Hello, my lovely readers. I finished writing this story so I can say that there will be updates once a month, until chapter seven, our final chapter. On with the show…
Chapter 4: Family Dinner: Part I
Family dinners were always occasions that Klaus tried to avoid. But tonight seemed to be unavoidable with everyone clamoring for Klaus' company, for once. If only he could find a likely excuse, such as having a violent case of the flu or bleeding to death in the hospital. No. They wouldn't accept any excuses this time 'round.
Sliding into a pair of comfortable sneakers and adjusting his frayed Henley that had to be at least five years old, Klaus smirked at his reflection. Yes, this would drive poor Elijah quite mad. He of the dry cleaned and pressed suits every bloody day. What a bore. "Are you ready, love?" Klaus called to Aurora who was reapplying her lipstick. She could not seem to settle on a shade for the night's event.
"Yes," Aurora called, appearing with blood red lips and a long, white gown. Klaus tried to not laugh. She looked like she was going to get married and if she thought him to be the groom, she was sadly mistaken. "Have I told you how excited I am to meet your family?" she asked for the thousandth time in the last three hours.
"Yes, Aurora. You have," Klaus retorted. Walking over to the door to his flat, he clicked the lock open and motioned for her to leave. If only he could send her and stay at home, watching whatever poorly scripted comedy that network TV had to offer. Alas, he was off to those who might take his head by the end of the night.
Aurora continued to talk all the way down the stairs, in the car and through the entire drive to Elijah's house. And for once Klaus could say he was relieved to see the house that Elijah resided in coming into view. "We're almost there," he said, mostly in relief that he would soon be around other people and not left alone with the lunatic in his car.
"Oh, good. Let me try to remember everyone's names. Freya is your oldest sister. Then Finn and his wife, Sage. Do they have children?" Aurora looked to Klaus who was humming to himself. "Never mind. I can't be expected to know everyone's names this quickly. Ummm… Let's see, who else… Aw, yes, Elijah, Kol and Rebekah. I think Rebekah and I will make fabulous friends. We're the same age, you know?"
Klaus turned to look at Aurora. "You're only twenty? Dear God. What was I thinking," he joked as she smiled at him, leaning in for a kiss when he stopped her. "And then there is Hayley, the mother of my child, her husband, Jackson and my little girl, Hope."
"Oh," Aurora's eyes widened and she frowned. "You have a child. I didn't know that. And I thought I knew most everything about you."
"Well, there are some things about my life I do not advertise to the general public," Klaus replied. Getting out of the car, he walked around it and opened the passenger side door.
The red head got out and beamed up at Klaus as if he had offered her a diamond ring. Never. Not on my worst day, Klaus thought to himself. Turning away from his companion for the night, he strode up to the front door. It did not take long before it opened to reveal a smirking brunette with long, brown locks tumbling down her shoulders. "Hello, who are you?" she asked with a deep accent.
"I'm Klaus; who the bloody hell are you?" Klaus replied and then added a grin that made most women wilt.
"Ah, you are another of the brothers. Come. Elijah's expecting you," the woman moved aside, waving them in.
"Who's that?" Aurora asked Klaus quietly.
"No idea," Klaus muttered under his breath.
"Niklaus," Elijah called. "Everyone, Klaus is here," he called to the family who were already there. "Who is the lovely young woman you've brought with you tonight?" the second oldest of the Mikaelson men inquired, coming to stand in front of Aurora who was smiling so widely that Klaus thought it must hurt.
"I'm Aurora de Martel. And you're Elijah. It is a pleasure to meet you, at last," Aurora cried, hugging Elijah and making Klaus stifle a laugh at his brother's look of shock. "I know that we will get along smashingly."
"Ha," Kol cried as he walked in with another brunette. "Nik brought a girl with him. It's the first sign of the apocalypse."
"Kol," the girl at his side moaned. "Be nice to your family."
"Davina, I will when they begin to treat me properly." Kol kissed the girl's cheek before coming to stand beside Klaus. "How good of you to show up, Nik. Thanks for taking the pressure off of my looking like the ass of the family for tonight."
"Nik!" Rebekah cried, distracting Klaus from Kol's sarcasm. "I'm so happy you came!" his little sister cried. "Marcel and I have good news and we're so happy you're here to hear it."
"Wonderful," Klaus muttered as Rebekah dragged him into the dining room. "Sage," he greeted his older brother's wife who he sat next to.
"Klaus. There's plenty of wine in the cellar. In case you can't get through tonight sober," Sage told him with a knowing smile.
"Thanks," Klaus replied sincerely. He knew she did not relish these evenings any more than he did, being one of the only other people in the family who was not greeted with open arms.
"Hayley's here," Rebekah called to Klaus, making him glance up.
"Right," he got to his feet. "Aurora, I'll be back in a moment," he told the girl who had started to follow him. "In the meantime, you should chat with Sage."
Walking into the living quarters, Klaus found that Hayley had decided to dress down for the dinner as well. "Where is Hope?" he asked her.
"With Jack. He'll be here in a minute," Hayley told him.
"Hayley," Elijah's voice came out like he couldn't breathe and Klaus rolled his eyes at his brother's reaction to being in her presence. He hoped someone would shoot him if he ever acted that love-sick.
"This is Hayley. The mother of Klaus' child, yes?" the woman who had answered the door asked Elijah.
"Yes, Katerina," Elijah replied. His gaze focusing and moving to the woman who was looking up at him.
"Now we have a name to go with the looks," Klaus said with a wide smile.
"You are a flirty man," Katerina replied with a grin. "I like this one, Elijah. He is… how do you say… funny," she walked over and patted Klaus' cheek before turning away from him.
"He's something," Hayley muttered when Jackson came into the house with Hope.
