Marjoreece - Date Night

Reeces Visit Pt. 2

They ended up watching two movies back to back. Autumn still leaning into Reece. During the second film, they started talking more, though. As it turns out, both of them had been googling facts and statistics overnight. It turns out factual data was something they both found some comfort in. As the credits started rolling on the second film, Reece sat up and said, "Do you want some lunch? Winter will accuse me of not looking after you properly if he comes home and you haven't eaten."

Autumn thought for a second, and one of the few happy memories from her childhood came back... "Reece? Could you make me a lasagne? Maybe one big enough, so there's some left for Winter when he comes home too." This was the meal she always asked her big brother for whenever their father was away and she'd had a bad day at school. Reece became a good cook from a young age, anytime Roger was out of the house Reece always made sure Autumn had a decent meal on the table and from a teenage boy that had no idea about cooking, he got good fast as he would always make whatever his little sister asked for. Even if he'd never heard of it, he'd find a recipe and make it for her.

Reece sighed, knowing he was going to end up doing it regardless of what he said. "Do you have everything in?" He asked, getting up and following her into the kitchen.

"Well, I've got these." She said, pulling jars of red and white lasagne sauce out of one of the cupboards. She knew he wouldn't use them. He was an everything from scratch kind of cook, but this was her way of making him feel like him going to the shop was his idea, not hers.

"I am not using them. Did I teach you nothing?" He started raiding her cupboards and fridge, pulling out everything he found that he could use. Realising he was still a few ingredients short, he said, "Right, I'm going to have to run down to the shop. Hopefully, I'll be able to get everything I need at that deli on the corner, though. Just to save me going out again, will you be wanting dessert too?" He asked, raising his eyebrow, fairly certain he already knew the answer.

"Oh, can you still make that incredible chocolate fondant with the gooey centre?"

"How did I guess?" He muttered under his breath. He was frustrated he was letting her use him like this, but at least it was one way for him to feel helpful. "I'm guessing Winter will want one, too?"

"Well, it wouldn't be fair to leave him out now, would it?" Autumn said, smirking to herself as she turned away from Reece.

Reece walked down to the corner and picked up the few things he needed to make his little sisters meal of choice. He hadn't been gone for long when he walked back through the door, putting the bag down and unpacking what he'd bought. Autumn had an amazing kitchen, even if herself and Winter were no more than decent home cooks, when she'd bought the house, the kitchen was a big selling point. Autumn sat herself down on the opposite side of the island to where Reece had started prepping next to the hob. He'd already got out all the utensils and pans he'd need. If he'd been at home he wouldn't have been as organised, but not knowing where everything was in his sisters kitchen, he made sure he was prepped so he didn't ruin anything after spending too long looking for something. Autumn rested her chin in her hand as she watched her brothers knife skills chopping the veg for the base of his sauce. They'd definitely improved since the last time he'd cooked her anything. She couldn't help but feel like a child again. She used to always sit and watch him cook for her after a bad day and you could always guarantee that before the meal was ready, she would have started opening up to him about why the day was so bad.

"Have you tried Marjories cooking yet?" She asked out of curiosity.

"Yes, and no." Her brother replied laughing. "She started making a meal once, and I came in, saw what she was doing, and ended up taking over. I didn't want food poisoning, and she didn't seem that offended by me taking over."

"Thank God!! She really is an awful cook. I don't know how she manages to mess up some of the simplest things."

"I think as long as I stay in charge of the food, and she stays in charge of the wine, we'll be OK." Reece said. "Speaking of Marjorie, I asked her to move in with me."

"About time too. You are engaged, so I assumed it was going to happen sooner rather than later. When is she moving her stuff in? Knowing her, she'd have wanted to do it straight away." Autumn replied with an eye roll at her friends predictability. "If I didn't know she was at work, I'd expect you to go home to find all of her stuff already there."

Reece laughed. "To be fair, there is a lot of her stuff there already. The place just feels so empty without her in it, though, so if she did do that, I wouldn't mind."

Autumn had been really worried about how Reece was going to take her news about losing the baby yesterday. She could tell it had a massive impact on him, but she was so glad he had Marjorie. He never would have coped if he'd still been with Mia. Although, would she have even told him she was pregnant if he'd still been with Mia?

Reece had been cooking for a while now, and everything for the lasagne was starting to come together, so when he noticed his sister zone out to her own thoughts, he brought her back by getting her to try the food. "Earth to Aut, here try this." He said, passing over a spoon with a mouthful of the meat and sauce mixture on it. "What do you think?" He watched her try it, hoping it was going to meet her standards.

"Oh my god!! This is better than I remember."

Reece smiled at what was probably the first compliment he'd heard from his sister in over 20 years. "Well, I've had a lot of years to practice in between. Here, try the white sauce." Again, he'd made it from scratch while his sister had watched on slightly in awe.

"It almost feels like a shame your cooking was wasted on Mia for so long." Autumn said with a sly smirk.

Reece kept quiet, not wanting to get into a Mia bashing session. He'd seen the difference in her since she started seeing Charlotte and was starting to see signs of the old Mia, the pre prom night and Roger Mia, even if his sister and fiance didn't agree.

Reece put together all the components for the lasagne, topped it with cheese, and put it in the oven before cleaning and tidying everything he's used away, ready to start prepping her dessert. She was impressed with how tidy and organised he was as well. It was in stark contrast to the chaos he used to cause in the kitchen when he was a teenager and just teaching himself to cook for her.

As the afternoon went on, the conversation started flowing more freely. Autumn even opened up to her brother on some of the topics she'd spoken to Marjorie about the night before. Reece struggled to be as open back to begin with, but as he noticed his sister relax in his presence, he also started to calm down and open up. Even revealing that he'd been house hunting to be closer to her and the baby. Winter had been right, Autumn was keen for Reece to still carry on the search. It would be nice to have her brother closer as they were mending their relationship. The pair made more progress in the space of that one day than either would have believed possible. It was incredible that such a sad event could draw them so close together and really create that bond that had been missing for most of their adult lives. Reece even admitted he felt a little bit guilty for her losing the baby. He couldn't help but wonder if it was in some way related to the abuse they had both suffered at the hands of their father as children and he couldn't help but feel he should have protected her from that and had failed her. Autumn, on the other hand, had never felt failed by Reece until after prom night, but now she knew that wasn't his doing that was their father's and even though she told him she hated him for those few years they both lived at home still, she now knew that he had only stayed as long as he did to make sure she was protected and not in the house alone with their dad.

Reece pulled the lasagne out of the oven and plated up a serving for Autumn, placing it in front of her on the island. "Here you go, little sis. As requested." He looked at her expectantly, hoping it was good enough.

She noticed he didn't get himself out a plate. "Are you not eating?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Reece stumbled over his words slightly, trying to dress it up as he needed to make her dessert, but Autumn knew him too well. "I can go without the fondant if it means you sit and eat with me. Even if it's only a few bites. Please?"

He couldn't say no to her and the face she pulled as she asked him to eat. So he got out a plate and took a small portion, and sat next to Autumn.

"Reece, I know you want to take care of everyone, but myself, Marjorie, and Carly need you to make sure to look after yourself as well." She gently rested her head on his shoulder as they both finished their plates.