Title: Thankful
Author: Mel (mamc031282)
Feedback: Better than even chocolate truffles!
Rating: PG 13 – a couple of naughty words, but nothing too bad…
Summary: It's Niles and CC's first Thanksgiving together, and CC has a surprise for him.
Dedication: This story has been sitting on my hard drive, in varying stages of un-doneness for ages. KathyB and I spent ages talking about this fic, so a huge thank you goes out to her for helping me develop the idea. Happy belated Thanksgiving to all of our American friends – I hope that the fic this week gives you a way to relax and digest all that Turkey-goodness. ;)
Thanksgiving in LA felt different than it did in New York. Aside from the typical rituals of the holidays, it was unseasonably warm, and the palm trees somehow managed to detract from what would normally be the festive mood.
All the same, Niles was excited for the holidays. He was going to be with his beautiful new wife, and their beautiful daughter, and, with any luck, he'd manage a few hours alone with just his wife.
Life had been sheer chaos ever since they landed in LA, and now with him at work, and CC back at work, it felt like they never managed to get more than twenty minutes together.
That was no way to start off a marriage, and he hoped the holiday season would be an opportunity to rectify the situation.
Niles had the entire day planned out, and had even booked a five-day weekend to ensure he had plenty of time to execute it. Running a catering business wasn't exactly easy, though it was very fulfilling. Still, it was just finally picking up and becoming stable enough to survive without him. If an emergency came up, he'd deal with that as needed, but the manager he had in place was more than capable to take care of the day-to-day dealings.
Parking the car and walking to the door, he noticed his wife's car parked in its usual spot. Normally he was home first, and CC would follow a few hours later, Anna in her arms. Maxwell had been exceptionally understanding with CC's request that their daughter be allowed to come to work with her, and on all but a few days when there were long meetings, or backer's auditions, Anna made the trip to the new Sheffield-Babcock production offices with her mother.
Niles knew there was something going on the moment he walked through the door. First of all, and perhaps most suspiciously, CC met him at the door, Anna in her arms, and with a wide smile.
In the year since they began their crazy whirl-wind relationship, there had been times when CC would sneak out of work early and race back to their house, but on those occasions, Niles would often find her in the nursery, talking to Anna, reading her scripts, or otherwise fawning over their baby.
He could count on one hand the number of times she had met him at the door, and all three times had been quite remarkable. The first had been when she signed her first Hollywood hotshot to cameo on their sitcom – and Niles had greatly appreciated her way of celebrating.
The second time she met him at the door was much more memorable, as even though she was smiling at the door, the smile was masking what he could only imagine to be massive pain. CC had been in labour for several hours already, though she wasn't sure until just before he walked through the door that this time they were 'real'. Having had her fair share of Braxton-Hicks pains, and then an equally fair share of an over-protective husband, she wanted to be sure before they ended up at the hospital. Again.
The last time was only a few weeks ago, when Anna had come down with a fever, and wouldn't stop crying. CC had managed to calm the baby, but didn't know what else to do. The return of her husband was a relief, Niles could tell, as he walked through the door. It wasn't that CC couldn't handle their baby, but even now after months of proving herself to be a great mother, she was still worried about making a mistake. Niles' reassurance was often all she needed to feel grounded and ok again.
This time, however, CC was smiling, and Anna seemed fine. He was fairly certain that there was no cause for a trip to the hospital or doctor's, and considering the baby's presence, he doubted it was for her particular brand of celebration.
"Hello, sweetheart," Niles said, examining the scene. This was definitely cause for concern.
"Welcome home," CC replied, a beaming smile lighting up her face.
"Why do you have the cat-in-the-cream grin?" Niles asked, smiling suspiciously at his wife. CC was unusually excited about something, and the fact that she was beaming from ear to ear meant that soon he'd probably be pretty happy too.
"No reason in particular," she said sweetly. "Can't a wife just want to spend time with her husband?"
Niles shook his head. Whatever was coming up was going to be a big deal. A huge deal, quite possibly, and he had no idea what kind of fancy footwork it may require of him to get out of it. "A wife yes, you, no."
Pouting, she shrugged and walked away from him, mumbling to the baby about how unfair her daddy was being. It was her favorite method of coercion, save for the completely sexual ways she had of getting him to agree with her. In fact, if pouting didn't work, she just might do double duty and guarantee the answer she wanted. There was no harm in them both enjoying her proposition.
