Everybody Loves Pie
Tris piled the billowy meringue into mounds on top of the bright yellow lemon curd. She swirled a rubber spatula in the meringue, first smoothing it out and then giving it peaks and texture. As soon as she was satisfied, she put the spatula back in the bowl.
"God, Tris, that looks seriously amazing."
Tris grinned back at Shauna, who was standing over her shoulder. "Thanks, Shauna. It's been a while since I made a lemon meringue pie, so I'm really glad it turned out well!"
Shauna smiled back. "I can't imagine anything prettier." Her grin turned sly. "Tobias is certainly going to love it. And I'm sure he'll enjoy thanking you."
Tris blushed a little at the innuendo. Her relationship with Tobias was still in the honeymoon phase, and they were both insatiable. "He's pretty terrific." She said with a soft smile. The last two months she'd been with him had been the best of her life. She knew that times might not always be this perfect, they were both too strong-willed for them to continue being amenable forever, but Tris was already pretty sure Tobias was the one for her.
Shauna opened the oven door and Tris carefully placed the pie inside. The gas oven would brown the top nicely. Tris closed the door and stood. "Is there anything else I can do to help?"
"Nah." Shauna moved back a little awkwardly. "I'm actually feeling pretty good today. I do appreciate the help with all the food prep, though." Shauna was still working to overcome the partial paralysis that triggered her medical retirement from the Chicago Police Department. Thanks to a stockbroker who'd been speeding to make a meeting on time, Shauna had spent several months in a wheelchair after his car plowed into her as she stood writing a speeding ticket. With therapy, she was slowly recovering and learning to walk again.
Tris glanced at the clock, not wanting to burn the pie. "Have the guys gotten the barbecue started?"
Shauna glanced out of her kitchen window and watched Zeke, Uriah and Tobias seemingly in an argument. Zeke was gesturing wildly, Uriah had his hands on his waist and Tobias was gesturing to the smoking grill with his beer bottle. "Yeah, they're fine." She snorted. Zeke and Uriah might be blood brothers, but it was clear that Tobias was every bit one of them.
Shauna turned to look at Tris, who was glancing in the oven window at the pie. Tris fit right in with the Pedrad clan and Shauna was glad to have another woman around. Marlene and Uriah were still dancing around whether they'd be exclusive or not, so Marlene wasn't always around, but Shauna had gotten the distinct impression over the last couple of months that Tris would be a permanent addition to Tobias's life.
"It is really sweet of you to make Tobias's favorite pie for today." She said.
Tris smiled at her over her shoulder. "Well, it IS his birthday Monday."
"I just wish Hana was here. She's so sad she's going to miss Tobias's birthday barbecue." Hana, Zeke and Uriah's mom, was in Virginia caring for her sister who had broken a hip while learning to water ski. The barbecue was a tradition to celebrate Tobias's birthday, having started when they were all just kids. When Tobias was assigned back home to Chicago, Hana had gleefully restarted the tradition.
Tris turned to Shauna. "How well-known is Tobias's family stuff?" She asked quietly.
"Some. Not all." Shauna gave her a hard look. "How much has he told you?"
Tris sighed. "Some, not all." She repeated. "He doesn't have to tell me everything if he doesn't want to. I've seen enough that I can probably guess."
Shauna relaxed. "Yeah, I guess you would." She paused, unsure of how much to say. She considered Tobias her brother-in-law so he had her absolute loyalty. But, in the few times she'd seen them together, she was convinced that Tris was worth trusting. "Don't let him get away with changing the subject. A lot of who he is was shaped by what happened." It was Shauna's way of giving her blessing.
Tris nodded, getting the message. She turned around to pull the pie out of the oven, the formerly white swirls now edged with brown. It was picture perfect. Tris met Shauna's eyes, both women smiling. "It's perfect!"
"It sure is!" Tobias, Zeke and Uriah came through the back door, Tobias grinning like an idiot. "I can't believe you made that for me." He slipped an arm around her shoulders, dropped his head and gave her a light peck on the lips. "Thanks." He murmured against her lips.
"You're welcome." She said back, her voice low.
Behind her, Uriah made choking noises and they turned to see him clutching his throat, eyes rolled back comically. Shauna hit him on the back of his head. "Are you an adult?"
He grinned and snatched a chip from the bowl on the table. "Not if I can help it!" He said.
Tris put the pie on the counter, sliding it as far back against the wall as possible. Rex, Shauna and Zeke's yellow Labrador was lurking around somewhere and she didn't want him to get to the pie while it cooled. "That should be far enough back, right?" She asked.
"Should be." Shauna slapped Uriah's hand as he reached for another potato chip. "Rex isn't tall enough to reach that far back so we should be good."
The doorbell rang. "That's probably Will and Chris." Uriah headed to the front door. Shauna handed Zeke the platter of raw burgers and hot dogs. Tobias pulled a clean platter out of the cabinet and Tris grabbed the bowl of chips while Shauna poured Doritos in another bowl.
"Ready? Let's get this party started!" Zeke announced.
