Book Club Babies by Ashton Lee

Author:Ashton Lee [Lee, Ashton]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2017-10-06T04:00:00+00:00

10

Early

Periwinkle and Parker Place were going all out for their Thanksgiving feast as only two accomplished chefs could, dividing up the assignments judiciously. Although Parker would be whipping up a pumpkin custard pie for dessert, as would be expected of a pastry baker, he would also be contributing a squash, onion, and crumbled Saltine casserole, while Periwinkle would be basting four game hens wrapped in bacon—two for each of them—and assembling an appetizer of caprese salad made with heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil with a generous drizzle of homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing. This was going to be the Thanksgiving to outdo all others for the two of them. Three, counting the little one on the way, who would be the ultimate beneficiary of all that delicious food.

At the moment their preparations were right on time for a one o’clock meal, so much so that they had bought themselves enough leeway to take a break and put their feet up on the living room sofa. Parker was sipping his glass of white Zinfandel, while Periwinkle was enjoying a cup of pure, unadulterated, if store-bought, egg nog.

“I’m not going to wait until Christmas this year,” she was saying. “Our little girl needs her calcium, you know.”

Parker gently patted his wife’s significant baby bump and beamed at what he had helped create. “Which reminds me, I’ve decided to create an egg-nog cheesecake for our dessert menu at The Twinkle this year. I don’t know why I haven’t ever tried something like that before. I never did it up in Memphis all those years. Doesn’t that sound irresistible?”

Periwinkle quickly raised her hand. “I volunteer to be your guinea pig, of course. By the time we get to the finished product, you’ll be ready for one of those contests on the Food Network.”

“I was hoping you would say something like that. And yes, I think I could go on television and win one of those things. We could always find something to do with the extra money.”

“As if I haven’t been your taster and sampler a hundred times before. After all, I’m your quality-control gal.”

He leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek. “You sure are—and a damned good one at that.”

Periwinkle took another sip of her egg nog, but then her playful, satisfied expression disappeared, replaced by creases across her forehead and a drooping sadness at the corners of her eyes.

Parker noticed and said, “What’s the matter?”

“Mama, of course.”

Parker glanced up at the ceiling, shaking his head with his eyes closed. “Peri, please. We’ve been all over that. You can’t let her get to you like this. Let her sulk and fester all by herself, but don’t let it ruin our life together.”

“I know. You’re right.” She paused and sighed. “It’s just that I’d hoped for some family support for our baby girl. Who wouldn’t want a grandmother in the picture, spoiling her right and left? Isn’t that part of the American dream? With your mother gone and my mother acting like a complete horse’s ass, it doesn’t look like that’s ever gonna happen for us.

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