Guest – and ironically, Willow is playing the housewife role. Give her some credit though, she's really trying :P
gg – Glad you enjoyed it :)
Tara came through the door with a warm smile on her face and dropped her purse on the table.
"Hello my love."
Willow couldn't help but return the smile and stood up to welcome Tara home.
"You're cheery."
Tara moved in and closed her arms around Willow.
"A four day weekend with my one and only," she said before pressing a long kiss to Willow's cheek, "And I'm not on call."
"You're not?" Willow asked, tugging affectionately on either side of Tara's jacket, "I thought it was your weekend."
Tara went in for another kiss, pecking Willow's lips this time, then shrugged off her jacket and hung it on the back of a chair.
"One of the girls was scheduled for next weekend and needed to change. Plus she could use the overtime from working on a holiday, so she swapped with me."
"We could use the overtime too," Willow interjected, but Tara just crossed her hands behind Willow's neck with a smile.
"Not as much as an undisturbed weekend alone with each other."
Willow put her hands on Tara's hips and gave them a little rub.
Becky had gone back to Kansas for Thanksgiving and had found an apartment near her school to move in to when she got back. It was the first time in a few weeks that they had such a stretch of time all to themselves.
"I can't disagree with that."
Willow knew Tara hated being on call for the after-hours hospital or police service, because if it was bad enough to warrant a call that couldn't wait, it was bad. She was glad their holiday weekend would be stress free.
"Look at this," Tara said, rooting in her purse to produce a turkey art piece made in the shape of a traced hand.
"That's so cute," Willow said, turning it over to see Tara's name messily scrawled, "Who's it from?"
"I had a visit in one of our group homes and they were making these," Tara explained with a fond smile, "One of the little boys gave it to me."
"That's adorable," Willow replied, feeling her heart melt, "It's…nice that kids who have been through…stuff…can still…"
Tara nodded swiftly, understanding.
"They're sweet, tough little things."
Willow suddenly realised how much Tara did to help the children in her care and how much love she must extend to have it so returned. She felt a tear form in the corner of her eye and made her way into the kitchen to hide it.
"I'll put it on the fridge."
Tara sat down to take her shoes off after her long day.
"How did grocery shopping go? I'm sorry payday fell so badly that you could only go the day before Thanksgiving. Were you able to get the turkey?"
"Snatched the last one up. A lady literally crashed her cart into mine and tried to stop me!" Willow exclaimed, shaking her head as she remembered, "It's in the sink."
"Oh, it should defrost in the fridge," Tara replied, loosening a top button on her shirt while she was at it, "It has the whole night."
"It won't fit in the fridge," Willow said, carefully angling the magnet so none of the precious art was blocked.
Tara's head shot up.
"What do you mean it won't fit in the fridge? I cleaned it out at the weekend."
"Uh, what else could I mean?" Willow asked with a raised eyebrow, "It barely fits in the sink."
Tara jumped to her feet and rushed over, eyes growing wide when she caught sight of the monstrosity in the sink.
"Willow!"
"What?" Willow asked, matching Tara's tone and already taking a defensive step backwards.
Tara gestured wildly at the turkey.
"You got a, a twenty pound bird!"
"That's what you told me to get!" Willow replied, voice slightly steeping with panic.
Tara held her hands up to her face and very slowly puffed out an exhalation.
"I said get a two pound turkey breast."
Willow stood, mouth agape, at a loss.
"I got what was on the list, look!" she said, marching over to where her jacket was hanging and bringing back the crumpled up list from her pocket, "Right there. 2-0."
Tara took it, peered and pointed at the offending numbers.
"That's a 2 and a smudge," she said in exasperation, "How could you possibly have thought we could consume all of this? I don't even think it will fit in our oven."
"I figured a lot of it was bone!" Willow defended, arms crossing over her chest.
She stayed firm for a moment, before slumping back against the wall.
"I'm sorry, Tara," she said contritely, eyes on the floor, "I screwed up our whole Thanksgiving."
Tara immediately came over and took each of Willow's hands.
"Hey, sweetie," she said softly, leaning in to kiss the bridge of Willow's nose apologetically, "You didn't. We'll work something out. It's just a turkey."
She brought Willow's hands to her mouth and kissed her knuckles.
"I can still make candied yams and mashed potato and sweet carrots and cornbread and homemade cranberry sauce," she continued, then offered a sweet smile, "And of course, pumpkin pie."
Willow smiled too.
"I love pumpkin pie."
"I know you do," Tara replied, pulling Willow's arms until they were around her, "It'll all be okay."
