Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“Are you happy?” I asked, as Charlotte came to stand with me.
“Very, very happy.”
****
Lottie
Preparing a Thanksgiving feast is not quite so easy, especially as I now had a vegan. Adelaide had said she could eat everything but the meat and she was happy to do so. I wouldn’t hear of it, and so Michael and I found a few recipes that we could make on short notice. A turkey using vital wheat gluten, tofu, and chickpeas. Sounded interesting, and we settled on one recipe and got to work.
We started that yesterday, and today we got to oven roast with a glaze. The turkeys were already in the oven.
I knew Ive struggled with our guests. I was introduced once again to Victor and Peter last night. I know Ive was pissed off.
He didn’t want them for our Thanksgiving dinner. Cassie had hit it off with Aurora and Adelaide, and she tried to help out in the kitchen, as did Aurora and Adelaide, but Michael had told them to leave. He only wanted me assisting him.
The dining room was already set up.
I had to keep making escapes to go and check on Ive. I felt so bad for leaving him to entertain our guests. I knew it wasn’t easy for him, but he did so well.
So far, other than a few cuts with the knives, no blood had been drawn. Victory. I kept going to him, checking to make sure they were happily refreshed. There were a few moments I walked in and there seemed to be silence, which was broken as I offered them all a drink.
Cassie, at times, wouldn’t even look at me. Ive did, as did Ivan. Victor, Peter, Slavik, and Andrei did as well, but they didn’t have pity in their eyes, no, it was something else that I wasn’t quite sure about.
Leaving them to whatever argument they were having, I returned to the kitchen and got everything ready with Michael.
“Thank you so much for doing this with me,” I said.
“No problem, little lady. You and I, we can do Thanksgiving every single year.” He winked at me.
I liked that. To have Thanksgiving every year. I went to him and gave him a hug, I just couldn’t help it.
He patted my back. “You’re going to get me killed if your husband sees you hugging me.”
This did make me smile. I thought it was so crazy to even think of Ive being jealous. There was no competition. I liked Michael, but he was not my husband.
The timer went off, and I looked at Michael. The turkey, providing the instructions didn’t lie, should be ready. He had the heat thermometer ready, and I opened the oven, and Michael grabbed both turkeys out, and pierced them at the right point, beneath the leg. I waited, and yep, our turkeys were ready. I clapped my hands and felt like such a loser for being happy about that.
The next job was to cover them, allow them to rest, and finish everything else. Adelaide’s fake turkey was also cooked. Michael and I had tried a piece and I have to say, it wasn’t bad at all.
I made sure not to use butter or any dairy or animal fats in the final preparations for Adelaide’s food, and for everyone else, that was more than fine.
We carried out the food to the table, and I went to get everyone for dinner. I stood waiting as Ive was the last person to leave the sitting room.
“You owe me later,” he said.
This made me giggle. “What did you have in mind?” I asked. This morning, Ive had suggested we just stay in bed, lock the door, and pretend we didn’t have a large meal to prepare for guests. I had promised him that he could have anything he wanted, if he would help me with this Thanksgiving. He told me the stakes would be high.
“I want you naked, and I can do whatever I want to you,” he said.
“I like that.” And I did.
He put his hand on my ass only letting me go as we got to the dining room table. Ivan sat at the head of the table, and there were only two spots remaining. Ive’s place at the head of the table, and me beside him. I didn’t mind that Ivan took the other place, as even when I was with Ive alone, I never sat far away from him. I wanted to be close to him.
We said a quick prayer, and everyone around the table gave thanks for something they appreciated. I listened to them give thanks for sports, to a couple of actresses, one person, I think it was Vlad, even said the porn channel, which raised a few chuckles. Cassie thanked the world for fashion and shoes. When it came to me, I had to think.