Chapter Seven

"What took you so long?" Sarah had the door open before her brother even had the chance to knock. He was half an hour late and the kids were starting to worry their Uncle Eliot wasn't going to show.

"Sorry, I had gotten in the shower and I guess I lost track of time." Glaring half heartedly at Nate, Eliot followed his sister inside, he didn't tell her that Nate had decided to join him in the shower and had made him lose track of time.

"I've got Ashlee and Pete setting the dinning room table right now and mom and dad are upstairs with the kids. Eliot you come help me with the chicken and well you just make yourself at home Mr. Ford." Sarah was a bit flustered, she justed wanted the day to go smoothly for everyone.

"I thought it was a dinner?" Nate whispered, he stayed quiet about Sarahs forward attitude as he didn't want to insult Eliot.

"Oh there will be, but Sarah does every meal on a holiday, no doubt she made a five course breakfast." Eliot whispered back. He made sure to give Nate a light push in the direction Sarah had gone letting him know that despite what his sister said he would be joining them in the kitchen. The last thing he needed was Nate running around unsupervised with his parents and brother on the loose.

"Is that made the same way Eliot does it?" Nate wondered looking at the beautifully golden birds that were being placed on a platter that was swiftly being covered by multitudes of colored vegetables. This was certainly not what he thought of when chicken came to mind.

"I hope not." Sarah snorted studying her brothers every movement cautiously.

"Why?" He had been lucky enough to taste that dish once and couldn't imagine why someone wouldn't want theirs to taste the same, he would never willingly die over food but if he was willing that would be the reason.

"He might be good at prep but his finished product sucks." Obviously this man hadn't tasted too many of Eliots home made meals.

Shrugging at the look Nate was giving him he didn't bother defending himself, his sister enjoyed cooking and caring for the family and if all it took was a few botched meals to make her happy he would gladly ruin more, maybe burn a cake, set a pan or two on fire, as long as she was good he could deal with a tainted reputation as chef.

"Thanks for the warning." Nate joked taking pleasure in the small scowl that had come over Eliots face.

"You're welcome." Sarah smiled, "Are you done Eliot?"

"Yeah" Eliot mumbled distractedly as he continued to poke at a potato that refused to stay in its assigned spot.

"Then you grab that, I'll take these," She lifted a basket of rolls and a bowl of stuffing. "And could you be kind enough to bring the caserole on the stove and the little yellow dish on the counter over there?" Sarah stated her question pointing with the bread basket to the exact counter she was talking about.

"Got 'em." Nate grabbed the caserole first seeing an actual caserole of some sort inside. He couldn't tell what kind it was but judging by the smell it was going to be good, balancing the bowl in the crook of his arm he tried his best not to drop it as he followed them out of the kitchen.

"Pete grab that." Sarah pointed to the bowl Nate seemed to be juggling as she put hers on the table.

"I got it." Nate declined as he put his dishes down. Eliot was centering his platter and he really couldn't place the look on his face, he didn't seem to be the same person that would walk in the office with that aura of danger that left you a bit fearful.

"What would you like us to do now?" Ashlee asked for her and Pete. She was holding on to the top of one of the chairs and trying to remind herself that this was Aarons family and she needed to be nice.

"I think we're about done," Sarah went over her mental checklist. "I'm just going to find Aaron and tell mom, dad and the kids that lunch is ready and we'll eat." She left the dining room, heels clicking on the hardwood.

"I'm not sitting next tou your parents!" Ashlee and Pete nearly yelled at the same exact time.

"Well neither am I." Eliot felt like they were ganging up on him. "I've dealt with them longer than either of you and I'm not gonna do it today."

Quickly sitting Ashlee and Pete took the first two of three seats on the left side of the table.

"That's fine by me, I don't want to be across from them either." Eliot grumbled as he took a seat at the card table that had been pushed to the edge of the dining table, it was a few inches shorter than the other but he knew this one was meant for Becca and Brian and the company would be better so he didn't mind.

"Are you seriously going to sit at the kids table?" Nate asked, his parents had to be pretty bad if they turned three grown adults into fifth graders fighting over spots on the lunch bench. Eliot just raised an eyebrow letting Nate know he was dead serious and also asking if he had a problem with it. He was going to say something but was interrupted by the rest of the families arrival. "Ma'am." Nate greeted Eliots mother instead, having yet to meet her. When all he was given was an appraising once over before she sat across from Pete, he clearly saw why they had just been bickering.

"Nice to see you could make it." Michael Spencer told his son sounding more like he just said, 'Eliot I hate your guts and just looking at you makes me sick'.

