A/N: Just a little Thanksgiving chapter for you. Theo is six and the twins are five. Kimberly is four and Katie is a little over one. Little JJ is three .

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Talking Casey Off of That Cathy Cabot Ledge

OOO

"OK, Mom…yes...I know, Mom..." Alex looked up as Olivia entered the kitchen and smiled. "I know…I've defrosted a turkey before…even cooked a turkey…" Alex reached for an orange from the bowl in the middle of the kitchen table, inspected it, and then put it back. "Mom…I know. It's already in the refrigerator. It'll be ready to go for tomorrow morning."

Olivia moved into the kitchen now and sat diagonally from her wife at the head and just watched her wife become redder and redder from whatever her mother was telling her. She smiled and shook her head, not able to keep from laughing as her wife rolled her eyes and then closed them.

"Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, Olivia's famous Brussels sprouts…" Alex looked at Olivia and winked. "Probably one sweet potato pie and one pumpkin pie. The kids are making cookies with us in a little while."

And as if by conjuring, the twins entered the room, running into the living room and attempting to hide—Isabel behind the sectional and Grace underneath the piano.

"Ready or not! Here I come!" Theo's voice bellowed now from the top of the stairs.

Their little boy came into view now, tip-toeing and smiling and holding his index finger to his mouth, his blue eyes sparkling.

"OK, Mom…we'll see you at two…I love you, too…" Alex depressed the button to end the call and then set her phone down and then scrubbed her face with both hands.

"Mama Cabot?" Olivia reached over and placed her hand on the blonde's shoulder, still giggling.

Then squealing from the living room as Theo found Isabel first, Grace jumping out and shouting, "Surprise!"

"You're it, Izzie!" Theo claimed proudly.

"Cookies now, guys?" Olivia raised her eyebrows.

"Yea!" They all shrieked.

"OK, wash your hands and we'll get started." Olivia watched the kids rush to the kitchen sink and Theo pulled the step stool closer—the small bench tall and wide enough for all three to stand on—and turned the faucet on. The brunette turned back to her wife. "Cathy OK?"

"Yeah…" Alex let a breath out. "She stresses me out about this whole thing more than I would be if I hadn't talked to her. We've already discussed the details but she has to call again and send my blood pressure spiking one last time."

Olivia stroked the top of her wife's left hand. "I'm sorry, Babe. But everything will go according to plan. You've got me, remember?"

Alex smiled and intertwined her fingers with Olivia's. "I know, Babe."

"And Casey and Melinda are coming over around noon to help out."

"Even better…" Alex offered.

The kids approached Olivia now. Isabel began playing with her brunette mother's hair, Grace hung on Alex, and Theo was putting his little apron on. Olivia couldn't help but smile at their children, feeling the warm sentimentality of having them there, of spending another holiday with these precious beings—including her wife.

"Mama?" Theo questioned, struggling to tie the strings behind his back.

Olivia motioned for him to come closer and he did, turning around, as she began to tie them for him. "What is it, baby?"

"Can we put Skittles in them?"

"Skittles?" Olivia finished tying and then patted his hips and he turned around and placed his hands on her knees, belly pressed to her closely.

Theo nodded once. "I like Skittles. Especially the purple ones and Tommy said his mom lets him put them in their cookies."

"Well, we don't have any Skittles, my boy, but we have rainbow-colored chocolate candies to put in them…" Olivia tried.

"Yeah!" he beamed. "Awesome!"

Olivia pulled him closer and kissed his cheek. "It is pretty awesome, isn't it?"

Theo nodded again, smiling at her.

"OK…to the island!" Olivia cheered.

"Do we have everything we need for tomorrow?" Alex questioned and Olivia watched her take her right thumb cuticle to her mouth and begin to gnaw.

"Stop, Al…we have everything we need. Food, place settings, seating arrangement, decorations are out…"

Olivia watched her wife scan the room now, still chewing on her skin. The brunette gently moved her hand from her mouth and smiled.

Alex began giggling. "That turkey bean bag chair my brother bought is hideous. Where are we gonna store it when Thanksgiving is over?"

"Upstairs? In one of the kids' rooms? I'm sure one of them will want it in their room. Right kids?"

They all cheered again, now all sitting in the stools of the island, Theo on the step stool from the sink, all waiting.

"Or there's always cooking it…" Alex exclaimed, smirking.