Throwing herself onto the couch and grabbing a pillow, she tried to keep the act up. Even if he didn't immediately join her, it wouldn't take long before the silence would get to him. Counting in her head, she smiled when she saw Niles walk towards the couch. Perfect.
"Spill woman. Silent isn't your best color," he teased as he sat beside her, reaching for Anna. "How's daddy's little girl?" he asked, cooing at the smiling baby. How he ever managed to build such a wonderful family, he would never understand, but he loved them dearly and never wanted to imagine life without them again.
As much as CC gave a valiant effort to manipulate him, what she didn't realize was that most of the time he gave in out of the most basic desire to keep her happy. There was still a side of him that thought he'd wake up one morning and she'd be gone, sick of being married to the help.
Turning towards him, CC wanted to seize the opportunity. She wasn't asking much, after all. "You know, Thanksgiving is coming up…"
"Yes, I know. I've already been preparing for this for weeks. It's our first Thanksgiving together as a family, and the last thing I need is for some hunter to come and shoot you thinking you're his butterball dinner." Winking at her, he took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. Anna curled against his neck, and quietly snuggled against him. This was his favorite part of fatherhood, the cuddles, and even in the few months that she had been with them, they had developed this ritual.
At the serious expression on CC's face, he wondered if maybe it was more serious than he thought. "Please don't tell me you've decided you don't want turkey… I've already placed the order at the grocery, and as if it wasn't bad enough with all the cravings you had when you were pregnant with the munchkin, changing the order at this point could actually have serious repercussions. The Butcher will have my head." Niles laughed, remembering all of the nights their plans for dinner changed at the last minute, and he had been sent out into the night in search of something obscure. More than once he had ended up at the Butcher's, looking for a quick fix to her meat-pie craving.
"No, no… Turkey is fine. It's great, even," she said, before leaning back on the sofa and sighing.
"Then?"
Finally convinced she had him adequately hooked, CC shrugged in defeat and then after a moment's hesitation began. "You know, Fran is cooking the dinner for their family when they go visit her parents in New York for the holiday."
"I know. She's been practicing for weeks – this is the first sign of domesticity she's shown. I'm just glad I'm not there to see how she handles the actual pressure of the day," he laughed. "With the Fine family, it's not just the pressure of preparing a good meal, but preparing enough."
CC sighed again, and looked down at her hands. If she fidgeted enough, she might have him agreeing before he even knew the whole deal. "Well, if Fran can cook…then why can't I?"
Niles laughed at the sentiment. "Babcocks are barely hardwired to eat – if it wasn't for a fondness for booze and something to soak it up, there'd be absolutely no reason at all. If they don't eat, then why would they cook?"
Pouting, CC stiffened. "But I'm not a Babcock anymore – and unfortunately my husband is the domestic god in this family, and I wanna be a good wife…" Her tone slipped into a distinctive whine she had heard more than once before from the former Nanny.
"Witch, you're a goddess in every way that matters – and I don't mind doing the cooking for our family." Rubbing his hand on her knee, Niles realized he might have to give in on this. Maybe a compromise was in order.
"But… I want Anna to learn that women can do those things just as well as men can," CC tried, hoping he'd buy that line if not any other. "It's just our family Niles... I can certainly cook for 3 people! Especially when one of them doesn't have any teeth." After a moment of pause, CC continued. "I'll even make her a special treat..."
"CC, child abuse is illegal," he jested, earning an angry glare of his wife. "What are you going to do? Have a couple of pumpkin-spiced rums before you feed her?"
"If you're not careful I'll be sending you along with Maxwell and the Fines. We both know how much Sylvia enjoys your baking..." It was as good of a threat as any, and knowing her husband as well as she did, CC knew that the threat of a holiday meal with the Fines would probably seal the deal.
"I just don't want you to be worried about the dinner, and not be able to enjoy the day with us – you've been working so hard ever since you went back to work, and the last thing I want is for you to burn out." Niles was grasping at straws, and he could tell by the expression on her face that she wasn't buying it. It was at least partly true, but that didn't seem to matter. When CC Babcock put her mind to something, she was very hard to discourage.
'If Fran can do this, *I* surely can. I have a masters degree in business, an undergraduate degree with honors, and may I point out that I have the world's most … demanding… husband. If I can keep up with my professional duties, and my wifely duties, in addition to being the mother of a newborn, I can make one tiny dinner," she protested.
It wasn't a doubt of her determination – there was very little she couldn't do, even if there were things that seemed completely out of character. But no matter what the circumstance, he knew that CC Babcock was next to infallible. "Fran's a Fine by birth- she could de-bone a turkey by looking at it, Honey. You're more the 'request a caterer' kind of wife, and I love you for it.'
