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Charlie subtly snuck another slice of ham onto her paper plate, sideyeing the living room where her uncles were arguing back and forth about some referee on the TV. She caught Beca's eye, who gestured quickly with her head down the hallway. Charlie nodded covertly and, making sure she wasn't noticed, slipped past the slightly less aggressive women in the kitchen, her mom and grandmothers. Why her mom thought it'd be a good idea to get their entire mixed family together for thanksgiving she'll never know.
But there was a plan to survive, and Charlie's role was to get the food. She snuck the scavenged plate down the hallway and into home studio Beca usually has under lock and key. But desperate times call for desperate measures. Charlie placed her plate of spoils on the desk, careful not to get anything on the soundboard. She managed to get five plates full of food, one for each of their co-conspiritors. The door behind her opened and Beca walked through quickly with Charlie's little cousin on one arm. Charlie laughed, "Hey Miles, did you get the goods?"
Miles proudly held up the DVD of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. "Right here Charlie, it's about you!" He pointed a cheeky finger at her.
"Hey! I'm not a stinky boy!" She tickled him until he was giggling and squirming out of Beca's grip. He ran over to the TV and started fussing with the DVD player. Charlie turned to Beca, "What about you?"
"Chloe's brothers are thoroughly distracted." Beca smirked. "I don't think they even noticed I stopped asking what a football was."
Charlie snickered as the door popped open again. Quicny Walp, her grandfather, poked his head in. "Is it safe?"
"Not if you just hang out in the door, gramps." Charlie pulled him into the room and he held up a case of beer triumphantly.
"You're my hero." Beca took a beer and plopped on the couch, just for Miles to hop into her lap.
"Hey," Quincy placed his hand on Charlie's shoulder. "Heard about West Point, well done kiddo. I'm proud of you."
"Thanks grampa," She gave him a hug just as the last of their little group snuck through the door.
"Alright," Sheila held up several bags of chips. "I got the junk."
They all cheered and everyone settled onto the couch to watch the short film, chatting back and forth as the Peanuts characters did their thing. They finished the first episode and were half way through the Mayflower Voyagers when the door burst open.
"What do you all think you're doing?" Chloe stood in the doorway, hands on her hips and a ladle hanging from her wrist.
"Hey babe," Beca tried to speak but only got the ladle pointed in her face.
"Don't hey babe me," Chloe's voice was dangerously low. "It took me weeks to get everyone's schedules to line up so we could all be here. And the five of you are hiding?"
Quicny gently urged Miles forward with hand on his back. "You're up." He whispered.
Miles nodded enthusiastically and ran over to Chloe, hugging her leg. "I'm sorry Auntie Chloe," He definitely was laying it on thick. "But we wanted to watch Charlie Brown."
Chloe looked unimpressed, glaring at her father in law. "Really? The army major is going to hide behind a six year old."
Quicny took one look at the ladle and nodded. "Yes ma'am I am."
"All of you," Chloe flicked her ladle out the door "Get out there and mingle."
One by one they hung their heads and trudged past the angry redhead, except for Beca, who got cornered as she tried to sneak past. "I know this was your idea." Chloe's eyes narrowed.
Beca shrugged, wide eyed and a bit too innocent. "I have no idea what you're talking about."