Christmas Day

This day would involve a little compromise. It was the first Christmas in a long time that Bobbie and Florence were hosting and cooking together. Bobbie let her mother take the lead. Florence learned everything she knew about cooking from her housekeeper. Bobbie learned from Florence. They had a pot of potatoes, cooked the night before because the turkey dressing was made with potato and breadcrumbs; she was using gluten free breadcrumbs because Johnny was coming over with his aunt. They decided not to stuff the turkey and put the stuffing in a separate dish.

They chatted about the kids and grand kids and how excited they would be with their presents as they worked at prepping the turkey and paring their veggies. Bobbie unwrapped a gluten free tart for Johnny, purchased a few days earlier.

With the turkey in the oven and everything else prepared, Bobbie went upstairs to have a relaxing bath and get ready. She left her mother puttering around, re-arranging the small gifts under the tree and laying out dishes to set the dining room table.

Charlie and June were coming with Niko and Suzi. Charlie wanted to come because June was not having an easy time with pregnancy and didn’t want to cook.

Bobbie decided to buy 2 big turkeys, one that was currently in the oven and one that would be cooked later that night for Boxing day. Today, she wanted everyone to take home leftovers. Jamie and his partner Jarrod would probably be arriving soon. Jamie would bring plum pudding which was their Grandma’s recipe. Bobbie mostly liked the hard sauce but as she got older appreciated the plum pudding more.

Bobbie finished setting the table just as they arrived. She met her brother with a hug. “It’s so nice to be here in Crow Harbour for Christmas dinner.”

“Yes it is Bobbie.”

He seemed a bit more at ease and Bobbie wondered if he was getting over the loss of their father. Maybe he was just more prepared since his last visit and was putting on a brave face. She forgot she was annoyed at him for not supporting their mother.

Johnny and his Aunt Linda arrived and Bobbie ran out to hug them and handed them each a gift bag from under the tree. She knitted them both a pair of mittens, Johnny’s were gloves with open topped fingers for playing the guitar.

Charlie and June arrived. Bobbie greeted them, “Hi guys, Merry Christmas. I hope Santa found you! Gramma Great and I have a few gifts for you under our tree, let’s open those.”

The children made quick work of opening gifts and settled beside their dad with a book that was among their gifts.

Linda was chatting with with Jamie and Johnny, but he wanted to see how they were preparing the gluten free food in the kitchen. “Let’s go check in on the kitchen.”

They moved into the kitchen and Johnny poured them some wine from a bottle he brought for the meal. The smell of roasting turkey and savoury dressing wafted through the house and in the background Bobbie could hear her grand-kids giggling.

“Thanks for including us Bobbie, Aunt Linda and I were just going to make a chicken. Is it much trouble to make everything gluten free?”

“It’s easier than you’d think. Jamie bought plum pudding and sadly you can’t eat that but the potatoes and roasted sprouts and carrots and turnip are all naturally gluten free. I made sure the turkey wasn’t pre-stuffed with anything and used gluten free bread to make our dressing. When I make the gravy I’ll use corn starch and a bit of gluten free soy sauce for colour.”

Back in the living room, June sat uncomfortably on the couch while their daughter Niko showed off a little and climbed over her to get attention and little Suzi was determined to climb the stairs to the den and keeping Uncle Jarrod busy. Bobbie came in, plucked Niko off her mother and tickled her a little and then whispered conspiratorially to entice her into the kitchen. Once they were there Bobbie gave her 1/2 a glass of ginger ale to deliver to her mother. Niko carried the glass out slowly, using all her concentration and when June had the drink Bobbie clapped and praised her for helping. “Come on Niko, our work in the kitchen isn’t done yet.”

Charlie and June smiled appreciatively at Bobbie.

Back in the kitchen Bobbie was stirring the hard sauce. It was a paste made of aggressively creamed butter and brown sugar and vanilla and she saved a small bowl, non-alcoholic, for Niko to stir before she added a hit of rum to the big bowl to finish it off.

The turkey timer went off and Bobbie called for Johnny to take it out of the oven and put a tinfoil tent over it. She and Niko went to the table to fold some special napkins. June came over and hugged Bobbie.

“Thanks Bobbie. I almost couldn’t face coming over, I was so worried how I would deal with your sadness, we’ve lost so much! And I just felt guilty about feeling that way.”

“Oh June, I’m sorry you think that. There is no need to feel guilty about anything. I’m sad but everyday I deal with it a little bit more. I’m just glad that you’re here!” Bobbie sensed that June wasn’t garden variety anxious but wasn’t sure how to help.

To get the kids out from underfoot during the last, frantic meal preparations, Jamie asked them if they wanted to see Uncle Jamie’s old room. They jumped up and down so he and Jarrod pulled them over their shoulders and chugged like a choo-choo upstairs.

That allowed Bobbie and Florence to deal with all the hot dishes and get dinner on the table and she called everyone over to the dinning room to eat. The booster chair was between her and Jamie and they took turns amusing Niko as they ate and Suzi was in the high chair next to Florence. For desert, the kids had a shortbread cookie with hard sauce, without the rum, and everyone but Johnny ate the plum pudding. June really liked it and had two pieces and Bobbie hoped she wouldn’t get heart burn. June had not eaten much else.

Florence commented, “Making a turkey dinner isn’t hard, it’s all about the timing.”

Internally, Bobbie rolled her eyes; timing and weeks of careful preparation.

June said, “I usually love the smells of a turkey dinner cooking but these days I can barely stand it.”

Charlie and June bundled up tired kids and Bobbie handed them a big Tupperware full of left over turkey dinner. Jamie and Jarrod were close behind and Bobbie teased them, complaining that were leaving early to get out of doing dishes.

We promised to go see Jarrod’s parents, I hope they don’t want us to eat!”

“Do they have a big family dinner Jamie? Maybe they can join us here next year?”

“Maybe next year Bobbie. Merry Christmas everyone.”

Johnny said, “I’ll help you do the dishes Bobbie”.

Johnny washed and Bobbie dried and put away while Johnny’s aunt and her Mum chatted in the living room. Bobbie was a little self conscious at what a cozy domestic pair they made, so was fairly quiet.

The kitchen was all cleaned and the food all put away by the time Johnny and Linda left.

She hugged her mom and said, “Do you think June was OK, she seemed a little down?”

“Well don’t mention it dear but June and Charlie are trying to conceive and she’s had a miscarriage. I got a colleague to check her out and she can safely try again but it ‘s not easy for her.”

“Oh Mom that’s so sad. I’m glad she’ll be OK though.”

Bobbie said good night to her mother and went to sleep right away.