Christmas Day.
Iona
I was shocked when I came downstairs Christmas morning and was met with every member of the club. But what took me back was the amount of presents under the tree. And I was surprised to see Katie. She was keeping apart from the others, but she was present at least.
“Happy Christmas, baby,” Warden said, giving me a kiss.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“What, babe?”
“All these?”
Warden laughed.
“I can’t decide whether you inspired or shamed them all into shopping,” he admitted.
I spun in Warden’s arms. “What was it with you?”
“Shame. Definitely.”
“Rotten fucker,” I chided, and Warden chuckled.
“Katie is down,” I whispered.
“Wisecrack and Romeo are blocking her, enabling her to enjoy the day,” he said quietly.
I nodded. That made me happy. Katie was pale, but she was at least present.
“This is your day, Iona, what would you like us to do?”
“I need to get breakfast on, and then we can unwrap presents afterwards,” I replied.
“Lindy and Lissy have already taken care of that. They’ve been up since seven preparing it. The serving hatch is full,” Warden said.
I like that about the kitchen. There were shutters which lifted up and hot plates all along the open space. We could place food in them, and people could help themselves. It was a lot like a serve-yourself restaurant.
“Wow, they didn’t have to do that,” I gasped, smelling the air and scenting bacon and sausages.
“It was their gift to you,” Warden replied.
“That’s so nice of them,” I said and beamed at the two women who appeared and announced breakfast was ready.
We all filled our bellies before gathering around the Christmas tree.
“How do we do this?” Undertaker asked.
“Just dive in?” Vogue suggested.
“No, Warden has to hand them out as he’s the Prez,” I ordered before a fight started.
“Well, get on with it, Prez,” Dare demanded.
Warden chuckled and sat on the floor in front of the huge pile of presents. He picked up the first one and glanced at the tag.
“Vogue,” he announced and handed it to her.
Vogue didn’t hesitate and tore into the wrapping. “Thanks, Dare,” she laughed, holding up a pair of handcuffs.
Ribald comments were pulled out, and I suddenly had a clue what type of gifts were under the tree.
“Oh, damn!” I exclaimed and began laughing myself.
Several hours later, I was rather relieved that there weren’t too many sex toys scattered about. Some of them had been funny gifts, like funny toilet roll, others had been thoughtful.
Warden had bought me a lovely riding jacket made of heavy leather, alongside a gold bracelet and earrings. He’d also got me a selection of toiletries I favoured. In return, I’d bought him a gold necklace, aftershave, and some new boots. After opening our presents, we played some games of Pictionary and Give us a Clue.
The girls and I excused ourselves after an hour and proceed to get dinner served up. After all our prep yesterday, it had been a mere point of turning on the stove top to cook the veg and roasting the potatoes. We warmed the turkeys, lamb and hams up and asked the brothers to carry them to the tables.
Warden, Undertaker, Oracle, Slasher, Thunderbird, Rook and Anubis all carved the joints before we sat and ate. I was damn pleased we’d ordered and prepared so much food because everyone went for seconds.
I relaxed back with a sigh as Fists burped and patted his stomach.
“You ladies have outdone yourselves,” Pipe said.
“Definitely. That was fantastic,” Kosmic agreed.
“I’ve missed this,” Scorch admitted quietly.
“Christmas?” Warden asked.
“No, gathering together for a meal. I do not remember the last time we actually sat down as a family,” Kosmic explained.
“It’s not something we do often. I’m with Kosmic, I don’t recall it either,” Dare stated.
“It was Berserker’s funeral. But that wasn’t a sit-down meal, it was a buffet.” Pipe said.
“Ten years?” Warden asked, shocked.
“Yes.” Fists replied.
“Damn,” Warden drawled.
“Maybe we could do this once a month. But help the women prep?” Vogue suggested.
My ears perked up. That was something I’d like to do. It seemed my family Christmas had stirred something inside all of them.
“That would be nice,” Lindy said. “The help, that is. It took five of us all day, plus we were cooking in between.”
I bit a smile back. We had not made fresh cookies last night but bought them ready. We’d done the same with the pumpkin and apple pies, fruit cake and cakes. If the club would help us prep, we could bake freshly made desserts. That would be nice.
“We’d take that,” I agreed.
“I’m sure we can draw up a rota,” Warden responded.
“Why do I think we just got nominated for extra work?” Bogeyman asked.
