Thanksgiving morning arrived with a blast of cold air. Maggie had not turned the heat up, and she woke to a cold apartment. Fortunately, there was a man-sized heater in bed with her. She snuggled up to Eric and sighed with contentment.
"Is it cold in here, or is that my imagination?" Eric grumbled as he put his arms around her and held her close to him.
"I think that cold front came through. One of us needs to get up and set the thermostat higher."
"Hmm. One of us? I vote for you."
"Eric! You're the man. You're supposed to be willing to slay dragons for me--or at least turn up the heat."
He flung back the covers and she yelped. "Come on. Let's both get up. I vote for a hot shower."
The promise of fooling around in the shower was the only thing that could get her out of bed, and he knew it, she thought. Later, they ate some scones she'd bought at the bakery the day before, for breakfast. Sipping coffee together at the little table in the kitchen made Maggie feel all cozy again. She was so comfortable with him.
"What are you thinking?" she asked him.
"Why do women always ask that?"
"Because we're curious."
"I see. I was thinking about how pretty you are, and how nice it is to sit across from you in the morning, just drinking our coffee."
She blinked. "Wow, that's almost exactly what I was thinking."
He smiled at her, that smile that she loved.
"Are you looking forward to the big dinner today?" he asked.
She bobbed her head. "Yes. It's always fun to have everyone together. I miss the family gathering at my parents' house, but being around everyone here seems to lessen that. It will be interesting to see if Cody and Sam get assigned to kid-watching duty. Anna and Julia always seem able to maneuver those guys so that the women get a few moments of peace."
Eric laughed. "I haven't been around kids much in my life. To me, they are kind of like little aliens."
"Eric!"
"But in a good way."
"So are you going home to change clothes?"
"Yes, I should have brought them with me."
"Stay away for a while so that I can do some work on Christmas presents. We don't have to get there until around noon or whenever the first football game comes on TV."
"You know, I could stay and help you."
"Not if the present is for you!"
"Ah, okay. I'll pick you up later then." He left shortly thereafter.
Maggie had decided to decoupage a box for Eric, covered in pictures of her. He had asked just the other day for a photo of her to keep at his place. This would fit the bill, and also be useful. She wasn't sure what else to get him, or if she should get him more than one thing. She'd never had a relationship like this one, where everything felt important. Love changed it all.
She wished that she'd had time to make him a quilt, but there was no time. It seemed that ever since Eric had come into her life she'd been overwhelmed and never had a free minute. It wasn't that they spent all their time together, but that her mind and heart seemed filled up with images and thoughts of him.
It had been such a short time that they'd known each other, and she knew that they were moving fast in their relationship. It appeared to be a truth, however, that people really could fall in love at first sight. The new things they discovered about each other were an exploration, but the die had already been cast. They belonged together, even with their differences.
They had a date tomorrow night, to go see another movie at the theater down town. North by Northwest was playing and Eric said it was another 'must-see.' As he introduced her to vintage movies, she was continuing to make sure he knew all about Sully Point. She'd taken him to the holiday planning meeting the town held two days before Thanksgiving. He was now signed up to help with decorations, right along with her. He still seemed a bit bemused by that.
He was very methodical and logical in his thinking, where she tended to jump from one thing to another, reaching conclusions in what appeared to be an irrational fashion. But for all that, she knew she was a bit more logical than people thought she was. She was just very good at multi-tasking.
Finally it was time to get ready. Maggie had purchased a new white sweater, as soft as cashmere, and it fit her body perfectly. She also had a new skirt, full and in an ethereal material of shimmering silver-grays. She was wearing low-heeled comfortable black shoes. She figured she'd be standing up a lot in the kitchen helping out. Silver earrings and bracelets completed her look.
When Eric came up the stairs and opened the door, she was standing in the living room. He took her in with avid eyes and said, "You look like a confection. Good enough to eat. Come on fairy princess, let's go."
