Chapter 85
1753words
It was pure luck that she was able to get Rosa's cook book just before the older woman left for her hometown in Spain. Aurora was leafing through the Christmas recipes on the book and she sighted this particular dish and of course, come gingerbread. Christmas wasn't complete without one.
She went on with mixing the batter whilst putting the necessary ingredients. The noise from the living room and overwhelming and she cast a dubious glance at the doorway.
Would Ryan be okay with the kids? He wasn't really the best of a role model for the children and most of the times, he joined in on their shenanigans rather than stopping them.
"Hey, babe!"
Speaking of the devil. Aurora smiled warmly at him, giggling when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed a kiss on the side of her neck.
"How are the kids?" She asked, thanking him when he passed the sugar, "I can hear their screaming all the way from here. I told you not to give them that much sugar last night."
Ryan hummed, rubbing his nose on her skin and she tried to shrug him off, "They begged me, I couldn't refuse them. Besides didn't we get to enjoy the time off?" He playfully wriggled a brow causing her to snort.
She rolled her eyes, proceeding to reprimand him again when the doorbell echoed. Ryan pulled away from her, grumbling gently,
"I'll get it, hold on."
She nodded, scrunching her brows when he smacked his lips on her cheek before walking out of the kitchen. Few moments later, she heard the wild cheers from her kids and her ears perked up.
"Honey?" She called out, craning her neck to see what was happening, "Ry?!" She yelled again but was met with no reply, she blew out a breath and left the batter, walking towards the door and out the kitchen.
When she arrived in the living room, the sight of her father and four other smiling faces caused her to gasp in surprise.
"Dad!"
Harry was in the process of dropping the twin three year olds, Maya and Micah down on the floor before sauntering towards her.
He moved to hug her but she stopped his quickly, pointing at her flour stained apron,
"I see you've been busy," He said with a jovial laugh and she chuckled in return.
He'd brought about two large bags with him and her kids were in the process of rifling through them. It had taken a lot of energy to tear them away from the gifts and place it under the Christmas tree at the corner.
She loved her kids but sometimes, they made her almost lose her mind especially the twins, the two of them had a stark resemblance to their father while the oldest, Jeremy, looked exactly like her. He was currently seven and sported wavy ginger hair with bright green eyes. He was the more calmer and sensible of the trio.
Aurora moved to kiss Natasha and her fiancée welcome, her friend would be getting married late January and preparations was already put in place. She proceeded to welcome Mason who had come with his handsome looking Asian boyfriend, Kevin.
After the rounds of greeting, Ryan offered them each a glass of cold root beer while she returned to the kitchen to finish up the gingerbread cookies.
"Here," Aurora offered some minutes later, placing the tray of cookies on the table, the entire house was wafting with the sweet smell and the kids were already trailing around her, "They are fresh out of the oven."
Natasha was the first to take a bite and she hummed delightfully, bobbing her head in satisfaction, "These are really good."
"Yeah, she's greatly improved in her cooking skills."
She threw a dark glare at Ryan who was in the corner of the room, settling the twins and asking them to eat their cookies.
The people in front of her bursted into simultaneously laughter, her father's being the loudest. She rolled her eyes, choosing to ignore them all instead,
"So," Mason started, taking another cookie from the tray, "What are you cooking right now?"
Aurora smiled brightly, she'd been anticipating someone to ask her that very question. So when she answered, she responded proudly,
"I'm roasting a turkey. It's in the oven right now."
Her father sputtered. Natasha lifted an amused brow and a delirious smile rose up on Mason's lips.
Chandler, Mason's boyfriend, frowned in confusion at their reaction and asked, "Is there something wrong?"
Her father opened his mouth to respond, however her seven year old who must have been listening to their entire conversation, chipped in,
"They're like that because whenever mama tries to cook a turkey, it always ends up getting burnt."
"Jeremy!" She threw him an accusatory look and he laughed, showing his incomplete set of teeth.
Mason shook his head from side to side, pure amusement in his eyes, "You see why he's my favourite."
Aurora gave him her best death glare and was about to say something when the doorbell rang. She grumbled, turning towards her husband but he was currently feeding the twins, at the same time, so she sighed and trudged over to the food.
She had an inkling who was behind it.