Looking at the one open seat next to Ashlee Nate turned to Brian speaking softly, "Hey buddy, how about you sit up there with all the other grown ups like a big boy." before he nearly lifted him out of his chair across from Eliot and gave him no choice but to sit there as he stole his spot.

"Nice" Eliot mouthed shaking his head and trying not to laugh at the miniature glare Brian was shooting Nate.

"Hi" Becca greeted happily.

"Hi" Nate offered in return a bit awkwardly. He turned to his left and was a bit surprised to see that not only was Brian still looking ready to kill him but he had gained the gazes of Eliots parents. Slowly breaking eye contact with Mr. Spencer Nate turned back toward Rebecca deciding that the mostly one sided conversation she had going with Eliot about her dolls was far more interesting than what was going on on the other side of him. "I don't know Eliot I'd have to agree with Rebecca there, purple dresses are nicer than pink ones." He finally threw in as he found a place to enter the conversation much to Eliots amusement. So they sat there ignoring the looks and comments with double meanings as they ate and talked about princesses and eventually dinosaurs when Brian learned that Nate had a collection as a kid and couldn't be angry with him anymore.

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"Eliot" Sarah came up behind Eliot and Nate who were talking quietly with the kids in the kitchen. They had originally gone in there to see if there was any cookies to steal, for the kids of course, but decided to stay in there when they heard Ashlee getting the third degree about not wanting to be a stay at home mother.

"Yeah" Eliot sat Becca on the counter as he went to the doorway where his sister stood.

"We're goin' outside to hide eggs, I just wanted to let you know so you could keep the kids occcupied." Sarah glanced at the man playing with her little girl before turning her gaze back to her brother.

"I thought you would have done that already?" He had never gone to Sarahs for Easter before but according to Aaron she did things the exact same way every year and he distinctly remembered receiving a letter from Brian last year about a detailed Easter egg hunt that happened right after church.

"They wanted to wait for you Eliot. Believe it or not you're really important to them." Sarah still didn't see why he found it so hard to believe that her kids loved him.

"We'll be out front when you're done." Eliot avoided his sisters eyes. He knew she meant no harm, none of them ever did, but some subjects just brought up memories that he'd rather forget. "Nate, Brian we're gonna go out front." Eliot informed over his shoulder.

"Make sure to put a coat on." Sarah called after her son who had already ran to the front door.

Lifting Rebecca off the counter Nate tried putting her down but she clung to his neck fiercely, he wasn't really comfortable with carrying her but she wasn't giving him much of a choice.

"Her sweaters by the door." Sarah stood to the side as Nate walked through the doorway. She didn't know why but her daughter had taken an instant liking to her brothers friend.

"G'on before they get to anxious." Eliot both ordered and excused. He knew his sister wanted to say more but he didn't really feel like hearing it.

"You ready?" Nate asked from his spot by the door. He had tried setting Becca down so she could put her sweater on but she refused to hear of it so he ended up having to juggle a very clingy child while putting on a sweater that of course had a complex button pattern.

Nodding Eliot took the lead in exiting the house, Brian quickly following. "Wait there." Eliot motioned for them to stop as he opened the door to his truck disappearing behind the seat for a moment. "This is for you," Eliot handed a gift bag to Brian, "and for the princess," he slowly revealed a lilac plush bunny.

"Cool" Brian exclaimed as he revealed a bright red remote control car.

Looking at Nates pleading eyes Eliot took pity on him removing Rebecca and placing her on her feet. "Go play with your toys on the porch."

"How did you do that?" Nate breathed as he watched them do exactly as they were told, he was about ready to start bribing the little girl.

"It wasn't that bad." Eliot answered the statement behind his question.

"I've got myself a miniature stalker." Smacking Nate in the chest Eliot rolled his eyes. "She likes you."

"You guys!" Pete called coming from the side of the house.

"Come on."

"You first." Eliot nudged Nate.

Stopping at the corner of the house Nate was met with a waiting Rebecca, eyes wide and pleading. Looking into those dark brown eyes Nate resigned himself to the little girl as he offered his hand grumbling, "Lets go."


E/N: Some news if you're looking for drama between Nate and Eliots parents, it wont happen. Or at least it isn't happening on Easter, I've got other plans for that blow up that I think will go really well and as for them figuring out that Nate and Eliot are in a relationship I don't know when that's happening but they all will know before the end of this story and as for the end of this story it will be just as long if not longer than spoiled celebrations. Now that that was said hope you enjoyed and that RL is being nice to everyone though it isn't toward me at the moment.