Two Days Before Christmas
Casey was sweating bullets. During Thanksgiving, Abbie was in the hot seat, but now, Casey was the one going to Texas to meet the Carmichaels.
Just when Novak thought it couldn't get any worse … "my grandmother's coming from Seattle." Abbie told her. It wouldn't just be the Carmichaels; it would be the Jacksons as well, and according to Abbie, her grandmother was fucking crazy.
"Maybe we should just stay home," Casey tried.
Abbie laughed. "They're going to love you," and if Abbie could survive the Novak men, Casey would do fine. "You eat meat and you like sports. They already like you."
I'm also a bleeding heart liberal who doesn't do all that well in crowds.
The flight from DC to Texas felt long even though it was only two hours. Casey hadn't feared flying before, but her fear of Texas was causing her to react to the plane.
Soft lips hit her neck, distracting her from the altitude. Abbie pushed up the arm rest that sat between them and slipped her arms around Casey's waist.
Casey slid into her lap, and they fell asleep.
Alex, Olivia, and Cassie had to leave early to beat the storm. A blizzard was headed for the northeast. If they didn't beat it, then they get to Boston until after Christmas.
The five year old slept in the back. Alex was driving. She had the most experience driving in the snow.
"I had a flight to catch to Tokyo and there was a storm," she told Olivia as she merged lanes.
The car behind her honked.
"Shut up asshole!"
Olivia rolled her eyes. Alex was a ridiculous driver.
"Anyway, I didn't have time to deal with my car, so I sped to the airport, left it out front, and just got on my plane."
"What happened to your car?" How could she just leave it in front of Logan Airport?
She shrugged. "They towed it and I had to pay a fine. It was cheaper than parking it at the airport for two weeks."
Alex hit the gas, moving around a car and getting into the fast lane.
The other driver cursed her out.
"Get snow tires you FUCK!"
Good thing Cassie is asleep right now.
Eventually, they got to the main house.
Normally, Alex would have preferred to set up in her private house and just come to dinner at the main estate, but given the weather, she did not want to drive back and forth.
The valet came for their car and Olivia carried Cassie into the house.
It was supposed to be only Tyler and Lucenzo in the house, but the winter storm changed many Cabots plans.
"What do you mean you won't have another flight out today?" Graham's voice bellowed as he yelled at the airline. Their flight to Belize got cancelled. Maybe, they could get out tomorrow, but probably not until the 26th. "I have a hotel reservation!" He had reserved a private suite for them.
"…"
"Don't tell me that's what travel insurance was for you insolent BASTARD."
"Not in front of the kids," Lisa chided. Little Alex was in her mother's arms, watching her father's tantrum
"Can't you put her upstairs?"
"Merry Christmas indeed," Alex said dryly.
"Maybe we should take Cassie to her room and get her settled in."
Alex nodded. "Come on Cassie."
"Yes Mama!"
She grabbed her little suitcase and they headed up the stairs to the east wing.
The mansion was divided into four wings. Alex's parents had used the north wing as their own, Alex's room was in the east wing, her brother's in the west wing, and only the extended family or guests stayed in the southern wing when they came to visit.
Alex never thought it made much sense for the family to be so spaced out. She preferred to have her guests share the east wing with her instead of searching for each other from across the house.
"Mama, I'm hungry."
It was 10:30, a little early for lunch but a perfect time for brunch.
"How about we ask the chef to make some pancakes?"
"I love pancakes!"
Cassie took off for the staircase.
Olivia was right behind her. She was famished.
Paul was the new cook at the Cabot Estate. Their longtime cook, Elsa, finally retired last year after being with the Cabots for more than two decades.
"Ladies, what can I do your for?" He had a thick Caribbean accent.
Cassie giggled. "Can I have pancakes?"
"Of course, with chocolate chips and bananas?"
"Yeah!"
"Me too," Olivia requested. "And can I have some bacon and eggs with that?"
"Scrambled or …"
"Sunny side up."
Alex got an omelet, toast, mixed fruit and a side of bacon.
"Everything smells so good," Olivia commented as Paul got to work. He was toasting spices for the omelet and spices for the pancakes. He used the classic techniques he learned in culinary school with the flavor profiles he learned his homeland, St. Croix.
Little Alex came down for a snack when she saw, "Auntie!"
The little girl ran to her.
"Ace, how are you?" Alex scooped the girl up and sat her on her lap.
"I'm good."
"I didn't know you'd be here for Christmas."
"We were supposed to go to Belis, but the snow stopped the plane."
"Belis?" Olivia question.
"I think she means Belize." Alex was glad that she brought her niece's presents with them. She had planned on sending it to their house while they were away, but she could just put them under the tree instead.
Paul came with the pancakes.
"Hi Lexi, what can I get for you?"
"Can I have a fruit cup?"
"Of course."
He filled a small cup of mixed berries, apple and bananas slices.
While Lexi had her fruit, the others ate their breakfast.
"This is amazing." The nutmeg and cardamom really made the pancakes stand out. The chipotle, cumin, and coriander made the eggs just heavenly, and the bacon was nice and crisp.
"We should take the girls outside and make a snowman," Alex told her.
"That sounds good. We should bring some hot chocolate outside."
