Scene of the Thanksgiving Day Insanity in Miami
Speedle and Calleigh-centric. Their colleagues are just cameos.
This was inspired by what would happen if CSI: Miami met the "Romancing the Bird" episode of Good Eats.
Rated PG-13 for some language.
Disclaimer: This is my first attempt at fiction. Unfortunately, I don't own these characters (if I did own them, I would persuade Rory to stay on the show and Speed would be alive, dating Calleigh, eventually marrying her)! CBS and Mr. Bruckheimer own them! As far as I am concern, there was never a "Lost Son" episode. It was a collective nightmare the team had, including Speed (I plan to write about that in the near future).
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"Cal, what do you think you are doing with the camera?" Tim asked his wife while wrestling a 20 pound turkey. "I have to remove all this crap from the turkey cavity. Nobody wants to eat this stuff at all."
"I just wanted a photo for the crime lab bulletin board," Calleigh Duquesne-Speedle said brandishing a camera. "I thought it would be cute for our colleagues to see a picture of you preparing that big bird to be brined. You have be watching that 'Romancing the Bird" episode of that 'Good Eats' show one week prior to Thanksgiving Day ever since I have known you. I thought you knew how to cook from your father."
"I did, but it's every day food!" Tim protested. "It's just this dreaded once a year meal plus enough leftovers to last us an entire season that I still need the pointers refreshed! Horatio got me stuck with turkey duty again since I was the poor sucker that volunteered our condo to host this occasion for the fifth year in a row. Everyone else is making cornbread dressing, salad, yams, cranberry chutney, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie and you are making pumpkin swirl cheesecake. I hope H volunteers his place for Christmas!"
"Actually, that would be Eric," Calleigh said after she took the picture despite Tim's constant complaints. "Horatio volunteered his place for Christmas of 2002. Alexx hosted last year's party."
"Next year, let's pass on hosting another Thanksgiving," Tim said. "We need a major reprieve from this."
"Let someone else host it," Calleigh said.
There was silence as Tim finish cleaning the turkey and placing it breast first into the bucket containing the brine, water and ice. He would turn the bird around after about four hours and left it in there for another four hours. While he was waiting, he joined Calleigh in the living room where she was watching a football game. He went back to the kitchen to remove the turkey, rinsed it and placed it in on a rack. Calleigh went to the kitchen and offered her assistance in placing some herbs into the turkey's cavity. Tim made the final preparations for the turkey before putting it in the oven. It would be another half an hour before he had to lower the temperature of the oven.
The first guests arrived an hour before the turkey. Eric and his latest girlfriend arrived at the Speedle residence early with two sweet potato pies. Almost immediately, the aromatic smells of turkey and pumpkin swirl cheesecake hit him hard.
"Wow, those aromas make me want to eat the bird and the dessert your wife is making," Eric said as he entered the house.
"Don't even think about it!" Tim demanded knowing Eric would likely open the oven. "The turkey is still in the oven and so is Calleigh's cheesecake. We are waiting for everyone else to show up. Then everyone eats, drinks and is merry!"
"Speed, tell me the truth," Eric said. "You have been watching football while your wife did the bird and the dessert."
"Delko, you can be such an ass at times!" Tim snapped. "I did the turkey! Cal is baking the cheesecake. What kind of a sexist Neanderthal world you live in?!"
"Sorry," Eric said. "I still can't believe you are making the turkey. For your information, I am not a sexist Neanderthal. If I was, my sisters would kick my ass for it."
"I am sure they would," Tim said under his breath and lucky that Eric was out of earshot.
The doorbell rang again. Calleigh ran to the door to see who it was. It was Ryan Wolfe, a police officer and aspiring CSI who Tim took under his wing, and his fiancée. He brought the cornbread dressing as well as two bottles of wine: one pinot grigio, the other merlot.
"Ryan, I am so glad you decided to show up after all," Calleigh said. "Just put the dish on the stove so it will stay warm. I just put Eric's sweet potato pies in the fridge so it would be nice and cold. Feel free to put the wine in there. I am sure that there is plenty of room."
"Where's Tim?" he asked.
"He just went to garage to look for a large cooler," she said. "We may need it if our fridge is crowded."
