Aka Amy

"Ok sis, see you soon!" Amethyst said into her phone. Then as she tapped the screen to end the call she let her girlfriend know, "Hailey's not ready yet, she asked me to wait a few minutes before I pop over there to get them."

After checking the time she added, "And my dad should be here in about a half hour."

Theresa and I were currently lounging on the sofa together. The tall redhead was relaxing with a glass of wine in one hand, while her other hand idly stroked through the fur on my head and back as I lay across her lap.

She responded, "Sounds good. Is there anything I need to do while you're off fetching your sister and Alex?"

"Not really," Amy shook her head as she came and joined Tess and I on the sofa. "It's not like I'll be gone any length of time, and most of the work in the kitchen is pretty much done for now. Things will get busy in there again when it gets closer to dinner time, but that's more than an hour away."

After a sip of her wine Tess asked, "Are you actually going to eat any of it? It seems wrong that you've gone to so much trouble to make a big traditional meal if you're not planning on enjoying it yourself."

Amy smiled, "Don't worry, I'll be eating with everyone else. I told you from the start I'd be eating on special occasions, right? And if I didn't eat today I'd have to explain why to my dad. That's a conversation I'd like to put off a while longer."

"You're going to have to tell him sooner or later cutie," Theresa stated as she gently scritched my ears.

"Someday," Amethyst grimaced. "But not today. It's thanksgiving, and I'd like to avoid any heated debates or shocking revelations."

Today was not in fact thanksgiving. That holiday was officially on Monday. This was Saturday, but the local humans tended to view the entire weekend as part of the holiday. It was useful for people with lots of social connections that didn't necessarily socialize together, since it meant they had three days to choose from for their big get-together and feast.

Amethyst and Theresa were hosting Hailey and Alex and Doug today. Then as I understood it, Hailey and Alex would be celebrating again on Sunday with Alex's family. And finally Hailey Alex and Douglas would be getting together again on Monday at Amethyst's parents' home for yet another celebration and feast. Amy and Tess weren't invited to the Sunday one because they weren't part of Alex's family's social group, and they were excluded from the one on Monday because Amethyst was estranged from her mother.

It was all needlessly complicated as far as I was concerned. But then back in my day the harvest festivals were village-wide celebrations, rather than being private affairs restricted to family and close friends. And back then everybody was involved in both the preparations and the celebrations.

In this household Amy did most of the shopping and all of the cooking, which I found cute. It was amusing to see how the goddess doted on and looked after her beloved. And today Amethyst spent most of her morning and part of the afternoon in the kitchen, preparing for this evening's feast.

Now my mouth was almost watering, the scent of roasting turkey was practically divine. No pun intended, considering the status of the woman who prepared it. In fact the smells coming from the oven were so good I was already plotting several instances of food theft. It was a long shot but I even had an elaborate scheme coming together in my head to try and score myself an entire turkey drumstick.

My body rumbled with a happy purr as I pictured getting my paws on that big juicy hunk of meat wrapped in some crinkly roasted skin. My eyes drifted shut, and between my vivid imagination and the pleasant feeling of Theresa's fingernails gently scritching my forehead I was almost in kitty heaven. No pun intended again.

It all came crashing down when I felt Amethyst's hands slip around my body. A moment later she lifted me up off her girlfriend's lap and set me down on her own as she addressed me, "Siggy? I'd like to talk to you about something before my dad gets here."

"You want me to keep quiet and pretend to be a normal cat again?" I sighed. "He knows you're a goddess, what does it matter if he finds out your cat can talk?"

Amy shook her head, "That's not what I was going to say."

I tilted my head to one side, "Oh? What's on your mind then?"

She hesitated briefly, then took a deep breath and asked "I was wondering if you'd consider switching to your human shape and joining us for thanksgiving dinner?"

"If you don't want to that's fine," she added quickly. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable or anything. But you've been with us for nearly three months now, you feel like family to me and Tess."

She continued, "You've already met everyone who'll be here, there won't be any new people, no strangers or anything like that. So I'd like to introduce you to my dad properly. And after all this time I was thinking it might be nice if Tess could meet your human side too."