"Klaus," Jackson greeted Klaus who felt his blood pressure rise.
"Jackson," Klaus all but snarled as he took his daughter. "Hello, my loveliest girl."
"Oh, my God. She's like a little doll. Can I hold her?" Aurora cried. Klaus hadn't even noticed that she had come into the room.
"No!" Klaus and Hayley snapped at the same time. For once they were on the same page. Giving Hayley a quick nod, Klaus turned to his date. "I'm sorry, Aurora, but Hope does not like it when strangers hold her."
"Alright." Aurora's cheeks flushed, her eyes trailing toward the floor when the doorbell rang breaking the tension in the air.
"That must be Freya," Elijah cried. He moved around his guests to answer the door. "Freya," he greeted their sister. "And…"
"Elijah, it's so good to see you," Freya kissed Elijah on the cheek before gesturing to the man by her side. "You remember Lucien." Bouncing a bundle in a blanket in her arms, her smile faltered for an instant. "And this is Shawn. My son."
"Your son?" Klaus could almost see the look of apprehension on Elijah's face before a polite smile would replace it. Everyone knew that Elijah was the last person in the family to support Freya's relationship with Lucien Castle, her sometimes paramour who appeared and disappeared at will. And to hear that Freya and Lucien were parents, well, Elijah was more than likely having a minor aneurysm.
"How… lovely. But why did you not tell us of your… good news?" Elijah questioned their sister.
"Oh, well…" Freya began when Rebekah came into the room. "Is Freya here yet?" she asked them.
"I'm here," Freya called to Rebekah who came running to her older sister. "Rebekah, it's been so long."
"Freya, I missed you so much. And this must be Shawn," Rebekah began to fuss over the baby as Elijah threw up his hands and walked off.
"Should we go to the dining room? I'm famished," Lucien suggested, rubbing his hands together. "Haven't had a decent meal in ages, with all that bunny food Freya makes."
"Excuse me?" Freya's eyebrows rose as she glared at her boyfriend.
"Excuse me for being a cad but I miss a bit of protein in my meals, darling. Off we go," Lucien tugged Freya toward the dining room and everyone followed them there.
Elijah took his usual seat at the head of the table with Klaus to his left and Rebekah to his right. "Now that we're all here, I would like to make a toast, to family."
"Always and forever," Kol called from the other side of the table.
"What does this mean?" Katerina asked, leaning toward Kol. She was sitting opposite Elijah, swirling her glass of red wine and smirking at Kol.
"It means… I have no idea what it means, but it's something that our parents used to say to us when we were little," Finn told Katerina who nodded.
"That is good. To remember things that your parents tell you. I have not seen my family in many, many years," she told them.
"Where are you from?" Aurora asked Katerina. "Your accent. It sounds European. You're not from Russia, are you?"
"No, no, Bulgaria," Katerina replied with a slow smile.
"And how is it that you and Elijah met?" Hayley asked, picking up her glass of wine and taking a healthy sip.
"Oh, he is helping me with a problem. Nothing that he cannot handle as he puts it. From now on, he handles many problems for me. That is what husband does for wife," Katerina said and Klaus' eyes widened when Hayley choked on her wine and Kol began to applaud.
"Ah, babies and weddings and all kinds of nonsense. I'm so glad I showed up tonight," Kol said with a snicker.
"Oh, shut it, Kol," Finn snapped at Kol who shrugged.
"I'm pregnant!" Rebekah blurted and then her cheeks grew red.
"You're what?" Marcel looked like someone had punched him. "I thought our big news was that we were moving in together?"
"Well, that, too," Rebekah sighed. "I am so hungry."
"What is that smell? Like roast pork," Katerina asked and Elijah shot to his feet.
"Dear God. I'm burning the duck!" he yelled.
Kol began to laugh so hard that he nearly fell out of his chair. "Kol's girlfriend is a minor!" Rebekah shouted, causing everyone to look at Kol with raised eyebrows. "She's only seventeen," Rebekah added before taking a sip of water.
"For a week. She will be eighteen in a week. It's not like we're having sex. We're waiting for her birthday," Kol told the assembled guests.
"Kol!" Davina shouted. Her face turning pink.
"I'm sixteen," Aurora told them.
"What?" Klaus yelled, jumping to his feet.
"It's a joke. I'm kidding. Please, sit down," Aurora begged Klaus who could only stare at her in horror.
"I think I'm going to help Elijah in the kitchen. If you'll excuse me," Klaus got to his feet and started to leave.
"I'm going to find another bottle of wine," Hayley added, getting up and following Klaus. "What's up with you tonight?" she hissed at Klaus.
"Nothing's up with me. What's wrong with you?" Klaus growled back.
"Nothing. Shouldn't you be here with that girl who keeps harassing you on your show?" Hayley asked when they entered the kitchen.
"That's none your concern," Klaus snapped.
"Damn it," Elijah sighed when they entered the kitchen. "I think we're going to have to order out," he told them, glancing at the duck, that was smoking on the counter and charred beyond recognition. "And I was hoping that we could have nice family dinner for once."
"Yeah. Didn't we all," Hayley grunted, leaning against a wall while Klaus went in search of a phone book.
Klaus kept his thoughts to himself, knowing that it would just put Elijah in a worse mood if he blurted out Jackson's little secret. As long as no one else mentioned Caroline or anything to do with his show and he didn't have to interact with Jackson too much, he might be able to get through this dinner without making the man into the main course.
Look forward to the next update next month.
Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.
Answers to guest reviews:
Mo: Thank you. Aurora is fun to write about especially as a human. Poor Freya, her dinner parties are the nightmare of the Mikaelson family. I hope you enjoy this chapter, too.
NikMik: Caroline would make an incredible talk show host. We will find about what Care knows and does not know soon.
Peace,
Jessica