Yanking her hand from his grasp, CC turned on the high-guilt. This was something she reserved for strictly emergency purposes. "Well, you can love me from afar, because with a comment like that you'll be spending a few nights on the couch.' The tone of her voice was clear enough to tell him that the threat was so far only a warning, but very likely to be true if he didn't fall into step soon.
Shifting Anna lower, so he could have a look at her, Niles debated what to say next. Was this just residual hormone craziness from the pregnancy? Ever so often they seemed to have these moments, and he never knew how to read them. This time, he hoped that joking would suffice. "We do have a guest room honey...and don't be silly. You know I'm just trying to do what's easiest for all of us. We don't get a lot of long weekends together, and when we do, why should we waste them worrying about a dinner?'
'If you're hoping for parole due to good behavior, that's not the way to get it," she countered. "I am cooking the dinner, and whether you're here or not to enjoy it is up to you. Anna and I aren't going anywhere, and I am doing the cooking! "
Looking between his daughter and his wife, Niles could only hope that there would be more discussion on this topic when CC was feeling more rational. "Fine," he agreed. "It will be nice to do this together," he offered. Sliding the compromise in under the wire would hopefully at least get it past her and make it a possibility.
"If by together you mean, together separately, as in 'you watch the baby while I cook' then yes, it will be nice to do this together," CC agreed, watching their daughter sleep against his chest.
Conceding defeat, Niles merely sighed. He loved her – he just wished she'd stop meeting him at the door. Soon enough, he'd be afraid to come home.
Time had done nothing to quell CC's domestic urge. In fact, if anything, she was even more determined as time passed.
Looking up recipes, and making multiple trips to the bookstore, she had found about a dozen different recipes, and she had rejected all of Niles suggestions.
This was her day – no matter what anyone else would say, or their merciless teasing, she had no intentions of letting this go.
When Fran announced she was making dinner for the family, CC watched as Maxwell's face was filled with both pride and apprehension.
The move to California had signaled a shift for them all, and part of the 'new' Fran was that she was determined to do more for the family. For the most part, Fran's idea of more meant more take out, and more pre-packaged stir-fry dinners, and more last minute phone calls to Niles, but it was an attempt, and Maxwell was clearly pleased with this side of his wife.
CC had no delusion that Niles wanted her to suddenly zap into a Martha Stewart clone, but the idea of doing something like cooking Thanksgiving dinner for her family felt like the right thing to do. He would be pleased by this facet of his wife, and in turn, she would be happy to show him that she was more than just a brilliant business mind.
There was nothing about this endeavor that meant she'd do it often, or even that it would turn out exceptionally well, but that she could do it was more the point.
When Niles married her, his family had their doubts about CC's suitability as a wife. And even though Fran had assured her that Niles wasn't looking for a traditional wife, she sometimes wondered if he ever had any regrets.
The past fifteen months had been the most stressful, and most fulfilling of her life, and the last thing she wanted to do was take any of it for granted. Niles had cooked their last Thanksgiving dinner together, even if it was somewhat hastily put together, and he had prepared their Christmas meals as well.
In fact, so far, most of the major events of their relationship were orchestrated by him – all except the birth of their child - and he had even made a distinctive contribution to that.
This was going to be her day, and she was going to do this for them – this was her contribution to their family. Niles always cooked for them, and he always took care of the finer details of domestic life. Even though he no longer did the cleaning himself, he was very involved in making sure everything was 'as it should be' for their family.
She knew that this was on her – this time, she'd do it.
Waking up early on Thanksgiving morning, CC slid out of bed and managed her way to the nursery to check on their daughter. For once, instead of having to wake her to get her ready to go, CC could leave her sleep, and the peaceful smile on the baby's face was enough to make CC's heart melt.
At five months old, Anna was a very sweet child, with honey-coloured hair and big blue eyes. She had the same mischievous grin as her father, and there was no denying her parentage. Somehow, even though the idea of domesticity had at first been frightening to CC, she realized that she wouldn't trade this for anything. She loved them all too much to let anything change.
Watching for a moment as Anna rhythmically breathed in and out, CC decided she really did have quite a bit to be thankful for.
Quietly leaving the room and making her way to the kitchen, she was almost more determined to cook dinner.
As she entered through the swinging door, she couldn't help but smile at her husband's micromanaging ways. There was a notepad beside the range, and several pots and pans were laid out. In fact, if she had to guess, he had made such great efforts to tire her out the night before, so that he might have some time early this morning to get things laid out for her.
