After Carrie finally talked him into leaving the hospital, Brody drove over to Maggie's after texting her and saying he'd be stopping by to pick up Farrah. It wasn't that late and he agreed with Carrie that the girl would be better off sleeping and waking up in her own bed.
Pulling into the driveway he parked and left the vehicle, made his way onto the front porch. Not even having to knock before Maggie answered, taking him by surprise.
"Whoa!"
"Sorry, sorry. The girls are in bed already, didn't want them to hear the doorbell.", Maggie explained.
"Hey if you want I can wait out here for Farrah. I don't want to intrude."
"It's okay, really. C'mon inside, it's cooling off."
Shrugging, obeying Brody slipped off his shoes as Danny exited the kitchen, approached them.
"Hey Danny."
"Brody.", the younger man greeted, wiping his hands on the apron he was wearing.
"What are you cooking at this hour?", Maggie asked curiously.
"I wasn't cooking. I was baking. Remember Josie needs banana bread for the bake sale tomorrow?"
"I know she does. That's why there's a loaf of it in the freezer for her to take.", she said as Danny's face fell.
"But mine has chocolate chunks baked in and cinnamon sugar streusel crumbs on the top.", he protested.
"Is that right?", Brody asked, getting a nod.
"It's my mom's recipe. C'mon man, you gotta help me out.", Danny begged.
Looking between him and Maggie, Brody frowned. "Well I don't know. Doesn't feel like my place-"
"Well which one would you rather have? One with fucking walnuts and nothing but or chocolate and cinnamon.", Danny asked as Maggie glared.
"There's nothing wrong with walnuts.", she spat. "They're in Ruby's godmother's recipe!"
"Shit, guys. I don't..."
"Here. Try a piece and tell me what you think.", Danny said, returning to the kitchen island and taking a knife out of the drawer.
"Well good, with a chunk cut out of it now Josie can't bring it!", she pointed out as he rolled his eyes.
"I made a double batch. Two loaves."
"Smart.", Brody commented, catching a look from Maggie as he swallowed hard, sat at the island before taking the plate with his slice on it.
"Okay, but mine has to be sampled too then.", she said, reaching into a cupboard and pulling out a saran wrapped loaf.
"Hey! Where did that come from?"
"It comes from my being smart too, dear."
Grabbing the knife she cut a slice of her bread, plated it, while Brody tore off a small chunk of Danny's, slowly chewed it.
"Okay, what are your thoughts?", Danny asked as Maggie put her plate in front of Brody, arched a brow at him.
"Mind if I have a glass of milk to go with.", Brody asked. "I think that'll-"
Rolling her eyes Maggie poured, set one in front of him.
"Thanks."
After sipping it, trying both pieces of bread again, amused at the impatient glares he was getting, Brody slowly finished both slices and the milk, wiped his mouth with a napkin. All the while not saying a word.
"Okay seriously, what's the verdict?"
"Mind if I get another glass of-"
"BRODY!", Maggie and Danny yelled, getting him laughing.
"Okay, okay. Fine. I liked the chocolate. Wasn't too crazy about the cinnamon though."
"What?"
"Sorry Galvez it just felt like a little much. I think the simple route is the way to go here.", he shrugged, getting a triumphant look from Maggie.
"Damn it! Brody!", Danny protested. "I thought you'd back me up on this!"
Tearing off another chunk of Maggie's bread, Brody shrugged. "Well next time don't make me choose between your recipe and my fucking future sister in law's.", he said simply, not wanting to think about what choosing the former would've meant for him.
"Okay since I won the bread-off, you have to wake Farrah up.", Maggie said as Danny untied his apron, shook his head.
"Fine. Maybe I can win her over with the chocolate.", he sighed, trudging upstairs. Laughing Maggie shook her head, wrapped the loaves back up and put them away.
"So how's Carrie? I know the cramping stopped and the baby's okay but, how was she when you left the hospital?", she asked, sitting across from him.
"She's okay. She insisted though I come get Farrah, bring her home."
"She wants her to have that normalcy and routine back. It's completely understandable."
"She also insisted I start prepping for Farrah's birthday week.", Brody said, quietly in case the girl was in earshot.
"Ah. Had a feeling she'd keep that tradition going with her."
"You know about it?"
Nodding, Maggie smiled. "Carrie wrote me a lot when she was overseas. She told me one day she had gone to this marketplace, bought up all these toys and gifts to hide."
"She said that your dad used to..."
"Yeah.", Smile going soft she shrugged. "He'd plan but nothing would usually come of it. Aside from Carrie being disappointed on her birthday. That's probably the reason she refuses to celebrate her's now."
"Not at all?", Brody asked.
"Not since she went away to college. I'd go up to see her and she'd say she had a term paper or was up all night studying. And after she graduated it's like she swore it all off. I haven't thrown her a party in years."
