Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, rolls, and, for dessert, pie and ice cream. A local bakery donated the pies. Everything else was made at the shelter. Some of it—the gravy, the stuffing, the potatoes—could be prepared ahead of time and frozen or refrigerated. It was a lot of work. Betty needed all the help she could get to be ready in time for Christmas. I hung up my coat, changed out of my boots and into a pair of sneakers, and went to the kitchen to see what she wanted me to do. “Onions,” Betty said. “I need someone to chop onions.” She nodded at a large bag sitting on the floor. “How many do you need chopped?” I said. “All ’em.” I heaved the sack of onions up onto the counter beside a cutting board and set to work. To my surprise, a few minutes later, Andrew set up beside me. He started to cut day-old loaves of bread into small cubes for the stuffing. “Hey Robyn,” he said, smiling at me without showing his teeth. “Hey Andrew,” I said. “Don’t tell me they’re making you work for your supper.”