"We'll find some place to put it, Al. Don't worry." Olivia stood and leaned over and kissed her wife gently on the lips.

"Maybe a candle can accidentally ignite it at some point? I'll have the fire extinguisher ready…" Alex giggled.

"Al…we won't go that far. There's always the guest closet upstairs."

"Perfect." Alex stood now and moved to the island where the kids were, taking her mug of coffee with her and sipping. "Ready guys?"

"Ready!" Grace cheered.

The others nodded and cheered as well.

"Let's make cookies, then…" Alex looked at Olivia now. "Just make sure Mommy doesn't eat a dozen tonight like she did last time…they were so good."

"We're only making two dozen, so that'll look pretty pathetic with only a couple of cookies left to display." Olivia moved all of the bags of flour and sugar off to the sides and pulled the large glass bowl forward. "I'll be the cookie police and not let you have more than two. How's that?"

"Perfect, Liv… sounds perfect."


AAA

By five-thirty, the cookies were made, Olivia keeping her promise of only allowing her wife two before they were placed into a plastic food storage container and a large computer-printed sign on top that read THANKSGIVING COOKIES: KEEP OUT!, made by the brunette herself.

The kids were relaxing on the sofa watching Animaniacs, all huddled together with a large blanket over them, eyes fixed on the screen, and the ladies had just finished cleaning up and were standing at the island.

Olivia leaned with her elbows on the wooden surface, Alex had her iPad open on a Wall Street Journal article about another corrupt scandal in their government having to do with the adulterous affair of a prominent figure in politics.

"Why don't we order something for dinner since we'll be cooking so much tomorrow morning?" Olivia advised, drumming her fingertips together.

"Sounds good, Liv…" Alex put her iPad to sleep and set it down. "I can go pick it up. Avoid Chester Cheetah delivering to our door again."

Chester Cheetah was the nickname they coined for the Thai delivery boy from the restaurant that they frequently ordered from. He was a young man who, every time he delivered, ogled them with bug eyes, and looked like he wanted to motorboat each of them as his eyes always seemed to be focused on their mid-chests.

Olivia thought it was harmless but Alex had been getting more and more uncomfortable with his deliveries.

"No delivery from your boyfriend?" Olivia giggled, moving to take the tri-fold paper menu from the drawer next to the refrigerator.

"And your boyfriend, Liv…" Alex smirked. "Disgusting man…"

Olivia opened the menu and continued laughing. "Same order?"

"Yeah…you call and I'm going to go change into my nun habit to go pick it up."

"Even in a habit, if he's at the restaurant, he'll do that Chester Cheetah thing….aye, aye, aye…" She mimicked the feline that wore sunglasses for good measure.

Alex shook her head. "There aren't enough penance for the way he looks at us, Liv…"

"Amen, Sister Alex…" Olivia agreed.


The doorbell rang at noon the next day and Alex looked down at her ensemble as she walked down the hallway to the front door. She was wearing a pair of eggshell white, high-waisted palazzo pants and a light gray, polka-dotted, silk, V-lapel blouse. With black heels on, her hair in a low chignon, and her glasses on, she was ready, while Olivia was upstairs adding the finishing touches to her own ensemble and making sure the kids were dressed and their rooms were presentable for their company.

Everything was on its way to being ready—turkey in the oven, side dishes made, rolls ready to be put into the oven after the turkey was done—and they were just waiting for the rest of their guests to bring their designated dishes that they had promised to bring.

Alex opened the door to a very frazzled-looking Casey, who was holding a large, foil-covered platter, her expression almost hard to read.

"I apologize, in advance, for this travesty I present to you." Casey handed Alex the covered dish.

Alex took it. "What is it, Case?" She let her sister-in-law in and kissed her cheek.

"God, you look beautiful Alex. Absolutely stunning." Casey looked down at her own outfit. "I look so…" Casey's lower lip began to tremble and she looked up, those green eyes tearing mercilessly. "I'm sorry, Alex…"

"Hey...Casey…" Alex put her arm around the redhead's shoulder and they moved down the wooden walkway slowly. "What's going on, Babe?"

"I just…I'm a wreck right now…call it hormones? Call it nerves? Call it exhaustion? Call it whatever, but I really need a glass of wine today. Especially with my mother-in-law coming over."

