Chapter 26

“What do you mean they’re going to be late?” Leena turned from the oven and looked around at Chris. “I have no idea what I’m doing with all of this food.” She waved a hand around the kitchen. “I brought what she said and got here to find all this other stuff cooking. If it were just a turkey, I’d be okay.”

Chris leaned against the door and smirked. “I’m sure between you and Gwen, the food will be fine.”

She frowned. “Why would Cora come and toss things in the oven and leave?”

Chris dropped his head down and tried not to smirk. “I’m not allowed to say. I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”

Kasey came bouncing in the door carrying bottles of mead. “Who has secrets?” She looked from Leena to her husband. Leena pointed at Chris. Kasey turned to her husband. “Secret phone calls and now you’re keeping things from us?” She pouted.

Chris sighed and vowed to get even with Dade. “I can’t tell, yet.”

Kasey grinned. “A surprise?”

He nodded.

Leena sighed. “Well if it’s a surprise, I guess we better not spoil it.” She looked at the oven again then turned to Kasey. “Can you go get Gwen? I have no idea what this is but was left instructions to watch over it.”

Kasey set the wine down. “Instructions from whom?”

“Cora.”

Kasey spun around and looked at everything. “She’s not here?” Both Leena and Chris shook their head. “Oh dear.” With that she flew out of the room to find Gwen.

Chris left the frowning Leena in the kitchen and wandered back out to meet Rachel and Steven as they arrived. Both were smiling and looking much happier than they had during the forced stay earlier in the week. He grinned at Steven. “How did you get away from the hospital?”

Steven smiled. “Religious holiday.” He shrugged. “Which will put me there alone on Christmas day, but it’s worth it.”

Rachel smiled up at him. “I’ll come be your nurse.”

Steven grabbed her and hugged her against him. “Then no patients would get looked at.”

She shoved against him still balancing the tray. “You’re going to make me drop this.” She flicked her tongue ring out at him and walked towards the kitchen.

Steven stepped into the room, almost getting run down by Kasey as she flew by pulling Gwen along behind her. He looked at the stairs then to the kitchen. “What did I miss this time?”

Chris sighed and sat down. “Cora and Dade are going to be late, so they dropped off the food earlier and the women have to watch it.”

Steven studied him. “Late why?” He glanced towards the kitchen. “Hope they do watch it, I’ve been starving myself for two days waiting for Cora’s Yule feast.”

Chris shrugged. “I can’t tell.”

Steven grinned and dropped down on the coffee table in front of him. He turned to watch Patrick and Rhonda come down the stairs. Both grinning. “Recovery seems to be going well?”

Patrick winked at him. “Very well.” He hugged a blushing Rhonda against his side.

Steven looked up at Owen coming down behind them. “Just in time. I was about to goad Chris into telling me why Cora and Dade are going to be late for Yule.”

Rhonda’s eyebrows raised. “I heard them earlier, they’re not here?”

Steven shook his head and winked at Dexter coming through the basement doorway. “You hold him down, Dex, and I’ll interrogate.”

Dexter stopped and looked around. “Who am I holding down?”

Chris raised his hand. “That would be me.”

Dex shrugged and walked towards him grinning. “Okay.”

Chris laughed and held up his hands. “I’m just the messenger guys, I was told to tell everyone they would be late.”

Owen dropped down into the chair. “Takes all the fun out of torturing you then, doesn’t it?”

Patrick dropped a kiss on Rhonda’s head as she turned towards the kitchen. “It’s not a big deal if they’re running behind.” He grinned. “We have the food.”

Steven threw his hands up in exasperation. “You aren’t any fun today.” He laughed and sat on the floor. “As long as we have the food though, everything is good.”

Leena came out of the kitchen. “We have the food and Cora better be here soon, because none of us in there are sure what to do with it.”

Steven sighed and dropped onto his back on the floor. “Does Tara cook?”

Dexter laughed. “No idea, she ran out saying she’d be back shortly.”

“I’m going to starve.” Steven whined.

Rachel walked out and looked down at him. “Poor man.”