Willow nuzzled against Tara's chest and accepted the comfort. Tara rubbed Willow's back up and down until they naturally parted.
"I'm gonna go have a shower and start this long weekend off right. Do you mind?" Tara asked.
Willow shook her head.
"Of course not," Willow replied, squeezing Tara's shoulder, "Is leftovers okay for dinner?"
Tara nodded.
"Yes, definitely. That baked ziti you made last night was so good, I'd eat it for a week."
Willow knew it wasn't that good but appreciated the encouragement.
"I'll do fresh garlic bread," she said, then added on with a wry grin, "And if you're lucky some fresh grated parmesan too!"
Tara took either side of Willow's collar in her hands and pulled her forwards.
"I'm the luckiest girl in the world."
She launched her lips onto Willow's and kissed her passionately for several seconds before popping off. She bumped their noses together and went off into the bathroom.
Willow was a little unsteady on her feet, nearing a swoon. She fanned herself for a moment, recovering from the hotness that was Tara and finally was able to hold herself up again.
She then went about getting the pasta dish and garlic bread in the oven to heat.
After a while Tara came back into the living room, smelling fresh and clean, and comfortable in warm sweats and her favourite blue hoodie. She snuggled in beside Willow on the couch and rested her head on her girlfriend's shoulder.
"It's so nice to have a few days off."
"I had an idea, maybe, about turkey dilemma," Willow said, catching Tara's eye who nodded for her to continue, "The senior centre is doing a thanksgiving lunch for all the regulars who don't have family. We could donate our food, even help cook and serve. Or just donate the turkey if you wanted it to be just us. But at least this way we could actually snag some of the turkey with our meal. I happened to get a kosher one because it was the only one left, so it works out."
Tara put her hand over Willow's heart and smiled.
"That is the sweetest thing I've ever heard," she said, rubbing her fingertips against Willow's exposed skin, "I'd love to do that with you."
"The whole thing? I don't want you to feel overworked on your days off," Willow asked, but Tara nodded surely.
"Absolutely. I was going to cook anyway, and I'd love to see where you spend all your time."
Willow smiled, happy to have 'saved the day', so to speak.
"I'll go call and see if we can join."
She got up to make the call and sat back with Tara when she was done.
"They said if we could be there by 10; that would be great. And the more help the better."
"10 it is," Tara agreed, "That garlic bread smells great."
Willow turned her head into Tara's neck, ready to wait out the last 10 minutes of cooking time with canoodling.
"Not as good as you…"
Tara carefully locked up the apartment, tidied away her keys in her purse and picked up the two paper bags filled with the food they were bringing to the senior centre.
She made her way down the stairs, careful to watch her feet so as not to trip, then walked out to the sidewalk.
Willow was already waiting there, in her meals on wheels delivery bike, with the huge turkey sitting in the wagon. Tara approached, grinning.
"Those are the hot wheels, huh?"
Willow blushed.
"Okay, not the sexiest contraption in the world but it sure does help with the lugging. Put the bags in."
Tara left the bags down beside the turkey, tucked into corners so they wouldn't fall down.
"How do the meals you deliver stay warm?"
Willow lifted her foot onto the pedal and began a slow ride, so Tara could keep up while walking.
"You know those hot boxes pizzas are delivered in? There's a few really big ones of those that fit a bunch of trays in there. We have cool boxes too, for desserts."
"It's a really neat operation they have going," Tara replied, impressed, "When I serve at the homeless shelter, I don't realise about all the people who might not be able to get there."
"I might get roped into a delivery later," Willow warned, "But I won't be gone all day."
"That's okay, it's nice to be able to help," Tara replied softly.
Willow nodded.
"Yeah, it is."
They made their way the three blocks and two corners away to the senior centre and Willow 'parked' in the designated bike space.
"Be warned, there's a lot of little old Jewish men and ladies," Willow said as she jumped off and handed Tara the paper bags again, "Prepare to be probed relentlessly about your life and have some Yiddish thrown at you."
"Will they hate this shiksa?" Tara asked.
"Not when they find out you're shtupping me," Willow replied, grinning, "I'm very popular. It's my adorable smile."
"And modesty," Tara added wryly, "You able to wrangle that thing?"
Willow got her arms around the turkey and led them into the centre and through to the big, industrial kitchen. She made a general introduction around the room and brought the turkey over to the meat section.
Tara was about to perch her bags on the corner of the counter when a middle-aged woman in an apron approached, wiping her hands on it.
"Do you know kashrut?"