She wasn't necessarily complaining, as both his distraction and the neatly arranged cooking tools were much appreciated, but finally that piece finally fit into the puzzle. Smiling, and deciding that later she might return some of his well-meaning distraction, CC set about her task: familiarizing herself with the kitchen.
Upon closer inspection, CC grinned at the sticky notes that were stuck to the surfaces, clearly as instructions.
Looking at the list, this was a system he must have developed through the years, and had used many times. The list was well-worn, though the sticky notes were clearly for her advantage.
It seemed easy enough. Prepare the turkey, prepare the vegetables, prepare dessert, eat!
Looking over the list, she was also pleasantly surprised that he had ticked off each ingredient on the recipes she had found and photocopied.
How could this be all that hard? With a recipe, it was just a matter of putting all the items together, and following the steps, was it not? And from what she could tell, aside from the fact that there would be numerous dishes to wash, there wasn't much else to do.
Follow Niles' instructions, follow the recipes, and serve. Success!
Of course, the first thing on the list was the turkey, and with a cooking time of almost 4 hours, she knew she didn't have that much time to waste.
To prepare everything, get it all laid out for easy assembly, and still have time to play with her daughter when she woke up, CC would have to be fiercely organized.
Knowing that the first order of business was to wake her husband, and 'reprimand' him for the intrusion into her foray into kitchen, CC grinned that his efforts had saved her at least a half hour, if not more, and the turkey wouldn't need to be in the oven for almost another hour and a half.
Accounting for a half hour of prep-time, give or take according to recipe, she was at least an hour ahead of schedule, and had a soundly-sleeping baby.
"Happy Thanksgiving," CC mumbled to herself, a smile on her face. She had been worried that this might be a stressful day for her – or worse, that she would have to ask Niles for help – but she was already ahead of schedule, and instead would have time to show her husband just how thankful she was.
Making her way back to the bedroom, CC tried to hide her good mood. She wasn't going to make it easy on him, even if she did appreciate his efforts. Instead, she might have to torture him a bit before she would let him know how she really felt.
Exhilarated from the wake-up call she delivered to her husband, and the ensuing shower they shared, CC felt ready to take on the world. This was going to be her day to prove to her husband that she too could do some of the more 'wifely' duties in their relationship, such as cooking. Or at least, that she could put dinner on the table, and that she looked damn good in his apron too.
Smiling, CC realized that this was what domestic bliss was supposed to be like. She could appreciate why he was so fond of certain tasks, including making a meal for the family. It wasn't just about making a meal. This was making a meal to feed a family she loved… Shaking her head, she realized that somewhere along the way, she began to sound like an after-school-special.
Or maybe she was just still on cloud nine from doing the other thing she did for the man she loved… But whatever the case might have been, she felt more refreshed than she had in months, and ready to take on the world. Or at the very least a 14 pound turkey.
Taking the beast from the fridge, she rested it on the counter, and located the roasting pan, which conveniently had a sticky note and the number 1 on it. If he had dumbed this down any more, she would have to assume he thought her to be an idiot.
The instructions seemed simple enough, at first glance. Really, she just had to put it in the pot, and turn on the oven. Niles had taken the time to write out cooking times and instructions that could be helpful. From her research in the past week, her biggest concern was remembering to baste the bird, and other than that, she figured it would be smooth sailing.
Removing the turkey from its protective bag, she cringed at first contact. The flesh was cold, and though not slimy, it was dimpled and strange.
Looking at what was supposedly dinner, CC frowned. This wasn't quite like the butterball she had read about in the magazines. In fact, there was no pop-up meat thermometer pre-placed in its back, and, much to her chagrin, there were probably innards that she'd have to dispose of.
CC looked at the turkey. She had never been defeated by anything before, she told herself, and this would be no different. Pinching the flesh of the bird between her thumb and forefinger, she pulled back when she realized that the skin's indescribable appearance also paralleled the texture. The cold that radiated from the core of the bird didn't help matters either.
"How does this become a gourmet meal?" she asked herself, grabbing a fork to jab at it with the blunt end.
According to the instructions Niles had left for her, she just had to clean the cavity and prepare it with a few basic spices. That didn't sound so bad, well, except it did. "Clean the cavity…" she muttered, debating a few choice words that she was inclined to share with the main course. Indeed, this was not a butterball. Looking at the note again, it did indicate that a 'cavity' search would be in order.
