Tamela drives off the ferry with her father, Jack, beside her. It's his truck but she's driving. She casually smacks at the radio dial buttons "Shit we lost our station....oh well not far now."
Jack looks out the window in awe at all the lights and decor "I haven't been to this island in years. They sure do Christmas here."
Tamela snorts "Yeah a bit over the top if you ask me, but whatever."
Adum Brate has been up for hours, cleaning a house that didn't really need it. Down in the kitchen, he's looked at his oven for the thousandth time and it still hasn't replicated itself. There's still only one of them. So he puts in the ham .. which has to cook for hours. He has the meal planned in his head and many parts of it were already done over the last couple of days, especially the desserts. Right now, the house only smells like house ... but that will change ... and he looks forward to it.
Megan is upstairs napping again. She's been doing that a lot. The nausea isn't as bad as it was at first. It might be because she's been living on ginger tea and salted crackers like her life depends on it. She's also developed a bit of an aversion to some food smells, even things she knows in her logical mind she loves. Megan rolls over, sprawling across the entire bed now.
Jack looks at the clock on the dashboard "You know we caught the early one. Should we go for coffee? They might not be ready for us."
Tamela shakes her head "We're family. They'll be fine. We can help set up if they need it. It's the green one here..." She says before turning into the driveway. She cuts the engine after she parks and then there's the sound of car doors and the trunk opening and closing as they gather their things.
Adum straightens from closing the door on the ham and looks towards the stairs .. and so the street. "Did I just hear a car door?" he murmurs to himself as Minerva comes in through the new kitty door and into the kitchen. "They're an hour early ...." he inhales, thinking. "Megan ... " he calls up the stairs. "They're here!" he moves to the front door and opens it. "Hey!" he heads for Jack. "Need any help?"
Megan vaguely hears Adum's voice and pulls the covers higher over her, snuggling down into the pillow, so comfy.
Jack gives Adum a little clap on the back hug "Sorry we're a bit early. But you won't even notice us. Sweet house Chief."
Tamela walks up as her father lets Adum go and starts handing him bags "Is there a ham in there Brate?" One is a suitcase and the other seems to be an over-sized tote bag with wrapped presents "Where's Meg? Barefoot and pregnant yet?" She winks and grins.
Adum chuckles at his father-in-law and looks at Tams, taking bags as she hands them over. "Megan put one in earlier and told me not to look at it. I think I heard her mumbling about the temp didn't seem right .. she may have set it to broil ...." he winks back at her. "Of course she's barefoot. I have her out back right now, churning butter while she scans the treeline for a wild turkey for me to shoot. Our next mating time is two o'clock, if you'd like to watch and suggest any fertility enhancing positions." he deadpans, turning back into the house with a sharp "Get your ass back inside, woman!!" but if either of them is paying attention, it is aimed at Voldemort, trying to sneak out of the house.
Jack doesn't totally understand Adum's reply but looks very amused by it. He figures out that he's joking of course and just laughs into a snort "Funny guy..." he mutters walking in.
Tamela shifts her mouth to one side in a suspicious look and then gives Adum a smarmy grin "Smartass." She almost trips over the cat still trying to escape and then cringes "Oh I remember you....cranky bitch." She takes off her shoes after Jack does and then peers into the kitchen "OK where did you hide her?" She has no clue she's standing under the mistletoe.
Adum was already barefoot, so walks in and turns around. "Not until you abide by tradition." he points up. "You are under the mistletoe. SO you have two choices. Kiss me, or kiss Voldemort." he folds his arms. "Knowing you are a lesbian, I will not be offended if you pick Voldemort over me."
Tamela looks down at the cat and makes a face "No thanks fur face." She laughs and grabs Adum by the arm and plants one on his cheek and then walks out from under the mistletoe only to see more by the back door, in front of the fireplace and over the couch her father just settled into "It's like Santa's fucking minefield in here....." She leans over the couch and kisses her father on the cheek "Mistletoed!"
Jack laughs and looks around "Shit...I hope there's none over the toilet...that would be an awkward family holiday."
The mistletoe is plastic with silk leaves for the safety of the 9 cats and the real plant being poisonous.
Adum chuckles. "I removed those. But not the one in the shower..." he replies. "I did the outside of the house and Megan did the inside." he proudly states. "We can't have a tree, so I guess she figured mistletoe would have to serve?"
Jack laughs and slaps his knee "That daughter of mine. Where is she anyway?"
Megan had been woken by the laughing and voices talking downstairs. She sleepily shuffled down the stairs and into the room in a pair of baggy old sweats and one of Adum's tshirts "What time is it? Are you guys just really fucking early?" She was sort of smiling but begrudgingly. Sleep had become such a salvation lately. She grunted and walked to the couch, half hugging and half falling on her father.
Jack hugged her back and patted her head "Honey are you sick or something?"
Tamela looked concerned for her sister but also darted a suspicious look at Adum.
Adum is about to reply when Megan comes downstairs. He has to admit, she does look like she may have the flu .. no make up ... hair a mess. But he only stands by to watch the reunion, ignoring Tams ... at least for the now.
Megan shakes her head "No Dad, just sleepy." She sees Megan's look at Adum and then looks at him as if asking permission. Clearly her sister was already suspecting something.
Jack smiles at his daughter "That's good. No fun to be sick at Christmas."
Adum keeps his face deadpan, but nods at Megan. Part of him is interested in seeing Tams reaction, even more than Jack's.
Megan looks between her father and sister and just says it bluntly "We're pregnant." A little smile plays at her lips after.
Jack gasps with joy and hugs Megan hard and laughing "That's wonderful news. Congratulations."
Tamela's reaction is slow and hard to read. She's very quiet at first and just look at Adum with a nod and then Megan as if she's speechless.
Megan rolls her eyes at Tams and then gets up to walk to her "Ok this is your ultimate chance to call us breeders." she's sarcastic but in good humour.
Tamela lets out a breathy laugh and then suddenly bursts into unexpected tears and grabs her sister in a hug.
Megan hugs her back and pats at the back of her hair "Hey...what's all this about Tams?" She's completely unprepared for this.
Tams has to work hard to get words out "I know I bug you all the time....but the truth is...the idea of either of us.....it just makes me wish Mom was here...because she'd love it so much. But I don't want to make you sad...because this is awesome and beautiful and I'm so happy for you guys."
Megan and Jack are both moved to tears now and Jack gets up and hugs both his daughters as they hug. After a minute Tamela reaches out a hand to Adum and says shakily "And I know it's not just our Mom....Come here you.."
Adum watches the display and is just shocked at Tam's reaction and tears. He moves to the group and hugs them all. "Yea ... it's ... yea ... Moms ..." he chuckles, clearing his throat.
Suddenly there is a knock on the door. "You changed the locks? My god, son, I'm not a serial killer."
Adum suddenly starts laughing. "Ahhh yes .... Dad....." he moves to the door and opens it. "Get in here .... Gramps...." and he looks at Megan.
Adam Brate marches in and hugs his son, looking cheerful and yet somehow high. The words make him freeze. "Grand ...." he looks at Megan. "You ... oh ... you're ...." he begins to nod, as if he can't make himself say the word.
Megan, Tamela and Jack finally break apart and Megan goes to giver her father in law a hug after Adum smiling through tears "Yes we are. Don't mind how I look. I still need to change. SOME people were EARLY." She teases her family and then looks up above Adam "Oh you're under it...." She gives him a little kiss on the cheek.