She giggled and put on her coat. Fairy princess. Somehow she didn't resent comments like that when they came from him. Anyone else, namely Sam, and she'd have smacked them.
It turned out that they were the first ones to arrive. Betsy, Frank's wife, explained that everyone had called to say they were running late.
"Put us to work then," Maggie said to her. "We're not super chefs, but we can both get stuff done in the kitchen."
"Okay, I will. One of you can start peeling the sweet potatoes. We're going to roast them, so we need them peeled and cut up into chunks. Then we drizzle olive oil over them along with some herbs."
"I can do that," Eric said. "Peel potatoes, cut them up--easy enough."
"Maggie, thanks for bringing the green bean casserole. We'll reheat that near time to eat. What we need is someone to put the ambrosia together. I need to finish making the stuffing. And Frank is working with the fryer."
"Fryer?" Eric asked.
"Yes, we're having deep-fried turkey this year. It's supposed to be a wonderful turkey when you do that, but I'm a little nervous about it."
"I've seen those things on cooking shows. They're awesome," Eric said with a grin.
"You watch cooking shows?" Maggie asked.
He turned a bit red. "Well, yeah, when I'm not doing anything, to pass the time."
"Hmm." She wondered how long it would take to get to know everything about him.
They all moved into the kitchen. When Maggie asked for an apron, she was given a nice big one that covered the front of her sweater and skirt. Eric got one too, so that his tailored forest green shirt and dark brown pants wouldn't get splattered either. The green enhanced his eyes while the brown was the same color as his hair. He'd worn it down today, but now pulled it back and tied it with a leather strip. She had to stop looking at him because he was far too sexy and appealing to her.
Maggie's job wasn't hard at all, but involved opening cans of mandarin oranges and pineapple, bags of coconut and mini marshmallows, along with a jar of maraschino cherries. She mixed it all together with the whipped cream and sour cream mixture that Betsy had already prepared. Adding pecans to the mix, she finished and covered the large bowl with plastic wrap. Opening the fridge she was startled to see no space at all for the big bowl.
"We have a problem, Betsy."
"Oh yes, I know. Fortunately, we have another refrigerator in the garage. Just run it out there, dear."
Maggie went out the back door to find Frank doing something with the fryer. She called out 'hi' to him, but he was too absorbed in a book of instructions. She found the refrigerator and put the bowl in it, noticing that they had a chest freezer out in the garage as well.
When she came back into the kitchen, she stopped at the doorway and sniffed. Puzzled, she came on in and went directly to the double ovens. She opened one to find a pecan pie. As she was about to open the other one, Betsy stopped her.
"No! Don't open that."
"Why not?"
"Because...well..."
Maggie started to smile. "You've got another turkey in there, don't you?"
Betsy's shoulders sagged. "You can't tell anyone."
"Tell anyone what?" Eric asked, coming into the kitchen from the pantry with more potatoes.
"You two promise me...."
>
"Okay, okay. But I think a turkey roasting in one of the ovens is going to be pretty obvious," Maggie said. "Why is it there?"
"I got worried that the deep frying wouldn't work out and then we'd have no turkey for the dinner. I sneaked in this turkey and put it in when Frank wasn't looking."
"How did you sneak in a turkey?" Eric asked, trying not to laugh.
"They have that other refrigerator in the garage. I bet she kept it there. And with Frank so caught up in the deep frying process--still, I have to say that was a good job of sneaking."
Betsy sighed. "Of course, if the fried turkey comes out okay, we'll end up with a ton of turkey."
"That's okay," Maggie said. "There are plenty of us who will appreciate leftovers."
"Turkey sandwiches, here we come," Eric agreed.
"Maggie, you can take the pie out of that oven. I want to use one for the sweet potatoes."
"Uh, Betsy, just when are you going to tell Frank about the back-up turkey?"
"At the very last minute."
