Page 106 of Tracing Holland

“Luke doesn’t drink, Mom,” Holland adds, and I’m not surprised by their surprise.

“Oh!Well, I’m sorry for asking then.Is it bothering you that we are?”

I just smile.“No, it’s fine.Really, you all have been great.Thanks for having me.”

“You a Jays fan, Luke?You know they have a shot at the Wild Card this year.Just a week left in the season but they’re only one and a half games out.”

“Dad, he’s from South Africa and grew up in Houston.I guarantee you he’s not a Jays fan,” Holland mutters.

I laugh.“That’s true, but I like baseball.”

James gives his daughter a triumphant look as he rises from the table.“Well, come watch the game with me and see how real baseball is played.”

“Can I help with the dishes or anything, Mrs.Drake?”I ask, picking up my plate as I rise.

“Please, Luke.If you’re going to date my daughter you’re going to call me Annie.And no.You leave that.Holland and I have a lot of catching up to do.You go relax and watch the game.Can we get you anything else?A bottle of water?Some pop?Coffee?”

“No, thank you, I’m fine.”

“Oh, Holland, we have to take him for a poutine while he’s here!”Sylvie chimes in.

“Have you ever had a poutine?”Holland asks.

“That’s the fries with the gravy, right?”

“And cheese curds, yes.There’s a great place over in Scarborough but it’s a bit of a trip.”

“No, no!They just opened this new place over on Winter Street, Hol,” Sylvie corrects.“Just as good!”

“Really?As good as Hendricks?”

“Delicious,” James comments.“They do a good burger too.You like burgers, Luke?”

I nod.“Love them.”

“Great.We’ll take you over there sometime while you’re here.How long are you in town again?”

“Through our Saturday show.We’ll roll out on Sunday.”

“Excellent!That gives us plenty of time to get to know you.Did Holland tell you about Thursday yet?”Annie asks.

I glance at Holland who looks like she wasn’t planning to tell me about Thursday.

“No, what’s Thursday?”

“You didn’t tell him?”Annie directs to Holland who shrugs.

“Geez, Mom.You just asked me about it this morning.”

“Still!”She shakes her head and turns back to me.“Anyway, we thought since our daughter is actually home around Thanksgiving time, we’d do an early dinner this year.You’re coming as well, of course.”

“Um…”

“Canadian Thanksgiving is in a couple weeks,” Holland explains.Then glares at her mother.“And you don’t have to come if you don’t want to.That was an invitation, not a demand, right, Mom?”

“Of course!He’s free to turn it down if he wants to insult his future in-laws,” James teases from his recliner in the next room.

“Dad!Seriously?”Holland cries in exasperation.Her apologetic look turns outright pleading as she turns it on me.“I’m sorry about them.It’s not a Canadian thing, it’s a Drake thing.”