For the next few seconds I just stared at her in silence, I had no idea how to respond or what to say. Theresa was just as quiet, she seemed as surprised by her girlfriend's request as I was.

I finally asked, "You... you consider me to be part of your family?"

"Sure," Amethyst nodded. "I know we're not actually related but that's irrelevant. You live with Tess and I, you're a good friend, we both like you and trust you. You're like a half sister, or a cousin or something? Anyways chosen family is just as valid as the other kind. And you helped me out a lot with goddess stuff over the summer, before I got all my memories back. So yeah, as far as I'm concerned you're family."

Tess agreed, "Amy's right. You're part of our family Siggy. If you'd like to join us in human form I'll set another place at the table for you right now. But please don't feel obligated, ok? If you'd rather stay as a cat that's fine too."

"I... I don't really know?" I responded after a few more seconds. "I guess I need some time to think about it."

Amy smiled, "Of course."

Another thought occurred and I asked, "What about Ravenna? Why isn't she here too? Or didn't you invite her?"

"Of course I invited her!" Amethyst insisted. "But Raven had other plans, she's spending the entire long weekend with her girlfriend. And I'm happy for her, she deserves some time for herself. I'd much rather she was off having fun with Avery instead of hanging around here being bored or feeling awkward."

"Anyways I'm off to get Hailey and Alex now," she added. "You don't have to make any decisions about the other thing right away. Or at all, for that matter? You're still family, whether you're a cat or a human. It was just an idea, but I don't want you feeling awkward or uncomfortable."

"Ok," I replied. "I'll think about it."

"Thanks Siggy," she said as she moved me back onto Theresa's lap again. "See you in a minute or two."

She grabbed her phone and got to her feet, then vanished in a swirl of golden light.

After her girlfriend was gone Tess asked me, "Would it be ok if I prepared another place setting at the table? Just in case? Or would that make you feel like I'm pressuring you?"

"That's fine Theresa," I replied. "I still don't know if I'll actually do it, but I don't mind if you want to get things ready ahead of time."

She smiled, "Thanks Siggy."

I ended up sitting on the back of the sofa while the tall redhead shifted some things around on their dining table, to make room for a sixth setting. She got out another plate and more cutlery, and just about had it all set up when Amethyst re-appeared with the first two human guests. And while the new arrivals were exchanging greetings with Tess Amy got some drinks prepared for them.

Before they all got seated I received some headpats and earscritches from Hailey, while she and Alex both greeted me as well. That was nice too, I was glad that neither of them were uncomfortable with me after finding out what I really was.

Neither Amethyst or Theresa mentioned anything else about me maybe being human during dinner, either to myself or their guests. And none of them treated me any differently than they had before. I ended up back on Tess's lap again while everyone else talked about the various things going on in their daily lives.

Hailey was enjoying her new job, and work was going well for Theresa too. Alex found their final year of university to be fun but challenging. And Amethyst was enjoying her second year of college, while also focusing more on her 'goddess stuff' as she put it.

Not long after that the final guest arrived. Mr. Price came by car rather than magic and he texted from the lobby so Amy could buzz him up. A minute or two later he was at the door, which led to another round of greetings and hugs, before Doug was given a glass of beer and joined everyone in the living-room.

At that point the conversation shifted to the inevitable topic of Amethyst's mother. Apparently there was some good news though, according to her father. It seemed that Tracey Price had decided to try therapy, to help her work through some of her issues. And she'd reached out to one of Theresa's colleagues, someone named Emma. From what I overheard, Ms. Carter was familiar with the supernatural and wouldn't have a problem if Mrs. Price needed to discuss things like magic and miracles and goddesses.

Both Amethyst and Hailey were happy to hear that, and there was even some hopeful talk about the family possibly getting together at the Price home for xmas. Douglas was especially keen on having proper family gatherings again, and hearing him talk about that stuff reminded me of what Amy said earlier on the subject of family and how I fit into theirs.