Sam and Anna arrived then, bringing with them a pumpkin and an apple pie. Maggie was surprised at how much she wanted to eat the pie right then. Maybe she was getting dessert cravings now when she was happy.
Sure enough, Sam was detailed to watch over Joshua who took off immediately for the toy box in his grandfather's study. Julia and Cody arrived soon after, with Julia putting Jennifer down for a nap. The kitchen was too crowded with so many helpers, and some of them moved to the dining room to set the table. Maggie noticed that Eric and Cody seemed to vanish pretty quickly into the living room with the TV.
"Are you happy Maggie?" Julia asked.
"Yes, I really am."
"I'm glad. He's a good man. And quite brilliant you know. What he accomplished in his work with computers was nothing less than a breakthrough in the technology. I can't wait to see what he goes after next."
"He never seems super smart to me. I guess because he doesn't talk computer-speak with me. I mean, he is smart, I can see that. But not what you're talking about."
"Well, I've had the chance to question him about his work. It was awesome."
Maggie wandered into the kitchen to see what else she could do. Could she and Eric really make things work together if she didn't understand something so fundamental to him? Sure, she used computers just like everyone else. But she didn't have any interest in programming or changes in hardware. She just wanted it to turn on and work when she needed it. This was a whole part of his life that she would never share.
Of course, now that she thought about it, her own parents had very different passions in life. A cop and a fashion designer. And they had a great relationship. She decided to stop worrying about stuff that didn't matter. What mattered was their love for one another, and that they each respected the interests of the other.
Holly and Jason arrived, claiming they'd slept in after a long work day and the drive in during the night. Jason took Maggie aside after meeting Eric.
"So is this the real deal?" he asked.
"It sure feels like it is. I'm in love with him."
Jason smiled at her and hugged her. She and Jason had become good friends while working together on the Sully Point Project. As the architect, he'd worked with her on ideas for promotion. Holly joined the two of them when Eric was called away into the kitchen.
"Maggie, he's gorgeous! Those eyes, that long hair, that bod--"
"Holly!" Maggie laughed. "He is pretty wonderful you guys. Everything has moved fast between us."
"Sometimes it happens that way," Holly said with a smile at her husband.
"Yeah," Jason said, "Did I ever tell you about the day Holly and I met?"
"You didn't and you're not going to," Holly said, firmly. "No matter how good a friend she is. Have you considered any more ideas about what you'll do after you leave the P.R. biz?"
"I'm still thinking about it. But I'm seriously wondering if I might go back to school. Go into something completely different."
"That's a thought," Holly said. "I'm seeing more and more of that in my work." The personnel agency that Holly ran in the city was renowned for finding the right person for the right job. "People are going back to school to get skills to start over in another field."
"First, though, I need to figure out what direction I want to go in. It will take me some time, but I'll get there."
Holly patted her on the arm. "I know you will. I have no doubt that you'll find what you're looking for and can be passionate about. Aside from Eric, that is."
They both laughed.
Ultimately, the frying of the turkey was presided over by all the men, in the back yard. They stood around in a circle, bundled up in their coats and drinking hot toddies. It was a much shorter cooking process, with the turkey being done in an hour. Betsy 'hid' the roasted turkey under a tent of foil on the back of the counter. The green bean casserole was reheated, rolls were warmed, gravy was stirred and stuffing came out of the oven. They began to take dishes out to the buffet in the dining room, where they would each take a plate and go down the line of food.
Frank did, of course, eventually notice the roasted turkey. He proclaimed it a stroke of genius, because now they could have a true taste test of the best cooking method. Betsy was greatly relieved. Two hours past noon, they all gathered in the dining room for the meal.
Jennifer and Joshua had special chairs by their parents, and the whole family sat down to the table with laden plates. Frank bowed his head and said a quick grace of thankfulness. Much to Betsy's chagrin, the deep fried turkey won the taste test, although everyone proclaimed the desire to take home roasted turkey leftovers.