Carefully, she moved away from the bird and stole a glance at where she was supposed to be cleaning. One drumstick pinched between her thumb and forefinger, she hoisted it higher to see that there was most definitely something inside of their turkey.
"Niles," she called suddenly, demanding his presence.
CC wasn't surprised when her husband dutifully appeared around the corner only a moment later, their baby girl resting on his arm, her fingers playing with his lips. "Yes?" he asked, noticing her squared shoulders, and defensive stance. She clearly was finding this harder than she originally planned.
"I'm supposed to stick my hand where?" she asked, noticing as his lips turned up in a smile.
"I thought this would be familiar territory for you – all these years of disemboweling dancers and choreographers, and I thought you'd be intimately aware of these parts of the anatomy," he teased.
CC merely scowled, not impressed by his joke. "I just need to you clarify the finer details of this plan. I'm supposed to rinse the cavity, and remove the entrails?"
"Just like it sounds," he assured her. "I can help, if you'd rather. Anna and I haven't quite settled down to watch cartoons yet," he said, a smile crossing his lips.
"No – you are supposed to stay out of here. I asked you to stay away," she complained.
'Does this not come with some kind of... I don't know - self-cleaning option?"
"May I remind you that you called for me?" he asked. "Honey, don't you want me to help you? I mean, you'd still be doing it, but I'd just show you what to do"
"No, because you'll be cringing and wincing and sighing every ten seconds until I decide I'm going to stuff YOU and shove you in the oven! Now get out!"
"I'm just going to give you some hints..."
"You've given me hints – you've done the grocery shopping, left an itemized list and left sticky notes IN the pots to tell me which to use. You've done more than enough, and now I'm cooking the dinner," she said tersely.
Stepping closer, Niles decided it was a last ditch effort. He had to try, after all. It was only fair that she let him help; this was his domain – this was what he did. "Honey," he asked sweetly, balancing Anna on his hip and leaning in toward his wife. "Wouldn't it be fun if we did this together," he cooed. "Think of how nice it would be for us to do this together, as a couple."
Niles leaned in to kiss her neck, hoping the art of distraction was not lost on his wife.
"Ohh, it could be fun," she cooed, pressing her hands against his chest. Just as he thought he might have made progess, the hands firmly pressed harder against his chest, pushing him away. "Maybe for Christmas," she said, playing him at his own game.
"We're going to watch cartoons – if you're sure you don't want us here," Niles said, watching his wife.
"Go!" she said, her tone warning him. As he made his way out the door CC turned her attention back to the turkey.
It had to be done – her grace time was slowly being diminished by hesitation – and this would surely be the worst of it. "Ok, Turkey, we're going to do this peacefully. I promise to be gentle, if you promise to make it easy on me," she grumbled, closing her eyes and reaching into the cavity.
The turkey was appropriately cleaned, and stuffed, and the vegetables were all peeled for dinner. There were few more incidents, after the turkey debacle, and CC was even starting to feel semi-confident in the workings of the kitchen.
What CC had never realized was how every food was so meticulously prepared. Everything was spiced or seasoned in some way, right down to the potatoes, and things which weren't spiced were glazed or basted…
The mere excess of it all was exhausting.
How Niles did this every day, CC had to wonder. Each day he put a meal on the table and made it look like child's play, and he never once complained. Well, that wasn't entirely true; he grumbled from time to time that CC didn't appreciate his contribution, but it was all a façade because he always said it with a wide smile.
Still, having spent hours peeling, cutting, chopping, seasoning, and a slew of other things, CC suddenly realized that the efficient and easy way he put dinner on the table every day was just as much a skill as the way she could separate people from their money.
Surveying the damage, CC wondered what to do next. There was a half hour before she had to put the vegetables on to cook, and she still needed to baste the turkey again, and set the table.
Looking at the bottle of wine on the counter, she debated a drink. It had been a thought she kept pushing out of her mind, for fear of not being in best form, so instead, CC did the only other thing that completely relaxed her and kept her grounded.
Sneaking to the door frame, CC pushed open the swinging door, and looked at her husband relaxing on the sofa, their daughter resting on his chest. They were watching TV, and Niles would probably have said that he let Anna choose the programming, but CC knew her husband well enough to know that he loved Looney Toons.
This had, in the short time since they left New York, become CC's idea of Zen. Three or four years ago, she never would have thought that a family would be something she'd want, let alone something she loved so desperately.
Looking at her husband's large protective hands as they cradled their daughter against him, she smiled, realizing that the two best decisions she made in her life were right there on the sofa.
