James had joined my family for dinner every year on Thanksgiving for as long as I could remember. There had always been something about him that I found fascinating. His wife, on the other hand, I could care less for. She just entered the picture last year, and the dynamic she created was less than friendly to me. I had babysat James's son for the last three years the day after Thanksgiving so he could shop for Christmas presents, and tonight, I was doing that again. Except this time, his wife was out of town.