November 28, 2013
"Need any help?"
Stevie looked up from the mountains of food and smiled.
"No, sweetie, I think...yep, everything is looking good. Stop picking at the food! Did Grace set the places at the dinner table?"
"What do you think?"
"Well, could you do it for me please?"
"Mom!"
"AJ, just do it please."
"It's not fair!!!"
"Hey, hey," Sheryl walked in with a glass of champagne, which she passed to Stevie. "What's the shouting about?"
"Grace hasn't set the table and mom is making me do it and it's not fair!"
Sheryl had to stop herself from laughing at her son's pouting face. She pulled a fruit roll up from her pocket and held it tantalizingly just out of his reach.
"You sure about that?"
His eyes lit up and he jumped up to grab the packet from her before skipping off in the direction of the dining room.
"I've spent all day slaving over this food and you're giving him snacks right before we're about to eat it?"
"Look at your face." She wrapped her arms around her waist and kissed her nose. "Sometimes it blows my mind that AJ is adopted, he looks more like you than Grace does when you're pissed. Oh, look at that - speak of the 9 going-on-16 year old, and she'll stroll into the kitchen."
"Gross. Can you two put each other down for 30 seconds?"
"We're newlyweds, sweetie. This is what we do." She elaborately dipped Stevie, planting a huge kiss on her lips as she squealed in surprise.
"Seriously, can you not?" Grace rolled her eyes. "How long is dinner going to be?"
"It's ready now, sweetie."
"Not that we have anything to eat it on," Sheryl said, eyebrow raised, "because the table hasn't been set."
"AJ's doing it right now."
"AJ is six. Can you help him?"
"Lindsey's helping him!"
"Alright, ok! I'll keep my mouth shut!" She made a great show of kissing Stevie before sticking her tongue out at Grace, who tried not to smile, before leaving the kitchen.
"It looks great, mama."
She tucked herself under Stevie's arm. AJ was all Sheryl, Grace was all Stevie.
"Thank you, honey. I tried to copy all Grandma Bunny's recipes. It won't be as good as hers, but -"
Her voice cracked and Grace held her a little tighter. She couldn't quite believe it was almost a year since her mother died. She'd missed so much, not least the wedding once they were finally allowed to get married. Barbara had been so looking forward to that day.
"It will be perfect."
~
"Well, I think I speak for all of us around the table when I say I am truly stunned that Stevie cooked that."
Stevie stuck her middle finger up at Sheryl before clapping her hand to her mouth in shock when she remembered AJ was watching.
"Terrible parenting," berated Chris jokingly.
"No comment," muttered Jessica.
"Truly, that food was amazing. Bunny would be proud. You'll make a great little wife to someone one day, honey. Now, when I spent my first thanksgiving with the Nicks family, to say I was terrified was an understatement. Stevie's parents had only just found out that we were together, and I had no idea how they felt about it. It did become pretty clear once we found out the sleeping arrangements -"
"Lest we forget." Chris raised his glass to his sister, who rolled her eyes and blushed at the memory.
"- but it was at thanksgiving dinner that day, when Jess made his usual after dinner speech, he shared a sentiment I'd like to echo now." She held up her glass and looked at the faces around the table - her wife, their children, her wife's ex and now best friend, her brother-in-law, his ex wife and their daughter. "I'm thankful for family; whatever that looks like."
Stevie laughed through her tears as she watched Lori tip a splash of champagne into Grace's orange juice the way she used to with Jessi.
"To family."
~
"Hey, old man." Sheryl scratched behind Brandy's ears as he tried and failed to get onto the bed with her. "Stevie, can you help him?"
Stevie, walking out of the bathroom, sighed at the sight before grabbing him under his belly and lifting his back end onto the bed, where he promptly dropped down next to Sheryl and looked up at Stevie with tired old eyes.
"Oh, that's the thanks I get? I'll go and sleep in your bed, shall I?" Sheryl laughed, nudging him down to her feet so Stevie could get in. "Oh my god, my hips! When did we get so old, Bran?"
She reached down and retrieved Sulamith who had been waiting by the bed for her turn to be lifted up. Sheryl was flicking through tv stations.
"It's A Wonderful Life! Bingo."
Stevie chuckled.
"So we're in Christmas mode now? Thanksgiving is done, onto the next."
"Absolutely. Can't wait to see what you cook for Christmas dinner."
"You can go fuck yourself if you think I'm setting a single toe in that kitchen for the rest of the year."
"Try and pay my wife a compliment..." she nestled against her and they watched the movie in silence for a while.
"So uh, I was talking to Lindsey earlier."
"I saw."
She twirled a lock of Sheryl's hair in her fingers.
"And he suggested maybe getting together and doing something, maybe a few shows or even recording something new?"
"Wow, ok. As Mac?"
"No, just the two of us. Buckingham Nicks. I know I said when Grace was born I was quitting the business..."
"And I always knew you'd change your mind. It sounds like a great idea. The two of you are in a really good place now so it makes sense."
Stevie pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"What did I do to get you?"
"Got wasted one night in New York 12 years ago."
"Oh, I remember. Who knew we'd end up here? Married, kids, geriatric dogs."
"I did."
She twisted round to look at her.
"Seriously?"
"Absolutely. The moment you kissed me, that was it."
"You kissed me, Sheryl."
"Definitely not. I remember it like it was yesterday. You kissed me first and you initiated it the first time we slept together. Plying me with brandy - no, not you buddy, go back to sleep."
"Outrageous lies."
"We can at least agree the sex was hot though?"
"Oh, obviously."
"You remember the next morning when I was trying to make you pancakes?"
Stevie kissed her.
"Very well." Sheryl suddenly got out of bed. "What are you doing?"
"Kicking the dogs out. Come on, off! Out! Vamoose!"
"Babe, we have a house full of people."
"I can keep quiet. Can you?"
Stevie smirked and pulled her back into bed.