He scowled up at her and then grinned.

The front door opened and Kevin stood in it. “Anyone home?”

Dexter jumped around and glared at him. “Knocking would be a good way to not get hurt.”

Kevin stepped in with Jean right behind him. “Just checking to see if you were alert.”

Dexter walked over and looked down at him. “I’m always alert.”

Patrick laughed softly. “It’s good he’s around to drive you crazy while I’m recovering.”

Kevin looked around the large man and grinned at Patrick. “Can’t wait until you’re back in fighting form, grumpy.” He jerked his head towards Dexter. “He’s just not as much fun.”

Dexter turned and looked at the others. “I’m not fun?” He bent over and flipped Kevin up over his shoulder. Kevin dropped the bag he’d been carrying. “I’m lots of fun.” He took two steps toward the door. “Let’s go play in the snow, Kev.”

Patrick gripped his side trying not to laugh too hard at the shocked look on Kevin’s face.

Gwen stepped out of the kitchen and sighed. “Dexter put Kevin down. Grown men don’t like to be carried around.”

Dexter dropped his hand from the doorknob and sighed. “Fine.” He grinned at Patrick as he dropped Kevin back onto his feet.

Kevin stood there looking back up at him. “Do you bench press buses?”

Dexter shrugged. “No, only about three twenty.”

Kevin let out a shaky breath and grabbed his chest. “Scared the hell out of me.”

Dexter laughed and walked back into the living room.

Kevin turned to look at Jean trying not to laugh. “Don’t laugh, if he can sling a hundred and sixty pounds like nothing, he’d toss you around with a finger.”

She put her hand over her mouth and laughed despite her efforts. “Sorry.” She squeaked between breaths. She held out the bag to him.

Shaking his head, he took it and went and picked up the one he’d dropped. “Good thing it’s not breakable.” he muttered.

Patrick cleared his throat and tried not to laugh again. “Good thing.” He turned to Dexter. “Three twenty?”

Dexter nodded and sat down.

Chris ran his hand down over his face. “Well…” He glanced down to Steven who just raised his eyebrows at him. None of the men wanted to take that conversation any further.

Rachel sat on the floor beside Steven. “So, I guess we have to wait for Dade and Cora now?”

Jean looked around. “They’re not here?” She looked at the kitchen. “Who’s cooking?” Everyone laughed.

Rhonda came back out of the kitchen smiling. “All of you make it seem like you never ate before Cora came along.”

Steven grinned. “I didn’t. If it didn’t come out of a vending machine, I didn’t eat it.”

Tara came bolting through the door carrying bags. She looked around and grinned. “Are they back yet?” Several heads shook. “Oh good. I didn’t know if I’d get back in time with the gift.”

Patrick frowned at her. “Gift?”

She smirked and set the bags down. “You’ll see.”

“Oh.” Kasey bound over and took Tara’s coat. “I forgot you would have inside information.”

Rachel kneeled and looked at her. “Right. So, tell us, what’s the surprise?”

Tara rolled her eyes and grinned at them. “Not a chance.” She made eye contact with Chris for a moment then turned to take off her coat.

Chris met his wife’s suspicious glare. “I didn’t tell her.” He motioned towards Tara. “She sees without being told.”

Kasey pouted. “It better be a good surprise.”

Dade and Cora came walking through in the house at that moment.

Dexter threw up his hands. “Does no one knock now?” He stood up and looked around at everyone. “We are still supposed to be on guard here, people.”

Cora stopped and smiled over at him. “We forgot, Dex, sorry.”

Dade stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He nuzzled his face into her neck. “See I told you being married would be distracting.”

“Oh!” Kasey was across the room, pushing Dexter out of the way faster than anyone could respond. She grabbed Cora and Dade’s hand to see new rings on their fingers. “Oh my gosh! This is so great!” She hugged them both where they stood and turned around to locate her husband. He was grinning as he stood beside the couch. “You. Judge Wilson?” When he nodded, she bounced across the room into his arms. “You are wonderful.”