Tara pursed her lips.
"Um…no."
"We keep kosher," the woman explained, "We'll put you on the vegetables for now. Meat can't be eaten with dairy, or have cross-contamination with utensils so we have to be careful."
"Vegetables are fine," Tara replied, "We brought carrots and green beans and potatoes and yams. Oh, and things for pumpkin pie."
The woman smiled.
"Great, the more the better. You can put your stuff with the rest and go ask Anderson what you can do."
She pointed to a lonesome man in the other corner, who was peeling his way through a whole bushel of potatoes. Tara walked over and started unpacking the bags.
"Hi," she greeted shyly, though not without warmth, "I'm Tara. I have food and hands to help with."
The guy shot back a smile, flashing his bright white teeth. He was tanned and sporting some scruff.
"Anderson," he said, holding up a hand to indicate he wasn't in the best position for a handshake, "What's your cooking level like?"
"Pretty good, I think," Tara replied humbly.
"Can you glaze carrots?" Anderson asked.
"Yes," Tara nodded, "I do that at home."
She pulled all of the carrots together and started to peel them over the second sink. Anderson admired her speed with an impressed nod.
"First time?" he asked.
"Here, yes," Tara replied, finding the mindless peeling oddly relaxing, "I do some work in a homeless centre uptown, and with a women's refuge through work."
Anderson swooped in and stole a piece of raw carrot.
"What brought you here today?" he asked through a mouthful.
Tara rolled her eyes playfully.
"My girlfriend bought a humungous turkey instead of the little turkey breast I told her to buy for the two of us, so we decided it would be a shame for it to go to waste."
Anderson laughed.
"My boyfriend went home to his family, my parents are on a cruise and I'm a lousy cook, so my grandmother insisted I come here with her," he explained, then shrugged, "Better than Chinese food. Who's your girlfriend?"
Tara pointed over to where Willow was preparing trays.
"Willow Rosenberg."
"I think I know Willow," Anderson replied, bobbing his head, "By name, anyway. Real good with computers?"
"Bit of a whiz," Tara replied affectionately.
Anderson nodded.
"My grandmother talks about her."
"Who's your grandmother?" Tara enquired.
"Mabel Goldblast," Anderson answered.
Tara just grinned.
The morning was busy with prepping what seemed to be endless vegetables and coordinating the cooking time and oven space. Willow had already gone on one delivery when she snuck up on Tara, who had moved on to washing dishes, and gave her waist a squeeze.
"Hey, I snagged us a break time and some food before it's gone."
"Oh, you did?" Tara asked, drying the pot in her hands and then leaving the dishcloth on the side of the sink.
Willow nodded, interlocked their fingers and brought Tara into the rec room. There was a little circular table in the corner with two plates fixed with all the trimmings. They sat opposite each other and Tara waved her napkin into her lap.
"This turkey looks amazing."
"Kosher turkey, you'll be a convert," Willow replied with a grin, "I got my eyes on these candied yams that a certain someone made."
"With extra marshmallows, just for you," Tara said, smiling, "Although it looks like a few of these people are on a sugar high."
The patrons of the centre were all buzzing around, playing cards and bingo at a tempo much more jovial than the usual quiet, sedate pace. It was nice to see the older people in such good spirits and made her very glad they'd chosen to spend the day this way.
"I'm thankful that you brought me here today," she said.
Willow was cutting up her turkey but paused.
"I'm thankful…that life falls into place."
"I'm thankful for fate," Tara returned in the same fashion.
"I'm thankful for love," Willow countered.
They reached across the table at the same time and took each other's hand. Both spoke together.
"I'm thankful for you."
Willow lifted Tara's hand to kiss it, then Tara turned Willow's hand over and did the same.
"Hey, guess who I was cooking with all morning?" she asked as she cut up her turkey, "Mabel's grandson."
Willow looked wary and Tara just grinned.
"He came by because he was lonely without his boyfriend."
Willow choked on a piece of carrot and managed to get it down with some water, then grinned.
"Oh, that's perfect. Now I won't feel so guilty every time I turn her down."
They laughed and continued to eat and Willow pointed out the various inhabitants of the room; who they were and what they were like. Tara knew a lot of them by name already, from Willow's stories. One resident didn't need introducing as she came over and did it herself, boisterously.
"Oh Willow, it's so good to see you. I had no idea you were coming to today. I simply have to introduce you to my grandson. Andy…Andy!"
Anderson stood up from a small tray table he was eating at, wiped his mouth on a napkin and approached, smiling familiarly at Tara.