Alex set the large plate on the island where there was already a platter of fresh raw vegetables and a bowl of dip in the center. "Casey…" Alex placed her hands on her friend's upper arms, "…what happened?"

"Nothing? Everything?" Casey now spoke in a rush, the tears filling her eyes and beginning to fall, her cheeks red with emotion. "And, like I mentioned, the appetizer you told me to bring wasn't what I planned. I wanted to get some nice cheese and nice crackers at the Whole Foods Gourmet, but that didn't happen." Casey gasped now, "I woke up late and then Katie was crying all morning, threw up two bottles of milk—I think she has some kind of bug, she's better now, though—Kimberly ran around the house like a wild banshee, screaming at the top of her lungs for two hours straight…I'm exhausted. Your brother was feeling frisky last night and this morning…and we—" Casey stopped herself and looked at Alex now, pure grievance on her porcelain face.

Alex fought the urge to tell her to stop but didn't. Her sister-in-law was all over the place right now and a lecture on not revealing the intimacy between she and her brother was not appropriate at the moment. Listening to her and supporting her was.

"Hey…" Alex took her friend into a hug now, "…you're with family. You can relax. Everything is done. You can have your glass of wine and don't have to worry about anything."

Casey mumbled against Alex's shoulder, "My mother-in-law has been on my case, lately. My clothes, my mothering skills, my cooking, my going back to work."

"What?" Alex pulled away now and placed her hands on Casey's shoulders. "What are you talking about?"

Jonathan entered now—Katie on his hip, and Kimberly holding his left hand. "Hey, hey, hey! Happy Thanksgiving!"

"And then I get to deal with Mr. Rogers. Mr. Everything-is-always-perfect. I just can't be…"

"Can't be what?" Jonathan questioned, brow furrowed, moving to Alex and kissing her cheek. "Can't be what, Casey?"

"I can't just be a sad, exhausted, normal mother and woman!" Casey spouted, beginning to cry once more.

"Casey…" Jonathan tried.

"Your mother is gonna have something to say about this stained blouse I'm wearing," she looked down at her green silk blouse, a definite couple of stains there, and then back up, "…my pants are tight, the dark circles under my eyes look like a raccoon! And just look at the gourmet dish I brought!"

Alex uncovered the platter to reveal saltine crackers in concentric circles, a square of American cheese on each, a sprig of parsley placed majestically in the center. The blonde couldn't help but giggle. "It's fine, Casey. We'll eat it right up. Mmmmm, looks delicious."

"Please, Alex…it's horrifying. I'm horrifying!" Casey sobbed.

Jonathan handed Katie to Alex and she took her before he moved into Casey and slithered his arms around her, smirking. "But I still find you attractive, Casey. If I didn't we wouldn't have—" Jonathan stopped himself and smirked at Alex.

"Oh, John…that's all you think about! You're just a horny guy!" Casey moved away and then pushed his hands away from her waist. "I need…I need…"

"Case…" Alex began, moving to place her hand on the redhead's shoulder, "…go on upstairs and take a few minutes. I'll have a glass of Chardonnay waiting for you when you get back, OK?" She rubbed her back soothingly, watching Casey struggle with a plethora of emotions.

Casey's eyes met her own, now red, her cheeks tear-streaked. "OK." she agreed softly before smiling, "And make it Merlot and I'm your girl."

"You got it, Case…"

Alex bounced her niece on her hip and smiled, watching as Casey walked down the hallway and disappeared out of sight before looking at the beautiful baby in her arms—like looking at herself when she was in diapers—she gasped and widened her eyes. "Is your mama having a nervous breakdown, Katie?"

Katie began giggling now and grabbing for Alex's left dangling gold earring. Alex moved her hand away for fear of the little one ripping it out. She kissed her hand.

"What's going on, John-John?"

"Casey has been high stress since yesterday morning. Mom called us and wanted to talk about the plans for Thanksgiving—"

"Which are all covered and taken care of," Alex interrupted. "What did she say to Casey?"

"Well, I don't think it's as bad as my wife is telling it. Mom might have mentioned to Casey not to wear what she wore last year. Remember that dress she had on right after she had Katie?"

"You mean the one that was, like a month after she had given birth?" Alex raised her eyebrows. "She had just had a baby!" Alex retorted, trying not to let her voice raise with the sensitive child in her arms.