Jack and Tamela chuckle and Jack says "Careful there's mistletoe everywhere."
Adum chuckles. "SOME people were SLEEPING." he amends. "I was up, working like a rented house elf." come on in.
Adam sniffs and absolutely beams at the news. "Oh this is the best present I could have gotten. A GRANDCHILD." he comes in and hugs both Jack and Tams as if they're as close as he and his son. "Well mistletoe is great for this year, but next year you have to think of something else. It's poisonous. The cats will ignore it, but the BABY ... probably not." he moves to the couch and looks around. "Maybe live pine boughs. Oh!" he claps his hands, looking around. "That would make this place smell beautiful!"
Adum snorts. "And leave pine needles all over everything. Id be cleaning them up from Christmas to Thanksgiving. No thanks ... but there's always plastic, like this year's misteltoe."
Adum rolls his eyes and looks around the first floor. "Plastic! God, son." he pffts and shakes his head. Then he looks at Jack as if he hadn't seen him, even though he'd just hugged him. "Oh, I'm Adam Brate. Adum with an A Brate. You must be Jack."
Jack laughs, comfortable enough with himself to be hugged by a stranger who's about to be family. He steps back and claps Adam Brate on the shoulder "I've enjoyed sitting in some of your buildings. None of them have fallen down yet. Jack Douglas. Good to meet you." He reaches out his other hand for a shake.
Megan fake pouts at Adum "I'd give you clothes but that pillowcase is so delightfully easy access." She teases.
Tamela had hugged Adam back too but now sticks her fingers in her ears "Harry Potter innuendo? I can't unhear that!!"
Adum chuckles and turns to Tamela. He adopts a high, squeaky voice. "Can I get you anything, Miss Tamela?" and then he shudders and puts a hand at his throat. "I think I hurt myself."
Adam chuckles. "B.C. has been very good to me, I admit." he nods at the compliment. "And I love building them well ... people get so annoyed when their houses come tumbling down." he sighs dramatically. "You know, I've often considered changing my name to yours." he raises his hands as if making words in the air. "The houses that Jack built." he shrugs. "Came close when they misspelled Adam when making Adum's birth certificate ... then I realizes ... at least he's not a junior." he laughs and leans back looking around still. "Pristine. The place is ALWAYS pristine." he rolls his eyes and blows out a breath.
Tamela laughs and then moves to the kitchen "You want any help Adum? Don't worry, I cook." She smirks at Megan.
Megan makes a dismissive noise at her sister and heads for the stairs "I'm going to change so I don't look like a total bum. Back in a sec." Megan is not someone who's ever back in a sec. She dawdles and takes forever to get ready and both Adum and her family know this by now. When she gets upstairs in fact, there's the noise of the shower running which means she'll be even longer.
Tamela gives Adum a sympathetic look and jokes "Well I guess it's you and me bro. At least you guys have two bathrooms. Sharing one with her is NO PICNIC."
Jack has a look of dawning about the spelling of his son in law's name "I always wondered about that. Thought maybe it was some weird Irish spelling...you know like those names they got Shivaun...but spelled like Siobahn. The house that Jack built..." he chuckles "I guess I've got a bar that Jack built....but all I did was move in and take over what was there. The landlord did some renos at first and now he doesn't fix jack shit.....see I dunno if you want my name. It can be used for good and bad." He snorts."
Adum watches Megan go upstairs and shakes his head, looking at Tamela. He rolls his eyes. "I love your sister. I really REALLY love your sister." he sighs. "But in some ways, she is my father with boobs."
Without a reply, Adam flips his only child the bird and nods in agreement with Jack. "A double edged sword." he admits. "But it isn't the structure, Jack ... not really ... it's walls and foundation .. brick, or boards ... they keep us out of the caves. What matters is what they all soak in ..." he smiles and looks around again. "The love and the laughter ..." he nods and sighs a little. "Even the hate and the tears. I only make houses and office buildings. The renters and owners make homes and offices." he looks sharply at Adum. "When was the last time this place was cleansed, Adum?"
Jack nods along with Adam until he says the word cleansed. Then he looks around confusedly "Thought you said pristine....looks pretty damn clean in here to me man."
Tamela laughs heartily "Oh shit." She laughs harder as his dad gives him the finger and then looks oddly at Adam about the cleansed thing too but then asks "So Brate, if there's no tree, where do we put the holiday loot for you guys?" She still had presents in bags by the door to arrange somewhere.
Adum chuckles. "It IS clean ... physically." he replies. "Dad means METAphysically. He smoked a little too much pot back in the day .... or ... SMOKES?" he looks at his dad. "And I cleansed the night I got back." he proclaims. He looks a little defensive, looking at the other two. "It doesn't hurt and there's worse than the smell of sage." he motions to the fireplace. "All around there, but be careful of the cats ... the kittens have been all over the place and ribbons and bows and paper ... it's been a challenge."
This seems to please Adam and he leans back looking at the fireplace. "Just wait till that baby of yours starts walking ... hell CRAWLING." he chuckles. "Common sense is NOT an inherited genetic thing, believe me." he snorts. "And apparently you were MY son every time you got into something. Like the can incident ..." he chuckles to himself.
Tamela just chuckles at the whole hippie dippie thing and nods "Aunt Shirley uses sweetgrass but more Semiamhoo tradition than stoner dude. I find the smell make me feel like yakking." She pulls a gift bag out of the big bag and sets it beside the fire place only to have two kitten appear beside it and sniff it "Hey....get outta there.....OK maybe I'll just hand them out right from the bag..." She reaches to place the gift bag back and her hand bumps Voldemort who's made herself at home in with the gifts and starts hissing and swatting "Fuck's sakes Adum!!" She drops the bag and stares at it from the top.
Jack smirks at Adam "I smoke....do you ...smoke." There's a glint in his eye that suggests he's seeing if they have that in common and then Tamela reacts to the cat and he rapidly shifts away from Adam to look at her "Shit you guys got a lotta cats..."
Adum snorts. "Sage just cleanses .. it doesn't make you high!" he protests. He chuckles at the kittens and snaps at Voldemort. "Hey ... back off. I got no problem putting you out to roam when the town dogs are loosed." he threatens. Voldemort doesn't run but saunters off a little bit and glowers. He turns to Jack. "Nine ... and it will STAY nine. Dr Ayala fixed the whole damn brood in one weekend!"
Adan laughs. "At risk of being arrested by my own son and niece-in-law .... I have been known to partake from time to time." he snorts. "You put a chastity belt on Mother Nature, Adum? The shame .. its only natural." he isn't looking at Adum, but Jack and Tamela probably see the twinkle in his eye that he is teasing his son.
Tamela rolls her eyes "I know about Sage. I mean about them." She thumbs at her dad and Adam and then says to Adam "Just don't light up in front of us so we can pretend we don't know. Our shirtless selfie PM is supposed to be on legalizing that but until he does I have to tow the line if someone decides to be an idiot about it."
Jack grins at Adam and head juts at Tamela "She knows how it works." He looks at the cats "I think they have enough with a baby on the way now. I don't mind them but I'm really more of a dog person. Course I don't have one...wouldn't be fair with working so late into the night.'
Adam laughs. "If it doesn't pass, they can immigrate to California. It's legal there now ... and they NEED it." he chuckles.
Adam laughs. "Maybe ... and I suppose its good for someone to be able to just go for it without having two to ten kids every time." he snorts. "Don't you like the shirtless wonder?" he grins. "Adam is that professor with all the dogs still here in town??"
