All I Want Is Everything

Kind of a 'dog eat dog' thing

Rhymes so loud and proud you hear it
It's Christmas time and we got the spirit
Jack Frost chillin', the orchids out
And that's what Christmas is all about
The time is now, the place is here
And the whole wide world is filled with cheer

Run-DMC, Christmas in Hollis

A few weeks later, Ella wore a pretty dress, pumps, and put her hair up for Thanksgiving at the Barnes's. The celebration was at Bucky's, since it was the biggest of the sibling's homes, but Becca had had to bring over some dishes, silverware, and glasses because her brother didn't have enough for a party. Ella had brought a side dish, a potato gratin using different kinds of potatoes, a rich bechamel sauce, cheese, and mushrooms. Her burgeoning knife skills had gotten a workout slicing all those potatoes, but it was a recipe they'd learned in class and it was delicious. She'd also brought along a nice bottle of Yellow Label Veuve Clicquot for the family as a hosting gift. Bucky answered the door.

"Thanks for coming, Ella," he said. He looked happy; his hair was longer, which must irritate his mom, but looked gorgeous, all floppy and thick. His eyes dilated as he took her in before standing back and holding the door for her.

"Thanks for hosting me," she said, handing him the bottle of champagne for later. She impulsively leaned up to kiss his cheek quickly; he smelled good, a faint whisper of a woodsy cologne. His stubble pricked her lips. "Happy Thanksgiving." He had a little color on his cheeks as she stepped away and he closed the door, taking her shawl. Ella could see the faint outlines of the two collars for the prosthetic under his bulky sweater, the left arm neatly pinned up under his stump.

"What did you bring?" Bec asked, bounding up and lifting a corner of the tin foil. "Ooh.... That looks really good, El."

"Yum. Let's take that back to the kitchen," Bucky said, peering in too. "Dad and Mom insist they have things handled, so you can leave that. Sam's here, Erik too, we're watching the football game." His hand was on her back, guiding her toward the kitchen, and she suddenly wondered if he knew that she'd helped Bec with the cleaning before they tossed in the towel. She wouldn't mention it, now it seemed invasive although she hadn't snooped around.

Mr and Mrs Barnes greeted her, took her side dish, and shooed them off. In the TV room, the Dallas Cowboys were playing the Minnesota Vikings, and Ella rooted for the Vikings on principle; the Cowboys were irritating. Yelling at the game was interspersed with conversation, and Sam and Becca thought they were being discreet with their googly eyes at each other yet they were not. Rather than laughing at them, the other three talked about music. Ella enjoyed talking with Erik; they compared their playing, which gave Ella a better understanding of his work.

"Appreciate the offer to help us with the next album," Erik said, leaning back and watching her. "Steve was kind of an ass about it, but the rest of us overruled him and we'll be using your music, if nobody told you yet, and we'll be taking you up on your offer to produce, or help produce, anyway. We can't afford the Ant Man ourselves right now." He looked at her. "I spoke to Lang about it, he's enthusiastic, says he liked your work on a project."

"That's nice of him," she said, pleased.

"Also, I don't care to know much about what happened before I joined the band, but Steve's got a real burr up his butt about it. He might give you trouble." Ella shrugged.

"If he doesn't want to be professional, he doesn't have to be. Perhaps you can find someone to sing on the recordings instead."

Erik choked on the sip of beer he'd taken, while Bucky smiled. "I didn't think you'd play hardball like that," he said once he'd recovered.