Page 42 of A Raging Merry Christmas
While we got our trays from some of her staff, the others had already been preparing the vegetables and accoutrements for dinner. Everything was well in hand, and now we were cooking the turkeys. The children were either in their rooms or had congregated in the drawing room. Christmas morning was always relaxed, and we did what we wanted.
After dinner, we all gathered up, and the kids opened the presents under the big tree in the drawing room. Then, in theevening, there was a buffet tea, and we gossiped and watched movies.
The first sign of trouble was a fryer wobbling. I sipped a beer and scrutinized it. The one next to it started hissing and shaking back and forth. Wide-eyed, I began sitting upright when an explosion at the far end of the fryers made me hit the floor. The lid blew straight off it and shot into the air. The turkey came whizzing out like a missile and hit a tree before exploding everywhere.
That was just the start. It sounded like a war zone was going off as thirty fryers all began blowing up one after another.
Rock, Gunner, and I crawled for cover as turkeys and hot oil flew past us with viscous intent. Doors flew open, and our brothers spilled from the Hall, in various states of dress, with their weapons out. Several of the women followed suit. Phoe appeared on a balcony on the second level and was nearly taken out by a turkey. Drake screamed her name and ordered her back inside.
Phoe surveyed the mess and shook her head. Without a word, she disappeared.
The old ladies followed her, and my brothers watched as the last of the fryers exploded.
“Tell me you haven’t just ruined Christmas dinner!” Drake growled out.
I couldn’t say anything. Because we had.
“Nah. We expected this. For a marker from them, we’ve got it covered,” Carmine said.
“Seriously?” Drake asked.
“A marker, Dad, for all of us from each of those three,” Christian insisted.
“Fine,” Drake snarled, glowering at us. “Clean this shit up.”
Without another word, Dad disappeared back inside.
It looked like a turkey slaughter had gone off. There were pieces of meat everywhere.
“Damn. When you fuck up, you fuck up,” Ace added.
I sent him the dirtiest look in my arsenal, but Ace wasn’t too bothered.
“Come on, I’ll help,” my eldest son offered.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
“We’ll all help. Let the women cool off,” Ezra groaned, and everyone nodded.
“Screw that. I didn’t do shit, see you at dinner,” Axel boomed and disappeared.
“He’s got karma coming his way,” Spike said, grinning.
We all grunted. Something would happen that Axel would mess up. And we’d be waiting.
Drake
“It’s time for dessert, and I’ve got this,” Axel exclaimed as he gazed down the ballroom. “Ain’t gonna fuckin’ blow up no turkey!” Axel glowered at Rock and Gunner.
I hid a smirk at them. Who the fuck blew up a turkey?
They glared back in return.
Axel lumbered away, and five minutes later, the waitstaff brought out silver trays, one per table and lifted the domes off. Underneath each sat a large Christmas pudding. Phoe let out an exclamation of delight.
I smiled happily. This would mean a lot to Phoe.
“This is an old English pudding. They have it every year. The best thing is we pour booze on it and set it on fire, and then we can eat it,” Axel’s booming voice explained.