Tamela snorts "Gawd poor States need a lot of things right now. We'll see if pretty boy Trudeau makes good on any of his promises. I still don't know how I feel about this pipeline deal he's putting through. I know some people say it's better than the risk of oil spills but I'm not sold.'
Jack sighs "He's bending over for Kinder Morgan, offering BC's bare ass."
Adam nods. "George Arnett. Yea, he's still here." he folds his arms and looks at his father as if waiting.
Adam sighs deeply. "Oil will be the death of us." he predicts. "A finite resource that will run out eventually. Then what will we do? No one is looking at the long term." he glances at Tamela. "The pipeline is in theory better than a spill, but its got to go through something, somewhere, doesn't it. And pipes still leak, don't let anyone tell you different!" he inhales deeply and exhales, then does it again. "We need to stop using so much oil ..."
Tamela nods "I know. There's not better solution. This island has some better ideas than home on conservation."
Jack nods "Yeah all the little golf carts......are they biofuel?"
Megan finally arrives back downstairs looking more human than she has in weeks. She taken the time to do her hair and makeup and is wearing a red velvet long sleeve shirt with a pair of black leggings and a simple little black skirt. Her feet are still bare but her toenails are painted a similar shade to her shirt and lipstick. There's still a bit of a tired struggle about her but she looks very put together. She's carrying a little basket with wrapped presents that she walks and sets beside the fireplace, stepping right under the mistletoe with a little tada gesture.
Adum nods and grins. "The golf carts are indeed bio fuel." he admits. The gas station actually makes it, if you can believe that." he sees Megan and all is forgotten as he looks at her. He suspects she's put in so much effort because the family was here. Not that he was dressed like a bum, but it rarely took him more than half an hour to put himself together for anyone.
Adam nods. "And it's been like this for MUCH longer than most." he touts. "I love this island." he sighs softly as Megan comes down and stands under the mistle toe. "A cherub with a basket full of presents under the mistletoe!" he stands and moves to her, kissing her cheek. "Very cool, and you look beautiful. All this for me?"
Megan blushes just a little and laughs "You only get one of two from here Adam. Thank you though. I'm hoping that by not looking like I'm going to puke all the time I'll stop feeling like it. I just need constant ginger tea right now."
Jack smirks "You're gorgeous. Your mom had terrible morning sickness with both you and Tamela. But it didn't last through the whole pregnancies."
Tamela looks sympathetic "Where's the tea? I'll make you some more Meg. And oh shit...I realize what I'm giving you for Christmas won't fit you all year...."
Megan sets her basket down "It's just boiled ginger root. And I promise not to be a hippo for longer than necessary. I'll bench press the baby if I have to!"
Adum smiles and moves to his wife, gently moving his father out of the way so HE could kiss his wife. "You know." he tells her ... with an audience, no less. "Walking stick or hippo, I can't resist you." he glances at Tamela. "I keep fresh ginger root in a plastic bag in the fridge. And there ginger cookies in the glass jar on the counter." ginger really seemed to be their miracle herb.
Adam watches his daughter in law and moves out of the way so his son can get to his wife. "Your mother was not impressed with morning sickness either." he tells his son, then sighs. "Very messy, you know." he sighs again and sits, a shadow passing over his face a moment.
Megan kisses Adum back and then keeps her arms around his neck "Do you think you could roll in ginger for about 2 and a half months. Drink it with me, bath in it so it comes out of your pores..and all other bodily fluids?" She could care less about saying this in front of anyone. Her family are used to her anyways.
Tamela makes a face and gets the hell out of ear shot "I'll be in the kitchen, not thinking about whatever might come out of Adum.....gah..."
Jack just laughs and shrugs at Adam "Hey they're giving us a grandchild. They can do whatever they want now."
Adum laughs. "Yes, dear. Whatever you want, dear." he agrees.
Adam nods. "My son is a lucky man. His mother cut me off the moment the rabbit died." he sighs again. "She wasn't so bad about it ALL the time, but ... god almighty the house had to be perfectly clean and if there WAS a wet spot? Forget it . no snuggling ... LAUNDRY." he shakes his head and watches them, noticing a few things that marked the place as lived in.
Jack frowns at Adam "I'm so sorry man. I miss Isabella....I miss her so much. I was the luckiest bastard alive when it came to that woman and our bedroom. Fiery passion....I could barely keep up...even when she was pregnant....."He laughs a bit "And beautiful....where the girls get it from. I had to pinch myself to remember she chose me for the first while...and put up with me all the years."
Megan kisses Adum sweetly on the cheek and listens to her Dad talking about her Mom with a sad loving look. He was still so in love with her. There had never been anyone else for him, and likely never would be.
Tamela found her way around the kitchen easily enough, peeling and slicing the ginger and filling a pot with water. She didn't hear the conversation in the living room as the water ran but then looked out the back deck door after setting up the ginger to boil. It was a very nice view. Kids were skating on the frozen inlet and laughing as they chased each other and raced. Tamela looked back at her sister and Adum, glad this was where they were going to have babies.
Adum holds Megan and smiles a little. He knew she'd come from someplace, but could not imagine Jack in bed with anyone ... or any of the other places he and Megan made love.
Holding up a hand, Adam smiles. "Don't get me wrong, Jack." he blows out a breath. "Maggie was a beautiful, passionate, loving woman. But over time a neat girl developed into a clean girl, developed into ... an obsessively, compulsively clean girl. I tried to stay, but I couldn't." he clears his throat. "Love had nothing to do with our divorce. And the rest ...." he sighs and shrugs, and looks at Adum, carefully. "Bring clean is fine, but don't wash away so much you wind up alone." he warns and then inhales, standing and heading towards Tamela. "Where are those ginger cookies?" he wonders. "I am ALWAYS hungry."
Jack listens to Adam with a sad look on his face. For the man who was not connected to him as family, for the sadness of his marriage and then women they'd both lost. He looked relieved at the mention of cookies "Did you say cookies?"
Megan smiles back at Adum and then looks worriedly at her father in law for a moment before the two older men seek treats and she giggles.
Tamela steps away from the window "It might be the tea you smell but I wouldn't put it past your merry elf boy to bake. Hey Brate, got any sweets?" she asks jovially.
Adum looks at Megan and nuzzles her neck, whispering. "Ginger fixes EVERYTHING." he is becoming a huge fan. He straightens and takes her hand, leading her into the kitchen and offering her a stool. "I put them up. They are a little TOO popular around here." he takes out a massive jar filled with ginger cookies and sets it on the counter. "Cooled this morning. First thing I did when I got up was bake the desserts."
Adam smiles brightly and takes one. He closes his eyes. "Cookies....." he pushes the jar towards Jack. "You aren't going to spoil your appetite, are ya, Jack? I could eat your share and still want seconds at dinner."
Jack takes a cookie happily "Oh man no....I can eat my own just fine. But I hope there are seconds." He chuckles and crunches.
Tamela swoops a hand in like a ninja and grabs one "Now THAT's what I'm talkin about...."
Megan giggles and takes one eating slowly as she settles comfortably onto the stool.
Adum takes a cookie too, then half a dozen, which he wraps up in foil. Then he goes under the counter and brings out a jar of chocolate chip cookies and does the same, wrapping up half a dozen. He sets them aside. "Yes ... eat the cookies. Leave the ham." his voice mock hypnotizing.