Chris caught her and grinned over at the still shocked Dexter. The larger man was obviously having trouble believing the small woman shoved him out of the way without pause. “She can’t bench press three twenty, but she has the strength of a tornado once she’s moving.”

Dexter shook his head and looked at the petite blonde bouncing in his arms. “No kidding.”

Kevin laughed and put his hands in his pocket. “I feel so much merrier now.” He walked over to where the others were crowding around Cora and Dade.

Gwen was wiping her eyes. “This is so wonderful. What an amazing Yule gift.”

Cora hugged her new husband and looked around. “So, is anyone hungry?” She walked to the kitchen.

Owen stood off to the side and looked over at Dade. “Momma G is…”

Dade sighed. “I know, I know.” He pulled out his cell phone and groaned walking towards the kitchen. “I’ll end up having to do it all again at the temple…”

He walked into the kitchen before the others could hear what he said. Owen chuckled and hugged Leena. He noticed the tears in her eyes. “Aw, baby, it’s a happy thing.”

She nodded and sniffled. “I know. I am.”

Steven looked quickly to Rachel who he knew would be close to tears too. He hugged her and glanced around at the others smirking. “So many pregnant women at once, it’s going to be a bumpy ride folks.”

Patrick wrapped his arms around Rhonda. “And it would be uneventful without that?”

Steven laughed. “You have a point.” He looked down at Rachel and patted her backside. “Go help with food, angel. I’m going to pass out soon from starvation.”

She grinned at him. “Yes, Doctor.”

Steven sprawled back against the couch with his hand over his stomach. He gave Cora a thumb up and closed his eyes.

Cora chuckled. “I’ve fed everyone into silence.” Dade kissed her hand and grinned at her.

Rhonda blew out a breath. “I may just have to sit here for a week to digest everything I ate.”

Kasey jumped up with her cup in her hand and walked toward the kitchen. “Is it time for gifts yet?”

Chris groaned. “I need a moment before your bouncing, woman. I’m too full to move.”

She paused in the doorway and laughed. “Fine then, we’ll plan out stuff until everyone can move again.” She disappeared into the kitchen.

Jean looked over at Chris. “I don’t know how you do it, Chris.”

He sighed. “I don’t either, sometimes.” He smiled. “But I know I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Patrick opened his eyes and looked around. “I suppose doing some planning before we begin gift exchanges would make more sense.”

Justin laughed. “Get the bad part over first you mean?”

Patrick nodded. “Aye.” He looked at the huge pile of gifts under the tree. “Or the shorter of the two first.”

Tara looked over at the tree then to everyone. “I can’t believe the number of gifts. I thought we were only to do small things.”

Justin motioned towards his wife. “Someone got carried away.”

Gwen laughed. “I’m allowed to.” She paused and looked around at everyone. “We never had children, it wasn’t meant to be. To me, all of you are mine, and I’m allowed.”

“Oh, Gwen.” Leena sighed softly. “You mean the world to all of us too.” She pushed herself up and went over to where Gwen was sitting and hugged her. “And consider our children your grandbabies if you want.”

A tear formed in Gwen’s eye.

Dade cleared his throat. “No tears on my wedding day, please.” He looked quickly to Patrick. “Planning?”

Patrick smirked. “I’ve never met a man more scared of tears in all my living.”

Dade just gave him a look, pleading to please change the subject.

Kasey came back out of the kitchen. “Coffee’s on.” She looked around at everyone. “What did I miss?”

Rachel stretched and got up to get some coffee. “We’re all Gwen’s kids, so she spoiled us with gifts, our babies will be her grandbabies and Dade’s afraid of tears.”

Dade rolled his head towards Kasey and grinned. “Not afraid. More like terrified.”

Rachel paused in the kitchen doorway. “And we’re going to talk about a plan to find Walt and his bud Jack before we open the gifts.”

Kasey grinned. “I could always try to do an…”

“No.” Chris said quickly before she could finish. She pouted. “We’re doing it together this time.”

She went over and sat by his feet. “Fine.”