Hearing the timer ring for her next round of basting, CC let out a low groan, realizing her 'break' was over and the food would need her attention.
There wasn't much longer until the food would be ready, and then she could redirect all of her attention toward her husband and daughter. In the meantime, she would do her best to mimic domesticity.
Several hours had passed, and CC hadn't yet exited the kitchen. Niles was more than a little worried for the safety of his wife, and his kitchen.
There had been relatively few noises escaping the kitchen, which he took as a good sign, but he also feared that in the battle, there might have been injuries.
"I'm coming in," he called, as he pushed open the door, a smile on his face. Appraising the damage, he was happy to realize that almost all things seemed to be in order, and aside from some counter-clutter, no major damage had been done.
"I've heard that before," she joked, looking up from her place in front of the stove.
Niles took it as a good sign that she was still joking. "Yeah, and I've never heard any complaints." He took her good humour as a sign that it was safe to approach. "How's it going?" Niles asked, crossing the kitchen under the guise of getting a bottle for Anna. The baby was sound asleep, but he had no intentions of letting on about it.
"It's going fine," CC said, for at least the tenth time that day. "We're almost ready."
Niles merely nodded, before helping himself to one of the pre-made bottles they kept in the fridge. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.
Shaking her head, CC scowled. "I'm just working on the gravy, and then I'm done. I've set the table, and I've got everything else sorted," she said, only then realizing she had forgotten about the cranberries. With any luck she might find some hidden in the cupboard somewhere in a can, though with a husband like Niles she had her doubts.
"Gravy is always the hardest," Niles said sympathetically. He couldn't miss the expression she wore – the horror was pretty clearly written across her face.
"I don't know what's worse... it's lumpy AND it's runny. What the hell is wrong with this stuff?" Whisking it more forcefully, she looked at the consistency. Niles had never served gravy of quite this colour, nor of this texture.
"Well, add a little bit more flour, and then whisk it with a fork to get rid of the lumps," he suggested, earning a glare from his wife. He was taking his life in his hands by trying to help her, but he also feared he would be taking his life in his hands trying to eat this dinner. A moment later, when she reached for the flour, he was pleased.
CC added a dollop of the flour and kept whisking it. "Everything else is ready and in the servers. Do you want to take them into the dining room?" she asked, finally conceding defeat. She had made the meal by herself. Clearly, that would have to be enough. To serve it as well might just kill her. She was absolutely exhausted.
"I can take the food in – would you rather I help you with the gravy?"
"I'm fine," she said again, though this time she was trying to reassure herself.
"If you do want help, you've already done it all – anything I did at this point would really not even deserve lipservice, it'd be so minute," he tried to assure her, but as she turned back to the counter, he knew he was losing this battle.
"Where's that electric meat cutter?" CC asked, her back still turned away from him.
"Ok, ok, I'm going. But if you change your mind..." The blades on the meat cutter buzzed to life. "Ok, ok," he conceded.
Turning to face him with a wicked smile, CC couldn't help herself. "I was just making sure it works," she assured him.
"I'm afraid of how far you'd go to verify that," he grumbled, instead taking the tray with the turkey on it. "It looks good," he told her, distracting from his last comment about helping her.
"Thank you," CC replied with a genuine grin. It had been one hell of a day, but now that it was almost over, it seemed that the stress and anxiety was finally paying off. She could do it – she could do anything, she told herself, and even if it wasn't something she would do often, she would do it periodically to remind her husband and boost her confidence.
Looking at the gravy, it began to take on an appropriate consistency. Taking the pot off the stove, she carefully poured the contents into the gravy boat that Niles had laid out for her. "We're ready, for sure," she called, taking the potatoes from the oven and the gravy in her other hand.
Niles opened the door to the dining room, holding it for her as she walked through. "Do you want me to get anything else while in there?"
CC nodded, gesturing back to the slew of serving dishes she had laid out on the counter. "There's a few more things," she said, sarcastically. It felt as if she had prepared a four course meal. For fifty.
"Great," he said, smiling at her as she walked past. He had never seen her wearing an apron before, but as the day progressed, the image was starting to grow on him. "I might learn to like having a wife who cooks."
"Ha! Don't get used to it – I just wanted to prove to you I could do it… Like that time you insisted I wasn't flexible," she smiled, a wicked grin on her face.