Adam scoffs. "Not a chance. I want the ham and the carrots and ... whatever else you've cooked. And how many deserts did you make, anyway?" he eyes the jar of chocolate chip cookies. "No pie?"
Jack laughs at Adam "You're like a big kid. Tams brought a pie. Did we bring it in?"
Tamela finishes her cookie and frowns "Dammit....let me get my boots on and got get it. It's pumpkin, the only kind worth making." She heads towards the front door and steps into her boots. Keys can be heard jangling as she fishes them out of her jacket pocket.
Megan grins at the two older men and then watches Adum and his foil "who are those for Babe?"
Adum grins and can't resist calling aftr Tams. "Did you bake it yourself?" but then he turns to his father. "There's apple in the pantry. Relax Dad." he looks at his wife. "Christmas dinner for our prisoner and the crew at the shop." he tells her. "Tom's girlfriend is going to be allowed over for it. So this should cover it. It's Sharp, Lynch, Wright and Greene on today."
Adam looks relieved. "Thank you, son." and then he chuckles. "The town mother. But Winters did the same. Well, he had someone else do it and delivered." he leans on the counter. "And Josh Green can use some Christmas cheer. How many Grinches can one town have?"
Jack just keeps nicking and eating cookies. He has no idea who these people are but he's perfectly cheerful.
Tamela scoffs as she comes back in "Yeah I baked it. Don't get cocky Brate."
Megan giggles "But I like it when he does."
Tamela shakes her head and opens the fridge looking for where to fit a pie.
Adum laughs and moves tot he fridge, moving a couple things around and taking a couple dishes of veggies out. "Now now, m'love." he cautions Megan, although he considers her teasing a good sign.
Adam laughs. "Ahhhh young love." he grins. "Josh Green is still working? I would have thought he'd have quit by now. Glad hes still around."
Tamela fits her pie in an open shelf spot and smiles at Adum "Thank you." She looks up and sees her father taking another cookie "Dad, you won't have any room for ham!"
Jack tries to protest but his mouth is too full so he just gives her a thumbs up and chuckles.
Megan smiles at her Dad, glad to see him having fun and befriending her father in law a bit. There would be many more of these events for them to connect at.
Adum laughs, "Well, he always gets aggravated this time of year. The mayor keeps putting his name down for Santa Clause. It's hard to tell if its a joke, or well meaning or what, but I think I've caught Sewid smiling under that mustache and goatee of his."
Adam sighs and places the lids on the cookies. "She's right. We need room for that ham and trimmings." he chuckles. "Fred Sewid is an odd one, but no one can deny he's been good for Alexandra. Did you know he is the one who proposed the twinning with Cedar Point?" he asks the room at large.
Tamela takes a cookie now but gestures in the air as she speaks before taking a bite "I can't figure your mayor out. He's clearly a bit of an ass but there's more to it. My Aunt seems pissed at him half the time but puts up with a hell of a lotta shit from him. Maybe the twinning thing makes her put up with the crappier stuff. Oil and water those two, I swear."
Jack just shrugs. He's done with cookies now so he just sits and listens.
Megan looks amused about the Santa thing and then thoughtful "Well he hasn't been into the shop. Sometimes I can figure the townspeople out by their...shall we say proclivities and shopping choices. And believe me, it's not just the younger people. Some of our best customers are the town's seniors. Maybe THAT's why he's a little cranky....Josh too...." she jokes.
Adum laughs. "Well Sewid ... he's been mayor here for .. 45 years? 50 maybe? I can't figure then out either. But ... ugh ... there a few folks in this town who could probably stand to get laid." he shakes his head. "I have to admit I was surprised when Miss Z baked phallic cookies and handed them out to your protesters. Man ... Just .. didn't expect that."
Adam also laughs. "Well, he is a native here, like your mother was, but he had a harder time of it because he's Aboriginal. Maybe that has something to do with his temper?"
Jack turns slowly to stare at Adam, as if unsure how to take that one. He tilts his head and raises a brow, curiously.
Megan smirks "I love Miss Z and her naughty cookies." She catches the look on her Dad's face and looks at Adam trying to patch the bridge "You mean because he's been through and taken some shit?"
Tamela snorts "Or because us angry Natives are always bitching about something?" It's said in jest but with a hint of a defensive tone. Both Megan and Tamela look more like the Spanish side of their parentage but their connection to their father and their Aunt Shirley has made them more in tune with the Semiahmoo roots in their heritage too.
Adum shakes his head. "He means ... well the Academy used to be called the Alexandra Indian Residential School. They didn't cover a lot of that when I was in school, but Fred Sewid went there ... its public record, of course."
Adam nods. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound so awful. But ... this town hasn't always been kind to him. And he's made a lot of changes here ... starting with the REnaming of the school ... and re-purposing it." he shrugs. "Helping Adum pass his local history class ... stuck with me."
Jack cringes "I did know that was one of em...yeah....fuckers....that mayor of yours has his head on pretty good after surviving it."
Tamela looks humbled "Shit...."
Megan sighs "I feel like that explains a lot about Mayor Sewid. He does do a lot of great stuff for the town, even if his tone is not cheerful about it." She looks at Adum "That must have been intense though, tutoring with that guy."
Adum leans over and kisses Megan. "Well ... he's my boss so .... yea .... But he loves this town ... I mean he's a native. Lived IN the school, probably. But he doesn't go in there much anymore." he sighs. "Can you IMAGINE a happy Fred Sewid? I mean ... I know he can laugh. You should see his face come Winter. And he's probably the biggest prankster in town ... don't tell anyone I said that or then may never find my body."
Adam nods. "It had to have been rough. He must really love this place to stick around. He's just not as .. nice as Shirley Douglas. I mean who is?"
Jack nods along with what it hypothesized about Fred Sewid. He's seemed hesitant about Adam since the beginning of this topic but when he compliments his favourite aunt he gives him a genuine smile again "No one I've ever met. Wouldn't hurt a fly that woman, and if she did by accident, she'd feel guilty forever."
Tamela agrees with her father "Aunt Shirley is the best of us Douglas's. She sets the bar high."
Megan kisses Adum back "The pranking is a good sign of his healing. He can have fun. He just doesn't want anyone to see him. "She beams at her sister and father "Aunt Shirley has always been one of my heroes too."
Adum grins. "She's great, no doubt." he agrees and moves to check on his food.
Adam nods. "Exactly. And here we have Fred Sewid. He's like a pit bull running around year after year. Not a big fan of children ... well... sometimes. He's a hard one to read. I mean ... it's like Yin and Yang, Cedar Point and Alexandra."
Megan nods at her father in law "that's a very good way to put it. Although I'm really liking living here. I still miss my family sometimes...." She looks at Tamela and Jack.
Jack gives Megan and aww look "And we miss you. I had to hire two people to replace you at the bar Meg."
Megan laughs "I never even figured out all the drink recipes. When in doubt toss a dash of sambuca on top and light it. No one questions their drink when it's flaming."
Tamela looks sweetly at her sister and then face palms "I'm so glad you married a guy who understands food and drink. You're better with people. And I miss you too."
Adum pokes at a couple of things, stands straight and pulls the Ham from the oven, setting it at the counter. He looks at it and nods to himself. "I love food and drink." he agrees with Tams. "But the next several months are gong to be interesting. I think Megan's partner is going to give her the Harry Potter treatment ... stash her in a closet until after the baby is born." he teases.