Alex purred. "You really know the way to my heart."
Abbie's cousin Skip came to pick them up from the airport. He was tall and lanky, sporting a cowboy hat and boots.
Casey wondered if all of the Carmichaels dressed this way.
"Howdy Cuz!"
"Skip!" The cousins punched each other's arms.
"Who's this lovely lady?"
"This is my girlfriend Casey."
He kissed her hand and smiled. "Pick me instead!"
Abbie rolled her eyes. "Not gonna happen Skip!"
"Can't blame a cowboy for trying."
He put their suitcases in the back of his blue pickup truck and they were off to the Carmichael Ranch.
On the way there, Skip got a call.
"SKIP!" he yelled into the phone, taking Casey by surprise.
Abbie laughed. "They're all like that on the phone."
"Yeah Uncle Bobby"
"…"
"You want us to get some whiskey and some lemonade mix?"
"…"
"And some sausage buns too? We got it."
Casey pursed her lips in confusion. What's going on.
"…"
"See ya' soon."
He hung up the phone.
"We gotta stop by the store. Uncle Bobby's having a cookout in the back. Porch crawlers and homemade sausage!"
"Hell yeah," Abbie cheered. "Get ready for some good old fashioned southern grillin!"
They pulled into Walmart and got two tubs of Country time, 5 packs of sausage rolls, and two handle of bourbons.
"We need that much for one day?" Casey thought that was a lot of booze.
Skip laughed. "We need this for the next two days. Can't never have too much whiskey in Texas."
When Casey commented that she had never been to In and Out before, Skip swerved over two lanes of traffic and changed directions. "We gotta go!"
Casey clutched onto Abbie for dear life. She was not used to Texas driving.
They pulled into the drive thru.
"I need a 3x3 animal style with fries. What would you ladies like?"
Casey got a 2x2 and Abbie got a 3x3. They decided to share the fries.
When they got to the ranch, there were trucks lined up n the driveway.
"Does everyone here drive a pickup truck?"
"We love our trucks like we like our women, fat and happy," Skip declared.
When they got out into the front yard, Skip grabbed the bags and Abbie opened the front door.
A gaggle of children ran out to the front to greet them.
"Auntie!" A five year old, who looked like a miniature Abbie, came out and hugged her.
"Hi Trixie!" She was missing her too front teeth. "Did the tooth fairy visit you recently?"
She nodded. "He came last week!"
The oldest boy came to Skip. "Can we go huntin?"
"If it's alright with your Ma, we can go tomorrow."
"MA! Can I go huntin' with Ski?"
A toddler hung onto Casey's leg.
"Hi little one." Casey picked up the little girl.
"That's Macy." He was Abbie's youngest brother's first baby.
"Hi Macy."
"Hungry!"
"Let's get you a snack." Casey went in search of the kitchen.
When the children heard snack, they followed the redhead.
While Abbie took their stuff upstairs, Skip brought the food and drinks out to the backyard.
"Bout time. What took ya' so long? We got to get the porch crawlers mixed."
"We stopped at in and out."
"And you didn't bring anything for me? Have I taught you nothing boy?"
He shrugged. "I thought you went earlier today."
He had. "Who are you my wife?" She told him to watch his cholesterol."
Casey found fruit and veggie sticks in the fridge, but they didn't want to eat it. She found a cookie jar and some vanilla ice cream in the fridge.
"How about I make some ice cream sandwiches?"
"Yay!"
"After you eat your veggie sticks!"
"AWWW!"
She had to get some vitamins in them. She had a feeling this weekend would be a lot of meat and starch.
By the time Abbie got their stuff unpacked and came downstairs, she saw her nieces and nephew eating ice cream sandwiches.
"What about me?"
"You just ate," Casey reminded her.
"But this is ice cream!"
Casey rolled her eyes before making Abbie a sandwich as well.
"Where are your siblings?" Casey asked Abbie.
"My brothers are probably working on the ranch, and I don't know where my sister is." Usually she helps Ma in the kitchen; actually, Ma's not even here right now.
"Can we see the horsies?" Macy wanted to go outside.
"Last one there's a rotten egg!" Abbie took off for the door. The kids followed suit.
Casey couldn't help but smile. Abbie was so good with kids. It would be nice to have our own rugrats running around some day.
"Get her!" Alex called out as she pointed to Olivia.
The detective had beaned her with a snowball and then run off.
Ace and Cassie chased her in the snow.
The quartet had built a snowman and snow angels. Now it was a full blown snowball fight.
While they were playing outside, Tyler and Lucenzo arrived to the house.
"Let's get inside and get a hot toddy!" Tyler was ready for some whiskey. They had spent all morning storm-proofing the shop. He just wanted to get on the couch and rest.
"What's that in the back?"
Lucenzo and Tyler went to check out the snowman when BAM!
Alex got Tyler right on the butt!
"You butt!" This is war.
He went chasing after her in the snow and the fight continued.
It quickly turned into boys versus girls.
There were more girls but Lucenzo and Tyler could strike from further away.
"I'm cold Mama," Cassie told Alex.
"Let's go inside."
They called a truce and started to head towards the house when Graham came outside.
They all beaned him with snowballs.