Chapter 11: Assembly Required - 2024
Tim looked over at Tony as they attached the final part of the mesh around the trampoline to the supports. It had taken almost three- and one-half hours, but the two men had managed to assemble the trampoline in the McGee backyard. It was the twins' large Christmas present from their parents for that year.
"Hey, I really appreciate your help getting this put together, Tony," Tim fitted the last hook for the mesh into its slot.
"No problem, bro. I figure my kids will be playing on this as much as your two," the older man grinned at his brother. "Plus, your kids come play on our playset all the time, I know the kids do enjoy outdoor activities. We don't have room for a trampoline in the backyard."
"Well, it worked out well that Ziva and Dee planned to get the kids helping make cookies for Santa today."
Tony nodded, "Perfectly. And after we all watch It's a Wonderful Life, it'll be dark when you guys get home, so John and Katie won't suspect at thing."
As the two men put away tools, Tony sent a text message to Ziva that they were headed back for dinner. He and Tim climbed in his truck and made the short drive to the DiNozzo house.
"Thanks again, Tony. One less thing to be assembled for tomorrow is always good," Tim was thinking about the two bikes in cartons that needed to be assembled after the twins were in bed.
"Yeah, I figure Ziva and I will be up until the wee hours of the morning putting stuff together. We have that foosball table for all of them, bikes for the twins, and a play workbench for LJ to put together."
"Good luck with all of them," Tim commented with a smirk. "Must be a challenge when Ziva dives right in while you are reading the instructions."
Tony chuckled, "Ah, McGuesser, it is the exact opposite. Ziva reads the instructions and checks for all the parts and pieces while I just start putting things together based on the picture on the box."
~DiNozzo~
Tony glanced at his watch; 0145… it was officially Christmas day and the foosball table was only about half put together. They'd started with the bikes for the girls; he and Ziva each took a bike from its carton and attached the pedals, handlebars, and seat. Those had been the easy assemblies taking about thirty minutes. Next, they'd tackled the play workbench for LJ. It had seventy-fie parts in all, but some of the were loose play bolts, nuts, and nails that fit in the various holes in the plastic and wood of the toy. Together they had constructed the toy in about an hour.
And then came the major task – assembling the foosball table. Getting the legs and frame connected had been relatively easy; the current task of placing the players on the rods was time-consuming and aggravating. Of course, Ziva had read the instructions while he had tried to just brute force ahead.
"You have to put the rods in one side before you attach the players," Ziva hissed at him when he tried to place the plastic people on the rod first.
"If I don't screw them in place with the set-screw, I can put them on the rod and slide them around to get the rod into the holes on either side," he snapped back at her.
"Fine; you take the red set, and I will take the blue set of players. Let us see who gets done first," she smirked at him as she placed the rod for the blue goalie, slid a stopper, the player, and a second stopper on the rod, and then threaded the rod through the opposite side. "Hand me that offset screwdriver, please."
Tony placed the stoppers and the goalie on the red player rod and maneuvered it into place on the opposite end, He held out his hand, "My turn with the offset screwdriver." He smirked at his wife; both methods had resulted in an installed rod.
"I will get another offset screwdriver from your toolbox," she huffed as he grinned. "That way I do not have to wait for you before I secure the blue players in place." She returned with a second tool as he was securing the second stopper.
They continued placing rods and players in the appropriate set of holes. They were working on the center set of rods when he had glanced at the time. Those rods had five players each; the final set had three players for each team and were placed on the opposing team's side. Ziva was concentrating on getting the setscrew in place. Since the rows were close together, they were just about in each other's faces.
Ziva looked up from her work; Tony was inches away with a glint in his eyes. He leaned forward and kissed his better half.
"Merry Christmas, sweetcheeks," he whispered as they broke apart. "There's mistletoe," he pointed towards the ceiling and leaned in for another kiss.
As they broke for air the second time, Ziva chucked his chin, "If we keep this up, we will still be awake when the kids get up at the crack of the dawn." She kissed him again as he murmured, "Mmm-hmm."
They broke for air again, the silent agreement between them to finish assembling the table and then they could partake in any distractions. It took about another hour to get the last rods in place and then add the end caps and handles on each of the eight rods.
"Remind me next year that assembly required means we spend half the night putting gifts together," Tony quipped as he followed Ziva to their room.
"Perhaps you will enjoy the reward of getting the job completed?" she pulled him to her. "Mistletoe," she smirked and pointed upward as they fell on to the bed, arms wrapped around each other.