Tamela is distracted by ham and grins "Carver. I approve. Megan can hide with the rejected dildos in the supply cupboard under the stairs."
Megan smack at Tamela "Rejected dildos! Nope, I had to stuff your stocking with them to clear out the ones that no one wanted to buy. The eenie weenie peenie line was an epic fail." She jokes.
Tamela cracks up "The after hours naughty elf workshop at the North Pole. Maybe the lady elves like em eenie weenie!"
Jack makes a horrified face at his daughter's conversation and walks over to distract himself by sniffing at the ham and closing his eyes "Mmmm...."
Adum shakes his head and transfers the ham to a platter then moves it to the table. He begins to carve it and simply doesn't stop until the whole thing is neatly carved. "What about those little ones that fit in your purse .... oh wait those are vibes, not dildos." he nods. "See how my education continues, father mine?"
Adam laughs in delight. "You know, if you two were MY daughters .. I would probably look ... well .. like Jack there." he teases. "Lets sit at the table, because being in Adums way while he's getting things on the table can be a little dangerous."
Tamela looks at Adam and then to Adum and says "Can I help set it up with you? You don't have to do it all you know.....the prego non cook can sit on her ass but put me to work Carver."
Jack pulls put a chair beside Adam and sits "I'll do some dishes later."
Megan rolls her eyes at Tamela and sits "He's picky about how stuff gets arranges Tams." then she looks at her Dad "AND how clean stuff gets, so be ready to offer perfection." She teases.
Adum laughs. "Yes, Megan. I'm picky. You can't just pile the plates in the cabinet in interesting and unstable patterns that scare your husband." he shakes his head. "But she's right .. but this year you guys still qualify as guests. But next year .... you can bring the plastic plates and aluminum baking pans....." he snaps his fingers. "And plastic utensils ..." he sighs in bliss at the very idea.
Adam looks at Jack. "We can both do the dishes. I know how its supposed to be loaded. Believe me ... he gets it from his mother. I apologize in advance. But..." he holds up a finger. "He won't wipe your face with a napkin throughout the meal." he says as if this may have happened with his ex wife.
Megan looks mischievously at Adum "But you're so cute when you scream. We might need to go a little simpler when there's a baby needing us too. Next Christmas should be an interesting one."
Jack chuckles "I only need a face wiper after too many beers and I've been trying to keep that in check. And I can't wait to be a Grandpa."
Tamela looks curiously at Adam "Did your ex do that to you? That's a little awkward...I mean kids yea....they're little snot monsters....no offense to the one you're growing Meg.....but there will be snot!"
Adum chuckles. "What simple? All of this is easy, just ... well .. once the baby gets older I will have an assistant." he finishes setting the table and stands back. "Everyone dig in. I am not serving you." he even folds his arms.
Adam claps. "Good boy!" he looks at Tamela with a sigh. "If you dribbled, she would. If we were alone and I spilled something on my shirt ... well ... that could turn into a hot little night but ... no ... I really got on her about it when Adum got a little older. She started grinding her teeth a lot. I can only sympathize so much ... part of it was funny and parts not so much." he claps his hands and reaches first for ham, leaving the serving fork on the platter, then for sides, then for some cider.
Tamela and Megan exchange an awkward look about Adam's telling of Adum's mother's struggles. Megan looks cautiously at Adum after. So far he's just fastidious and she can handle it. He might even have to lower his standards a bit when the baby came. Life would just be busier. The two sisters take their turns after Adam in serving up their food.
Megan eats slowly and carefully, her nausea behaving right now. She doesn't want to push her luck though.
Jack offers with hand gestures at Adum to go before him "Cook doesn't have to be last man. This all smells so tasty."
Adum chuckles. "Alright .... I will serve myself." he looks slightly uncomfortable and then chuckles. "See ... I am learning. I loved Mom, but I don't want to BE Mom." he fills his plate and sits. "But don't die on me Megan." he seems to be issuing an order. "I don't want to bring home women six months older than my oldest child." he looks at his dad, but is smiling.
Adam smiles at his son over not wanting to be like his mother. Then he snorts in mock affront. "It was FOUR months, first of all." he corrects. "And women who like older men are a mixed blessing. Hard to find one who isn't eventually going to do the math." he shrugs. "I DO like women my own age, you know ... I am just taking advantage of these new wild oats I need to sow."
Adum groans. "Seriously Dad? I get a mental image and .... I went my whole childhood NOT walking in on you and mom or some other woman in Cedar Point. I can go the rest of my life not imagining you having sex. I'm sure its all beautiful and whatnot, but .... no .. please."
Adam smirks. "When your my age, you'll be glad to HAVE a sex life at all." he warns.
Adum chuckles. "Possibly, although considering my wife's current occupation, I think she may be able to conquer BOTH of our dwindling sex drives."
Adam laughs. "Have you ordered anything from them yet, Jack?" he wonders, starting in on his meal.
Jack is on his first bite and nearly chokes. He can't peak for recovering. Tamela and Megan both start laughing and Megan answers "That would be a no...."
Tamela clears her throat at her father and goes to get him a glass of water "Here you go Dad. I honestly haven't either but I did take a catalogue....oh shit...I left it at Aunt Shirley's when I was taking Coco to the kennel. Maybe i should warn her so she doesn't open it and have a heart attack."
Megan giggles "She'll be fine. She's been married three times Tams...plus old people so have sex. You don't want to know how many seniors we serve." She reaches for Adum's hand "So we're set for when we're older. I've learned a lot from all the eclectic needs of the customers." She looks at her father in law now "You would not be the oldest of the don juans out there Adam.'
Adum chuckles at his father-in-laws choking. "A clear no ... I guess that means there is SOMEONE in this family who will NOT be calling me Chief Condom?" he huffs, mock offended.
Adam rolls his shoulders as he swallows the first bite. "Well, I will have to just try and be the best. And God, I HOPE I am still having sex at 80. And 90 .. hell, I may try and find a way to do it as a centurion."
Jack laughs heartily "Chief Condom? Oh I might have to now....fuck, that's funny." he says, laughing some more and then drinking more water "Thanks Tams."
Megan beams at her father in law "You go Adam. And write testimonials on anything from the Loveshop that helps..."She jokes. She looks at her food "Oh......it's finally staying down today...thank god."
Tamela laughs along with her Dad and then tries not to react to the idea of 100 yr old people doing it but makes a bit of a face. She looks at Megan "That's good. You have to feed a little person too."
Adum nods and chuckles. "Yea .... I know I'm loved when Michael Reinhardt covers the phone and says 'Tell Callahan its Chief Condom on line 2.' ... I like to think the station is mostly empty on those days." then he looks at Megan a tad sharply asking his father for testimonials, but he softens to see her eating. "Good ... Can I enter Catholic Mother Mode now ... feed you until you burst?"
Adam chuckles. "I'll have to use that the next time I call the shop for you." he looks at Megan and finishes another forkful of dinner. Then he sips his cider and clears his throat. "My daughter in law convinced me to use a masturbation sleeve, and let me tell you, my son never has to worry about walking in on me and a woman again. Just ME! Thanks Love Shack!" he recites.
Tamela slaps the table "Why haven't I HEARD this yet? Frank's been holding out on me...so has Reinhardt.....dammit...all that outreach work has been keeping me out of the station." She blinks at Adam after, not having a comeback for his illicit mock testimony but just snickering.
Megan almost falls off her chair laughing "Only if you call him my son Chief Condom. God that sounds like a dirty comic book character! Cheif Condom!"