“Because you have,” Noble said, throwing a napkin at him.
“Did you enjoy the dinner?” Warden questioned.
“Yeah,” Bogeyman replied.
“Then, if you want more, you can help cook it. My woman isn’t your kitchen maid,” Warden retorted amidst laughter.
“If we paid her, she could be! What do you say, Iona?” Bogeyman demanded.
“I don’t mind cooking once or twice a week but not every day,” I answered, and Bogeyman booed.
“We need a cook,” Dare suggested.
“Not a bad idea. I think everybody is tired of the slop the sluts dish up. And we’d save a fortune on takeouts,” Dare agreed.
“Iona, could you start interviews for a chef?” Undertaker asked.
“Yeah, and then work with her to plan menus for every night. I think everyone can make their own breakfast and lunch, although we could ask the cook to make prepacked lunches the evening before,” Warden mused.
“That would be a good idea. They could leave fruit and stuff in bowls, and we could help ourselves,” Dynamo added.
“Looks like you’ve got yourself a job,” Warden said to me with a grin.
I grinned back. That was exactly what I wanted. Most of the club stayed here in the clubhouse, but they didn’t eat meals and do things together. Of course, they gathered for church and if having a cookout. As close as they were, and they’d all die for each other, they lacked the closeness that had existed before. The sort of closeness that came from spending quality time together.
“That is not a job; that’s fun,” I replied, and Warden raised his eyes.
“This is what you wanted,” Warden murmured as chatter rose around us.
“Yes. Quality time. Look at how relaxed everyone is and the fun they’re having. You spend time together but not to relax. It’s always for updates or to deal with problems. This is something you used to do. Berserker insisted on it.”
“Dad’s death stopped a lot of shit. Grief prevented us moving forward, and then it became the new norm,” Warden admitted.
“I understand that, and I know we can’t go back to how we were. But we can move forward and carve out time for family time. Not just getting together to get drunk,” I said.
“True. They’ve enjoyed this babe, and it was something they needed,” Warden agreed.
“Do you really think they liked this?” I asked, seeking confirmation.
“Yes. Look at them. Iona, this is the best gift you’ve given them. And I thank you, baby, for it.” Warden took my hand and kissed it. When he released it, I felt a weight on my finger that wasn’t there before.
I glanced down and stared, shocked speechless. Nestled on my ring finger was a white gold band with a solitaire diamond. I looked back up at Warden, not noticing the silence falling around the table.
“What do you say, baby?”
“Ask me,” I ordered.
“Marry me,” Warden demanded.
“Yes,” I whispered again.
Warden grinned and scooped me up out of my chair, laying a kiss on me that curled my toes.
“I love you, Iona,” he murmured.
“I love you more,” I replied as everyone began cheering and shouting.
As Warden and I stood up, the family crowded around us, slapping our backs and kissing my cheeks. Lindy snatched my hand with Rosalea and gasped over my ring. A lot of ribald comments headed our way, but I took them in good nature.
“We gotta start planning your wedding!” Rosalea shrieked, hugging me tightly.
“Can I get used to being engaged?” I asked.
“Sure! Lindy and I will start organising it,” Rosalea cried. “You’re marrying a chapter president. That means we need to invite all the other presidents.”
I paled at the thought. Holy shit.
Rosalea and Lindy both giggled at my expression.
“You didn’t consider that, did you?” Lindy asked.
“No,” I gulped.
“Start considering it.” Rosalea laughed.
“Is it too late to say no?” I demanded, looking up into Warden’s face.
“Yeah, babe. You said yes, you ain’t wriggling out of it now,” he replied.
“Aww, shit.”
◆◆◆
Once we’d eaten dessert, Warden made the prospects, and the service guys put everything away and load up the dishwashers. It would take several turns to get everything washed, but it wasn’t a problem. We slumped in front of the big screen as Pipe fiddled around and finally found a movie. A few of the brothers complained, but they didn’t put up too much of a fight.
I looked around the common room. This was what I remembered. Everyone watching a film and relaxing. A couple were messing with their presents. Wyvern had been given a Rubix cube, and he’d made Fists hide the cheat sheet and was now trying to solve it.
Dare was playing on an electronic Sudoku, while Cipher and Spice were playing Battleships. A smile crossed my lips. Today would stay with me forever. When I was old and in my rocking chair, this memory would still be fresh and keep me warm at night. It may not have been everybody’s idea of a wonderful holiday, but for me, it had been. It was days like this that built bonds and created precious memories.