"Hey. What's up?"
Mabel's eyes were shining with excitement.
"This is Willow, the girl I've been telling you all about."
Willow eyes widened and she tensed, but Anderson just loosely held his hands on his hips.
"Bubbe, you know I have a boyfriend. You met him."
"Shegetz," Mabel muttered, "I'm just introducing a young woman! You come over and attack your grandmother! Kids with no respect these days!"
She turned her nose up indignantly, but her eyes did dart between Willow and Anderson, looking for something; anything.
Willow cleared her throat and turned in her chair to face Mabel.
"Mabel, I should really tell you…this is Tara. She's my girlfriend. Like how Anderson has a boyfriend."
Mabel's gaze faltered, and she deflated as if her bubble was literally burst.
"Are you at least Jewish?" she asked Tara with accusing eyes.
Tara shook her head shyly.
"No, ma'am."
Mabel's wrinkled brow furrowed even more.
"The world has gone mad."
She threw up her arms, then tottered off to meddle with someone else.
Anderson rolled his eyes in that way only a relative can get away with.
"She doesn't care that I have a boyfriend, just that he's not Jewish," he said with a shake of his head, "Sorry if she hassles you."
"I had a Bubbe too," Willow replied understandingly, "It is nice to meet you. I've heard lots."
He reached out and shook her hand warmly.
"You gals have a nice evening. Nice working with you today, Tara."
They all exchanged waves and Willow and Tara got back to eating. Willow nudged Tara and nodded for her to look down into Tara's purse which was sitting alongside them. Tara noticed a pumpkin pie in a plastic container had been stashed in there.
"Willow, did you steal that?" Tara whispered.
Willow grinned conspiringly.
"They won't miss it, they have about twenty in there."
Tara shook her head, but not without a smile and continued eating.
When they were finished, Willow brought their plates back into the kitchen and Tara sat back, relaxing with a full belly.
A man approached her and warmly shook her hand.
"Hello, I'm David."
"Tara," Tara replied cordially, "You're the manager, right?"
"Yes," David replied with a nod of his head, "How have you found the facility?"
"It seems wonderful," Tara said sincerely, "The people are lovely."
Willow came back at that moment and sidled up to Tara, protectively.
"Tara, this is David, the centre manager," she introduced calmly, "David, this is Tara. My girlfriend."
"We've met," David replied, then offered a hand wave, "Thank you both for being here today."
David left to go to someone on the other side of the room, and Willow held her hands up apologetically.
"Sorry for whatever he said."
"He was perfectly nice," Tara replied with a shrug.
"Yeah, he is nice but…wait, he didn't try to hit on you?" Willow asked and Tara shook her head, "He tries to hit on everyone."
"Wow I must be wearing all the food pretty obviously," Tara replied, good-naturedly patting her stomach.
Willow kissed Tara's cheek sweetly.
"More like he's blind," she said tenderly, "I got roped into another delivery, are you okay here?"
"Sure honey," Tara replied, squeezing Willow's arms.
Willow returned to the kitchen and went over to help with packing the trays with the other volunteers.
"Hey, I think David might be sick," she said, quickly looking around to make sure he wasn't there, "He just met my girlfriend and didn't try to hit on her. And yeah, I'm biased, but my girlfriend is hot."
"Didn't you hear?" one of the more gossipy women said, grinning wildly at being able to chinwag, "He was dating that new volunteer, Tracy. Went bad. He's been going around with his tail between his legs since. She's blasting him every way to Sunday. The vindictive sort, if you know what I mean."
"Oh, bummer," Willow replied, though it was only a matter of time his manner rubbed someone up the wrong way, "Have I got a list?"
Willow was handed her list of addresses and started to carry out the hot and cool boxes to her bike. She rode fast, both because she wanted to get back to Tara and maybe get them home to spend the evening alone, and because it was damn cold.
Tara had started to mingle and was sitting with an older lady, reading her palm. The woman loved it, especially since Tara was giving her a little hand massage in the process.
"You have the gift," her frail voice spoke out.
"Life is a gift," Tara answered cryptically and with a mischievous, blossoming smile, "That's why it's called the present."
The older lady tapped Tara's head with a wise smile and soon fell asleep in her chair under Tara's relaxing touch. Her soft snores reminded Tara of Willow, and she thought about them as little old ladies with Willow asleep on her in a rocking chair.
She was still in thought when Willow popped up behind her and patted her shoulder.
"Babe, we're out of here."