Jack just shakes his head and eats his dinner, looking like he truly feels sorry for Adum.
Adum smiles at Tams. "You can take it up with Frank later. She's coming by to pick up dinner for the shift." and then he nearly chokes this time, but swallows before he needs professional help. "No." he manages between coughs. "No. No. No." he reaches for cider. "God .. no ... no ... no."
Adam pushes the cider closer to his son. "Alright .. alright ... don't die and I promise no Chief Condom ... in the testimonials."
Megan pats Adum on the back "I was totally joking. I'm sorry Babe." She giggles a bit and then eats.
Tamela laughs too and then says "You know for the longest time I thought Frank was a guy. Turns out she's way better than a guy...no offence gents."
Jack smirks at Tamela "None taken. Is she blonde?"
Tamela shrugs and nods "Yeah so?"
Megan answers "YOU have a type. Blonde is part of it."
Tamela dismisses them "Oh piss off. I like all kinds of women."
Megan counts on her fingers "Eryn, Brandy, Frank....blonde blonde blonde. Those are the only three I've met that you've liked been with or mentioned THAT way."
Tamela snorts "I've been with all hair colours and skin colours, you've just only noticed three....and only one of those three I've been with. Brandy was a rejection. And the last woman I was with before I liked her...was a brunette." She smiles a bit "Too bad about her. Cute as anything - great ass, ex military, but just a bit of a mess and she couldn't. I think it was the military stuff. I dunno what she saw but.... bad stuff."
Adum nods and leans his head against his wife. Of course she is forgiven. He arches his brow. "I never quite thought of Frank 'that way' before." he admits. "Well, good luck. I like Frank. Good cop, tough as hell ... just a tad ... small." he nods to himself.
Adam chuckles to himself. "I'm not even sure what that means, son. Besides she's short?"
Tamela chuckles and shrugs off the good luck "I suspect there are some local choices more on her radar so I'm not too stressed about it. She's cute. I don't mind short at all. I noticed. I heard a rumour she likes girls.....I won't assume that means she'll like me. Life happens."
Megan swats at Tamela "Yes I told you that rumour.....and I haven't seen swarms of lesbians all over the island. You should ask Frank out. She's not THAT short."
Tamela gets a dreamy look on her face "Swarms of lesbians......I would move here tomorrow!" She laughs at Megan "How would you even know who likes what?" She gestures at herself "We're like serial killers you know, we look like everyone else."
Jack almost spits out his cider laughing at Tamela.
Adum snorts. "At the risk or pissing you off ... Frank herself admits that it's rather obvious she's gay, even when one can guess right off the bat that she is a woman ..." he arches his brows. "Which very few do ... did you?" he wonders, doubting it. Too many think Frank is a man ... especially when they meet her by phone first.
Adam grins wide. "Lesbian serial killers. That sounds like a VERY bad movie!"
Tamela points at Adam "Or a very GOOD movie." She nods at Adum "On the phone I thought she was a guy but in person I figured it out right away. Am I reading it wrong....does she not wish to identify as female though? I don't want to offend."
Megan looks curious about this as well "I had to really look at Frank to be honest."
Jack looks a little out of his element with the gender stuff but just stays quiet. He was still open minded, but raised in a very defined era where his own life's path didn't cause him to think on things like this.
Adum shakes his head. "Frank identifies as female." he tells her. "But her chest is non existent and she's always loved short hair. Her father was alright with it, but her mother .. not so much. She's just still a tomboy." he grins. "And she's tough as hell. I've seen her take on men bigger than Josh Greene, and he's no weakling, even in his 50's."
Adam arches his brow. "THAT would depend on the ratio of killing and lesbian sex, naturally." he listens to the talk of Frank's gender as he finishes his plate, then sits back. All those cookies keep him from getting more.
Tamela thinks as Adum talks and nods along. She suddenly gets an image of Frank all sweaty kicking some big dumb jock's ass. The jock in her mind is Cody and he grin grows. "Dammit Brate you are not helping me not get a crush on her." She points at Adam again "And you....just hush now." She teases.
Megan gives her sister a sly little grin and then looks at Adum like she has an idea. He's not sure if he'll catch where she's going with it but as Tamela focuses on her father in law she gives a little point to all the plastic mistletoe around the house, then the front door and then Tams. Her message of course being that they need to make sure Frank and Tam end up under one of them.
Jack observes it all and looks highly amused. He still has no real clue who this Frank lady is mind you.
Adum looks at his wife and nods, then shrugs. "Whats wrong with having a crush?" he asks. "Isn't it about time you got involved with someone again?" he is almost amused how he remembers her fiance but can't remember his supposed ex wife for love or money.
Adam sits back and looks at Jack. "I'm stuffed. Damn those cookies."
Jack leans back and pats his belly "Me too man. But it was all good." He sighs and then makes to stand reaching to take some empty plates from people.
Tamela always looks a little ruffled by the isn't it time conversations but she was softening on them over the years. She suspected Adum meant it kindly and she gave him a little smile "I'll think about it." She passes her father her now empty plate as he reaches a hand towards it. "Are you guys too full for pie? We could save it for later...or breakfast?"
Megan looks lovingly at her husband and then at her sister. She had watched Tam in love and then in so much pain for so many years. She'd love to see her happy again that way. The idea of pie hits a nausea nerve and she shakes her head "I'm sure the pies are delicious but I can't. the savoury is stable and I'm not messing with it."
Adum rises from the table. lifts the large ham and looks like he is headed to the sink to do dishes, but he stops at the island. He pulls out a large tray and begins to pile ham on a separate plate, plus vegetables in plastic containers. "Lets wait a little while for pie." he suggests as he goes into the refrigerator and pulls out a deep dish apple pie, which he cuts in half and transfers to another empty pie dish and covers in foil. Then he takes the pile of cookies and adds them to the tray, using the empty side of the half filled pie dish. He looks the tray over carefully as the doorbell rings. "Could you get that Tams?" he calls, casually.
Adam stands and heads for the sink, pausing at the island. "Are you feeding a major prison, son?" he sounds highly amused.
Tamela was about to walk to the kitchen for a glass of water and then turned on her heel at the bell and request. Even though Adum did mention she'd be coming by, he didn't specify a time so she hadn't been thinking she was opening the door to Frank right after talking about having a crush on her to her family. When she saw Frank standing there as the cold air came in she got suddenly shy, smiling but no words coming to her head to greet with. Awkwardly she stepped back, like a mute, just standing there staring.
Megan grinned at Adum and then turned around and tried to cover the silence "Hi Frank!" She looked at the misetletoe above her nervous sister and then looked at Adum like "Should we?"
Jack set the plates down by the sink and then tiptoed to see what this Frank looked like and noticed Tamela was oddly quiet.
Frank Sharp stood looking up. That was always a good idea when she was at ANY door. For a moment, she sees Tamela, on who she has been crushing for some time now, and hears Megan just as she sees the mistletoe above Tamela's head. "Hey Megan..." she calls, distractedly and then clears her throat. "Um ... Douglas ...." she points up. "Merry Christmas." she hesitates a little, but gives every indication of being a traditionalist and going in for a kiss.
Adum turns his head and watches without an ounce of shame.
Adam leans against the counter, equally curious.
