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This stupid fucking bird!
Claire takes in a sharp, cold breath as she hears her wife’s foul language coming from inside the house. She wipes the sweat from her brow and sets her axe down on the stump in front of her; she still has more than a few logs to chop for the fire, but she can do that later. Right now, her wife is upset. Eve isn’t often upset. She certainly isn’t often upset enough to use that sort of language so loudly that she can be heard outside. Which means something is very, very wrong.
Eve? Claire asks as she shoves open the sliding glass door onto their patio. What’s going on?
The house smells.
Normally, on Thanksgiving, the house smells good. All the different scents of all the food that Eve’s cooking – from pumpkin pie to cheesy potatoes to rolls to the turkey – it always, always smells good.
It doesn’t smell good right now.
It smells—
Is something burning?
No! Eve pokes her head out of the kitchen. Nothing’s burning! She storms out of view, and there’s the sound of clattering and slamming and metal. But this stupid bird won’t—
Claire hears Eve sniffling before she makes it into the kitchen, but as soon as she does, Eve hides her face.
Don’t look at me!
Claire ignores her and draws Eve against her chest. It’s okay if something’s wrong with the turkey. We can just—
It’s our first Thanksgiving as a family! Eve exclaims, pounding one fist against Claire’s chest. It has to be perfect! I followed the recipe just like last time, and it was so good last time, and they’re going to be so mad at me if it’s not—
Eve, Eve. Claire runs her fingers through her wife’s hair. It’ll be okay. We’ll just—
Something explodes in one of the pots.
….
Explodes might be a bit of an exaggeration, but from where Claire is standing, it’s loud enough to sound like an explosion. She sits all at once, dragging Eve down to the ground with her, but this just makes Eve cry harder.
See? You’re scared.
It was a really loud sound, Eve. I have every right to be—
Brendan runs into the kitchen all at once, his feet tiny and grubby, his eyes wide. Big bang. I heard a big bang!
Eve cries harder.
Claire puts her hands on Eve’s shoulders and looks her in the eyes. Take Brendan. Go for a walk. When you come back, I’ll have everything taken care of, okay?
Eve shakes her head. You can’t cook. Not for Thanksgiving. Not last minute—
Do you trust me?
It takes a few seconds. Eve takes a breath in. Then she nods once, pushes herself off the floor, and takes one of Brendan’s tiny hands in her own. You and Mama are going for a ride. How does that sound?
Once Eve is out of the kitchen, Claire looks around, pushing a hand through her hair. Eve’s right. She’s not a cook. Not on this scale, anyway. How is she going to fix this?
…she has an idea.
Forty Minutes Later.
Claire hears Brendan before she sees either of them, hears his tiny voice saying, It smells good! before he runs into the dining room. She turns to him and scoops him up in her arms then waits to see Eve’s reaction.
Eve walks into the room, and her eyes widen. You got Chinese take-out.
And I made it look fancy. Claire kisses Brendan’s forehead then sets him back down. Then she meets Eve’s eyes. Will it suffice?
Eve opens her mouth to answer only for a knock to come at the door. She glances over her shoulder and cringes. Evanora—
—will never say this, but she actually hates turkey, Claire whispers, kissing Eve’s cheek. She would have been impressed with you for making one, of course, but she’ll like this better. She smiles. So will Agatha.
It takes a second for Eve to process, but then she laughs. She curls against Claire’s chest again and then leans up just enough to kiss her. If you just wanted Chinese food every year, why didn’t you tell me?
I didn’t want to ruin your traditions.
Ah. Eve leans up on her toes and kisses Claire’s nose. We’re a family. We can make new traditions.
Claire nods. As long as burning the turkey isn’t one of them.
Eve slaps her arm. The doorbell rings again. Then she grins. Only when your family shows up.
Agatha will be sad she missed the fire.
There wasn’t any fire!
This year.