"Oh, trust me, sweetheart, that was all about mutual gain," he laughed, placing the last couple of bowls on the table. "And I never actually thought you weren't flexible. I was just looking forward to your scientific demonstration of how wrong I was." Organizing the bowls appropriately, Niles grinned. "Smells great, looks great. Am I going to die after eating it? You did try to kill Mr Sheffield that way, once…"
CC groaned. "Just shut up and sit down – it's dinner time." Reaching down to pick up their daughter from the playpen, CC smiled at the baby. "Come on, sweetie. Dinner time. Mummy is proving she's just as good as Daddy at some things."
Just as she was about to put the baby in the highchair, the doorbell rang.
"Who the hell could it be?" she asked, looking at the clock. Who would visit them at dinner time on Thanksgiving day?
Niles realized that there was something he neglected to do. "Shit," he mumbled. "I'll get it," he said, walking toward the front door.
It had all been a joke – at least, it was meant as one – and he had set the plan in motion days before, but after watching CC work so hard all day, he regretted his supposed sense of humor.
Opening the door, the pizza deliveryman stood before him, a large pizza in his carrying case, and a side order of chicken wings. "Hi there, Happy Thanksgiving," he said, opening the case and passing over the pizza. "That'll be $17.05," the deliveryman said.
"Who is it?" CC asked, frustrated by the interruption. The dinner she slaved over was getting cold while someone was being incredibly rude.
"No one," Niles called, not realizing his wife and daughter were right behind him.
"Pizza?" she asked, examining the box in her husband's hands.
"It's a mistake," Niles replied, looking to the red-jacketed delivery guy for help.
"Is this 2156 Longtrail drive?" Looking at the number on the house, he knew it was right. "This is it – delivery for Niles."
Groaning at the reply, he knew that his joke had totally backfired. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a few pills, placing them on top of the pizza box and digging around for a $20. "Here," he said, turning to his wife.
"I'm sorry, CC," he said, seeing the sadness in her eyes.
"You ordered pizza?" she asked incredulously.
"I did – but not today – I would never have done that today… I ordered it days ago. I meant it as a joke," he said, hoping to console her.
There was no consolation to be had. The day had been one of the hardest of her life, which was no small feat considering the personal and professional challenges she had faced in her life.
The actual act of cooking hadn't been so bad, though admittedly the turkey horror would be something she'd carry with her for a few days at least, but the idea of failing at this task, and by extension failing her family, had been a mounting pressure as the day progressed. Even though she wanted to cook this meal, and wanted to do this for her family, she as much felt it was necessary. Glancing at the pizza box in Niles' hands, CC finally released all of the stress the day in large, heaving sobs.
Niles half-attempt at a smile turned down as he realized that he had gone too far. "Oh, sweetheart... honey. I'm sorry. It was supposed to be a joke. I thought it'd make you laugh, like the old times, when I'd order buckets of fried chicken and leave them outside your apartment door. It was just me trying to be funny," he explained.
"It's not funny," CC managed, tears streaming from her eyes. "I just wanted to do what a good wife would do, and... you ordered pizza?"
Niles shook his head. He really had stepped in it this time. "I ordered it DAYS ago, and it was just a joke. I never doubted you could do it... ok, ok, I did, but then I saw how hard you were working, and how serious you were about it. I forgot. I honestly did – I would have cancelled it, but I didn't even think about it."
She looked up at him, watery eyes, and eyed the pizza he held. "You didn't think I could do it?"
"Honey, you're brilliant, and I love you dearly, but cooking? You're really a grilled cheese kind of chef usually, but everything looks wonderful, and it smells wonderful... I was very clearly wrong."
"You ordered pizza," she complained. "You did that, knowing that I was trying to do this for you – for our family."
Putting the pizza down, he wrapped his arms around her and cradled her against his body, Anna clearly oblivious to her mother's turmoil as she cuddled between her parents. "I never thought you would do this; I guess it wasn't a matter of thinking you couldn't, as much as I thought you wouldn't. And I didn't order pizza to upset you – it was supposed to be funny," he whispered against her ear.
"It wasn't funny," CC said seriously. Despite her best efforts, she curled against his body, and accepted his embrace. Try as she might to be mad at him, she couldn't totally blame him. This was her first attempt at anything even remotely domestic, and even she had her doubts.
"I know it wasn't… I didn't even think about it, I just did it. I thought it would be like the old times, when you'd zing me back, and we'd laugh about it together," he replied.
"We never used to laugh about it together."
"I know – I wish we did," he confessed. "I used to think of us doing that together – not just laughing about it together, but the whole game."
"You did?"
