Brallie Metropolis AU | In This Together

Chapter 93 | The Whole Nine Yards

"So girls," Callie began while buckled into the passenger seat, speaking to Em and Colleen who were sitting in the back in their booster chairs. "What are you most thankful for?" She was starting the Thanksgiving festivities one day early on the way home from the grocery store, where they gathered the supplies and ingredients for the next day's dinner.

"I'm thankful that is snows where we live," Em chirped quickly, staring at out the car window, hoping for a white Christmas this year.

"Okay," Brandon went along, laughing softly. "And Colleen?"

"Um..." she thought about it while scrunching her nose together. "I'm thankful for macaroni and cheese."

"Alright," Callie giggled, looking over at him who was smiling with her. "Well, you're gonna get macaroni and cheese with dinner tomorrow. Are you guys excited?"

"Yeah!" They both yelped.

"I want to see grandpa!" Em added.

Brandon continued driving through the streets, making their way towards their beautiful home, with the groceries sloshing in the trunk. In the past few years, Brandon and Callie had to stay in New York for Thanksgiving for one reason or another, leaving them without a gourmet turkey meal. Neither of them knew how to cook and baste a turkey, or what needed to be done so they didn't get food poisoning. This year, however, they decided to try a turkey because Mike was flying in later. He ended up getting the entire weekend off, including the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, and that Friday, so he's gonna spend a few days visiting.

Brandon and Callie figured that them and Mike could put their heads together to safely cook a turkey, plus it was time to start making traditions. Along with the classic main dish, they would have mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, gravy, cranberry sauce, corn, dinner rolls and pies for dessert. They were going to go all out with festivities. Or at least they were going to try.

Once Brandon pulled into the garage, Em and Colleen helped them carry in the groceries and created a chain of people to put them away into their rightful places in the kitchen. After the products had been filed away, they started tidying up the house. They vacuumed that carpeted areas, washed the sheets on the bed in the guest room so they were fresh, changed the toiletries in the guest bathroom, etc. Brandon had wandered into the family room and went straight for the television remote.

"What are you doing?" Callie asked when she noticed him staring into the tv, spastically clicking through the channels, while on her way to the kitchen for a drink of water.

"Trying to find to football channel for the game tomorrow," he told casually, like it was normal for him to discuss football.

"What?" Callie laughed softy. "You don't even watch football."

"Yeah, but my dad does. He'll wanna watch it, but he won't admit it."

"Okay, I'm have to do a few things for Fost and Found before Mike gets here. I think the bed sheets are just about done in the dryer, will you help me make the bed?"

Brandon nodded and followed Callie into the laundry room just as the dryer sounded that the fabrics were dry. They carried the bundles up the stairs and headed for the guest bedroom. They worked to cast the sheets in the air to lay them on the mattress before fitting it around it and arranged the rest of the blankets accordingly.

About an hour later, Em and Colleen were hula-hooping in the backyard with their coats on while Brandon and Callie were sitting at the dinner table where they could watch them play, working on some work things.

Fost and Found was thriving. Callie had received hundreds of handwritten letters from both children and adults, praising her for some advancements regarding foster care by creating a platform to express their stories. She knew, from personal experience, that sharing their lives definitely took some pressure off their shoulders. Fost and Found has lawyers and social workers on staff that are constantly working for reform, but things take time unfortunately. It would be a long time until actual change would take place. Brandon's performing was expanding across the nation. He has been asked to play at famous theaters for more times than he could count. He was more than grateful. He has spoke at Juilliard as an alumni member over five times. Brandon and Callie had been more successful than they could ever imagine.

Callie and Brandon's attention was shifted in the direction of the front door when they heard three hard knocks coming from it. They both looked at the bottom right of their screens and noticed the time was 3:30 pm, two and a half hours from when Mike was supposed to land at the airport. His eyebrows were scrunched in confusion, pushed out his chair, and went for the door with Callie lugging behind him. They've only had one occasion where people knock on their door...and that's Halloween. The street they lived on didn't house neighbor-ly people. The half mile space between each house didn't help with that either. So they've never had anyone ask for an egg or something. They wondered who would be knocking.

"Mike," Callie smiled as she stood behind Brandon after he opened the door. "You're early." She moved around him to step into the doorway to give Mike a hug.

"I caught an earlier flight," he enlightened after the embrace with Callie and opening his arms to Brandon.

"Hi dad," he smiled, leaning away from his after their greeting. Mike picked up his suitcase and stepped in the house, feeling great joy and pride towards his son and daughter-in-law. He had never been to their big, beautiful house before. Every time they all saw each other, it was in San Diego. This time, Mike wanted to visit this time and see what they have established in the city that never sleeps.

"Girls!" Callie called out, hoping Em and Colleen would hear her from the backyard.

"This place is really something," Mike added, looking around at the décor and the long staircase. "Look at you, here in New York. I still remember the day you were made in the backseat of my car like it was yesterday." Both Brandon and Callie couldn't believe he just said that, but maybe he thought they were now old enough to start talking about those kinds of things. But Em and Colleen picked a great time to run in.

"You were made in the backseat of a car, dad?" Colleen wondered, distracting her from hugging her grandfather.

"Is that how babies are made?" Em asked, sticking by Colleen's side as Brandon and Callie hearts sank. Mike felt guilt for getting everyone in this awkward situation.

"Yeah, where do babies come from?" Colleen added fuel to the fire.

"Yikes," Mike made a noise by sucking his teeth and patted Brandon on the back. "Sorry about that one." He picked up his bag again and walked further into the house. "So Thanksgiving..."

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A/N- Heyo, this one's short, and to be honest, the next one probably will be too. But I wanted to get this one out on Thanksgiving, but missed it by a few days. Whoops! Finals are in three weeks so yikes. I'm gonna be able to write a lot more during break! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! XOXO