Maggie looked around the table at her friends who had become family. The room was so filled with love that it brought tears to her eyes. Eric noticed and leaned over to whisper, "Are you okay?"
"Fine. Just really happy," Maggie replied. Love was making her more emotional than usual she decided. She wondered how all of them would get along if the rest of her family were to join a gathering like this. Probably pretty well.
The sound of a spoon against a wine glass quieted the table. "Everyone," Jason said. "We have an announcement. Holly and I are going to be adopting a child in the spring."
There was surprised silence for a second and then a loud wave of congratulations. Anna got up and went around the table to hug her sister.
Eric asked Maggie quietly, "Adoption? What's the story here?"
"They tried to get pregnant and then found out that there was a problem. At first everyone thought they would just go without children. But I guess they've realized they want a child, even if it isn't theirs biologically." She wiped another tear from her eyes.
Holly was explaining. "We've decided not to get a baby, but to get a child who is older, like six or seven maybe. It's just going to depend on which child needs us the most. We both have a couple of work projects we want to get out of the way between now and March. We want to have plenty of time to devote to the child when we get him or her. Unless there is a situation that needs us immediately. We've got an agreement with the agency that they'll call us before March in that scenario."
Frank raised a glass in a toast to the future parents. "May you find all the joy I have had as a parent."
Holly cried and got up to hug her father. Even Jason looked a bit teary-eyed. As everyone settled back down at the table, Sam announced that his latest book was finished which started another round of congratulations. Then Julia explained about Eric's contribution to the new computer lease program. Several people at the table had not known about it, and Maggie saw surprise and approval in their gazes as they thanked Eric.
Everyone was too full for dessert just then, so they agreed to have some after cleaning up. Betsy was made to sit down with Frank in the living room to watch football, while Holly, Jason, Julia, and Cody took on the clean-up chore.
"Here," Julia said, thrusting her daughter into Maggie's arms. "Look after her until I'm done, okay?"
"Uh, okay, sure." Maggie turned to Eric. "Did you want to watch football? I'm going to take Jennifer here into the study where the toys are."
"No, I'm not that big a football fan. I'll go with you for play time."
She smiled at him and shifted Jennifer to her other hip. She was growing fast, Maggie thought. "Come on, kiddo, let's go play."
The little girl clapped her hands.
After fifteen minutes in the study, Maggie knew two things. Eric didn't talk baby talk to a child, but talked to them like an adult. And he was great with children. Sam had dropped off Joshua to play, and Eric had Joshua and Maggie involved in some imaginary game with the blocks that had them completely absorbed. What impressed her was his patience.
He turned to look at her from his place on the floor. He was sitting cross-legged surrounded by toys. "What is it?" he asked. "You have a funny look on your face."
"I'm surprised. You said you'd never been around kids, but you're doing great with them. Are you remembering your own childhood games?"
"Oh, this?" he spread an arm out over the game with the blocks. "Not really. It's from a program I wrote. The blocks represent pieces of ram. Of course, they don't understand exactly what they're doing, but I do. I find it fascinating how their random choices affect the final result. Completely unexpected. I'll have to consider this the next time I--"
"You're playing programming with them? Or some kind of computer thing? They're children. They don't understand any of that."
"Well, I wouldn't be so sure. First, they are having fun. Second, who knows how much of a difference training like this might make to their understanding of computers later on as they get older."
Maggie wasn't sure how she felt. She was startled, but the kids really were having fun. And Eric was having fun. So what was the problem? He had told her he wasn't used to kids, so he wouldn't play with them in the way she might have. And his childhood fun had always involved computers. She guessed it made sense. It just seemed odd. It was another one of those differences between them that she'd have to get used to.
Eric had turned back to continue watching the kids on the floor, looking at them with utter fascination. Maggie shrugged, and realized that part of what she was reacting to was that he didn't treat them the way other adults treated children.
Love Promises (Sully Point, Book 4) Page 8