"Shit.", he said softly.
"I was actually thinking I'd plan our wedding for that day. Just as an excuse to celebrate something. But then we bumped the date to what's actually Farrah's birthday."
"How come?"
"Originally it was so we could have the hall, the church. But since both locations have been screwing us over at every turn, Danny thinks we should just have the ceremony in the backyard.", Maggie sighed.
"Well that could be really nice, couldn't it?", Brody asked. "I mean you've got a huge yard. You could get a minister, put some tables and a tent out. Have the reception here too."
Sensing from Maggie's face he'd overstepped his bounds, he swallowed hard, started backpedaling. "Of course what the fuck do I know. It's yours and Danny's day. I should just keep my mouth shut."
"No. It's okay.", Maggie laughed, rolling her eyes. "As much as I hate admitting it, I think having the ceremony here could be really nice. Just don't tell Danny I changed my mind. Not yet."
"Hey, your secrets safe with me.", Brody grinned.
"So your wedding is gonna be on Farrah's birthday though."
"Seems that way."
"And Carrie's birthday is when?"
"The day before Farrah's."
"Holy shit.", he breathed. "Look, I know her feelings on the subject but I can't just ignore her fucking birthday. Especially now that I know the date."
"Our rehearsal dinner. Yeah. I had an idea though..."
"What?"
"Well rehearsal dinners always seemed silly to me. It's not like we need serious practice walking around in the backyard."
"Hey, you never know with some people.", Brody smirked as she rolled her eyes.
"I was thinking though. Carrie's got a weekend pass from the hospital that'll be issued. Maybe we should try and make the rehearsal dinner a party for her too. We can say it's because of the baby, you, her being home."
"Maggie. That's really generous."
"Yeah, I get that a lot.", Maggie shrugged. "But Carrie's going to be thirty-five and-"
"Wait, what?"
"You heard me, thirty-five."
"She doesn't look thirty-five!"
"Tell her you said that. It's what we like to hear.", she laughed at the still stunned look on his face.
"How old are you, just out of curiosity."
"Not thirty-five.", he said curtly, getting a look. "C'mon, women aren't the only ones who like keeping their age a mystery."
"Fine. Consider the subject dropped. Even though you don't look much above thirty-five either.", Maggie smiled as he rolled his eyes.
"Thank you. Now as you were saying...Carrie's going to be thirty-five and..."
"And that's an important birthday. One worth celebrating. Along with a lot of other things that've happened for her."
"I just hope she sees it that way.", Brody said nervously. "For someone as anti-birthday as she is, I don't want to upset her when she finally has some time at home."
"She'll appreciate it if it comes from you and Farrah. That much your future sister in law is sure of.", Maggie grinned as he rolled his eyes, gave her a sheepish smile.
"So, you really are thinking in those terms. You haven't asked her-"
"No.", Brody said, shaking his head. "But I want to."
"Do it at the party then."
"Now hold on a second..."
"I'm serious, Brody. Look, all the people we care about are going to be there. It's the perfect moment.", Maggie said, then realized maybe she was overstepping now.
"Unless you don't...I mean it's your moment, I don't want to try and talk you into-"
"No. It's not that. I mean it makes a lot of sense, like you said everyone who cares about her's going to be there. I just think you're starting to forget that it's your big day the following day."
"I know it is.", Maggie said going solemn. "But, my sister's been through a lot of bullshit lately, Brody. The last time I got married she was going through a lot of the same.", she sighed.
"What do you mean?"
"She'd just been diagnosed. And she was prescribed all the wrong medications and she was out of it, foggy and completely miserable. I barely smiled in any of my own wedding photos. And forget about being able to take any with her. I just don't want that to happen again. I want her happy."
"Well, if I have a chance to make that happen guess I'd better take it, right?", Brody asked with a smile before hearing his name being yelped. Turning he saw Farrah barreling down the steps before running, jumping at him.
"Hey, brat!", he laughed, catching her as she hugged him. "How long have you been awake?"
"I play with Dan and Calvin upstairs.", she said as Danny walked over, holding the cat's carrier.
"I forgive you for picking Mag's banana bread so long as you get this thing out of the house now.", he said as Brody snorted, took the carrier.
"Let me guess, he tried to-"
"Scratched me once, bit me twice." Danny sighed, holding up his right arm.
"You tease him and no give him treat. That why.", Farrah said matter of factly, getting looks from all the adults. "He like treats.", she shrugged as Maggie laughed, moved to whisper something to Brody.
"You should take her when you go ring shopping."
"Shop?!", the girl cheered. Frowning Brody looked at her appalled.
"How did you even hear..."
"Shop! We shop!"
"Yeah okay. Okay. After you sleep. C'mon.", Brody groaned, thanking Danny and Maggie before carrying Farrah and Calvin out the door.