"Oh, okay," Tara replied, carefully leaving the woman's hand back in her lap and settling a nearby blanket over her.
They got their jackets and said goodbye to the people they'd worked with, then headed out in the blustering cold. Tara stood behind Willow to warm her from behind. They stayed like that the whole way home, and Tara was holding onto Willow by the middle by the time they got to their door.
"That wasn't the Thanksgiving I was expecting, but it was lovely nonetheless."
"Well you're the common denominator in loveliness," Willow replied, fetching her key from her pocket.
Tara kissed Willow's neck and they walked into the apartment.
"Ooh, it's freezing," Tara said, clutching her arms, "I thought I put the timer on."
"I'll get it," Willow replied, while Tara took their jackets to hang up.
When she returned, Willow was sitting at the heater, scratching her head.
"Tara, I think the heater's broken."
"What?" Tara asked, bending on her knees to take a closer look.
Willow pressed all the buttons, plugged and unplugged and repeatedly flicked the switch.
"There's nothing happening. No light, no nothing."
Tara tried to do the same.
"Well, crap. We need to call the landlord."
"Grunty isn't going to respond on Thanksgiving!" Willow replied with frustration.
Tara sighed and sat back.
"Then I guess we're having an evening of blankets."
Willow ran across the bedroom from the bathroom, diving under the blanket and trying to cover every part of her to stop shivering.
Their landlord had tried to brush them off until Monday what with it being a holiday weekend, but Willow had had a howler of a phone conversation with him with all kinds of threats about suing for breach of lease and contacting the IRS and he'd both promptly and aggravatedly told them he'd be there first thing in the morning.
She scooted over towards Tara for extra body warmth.
"I swear if Grunty doesn't show up tomorrow morning, I will do something… moderately rude."
They both had full length pyjamas and multiple pair of socks on, but the cold was blistering. Tara had covered them in all the blankets they had, but the nip in the air was still palatable.
"After that phone call you had with him, I have no doubt he'll be here at 9 on the dot," she replied, putting her hands into her own pants for more warmth.
Willow's legs were curled up beneath her.
"That warm pumpkin pie was great for about 10 minutes before the icy air found its way in me again. I can't sleep in the cold. I'm all shiver, shiver, shiver and no slumber, slumber, slumber."
"Honey," Tara said sympathetically, "Come here."
They snuggled up as closely as possible and Willow closed her eyes to try and think of heat-inducing thoughts.
It was too cold to act them out, as all the jostling would expose them to the freezing air, but thoughts were enough to see her through to sleep.
In the middle of the night, something woke her up. She felt odd, but not in a bad way. She was warm. In fact, she was positively toasty. She revelled in it for a moment before realising what it was that woke her, a vibration in the bed.
She glanced over her shoulder and saw Tara, curled up and shivering with just the thin sheet draped over her. Willow was completely startled and reached out to grab her shoulder.
"Tara."
Tara jolted awake, her teeth chattering. Willow immediately grabbed all of the blankets and comforters and bundled them and herself up against Tara.
"Jesus, Tara, what are you doing?"
Tara didn't object, tucking herself under Willow's chin and clutching at her.
"Y-you said you were too cold to sleep. I-I thought if I tucked you all in y-you'd be warmer."
Willow rubbed Tara's back, swift movements to encourage her blood to flow.
"Baby."
She closed her eyes and kissed the top of Tara's head.
"You don't have to sacrifice yourself for me," she said, holding Tara tighter.
She caught Tara's feet, which were icy, even through her socks.
"You're freezing. Come closer, I'll keep you warm."
Tara's violent shivering finally started to quieten.
"I love you, Willow-pillow," she whispered, her cold nose pressing against Willow's neck.
Willow tucked the blankets all in around them, angling them so they were both covered in multiple layers.
"Don't be a dummy again, okay?"
Tara nuzzled into Willow's chest.
"I'm sorry."
"What's that you always say?" Willow asked, happily letting her breath sync with Tara's, "Everything we have, we share. That definitely includes blankets."
Tara was almost drugged by being warmed again and just kept gently nestling into Willow.
"You're so warm."
"I'll be your electric blanket," Willow offered.
"Are you rechargeable?" Tara murmured.
"I'm recuddlible," Willow answered.
She glanced down and saw Tara smile, then felt her drift off to sleep, cheeks with some colour in them again.
She smiled too and stayed right where she was – Tara twirled around her was her favourite position to sleep in.
Or be in, in any scenario.
She closed her eyes and joined Tara in a more peaceful sleep than before.
It was better being warmed by each other, if not the air.