled you in on the phone as best I could, so you should be able to connect on some level.

Martha comes into the kitchen.

Martha: Drew?

Andrew: Miss Martha, is so good to see you again. You know you're the only person who could ever get away with calling me Drew.

Martha: It's a miracle that you survived and came back.

Andrew: It sure is, I'm very thankful.

Martha: I'm sure you are.

Andrew: Just so you know, Anna, Miss Martha chewed me out on the phone over my actions, she didn't just give me a free pass.

Martha: He's telling the truth, you know I never let anybody get by me without giving them a piece of my mind.

_________________________________________________________________________________

In the living room, The McGregor children are having conversation.

Yvette: Usually, I feel really cheery this time of year, but right now I'm not feeling it. Mom is so down, it

just makes me feel so awful.

Edmund: It's no wonder with this whole mess with Cassandra and George.

Joseph: I can't even figure that one out.

Edmund: Why would he do something like that?

Lynette: Unfortunately, we'll never know.

Yvette: I was just saying yesterday that I wish that there was a way to understand it.

Joseph: No use worrying about it now, it's been done and we have to deal with the consequences.

Lynette: What did you all think of George? I haven't met him yet.

Joseph: Put simply, people like him are the reason the one finger salute exist.

Yvette: He's just a real piece of work, it's like Mother, like Son, he's almost exactly like his mother. Very bitter.

Edmund: I get that he's bitter, but why take it out on us, we're not the ones who hurt him and his mother.

Joseph: It's the blame game, somebody has always got to be blamed, rather they did anything wrong or not.

Lynette: He is our brother after all, perhaps we should give him a chance.

Yvette: At this point, it's up to him to decide rather or not he wants to reach out. He's put us through heck, so I'm not anxious to welcome him with open arms.

Joseph: I second that.

Lynette: It sure is a messy situation.

Edmund: You know, this is the day we are supposed to be thankful, so we shouldn't be talking so negatively.

Yvette: You're right, let's all be thankful for the good things we have. All people like George have is their spite, let's try not to emulate that.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

At the Town and Country Inn, George is holding his son.

George: He's perfect.

Teri: That's what I say everyday.

George: What's his name?

Teri: Jonathan George Lightner, I just call him Johnny for short though.

George: I've always wanted to be a father, but now that it's true, it's so unreal.

Teri: I guess all parents feel that way.

George: So, have you seen your family?

Teri: I'm going over there later, I would have gone there when I first got in town, but I wanted to get things squared with you.

George: You certainly lit up my day.

Teri: Speaking of my family When I told you who my father was, you acted odd, why?

George: It just had something to do with a business deal, he and I had some heated words. I just wondered how he would react finding out who the father of his grandson is.

Teri: Oh, my Dad doesn't hold grudges.

George: He thinks I'm a crook and he really doesn't like me for launching a hostile takeover against some of his good friends.

Teri: You know what? It's Thanksgiving and right now we should be thankful for good things. If you have no plans for Thanksgiving, why don't you come to my house and meet my father on a non-business basis?

George: I don't know, meeting the family dinners can be awkward, especially under my circumstances.

Teri: There's nothing to fear.

George: I'm not afraid.

Teri: Then come with me.

George: I probably should do this, our families are going to be connected from now on because of this little guy.

Teri: It'll be fine.

George: I don't want my son growing up knowing that his Father and Grandfather are arch-rivals, so it's worth a try.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Back at the McGregor House, the family is sitting down to just as Anna and Martha put the last dishes on the table.

Anna: You know, I always give a little speech before we say grace and then eat. I'm going to do that now, but what I have to say is a little different than usual. We can be thankful for all of us being here in good health and thankful for all the other blessings we have. I don't know quite how to say this.

Yvette: Mom, what is it?

Anna: Even though it's going to be hard to understand, but we have something else we can be thankful for this year.

Andrew walks out of the kitchen and everyone at the table is stunned.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________