Eventually a timer beeped, and the other goddess excused herself to go and tend to things in the kitchen. Although thanks to the open-concept apartment she was still able to participate in the conversations while she worked. Still, she was technically in another room, even if the room didn't have any walls. And it felt like a good opportunity to speak with her.

I slipped off Theresa's lap and quietly made my way around the sofa then past the dining table, and finally came to stop by Amethyst's feet while she was checking that the turkey was ready to come out of the oven.

"Careful down there Siggy," she commented quietly. "This thing's heavy, and it's hot."

I replied just as quietly, "You know it can't hurt me, but it would be a terrible shame if you dropped it onto the floor. I imagine nobody else would want to eat it after that? Then I'd have the whole thing to myself."

She smirked, "It outweighs you more than two to one kitty, there is no way you can eat this all by yourself."

"I wouldn't do it all in one sitting," I replied. Then I teased, "I'd eat my fill now, then hide the rest under your bed. Then I could enjoy it at my leisure all week long."

Amethyst suppressed a laugh as she set the roasting pan aside for the meat to rest, while she moved on to take care of the squash and the gravy. While she did that she asked, "Was there something you wanted to talk about? Or are you just here to spectate while I work?"

"Both. I can do both of those things at the same time. I'm very versatile," I answered.

That got another grin out of her, and as she continued working on the food she asked "So what did you want to discuss?"

I knew she'd certainly guessed what was on my mind, considering our earlier conversation. I hesitated before finally answering, "I've thought it over Amethyst, and I'm sorry. I don't want to be a human. I'm more comfortable like this."

"That's fine Siggy," she told me. "Like I said all along, it was just an idea. I'd much rather have you comfortable."

"Except..." I hesitated for a second or two before finishing, "I was wondering if you could still introduce me to your father? And um, instead of all the food crimes I've been plotting, I thought maybe I could still have dinner with all of you? Even though I'm a cat?"

I knew that last part was a real stretch. It was one thing to have a talking cat around the house but another to tell her human father that the talking cat was joining the family for thanksgiving dinner. So I almost held my breath as I sat on the floor by her feet and looked up at her and awaited her decision.

Amy stopped what she was doing, as if she was that surprised by my request. She looked down at me for a second or two, then nodded "Of course Siggy. I said you're family whether cat or human, and I meant it. Let me finish what I'm doing right now, then we'll go do the introductions."

I almost couldn't believe she agreed, it took me a moment to respond."I... Ok. Thank you Amethyst."

"Of course Siggy," she smiled as she resumed her work with the squash. Then once that was in the oven and the gravy was simmering on the stove the two of us returned to the living-room.

As we joined the others her father teased, "It almost looked like you were talking to that cat, Amy. Were they helping you with the recipes or something?"

"Not quite dad," she smiled as she sat back down next to Theresa.

Then Amethyst made a welcoming gesture, so I hopped up onto her lap before turning around to face Mr. Price.

At that point she stated, "I know you've seen Siggy before, but I've never properly introduced the two of you. Siggy, this is my father Douglas Price. And dad, this is Siggy. They're a goddess like me. They look after neurodivergent people the way I look out for queer and trans folks."

"Hello Mr. Price," I added in a shy quiet voice. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

While her dad stared at me with wide eyes Amy added, "I hope you don't mind but Siggy's going to be joining us for dinner tonight. That's why we've got six places set at the table. They're part of our little family here, along with Tess and I."

Hearing her announce to her father and sister that I was part of their family set my little heart soaring, and I couldn't help letting out a loud happy purr while my tail stuck straight up behind me.

Meanwhile Mr. Price was staring at me with wide eyes. Everyone else was silent for the next couple seconds, waiting to see what Amy's dad would say or how he'd react.

He remained quiet for another second or two before he finally nodded slowly, "All right... Siggy it's nice to meet you. You can call me Doug. And uh, welcome to the family."

My purring got even louder after that, but it was drowned out by everyone else talking at the same time. Hailey and Alex were both welcoming me to the family, while Theresa reached over and scritched my forehead and Amethyst gave me a little hug.