Tamela's eyes follow Frank's finger point up and she actually blushes, which is rare. Then she swallows hard and says "Merry Christmas Sharp..." She instinctively pulls Frank inside from the cold and intends to just give her a polite little peck on the cheek. As she looks at the cheek she feels her face turning to aim for the lips. Well hell it's Christmas, what's one little tiny kiss right? Their lips connect and she finds she's not pulling away at the appropriate time to be classified as a peck but lingering and then pulling back briefly, only to tilt her had the other way and try and catch Frank's lips in hers again. It's like a magnetic force she can't control and she feels her hands just gripping onto Frank's jacket still from the pull inside.
Megan claps her hands together silently and spins around with a beaming smile at the other gawkers before watching again.
Jack's eyes go wide and then he grins too. Damn, let them have their fun. His older daughter didn't have enough of it as far as he could see.
Frank was turning her cheek away even as Tamela was moving away from it. Kissing this woman had been a fantasy and she would take a write up from the Chief if it meant that much to him. The first kiss was sweet and chaste, but the second kiss had Tamela grabbing her jacket and Frank taking hold of Tamela's waist and pulling her closer for a deeper and, if she can get away with it, longer kiss.
Adum watches the women kiss and his wife hopping up and down. He smiles and motions tp her to come near him and so out of the sight of either women ... although neither of them seemed to notice any of them.
Adam smiles broadly, but remains quiet. He just loves watching happiness, is all.
Tamela felt slightly weak in the knees at Frank's response. She kissed her back just as deeply and with incredible enthusiasm and passion, forgetting there were other people around who had gone suddenly quiet. It had been a long time since she kissed someone and she was completely hot for Frank right now. And god damned Frank was a good kisser! The conversation she'd just had had gotten her completely fired up.
Megan saw Adum signal her and tried to tiptoe to him, knowing she was being way too obvious. Unfortunately, her foot found the one floorboard on the way to him with a creak.
Tamela heard the creak and reluctantly eased off the kiss, now snapping back to what was around she and Frank. She started chuckling and wrapped her arms around Frank, hugging her "Frank....you are my favourite elf this year." She jokes. "And I'm pretty sure we were being watched. Assholes....."
Megan overhears and can't even try to suppress a giggle. Jack clears his throat and walks around a bit too.
Adum chuckles and moves to Megan hugging her. "Sharp." he intones. "You're right on time."
Adam laughs and leans against the pillar. "Merry Christmas, Frank."
Frank had also gotten lost in the kiss and had, for a moment forgotten why she was even at the Chief's house. But she hugs back. "Why thank you, Tamela. I make a great stocking stuffer." she jokes back. Nodding. "Probably." she lowers her voice a good bit, whispering. "Good thing it was only a kiss .... this time...." and she moves around her. "Merry Christmas Chief, Megan, Adam." she looks at Jack. "And you, sir." she offers to shake hands.
Tamela grinned about the stocking stuffer joke and then closed her eyes at the whispered sentence and slowly inhaled before she turned and did an obvious exhale, trying to cool her mind from racing. She quietly clears her throat and tries to look nonchalant as she ignores Megan beaming at her standing in her husband's arms.
Jack darts a look at Tamela and then looks Frank over as he shakes the hand "Jack Douglas, Tamela and Megan's father. Frank is it? Is that short for something?"
Frank shakes hands. "Yes, sir." she replies to Jack. "Francis Sharp. A pleasure to meet you." she heads the rest of the way into the kitchen and looks at the large tray. "Uh ...... sir .... that's an awful lot of food...."
Adum smiles. "Well it's for you, Lynch, Greene, Wright, plus Tom and his girlfriend." he tells her. "I figure you guys can graze on it for the rest of the day. But you might need help getting it there. I keep forgetting about your wingspan." he looks around her to Tamela. "You wouldn't mind giving Frank a hand with all this, would you Tams?" he asks, sweetly.
Adam chuckles and shakes his head at his son, then reaches for some of the leftover salad.
Tamela grins sarcastically at Adum and then genuinely at Frank "Happy to...let me get my coat. We can take my father's truck since it's parked behind Adum." She pulls on her jacket and clicks the key fab to unlock the vehicle and then walks back to the tray and grabs it. Her boots she can step into as she passes the door mat again. "Shall we Sharp?"
Megan looks like something in her brain is going to explode and she forces out a barely calm "Have fun!"
Jack just grins and watches them after the intro. This was turning into a very interesting holiday.
Frank nods. "Good idea. I walked so .... I'd need a ride with SOMEONE." she opens and holds the door for Tams. "Lets go. Merry Christmas everyone!" she calls as they go.
Adum watches them leave and heads for the living room couch. "Come on, Megan. Lets sit a bit while these guys do the dishes. I will ... trust them." he really is trying not to be so anal.
Adam laughs. "OK, Jack. I'll toss the glasses in and you follow up with the plates! BATTER UP!"
Jack snorts "Right outta the park!!!!!" He jokes.
Megan shoves Adum onto the couch before he can run back to the kitchen and sits on his lap. She looks at the door where her sister and Frank left "Talk about sparks.....woot!"
Tamela walks through the door "Thanks." and then carefully lays the tray in the open cab. It's not too snowy back there and it's clean enough that it won't get gross. She hops into the driver's seat and waits for Frank to settle in beside her. It dawns in her the hop up to sit is a bit high. She had said Frank wasn't that short but kissing her she realized Frank was shorter than she remembered, like a sexy little elf.
Frank hops into the truck with the grace of someone who has been doing the like for some time. She glances at Tams and nods down the street. "I doubt I have to give you directions." she teases. Then she buckles up, feeling the gun on her hip, the reminder that she is technically on duty. "Listen, Douglas." she begins. "I'm not going to lie about all that back there ... I mean ... once I figured out we were under the mistletoe ... I did what I've wanted to for a while now." she is honest, almost brutally.
Tamela is about to reverse but then shifts back to park at Frank's admission and grins broadly "Really?" She bites her lip for a moment just looking at Frank "I'm rather attracted to you as well. How long is your shift tonight?" She looks at the house and suspects Megan might be glued to the window and then does follow through and reverse so it's not a show. She drives real slow though, in no hurry to be out of this conversation at all.
Frank grins. "Good. Six to six tonight." she tells her. "What did you have in mind after I'm off the clock?" she wonders. So far they're on the same page.
Tamela turns the corner slowly "Everything's pretty much closed...so I dunno. Some way we can just hang out together. I might have to escape my nosy family." She says chuckling. "Do you have family stuff on after work though too?"
Frank nods. "No family stuff." she tells her. "I was going to watch Lethal Weapon and Die Hard ... maybe Die Hard 2, or something else tonight. My roommate is on the mainland with her family so you can come on by and hang out."
Tamela nods back and they pull into the station "Sounds like a plan. I like those...and I like you." She parks and gives Frank a positively sultry smile "You want me to bring anything?" She unclips her seat belt and is pulling her phone out of her back pocket to get Frank's contact info outside of work.
Frank exchanges info and grins. "I'll he happy just for the company. I have a pumpkin pie in my fridge and can provide forks while we watch, eh?" she suggests getting out of the truck and moving towards the back of it. If Tamela can get the platter out of the truck, she can hold the door open while its delivered inside.
Tamela snorts "Can provide forks. I accept. Nice and low key....K let's feed your station." She climbs out and moves to the cab to get the platter letting Frank deal with the doors. She walks in smiling and is about to say something back to Frank again when a long lost but briefly very familiar face appears in front of her. Tamela stops in her tracks, squinting "Darcy?"