"Cal, take out those two huge bags of ice from the freezer for the cooler!" Tim shouted from the garage. "There is another one that is smaller. That one is for the drinks."
Calleigh led the guests to the living room. She went to the kitchen, opened the freezer and retrieved the three bags of ice. She took the smallest one, cut the bag open and emptied the contents into an ice bucket and covered it. Tim finally come in with the cooler, opened the two larger bags and neatly emptied those in the cooler. He placed it in an out of way place in the kitchen. He checked the probe thermometer for turkey readiness, but it wasn't quite done.
"Tim, honey, your protégé and his fiancée have just arrived," Calleigh said. "They are in the living room with Eric and his girlfriend watching the football game."
"Wolfie, what's up!" Tim said as he extended his hand to Ryan and they shook hands. "Cal and I thought you wouldn't come here. I am glad you did!"
Before Ryan could answer the doorbell rang. Tim ran to answer it. It was Alexx and her family. The kids rushed inside nearly knocking Tim to the floor. She brought her famous cranberry chutney in one container and a green bean casserole in another. Tim immediately took the items off her hands, went to the kitchen and placed the casserole on the burner and the chutney in the cooler. He returned to greet her, but she beat him to it.
"Timmy, Happy Thanksgiving!" she said. "Wow, whatever you have cooking smells delicious."
"Thank you for the compliment," Tim replied with a boyish smile. "And I wish you very a Happy Thanksgiving to you, too! Dinner will be ready in about an hour. Sit down and enjoy the game or talk to our colleagues."
The front door wasn't even halfway closed when Horatio with his nephew Ray, Jr. were approaching the front entrance way. Ray, Jr. was carrying the salad with dressing and Horatio had two pumpkin pies. Horatio's sister-in-law Yelena was close behind with the yams. Tim immediately opened the door to let his boss and family in the premise. He took the items from them and placed them in the appropriate placed to be heated or kept cold.
"Speed, that smell is making me hungry," Horatio said. "I don't know if it your turkey or Calleigh's cheesecake."
"It's probably the turkey," Tim replied. "Cal has already finished making the cheesecake. It is a matter of the concoction cooling down and finding out how she will garnish it this year."
"Last year, she made whipped cream with a hint of Grand Manier," Horatio said with a smile.
"Ray, why don't you play with Alexx's kids while the adults watch the game and talk," Yelena said. "The dinner while be ready soon."
The phone rang loudly. Tim excused himself and answered it.
"Speedle residence," he said. "This is Tim speaking"
"Tim, this is Megan Donner calling," a woman's voice on the other end said. "Do you remember me?"
"Yeah, I remember you," Tim said. "I haven't heard from you since last year. How have you been?"
"Not well," Megan replied. "It is still painful to deal with the loss of my husband even after three years."
"I am so sorry," Tim said.
"Hey, I got your invitation for your Thanksgiving party," she replied changing the subject. "However, I regret that I can't make it."
"Maybe you can come next year," Tim said with great understanding. "It has been great talking to you, but I have guests who are waiting for dinner to be ready. I will talk to you soon. Bye!"
"I look forward to your call," she replied and they hung up.
"How is Megan doing?" Calleigh asked.
"She is still grieving for her husband," Tim said. "We extended her an invitation to join us for Thanksgiving for the third year in a row, but she keeps turning it down."
"Tim, she just wants to be alone for a while," Calleigh said. "She will come around and enjoy the Holidays with her former colleagues."
"You're right," he capitulated. "Megan still needs her space."
Another hour later, everyone was at the table sitting according to the orange and brown place setting. Most of what they brought to the party was placed on another table. The chafing dishes kept the hot dishes warm. The turkey wasn't in the dining room, it had to rest before Tim brought it to the main table. The kids did a drum roll for its arrival.
"Behold the main attraction," Tim said. "Now the real fun begins."
He went back to the kitchen to get the electric knife and was about to start carving until one colleague told him to stop.
"What is it now?" Tim said nearly growing impatient.
"This is a crime scene," Eric said taking out a camera and taking pictures of the bird.
"Who did this to you, poor turkey?" Alexx asked.