Pulling away for a moment, Niles used the pads of his thumbs to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "I did. But we can't change the past. I can only promise I won't do this again. You made an amazing dinner and we haven't eaten it yet, but it smells great. Can I get a replay on tonight?"
Chewing the inside of her cheek, she looked at her husband, the apology clearly written on his face. It was a terrible attempt at a joke, but they had both made their fair share of mistakes. "Not a replay," she said, sternly, stroking her fingers over the top of Anna's feather-soft hair, "but I'll let you off the hook."
"You will?"
"This time. In the spirit of moving on, and forgiving all that stuff that we've messed up already."
Niles felt the smile creep over his face. "I don't deserve you."
"I know," CC said, with a half-smile. "And later, you can show me just how much you don't deserve me. But for now we have food getting cold."
Kissing her forehead, Niles stepped back. "I'll go throw this out," he said, moving the pizza box. "And I'll be right back."
CC watched as he went to throw out the food. "Wait! Keep it – incase we need it," she said, smiling. "Looks can be deceiving. After all, when I met you, I had no clue that a decrepit old man could be such a stud."
"Oh, I deserved that… I'll let it slide," he replied. "You guys sit down, I'll grab the bottle of wine, and put this in the kitchen."
CC groaned. "You deserved worse – you're lucky that all this time with you has made me soft."
"I'll grab two bottles of wine," he said, ducking into the kitchen.
Niles looked at his food, and then at his wife. "Have you put something in this? Should I fear for my life?"
"Only if you don't eat it," she cooed, looking at her plate as well. There had been that one incident a few years ago with Maxwell that made her nervous about actually consuming this food. "Go ahead," she said, waggling her eyebrows at him, encouraging him to eat.
"There's nothing to benefit from my death," he reminded her. "You're the one with all the money."
CC laughed at his attempt, noticing the mischievous grin on his face. "Just remember that if you're gone, I have twice as much money…"
"And you need to cook your own meals," he pointed out, with a laugh.
"Then I guess I'm stuck with you," CC said, looking back at her plate. "It can't be that bad," she assured him. "In fact, with all the notes you left out, and the food you bought, it's got to be at least ok."
Niles examined his plate more closely. "It looks fine," he said, taking a stab at a piece of turkey, and carefully putting it in his mouth. CC watched him with baited breath, and for a moment she wished she had never come up with such a ridiculous plan.
"You know, this is very good," Niles said, taking another bite and diving into the food. Remarkably, it was very good. "Are you sure that you made this?"
CC just glared at him, though she was secretly quite pleased with herself. "I'd watch it – you've caused enough trouble today," she warned. Taking a bite, she couldn't help but smile. "But I've got to admit, I can find my way around a baster - it may not be five stars, but edible..."
It didn't compare to the gourmet meals her husband prepared for them, but it was certainly a reasonable attempt, and, CC liked to think, it was probably far better than the former Nanny Fine had managed.
Niles smiled, pleased with the look of satisfaction on her face. 'I've never had a problem with you and my baster, but in the kitchen... you did alright kid.' Looking up from his plate, Niles realized it was just in time, as the saucer that had previously been under the gravy boat sailed toward him.
Ducking, he realized that it was ill advised to ever challenge his wife. "Sweetie, not in front of the baby," he pled, and CC merely laughed.
"Sure, use her as a defense," CC said, with a pout, pleased that in his ducking he had also managed to catch the plate.
"My only defense is that I'm crazy for you," he said romantically. Raising his glass to his wife, Niles smiled. "You've done an amazing job, as you always do."
CC grinned, and raised her glass, accepting her husband's half-attempt at an apology. "You're just crazy, but I love you all the same," she teased. "Now eat, 'cause you've got dishes to do…"
"You do realize that I normally do the cooking and the cleaning, right?" he mock-whined. That she had managed to cook this all herself, was no small feat, and he would happily help her with the cleaning, even if it meant doing it all himself.
CC grinned. "Oh, I know. But if you do the clean up, then I'll give you a special something to be thankful for," she assured him.
That was all Niles needed to hear to feel motivated. "Let's eat… I have a feeling the reward will be more than well worth it."
Laughing, CC began to eat her meal, and thought about how great their first Thanksgiving as a family had actually been. It may not have gone off without a hitch, though so very little in their lives ever did.
At least, at the end of the day, she had her husband, and her daughter, and those moments like earlier on the sofa, and nothing else really mattered anymore. For all the things she had done in her life or the things she had spent her life hoping for, CC was just thankful for what she had.