And of course, she wasn't wrong because as she pulled it open. The snow kissed faces of Louisa and Matt stood, their kids in front of them.
"Aunty Rory!!" Bryan, their firstborn jumped on her, wrapping his little arms around her waist.
"Aunty Wowy!" Claire, the younger three year old called out, hugging her as well and she chuckled, ruffling their sun-colored hair.
She then proceeded to open the door a little bit wide so they could walk in. Bryan left her instantly, bounding towards where his best friend sat munching on cookies. Thankfully, Ryan had put on the TV and the kids were currently glued on the animations playing out.
"What's wrong? You guys look like you walked in the snow." She helped them both take their coats off, smiling at a heavily pregnant Louisa.
The blonde shuddered, "The heater broke a few miles back, I told him about a week ago but he didn't listen," She threw an accusatory look at Matt who raised his hands in surrender.
Aurora chuckled, hugging the blonde briefly, "I'm so sorry you had to go through that, I'll put on some hot cocoa for you, would you like that?"
Louisa brightened instantly, pressing a grateful kiss on the side of her face, "You're a gem, Rory."
She smiled and ushered her towards where the rest sat before bounding towards the kitchen. She quickly checked the oven and sighed in relief, there was only a few minutes left.
Aurora moved to put the hot water on whilst cleaning up the flour stained counter. She walked over to the sink and began washing the apparatus, for some reason she found hand washing kind of therapeutic and barely ever used the dishwasher except on special occasions.
"There you are," She didn't have to turn around to know who that was, "How are you feeling, Mrs Thorne?"
Auror chuckled softly when Ryan hugged her from behind, pressing butterfly kisses all over her neck.
"Tired as heck but also happy," She replied, giving him a look when he placed his hand in her lower belly.
Ryan hummed, smiling cheekily at her, "Me too," She chuckled again and his smile brightened, "When do you think we should tell them?"
He threw a pointed look at her belly and she shook her head.
"Not yet," She wanted to keep it as a surprise. Although, she was four months gone and barely showing, which she'd like to keep that way, she hoped to tell them later on.
Ryan hummed again, "Your father will be mortified."
"He'll know that we've been busy."
He chuckled, hands crawling upwards to cup one of her breast and squeezing tenderly, "Very busy indeed."
Aurora was no longer washing, resting her entire weight on him as his fingers worked their magic. He always knew the right way to touch her.
"Ryan," She moaned softly, feeling the pulse in between her legs speed up as he rolled her nipple in between his fingers, "Oh god."
Ryan laughed darkly, nipping on the skin of her neck, "Yes, flower?"
"I-"
"What the heck are you two doing?"
She shoved him off instantly, whipping towards the door with wide eyes. Natasha stood in the doorway, peering at them with narrowed eyes.
Her cheeks flushed and she shook her head, "Nothing, just talking."
"It's amazing how neither of you noticed that the turkey has been burning for a while now in all your talking," Natasha pushed in a teasing tone and Aurora swiveled in alarm towards the oven.
True to her words, the machinery was already beeping loudly and wisps of smoke had begun to billow out. Ryan guffawed loudly and Natasha snickered, sauntering off while whistling a teasing tune.
She ran to get the mitten and quickly slipped them on but Ryan stopped her before she could open the oven.
"What?" She snarled at him, swatting his hand off, "This is all your fault."
"I'm sorry," He said but she could tell that he didn't look the least bit sorry.
Aurora rolled her eyes, proceeding towards the oven but he stopped her again. She groaned in frustration,
"I don't have time for this-"
"I love you."
She blinked, her brows furrowing together, "What?"
He smiled in that way that she loved, when his eyes would crinkle and those dark orbs would have a bright sparkle within them,
"I love you, flower," He gave her another kiss and began walking out of the kitchen, "I should go tell them that the turkey is ruined, again."
The previous butterflies she was feeling dampened instantly and she gasped accusatorialy. Aurora flung one of the mittens at him but he quickly dodged, running out the room,
"I hate you!" She screamed at him but only his echoing laughter reached her ears.
Aurora couldn't help it, she smiled long after he'd dissapeared shaking her head fondly as she turned towards the oven.
Maybe she really shouldn't have roasted the turkey in the first place.