"I know, Allie. But you know Mom. Everything she says can either be brushed aside or taken personally. And I think we can see what Casey did. Anything I say to her, she says I'm defending Mom. Nothing I say makes it better. It's been tense."

"What about the cooking thing and the mothering thing Casey mentioned?"

"All blown out of proportion. Mom said something about Katie being too small for her age, and then something about Kim needing discipline, and then she mentioned the cooking thing. Casey has three standard dishes she makes—meatloaf, baked chicken, and spaghetti with meat sauce—and that's what she makes, that's her thing. I, personally, love it. But apparently that was brought up as well and, needless to say, Casey got off the phone yesterday morning in tears. She's also about to start her…" Jonathan cleared his throat, "…time of the month, and she's really sensitive."

"OK, Johnny. We'll take care of her tonight. A little wine, some good food, the part of the family that's not getting on her nerves…"

Jonathan smiled, "Thanks, Allie-Al…"

"You got it, bro…"


OOO

"I just can't…" Casey cried.

Olivia had sent the kids down and had been talking to Casey in the master bedroom for the past half-hour. They were both sitting on the foot of the bed and the brunette was trying to talk her sister-in-law through this. But the redhead had been almost inconsolable.

"Thanks, Liv…I know your crazy friend seems to have lost all four wheels."

Olivia tilted her head to the side and smiled, taking a tissue to Casey's tear-streaked cheeks and wiping gently. "That's what we're here for, Case." She leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

Casey eyed Olivia's apparel—a long-sleeved black, silk Vince jumpsuit, her hair down and wavy—and her lower lip began trembling again. "You look so beautiful and I look like I'm going to the Bingo Hall with my twenty game cards in front of me."

Olivia couldn't help but giggle. She leaned into her friend and rested the side of her head against Casey's. "You look beautiful, Casey. We can fix up your make-up and I can get you a new blouse to wear…OK?" Olivia leaned away and looked at her friend.

"OK, Liv…thanks…" her raspy voice tried.

"Anything for our friend and sister-in-law, Babe. Anything."


Olivia bounced Katie on her hip and walked down the hallway to the front sitting room. "Shhhhh," she soothed as she approached the darkened room.

Dinner had been eaten and the family had moved into the living room to watch the game, the rest of the kids playing on the floor with Legos, dolls, stuffed animals, and construction paper and crayons, happily spending time with each other.

There were no blow ups at dinner, but there had been a definite tension. Casey was quiet, Bill Cabot telling stories as he always did, and Melinda offering subtly-changed stories from her daily work. The food was delicious and turned out well and, despite the uncouth appetizer Casey had brought, every last cracker had been eaten.

Olivia looked at Casey who was sitting on the far end of the two-seat sofa, cradling a glass of red wine in both hands, only one lamp illuminated, the room holding only a small amount of brightness.

She looked up, her expression grim. "I'm so sorry, Liv. I'm such a pain in the…well, you know…" Casey held her glass up. "Third one of these and I can say I am starting to feel better…now even weepier, though…" She looked down at her glass now, wiping the rim with her thumb.

Olivia moved to sit on the sofa with her.

"And I don't want you to think I'm unhappy, Liv…"

Olivia shook her head. "I don't think that, Case."

"I have so much. Two beautiful girls, a drop-dead gorgeous husband who still thinks I'm sexy, two amazing sister-in-laws, friends, I'm just…"

"We all go through it, Casey. All of us." Olivia placed Katie, belly down, in the space on the sofa between them and rubbed her back, the little one now sleeping. "I've had my share of wonderful moments when it comes to Cathy Cabot. Remember?"

"I remember. And maybe I'm being too sensitive? But, she just has a way of making me feel less than…you know?"

"I do know…but that's just her way. She doesn't mean anything by it. She has her way of giving advice that seems more like accusations. Trust me, I've been there." Olivia continued rubbing Katie's back.

"It gets better, though, right?"

"It does, Case. I promise." Olivia smiled. "You just happen to be the victim of her current tongue-lashings right now. It was me at one point. Now it's you and it will be someone else in no time…" Olivia winked.

"Girls?" a familiar voice questioned.

They both looked up to find Cathy Cabot standing there, arms folded, concern on her face.

"Hey, Cathy…" Olivia offered before looking back at Casey and widening her eyes momentarily.