Tobias flipped the burgers on the grill, Zeke standing over his shoulder. "Nice. You didn't burn them this time!"
Tobias shot him a dirty look. "That was your fault. You know better than to start asking me about my love life while I'm grilling."
"Hey, is it my fault you hooked up with that skank, Nita?" Zeke stepped back in case Tobias elbowed him in the stomach.
"A temporary lapse in sanity." He hated being reminded of the one-night stand he'd had last year with an admittedly sexy, but bat-shit crazy, aerobics instructor at the gym Zeke frequented.
"You were pretty grumpy back then. I keep telling you a lack of sex is bad for your disposition. Makes you an asshole."
Tobias rolled his eyes. "You are so wise." He said sarcastically.
"You're pretty not asshole-y these days." Zeke observed, wiggling his eyebrows.
Tobias turned back to the grill, hoping Zeke didn't notice the red climbing up the back of his neck. "Yeah."
Zeke did notice, and grinned even wider. "Tris is pretty great."
Tobias added hot dogs to the grill. "Yep." He knew it was hopeless, but maybe Zeke would quit asking questions if he didn't give up much with his answers.
"So, it's been what, a couple of months?"
Tobias looked down in relief when Rex trotted up, tail wagging. Rex looked up at him hopefully and Tobias knew just how to distract Zeke. He grabbed a hot dog and held it out to Rex. "You wanna hot dog, boy?" Rex's tail wagged even faster. "Yeah? Go get it!" He yelled throwing the hot dog into the grass. Rex scrambled down the deck stairs.
"Hey, don't give my boy junk food!" Zeke hurried after Rex, knowing that hot dog would be gone before he could blink.
Tobias smirked as he heard Shauna, Christina and Will laughing at Zeke chasing Rex around the yard while they relaxed at the picnic table. There was already a bit of overlap, but Tobias was pleased that Tris's friends fit in so nicely with his. He pulled the burgers and hot dogs off the grill, putting them on the platter. He closed the grill top and turned around. "Okay, we're done."
Tris came out of the house carrying a plate of sliced tomatoes, cheese and lettuce, with Uriah right behind her with the hamburger and hot dog buns. "Good, I'm starving!" He announced, holding the door open for Rex to trot inside for water.
Tris rolled her eyes. "You're always starving." She teased.
Paper plates were handed out, burgers were grabbed, and beer was passed. "To Tobias!" Zeke held up his burger. "Happy birthday to my favorite brother!"
"Hey!" Uriah yelled. Everyone laughed and toasted Tobias with their burgers or hot dogs. "To Tobias!"
Tobias grinned. "Thanks!" He reached for a potato chip and noticed the bowl was empty. He shot a dirty look at Uriah who'd piled the chips up on his plate and was shoveling them into his mouth. "Any more chips?" He asked.
Shauna stood and glared at Uriah. "Yeah, I bought two bags since I knew Mr. Chip Pig would be here." She headed into the house.
"I love potatoes." Uriah said defensively. "But you can have one since it's your birthday."
Tobias started to reach for one of the chips on his plate, then thought better of it. "Nah. Who knows what kind of cooties you have."
"Oh my God! Rex!"
Everyone looked towards the house at Shauna's yell. They all jumped up and hurried into the house.
Shauna stood over Rex, her hands on her hips. Rex sat, his head hanging in shame. He looked up at her occasionally through his lashes, his big brown eyes contrite. "Bad boy!" She yelled.
"Oh no!" Tris whined in dismay.
Her beautiful, picture-perfect pie was missing nearly half its meringue. "When I came in, Rex was on his hind legs, front paws on the counter, licking the meringue off the top!" Shauna said, staring down at her delinquent dog.
Rex whimpered. He hadn't been able to reach the pie to pull it down, but he'd discovered that he could reach at least the meringue if he stuck his tongue out.
"Tris, I'm so sorry!" Shauna said, leading Rex out of the room.
This was the first big occasion Tris and Tobias would have together as a couple and she had wanted it to be perfect. Tobias wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "It's okay, Tris. It's the thought that counts."
She looked up at him. "I just wanted your birthday to be perfect." She sighed.
He squeezed her. "You're here. It will be."
His eyes were so warm and loving that the world narrowed down to just the two of them. Tris leaned into him. "I love you." She whispered. They both froze, realizing what she'd said. In front of everybody. His eyes widened and Tris's cheeks blushed a flaming, fiery red.
He smiled and leaned down to kiss her. He wouldn't let her be out there by herself. "I love you, too." He said, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Yes!" The looked up to see Christina smiling in triumph. Will rolled his eyes. "I apologize for her." He said. She elbowed him.
Shauna re-entered the kitchen. "What'd I miss? Zeke, what are you doing?" She asked her husband in horror.
They all looked over to see Zeke had cut off the part of the pie Rex licked and was busy eating a piece from the fresh side. "What?" He said, looking at everyone staring at him. "He only got to half of it."
"Eww." Shauna scrunched her nose up while everyone else cracked up.
Zeke shrugged. "What can I say? I love pie."