Darcy's jaw drops and the coffee cup she's holding slips from her hand and shatters on the floor. It's thankfully empty but there are shards of ceramics in all directions. She steps out of the way "Shit...sorry....hi....uh lemme get a broom...." She runs off to the supply cupboard looking like she's seen a ghost.
Tamela carefully tries to sidestep the mess and awkwardly says to Frank "Uh where do you want this?"
Frank watches Darcy break things and run off with arched brows. "Um, put it on my desk." she motions to it and turns to see the others. "I'm back."
Sam Wright has his feet up and eyes at half mast, sending off a text message. "Welcome back." he sets his feet on the floor and stands, looking Tams up and down. "You must be Megan's sister." its small town detective work. "Sam Wright." he looks around at the piles of foil. "How many are we feeding?" he asks, sounding a little confused.
Josh Greene comes out of the Chief's office. "Brate overcooks. It's what he does." he announces. He looks at Tamela. "Josh Greene." he offers to shake her hand, looking at the spread. "Where's Lynch, Sharp?"
Tamela sets the platter down and smiles "Hello Sam Wright. Yes I am Megan's sister. Adum just kept packing it up..." she chuckles and then takes Josh's hand "Good to meet you Josh." Her handshake is firm and brief. She looks awkwardly at Frank now about Darcy. She hadn't known her last name but they spent a night together that ended abruptly. Darcy. Darcy Lynch. She looked around for her and sighed.
Darcy was in the supply cupboard wishing she could disappear. Maybe Tamela was just dropping off. Seeing her again, she saw the resemblance. She had heard Sam through the door. Of course she was Megan's sister. Fucking small world. She'd been too long in the cupboard and it would look strange. Fighting with the broom as she came out she muttered "It was stuck..." and went to sweep, making eye contact with no one. She carried the dustpan in her other hand and meticulously tidied up the shards.
Sam notices Darcy's odd behavior and grabs the keys to a cruiser. "Time for a sweep, Lynch." he announces. "Um ... a .. town sweep ..." it really IS time. "We'll be back in time for dinner, Lieutenant." he knows something is up and Darcy and he are good friends .. and what do friends do? Get friends out of awkward situations.
Josh watches the sweeping and sighs. Then he hears Sam. "Alright. We'll be set up for dinner by then. I'll let Tom know." he heads in the back quickly.
Frank watches Sam and nods. "Yeaaaa ..." Josh vanishes and she is left with the three of them, until Lynch and Wright leave.
Darcy shakes the dustpan into a trash can and sets the broom and dustpan aside "Right behind you Wright. Merry Christmas everyone..." By everyone she means Tamela as everyone else is still on duty with her. It's completely awkward and she dashes out behind Sam. She sinks into the passenger seat of the cruiser, puts on her seat belt and hides her head in her hands "Please drive." is all she says at first.
Tamela is still in the room as Lynch and Wright leave. She leans over to Frank apologetically "I promise to explain that later.....totally unexpected.....and bad timing."
Frank looks at Tamela. "No problem. So ... see you at 6:30? My address is in your phone but I am on the other side of the row houses across the street from the Brates ... on the corner across from the school."
Sam starts the car and does as told. "Gee ... imagine that ... no one's out this afternoon." he glances over at her as he turns onto Water street. "soooooo ... whats up?"
Tamela backs out of the station grinning like a schoolgirl "6:30, pie, forks....Die Hard...Yes Ma'am." She turns and exits.
Darcy leans her head back "Tamela Douglas. At least I'm guessing that's her last name too. I don't know why I didn't see the resemblance to Megan before....but she and I had one night together about a month after I got back from my tour. And I bailed on it and never called her."
Frank watches her go and moves whistling into the holding area to help Josh and talk with Tom and his girlfriend Heather.
Sam nods. "Ahhhh .... bailed on a one night stand ..." he drives slowly into the Bottoms. "You know my mind is filled with all kinds of dirty and inappropriate jokes but .... I mean she didn't hit you so ... maybe its just ... awkward?"
Darcy blushes and cringes "No...we did THAT.....then I woke up from a nightmare about shit in the field and didn't feel like starting a romance by being counselled, so I called a cab. Awkward is a good word."
Sam nods slowly. "Ohhhh ... THAT ...." he intones and chuckles. "That's fair. So life went on ... its just not THAT small a world. Looks like Frank finally got to really meet her ... she's had a crush on Tam for damn near a year now. They talk by phone a lot .. all business of course. Then Frank helped Cedar Point after they had an earthquake. Maybe they can get past all that professionalism and do ... THAT ... " he glances at her as he passes the Blue Door, music booming out of its closed door. "You ARE over her, right? Cause that COULD get awkward...."
Darcy laughs "Yes I'm over her. I mean it was once, fantastic, but once. If she and Frank get together that would help. I've been feeling so bad thinking I hurt Tamela's feelings."
Sam makes a U-turn and passes the Blue Door again and heads on 1st to the Mariner's. "Then no problem." he replies casually. "As long as everyone came, it should all be good, right?"
Darcy blushes and laughs "You literally have no shame do you Sam?"
Sam laughs. "I was raised by a Conservative Jewish mother and a hippie father." he reminds her. "If I ever had any, it probably came out in my first six diapers." he winks and turns around in the parking lot. All quiet. "So I am assuming you're headed straight home to tuck in the kid? How's family life, anyway?" its serious and light. He likes the kid a lot. "Bankrupt buying sixty million computer games yet?"
Darcy beams about Vincent "It's amazing. He doesn't ask for a thing but makes my world a better place."
Sam smiles. "He's a good kid. Not damaged by his Dad . which isn't easy, believe me. So how'd Christmas go? Did you open presents last night or are you torturing him and making him wait till you get home?"
Darcy shakes her head "No we opened it all last night with my sister Marianne..oh yeah you guys met this morning when she brought me a coffee. I left a stocking on each of their doors before work." She looks at Sam "What about you and Hanukkah....didn't that start last night too?"
Sam smiles. "I did meet her." he remembers. "And it is hard to believe you guys are twins." he chuckles. He also got Marianne's phone number, slipped to him BY Marianne, but Darcy was already a bit of a mess about Tamela Douglas ... he saw no reason to add to it by telling her he was going to meet her sister for clubbing after his shift. "Oh that's cute . stockings on the door." he grins. "And yes ... I did a little thing over Skype with my mother last night." he tells her. "And as far as she knows I will be working, but otherwise celebrating like a good Jewish man. However I WILL be having ham. I like Ham .. I like seafood ... and none of it is kosher." he grins.
Darcy winces "I won't tell your mother. Hey Sam, thanks for listening....I'm OK now and i have you to thank."
Sam has, as they talked, driven back past the station and all the way to Fourth and is heading for the school. "Darcy .. I don't know how YOU feel, but you're becoming one of my best friends. And that's what friends do, right?" he passes the school and turns on Third, passing the Chief's house.
Darcy looks touched "You're definitely one of mine too Sam. I feel like I could tell you anything...you rock."
Sam grins. "I think you can. I can keep a secret, believe me." he turns the corner. "Annnnd ... Douglass's truck in front of the Chief's ... and no creatures stirring .. lets go inside, let our prisoner out of his cage and load me up with sin glorious sin." he pulls into the cop sop parking lot, ready for his Christmas dinner.
If you would like to read Tamela's date with Frank, follow the link below. Be aware that it contains some graphic sexual content:
http://alexandrarpgstories.blogspot.ca/2016/12/holiday-treat-dec-25th-later-frank-and.html
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