𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 ━━ 𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐝

six | turkey

"O'Malley! O'Malley!"

"Morning, Iz." I force a kind smile in her direction as the three tall and burly men charge up the staircase. "I didn't know you guys practiced military drills in here."

With a breath of relief, she pulls me into a tight embrace. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Yeah, sure. For what?" The words form through a restrained voice.

"Everyone's been bailing on me to cook Thanksgiving dinner, and you're the only one who's showed up." Her grip strengthens.

"Right, that's today." I bite my bottom lip. "Because today's Thanksgiving."

The three men, now with a tired George, run down the stairs.

"Hurry up, Georgie. There's a turkey out there with your name on it, huh?"

I clear my throat, a taunting smirk gracing my lips. "Care to explain. . .Georgie?"

"Every year, my father, my brothers, and I hunt, shoot, and kill a helpless, slow-moving turkey. Isn't that great?"

"O'Malley!"

"You better be back in time for dinner at six." The blonde warns strictly.

One of his brothers grabs him by the shoulders. "We'll have him back as soon as he kills his first bird."

"This is the year Georgie becomes a man! Right, Georgie?"

"That's right!"

George mouths the words help me before he's dragged outside. Izzie and I dress in matching aprons she found in the kitchen before preparing to cook.

Ding-dong!

"I'm trying to thaw the damn turkey. You're gonna have to get the door."

"I don't live here, Iz. What if it's a package and they make me sign? Or what if it's a —"

Ding-dong!

"Get the door, Levie."

With the apron still fastened around my waist, I stalk over to the front door to see Cristina. I unlock and yank it open.

My tone reeks of desperation. "Please tell me you have a case of some sort and need my help. Izzie is driving me nuts with all the cooking."

"We're here to help." Cristina drones monotonously.

"We?"

Dr. Burke pops his head through the doorway, simply waving at me.

"Come in."

The two walk in through the living room, but I pull her back.

"What was I supposed to do, blow off my boyfriend for Thanksgiving?" She looks back at him. "I tried to, but he wouldn't blow. He's like something sticky that won't blow off."

"Izzie's going to kill something if she sees him in here, ruining her Thanksgiving." I mutter under my breath. "And with the turkey already dead. . .I'm next."

"People who are shocked when I show up uninvited to their homes call me Preston."

"Nobody calls you Preston."

"You don't call me Preston." He glances down at her slyly. "Nice house."

My shoulders slightly lift. "Not mine. Izzie, George, and Meredith are the ones who actually live here."

"Leven, why is it so quiet in here?"

"Because Meredith's working in the hospital, and George was taken by his family to shoot things."