"Am I like that? Do I do that?" The older petite blonde moved closer, now standing on the other side of the coffee table in front of them. "Did I upset you, Dear?" Her eyes focused on Casey now.

"Maybe a little…" Casey's husky voice was soft.

Cathy moved around now and leaned over and took Katie into her arms, the baby not waking, and let her tiny head rest on her left shoulder before she sat in between the brunette and redhead.

"I'll let you two talk…" Olivia offered, moving to stand.

"No…" Cathy's hand was on her forearm now, "…stay, Olivia. I know I was hard on you, too, when I first met you and you and my Alex got engaged. And…" she looked at Casey now, "…you feel the same?"

Olivia watched as Casey became emotional again. The brunette spoke for her sister-in-law when she noticed that she couldn't speak right now for herself. "She just feels that you criticize her, Cathy. She feels inferior."

"Is that it, Dear? You don't feel good enough?" Cathy moved closer to Casey and moved her hair from the front of her shoulder to the back. "You are a wonderful woman, wife, and mother, Casey. My Jonathan was lucky to have found you. And I don't want you to ever feel that way, Dear."

Casey swallowed and looked at her mother-in-law and nodded. "I know…" she said softly.

"I know I'm harsh at times…" she turned to Olivia now, "…this one can tell you that from experience," she smiled. "But Casey…" she turned back to the redhead, "…I think you're wonderful, amazing, exceptional, and I couldn't have asked for a better match for my son."

Casey gasped now, her face wrinkling with feeling. She nodded, her face contorting even further. "Thank you, Cathy…"

Cathy leaned forward and took Casey into a tight hug with her right arm. "I'm sorry, Casey…I'll try to be less…mother-in-law-like…" She pulled away and then turned to Olivia.

Olivia smiled at her.

"And Olivia was the punching bag for a little while, right, Dear?"

"For just a little while…" Olivia held her thumb and forefinger slightly apart and then winked.

"And she's right. I'll move on to someone else soon…" Cathy looked back at Casey. "I promise. Can you forgive me?"

"I can, Cathy…"

"We have an announcement…" Alex's voice now and they all turned. The blonde looked so statuesque, arms folded, legs for days, looking so regal.

Kimberly and JJ entered now, holding hands and smiling. They moved up to stand in front of Olivia who took Kimberly onto her lap, JJ moving into her, as well.

"Kimberly has just asked JJ to marry him…and he agreed." Alex smiled. "He asked for my father's permission and everything…"

"Wow!" Olivia beamed. "Another marriage in our family!" She kissed Kimberly's cheek and then leaned forward and kissed JJ's. "Congratulations!"

The kids giggled.

"Everything OK?" Alex questioned.

"Everything's good, Alex. Thanks to you guys…" Casey admitted.


AAA

Alex stroked her wife's hair as the brunette lay, head on her chest, in the dimness of the bedroom. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, smelling her wife's shampoo and perfume in front of her. Alex took her fingertips to begin lightly stroking Olivia's exposed back.

"It was a good Thanksgiving, right, Babe?"

"Mmmm…aside from a little family drama."

"There always has to be a little of that…besides…I understand what Casey is going through…"

"That, you do, Liv…"

Olivia lifted her head and looked at her. "Your mother can be very…difficult, at times." She smiled, that broad grin flashing in the dimness of the moonlight.

"I know, Liv…" Alex began stroking the strands of her wife's hair, "…that's Cathy Cabot…and future Alex Benson-Cabot…" Alex began giggling.

Olivia lifted herself further onto her wife, aligning her face with her own. "Oh, I can't wait to see you with our future daughter and son-in-laws. You'll be off the chain," Olivia chuckled.

"No doubt about that. I plan to be every bit as difficult…"

"Don't let me down," Olivia smiled and then settled her face in the crook of Alex's neck, placing a soft kiss there.

"I'll never let you down, Liv…"

"And I'll never let you down, Al…goodnight…I love you." Olivia moved her body back down and rested her cheek on the blonde's shoulder once more.

"I love you, Olivia…"

And it seemed that, once again, the family had won out in the end. Love and communication were paramount in fixing the issues associated with so many individuals melded into one marital circle. And the most important thing was that Casey knew that the ladies were always there, supporting her and her family in any way that they could.

It had been another great Thanksgiving.


Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you enjoyed the special one-shot just for this time of year. Please review as I would love to hear from you!

Sincerely,

Patricia