"There is some green stuff underneath the victim that has needs to be analyzed by Trace," Ryan said.
"That is very funny, guys!" Tim said competing with the laughter and he couldn't help himself as he started to laugh.
There was calm as Tim carved the turkey. Everybody left the table to help themselves to the food, but came back for the turkey. Calleigh led the group in saying Grace. Tim got up from his chair, took his wine glass and gently tapped it with a butter knife. All conversations ceased.
"I would like to propose a toast," Tim said. "For my wife Calleigh, and I know that I will sound bias when I say this, she is the most beautiful intelligent woman I have ever met. For my colleagues, you are an awesome bunch to work with. Sometimes, we do drive each other crazy, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Enough of what I have to say, let's eat! Enjoy Thanksgiving!"
The group, including the three children, raised their glasses and tapped each others glasses saying 'Cheers!". Horatio noticed something different with Calleigh's glass. He wondered, is she or isn't she?
"Calleigh, I notice you are not drinking any wine," Horatio observed. "May I ask why?"
"Do you remember I was out for a week with what I thought was stomach flu?" she said. "Tim took some vacation time to take care of me."
"Yes, I remember that really well," he said.
"Three days ago, I went to my doctor since I had a hard time shaking it," she said. "I was feeling fatigued and queasy. It turned out that it wasn't a stomach bug at all. I am five weeks pregnant. I am due sometime in July."
Upon hearing that, Tim choked on a sip of wine. Since Eric was closest, he gave Tim a few hard pats on his back.
"Are you okay, Speed?" Eric asked.
"Yeah, I will be," Tim said collecting his breath and taking sips of water. "I am going to be father! This is a very Happy Thanksgiving after all!"
There was another round of glass tapping and congratulating the Speedles on their coming addition. Both Tim and Calleigh thought about diaper changes, waking up at 3 am to comfort the baby, first steps, first words, Kindergarten, the hormone crazed teen years filled with angst, driver's education, high school graduation, college tuition and their child's wedding day. Ray, Jr. helped the couple back to the present day.
"So, when are we having our dessert, Mr. and Mrs. Speedle?" he asked. "We have finished our awesomely delicious dinner. We want the thing that put 'thanks' into Thanksgiving."
"Have some patience, Ray," Horatio said. "Speed and Calleigh have stars in their eyes. Give them a few moments to recover from the shock. I have an idea, let's help them clear off the table and we will have dessert."
They each did their part to clean the area and place all the things that belonged to Tim and Calleigh in the sink. They had to be careful when placing the Speedles best china, it was their wedding gift that they chipped in to buy. Both Tim and Calleigh would have to deal with the real clean up job, but that would be once their guests leave.
"Okay, who is ready for highlight of the dinner?" Calleigh asked. "We have pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie and my pumpkin swirl cheesecake. I made lightly sweetened whipped cream for the garnish."
When everyone had their dessert and their choice of warmed apple cider, tea or coffee and was seated again. There were conversations between bites, but no discussions about the cases they were handling. Laughter filled whatever joke or funny statements. Yelena and Alexx were giving Calleigh advice on pregnancy and motherhood, but not so much to overwhelm her. Calleigh took mental notes and told them that if she has any questions in the future she would call them.
The guests started to leave and took whatever leftovers and containers with them. Tim and Calleigh gave their departing company hugs and kisses or handshakes. In return they were congratulated on becoming parents. Horatio, Yelena and Ray, Jr. were the last to leave.
"Well, enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving break," Horatio said. "Congratulations on your upcoming addition."
"Have a Happy Thanksgiving!" Yelena and Ray, Jr. said. "Congratulations on the baby!"
"Thank you," Tim and Calleigh said in unison.
Tim went to the kitchen to get something and return with a videotape.
"H, this is for you!" he said giving his boss the box.
"Speed, what is it?" Horatio asked.
"That tape contains the 'Romancing the Bird' episode of Good Eats," Tim said. "I thought you could get a head start on next year."
"Thank you!" he replied with a chuckle and left with Yelena and Ray, Jr..
"I love you, daddy-to-be," Calleigh said.
"I love you, too, mommy-to-be," Tim said and they kissed.
THE END