When times got dark, and it seemed there was no light, recalling this day would bring a smile to our faces. Because it had been special.
“I hate this damn thing!” Wyvern exclaimed.
Fists chuckled. He’d bought everybody one. I could see a lot of frustration in the future.
“We ought to make a bet, whoever gets it solved first without the cheat sheet,” Dare suggested, and everyone perked up.
“What do we get besides bragging rights?” Warden demanded as he eyed the cube in his pile of presents.
“One hundred bucks each?” Dare challenged. There was a glint in her eye.
“There’s thirty-two of us, not including Fists, and including the prospects, Lindy, Iona, Rosalea, Cécile, and Etienne. Nice little bet to make,” Warden replied with a sparkle in his eyes.
“Done,” a chorus of voices agreed, and they all dived for their piles.
Before they could start, Fists messed, everyone’s neat cube up and then confiscated their cheat sheets. He counted down on a timer and yelled start.
I kept an eye on Dare and Warden. My gut informed me they were up to something. Warden and Dare were furiously twisting their cubes. And then I remembered. Warden had sworn to beat this as a challenge when he was a teenager. And clearly, by the way, Dare’s fingers were moving, she’d done the same. Everyone put their cubes down with a groan as Warden leapt to his feet, as did Dare.
“Done!” they both crowed.
“Who won?” Lindy demanded.
“I think they both finished at the same time,” Fists answered, looking perplexed.
“They did,” Pipe and I said.
“We’ll share the pot,” Warden suggested to Dare.
“You two cheated. You scammed us,” Undertaker accused them, and Warden and Dare both laughed.
“Snooze you loose, brother,” Dare retorted and wriggled her fingers at him.
“I’m going to get Christmas tea up. Ladies, would you help?” Lindy asked, and we got to our feet. It did not take long to put out the platters we’d prepared yesterday. And even though they’d eaten a few hours ago, the family descended on the trays like locusts.
“We’ll make a stew with the leftover meat,” Lindy said as, once again, the prospects cleared away the empty plates.
“I did not fancy doing another roast,” I admitted.
“It is simple. I call it Mom’s stew; it was my mother’s recipe. I’ll teach you it, it’s different from anything you’d have tasted. It has mulligatawny soup in it,” Lindy explained.
“A what now?” I demanded, never having heard of it.
“I order it in. It’s from England and a Heinz soup. Trust me, once you’ve made Mom’s Stew, you’ll not go back!” Lindy explained.
“I kinda want that now.”
“Tomorrow, girl. Come, let’s settle down. They’re going to watch the film you found. A Christmas Carol with Albert Finney. How on earth did you know about this version?” Lindy asked.
“Because my grandparents used to watch it every year with me until they died. It took me a while to find a version we will play here because it was filmed in England. And even weirder, the old guy who plays Scrooge isn’t really that age. When the Ghost of Christmas past comes, you see a young Ebenezer; that is how old Finney was at the time of filming. They used makeup to make him an old man, and it took three hours to apply. He was only thirty-three at the time of filming,” I said.
“You know a lot about that film,” Lindy teased, and I grinned.
“It’s going to become a tradition, along with Holiday Inn and the Muppet’s Christmas Carol.” Lindy laughed because I’d made everyone watch the Muppet’s film last night. I had been shocked to realise that most of the club hadn’t seen the films.
“Make our traditions, Iona. It gives us something to cherish,” Lindy said as we settled down. A couple of the brothers had gone up and got everyone drinks while the prospects had loaded the dishwashers again and we all settled in.
◆◆◆
Outside, the snow fell, and the town was lit with Christmas lights. In here, we were warm and cosy and had full bellies and love. I’d made a Merry Christmas, one Berserker would have loved. Maybe now we could start to heal the wound that nobody spoke of. Warden tucked me under his chin and wrapped me up tight in his arms. I leant my head on his chest and listened to the steady heartbeat of the man I needed as much as air.
Warden’s fingers idly played with my ring, and I knew I was looking forward to a wonderful future with him. I was blessed and damn lucky, and I knew now not to take that for granted. Because life was fragile, as Scrooge was about to show us, and we had to live each day at a time.
◆◆◆
Happy Christmas from The Royal Bastards, Camden, Maine Chapter!