Chapter 187: Christmas
*Nollaig Chridheil! Or for yeh English speakers, Happy Christmas! – Nessie*
Nessie’s alarm went off as always and Knuckles shoved it off the table. It fell to the floor and bounced under the bed. Still going off and even more annoying.
Nessie laughed as Knuckles wrapped himself around her grumbling about the alarm.
“Can’t those assholes feed themselves today?”
“In me kitchen?”
“Ugh, I know the answer to that. How long does that fucking alarm go off?”
She laughed some more and turned in his arms and kissed him. “Happy Christmas.”
“Mmmmm….” He smiled against her lips before kissing her again. “Nollaig Chridheil.”
“Acht!” Nessie exclaimed.
“I’ve been practicing.” Knuckles admitted. “Do you want your presents now, later or a little of both?”
“I didn’t get yeh much.” She told him.
“You don’t have to get me anything.” He said as he began to kiss her on her neck. “You already gave me what I wanted.”
Confused, she asked, “What did I give yeh?”
He raised up on his elbows and smiled down at her. “You gave me a yes.”
“Yer a simple man.” She laughed at him.
“I am. Really and truly, I am.” Knuckles leaned down and kissed her. “If you’re happy, then I’m happy.”
“I’m happy in a kitchen.”
“I feel like you’re trying to tell me something.” He teased.
“Possibly.” She grinned at him.
“Don’t go anywhere.” Knuckles said moving off her and out of the bed. She watched him walk away and enjoyed watching his muscles move. Her eyes moved down his back, adjusting to the light. As he turned, she spotted the new artwork just above his hip.
“Is that me Monster?” Nessie asked.
“It is.” He said disappearing into the closet. He came back out carrying a shoe box. “It’s not shoes, but it made for a great hiding place.”
Sitting on the bed, he opened the box and pulled out a small jewelry box that was professionally wrapped. Nervously, he handed her the blue and silver box.
“The paper is so pretty.” She said carefully tearing away the tape.
“I’ll get you some. Tear. Tear!”
Laughing, she tore silver snow flakes revealing a burgundy box. Then she took off the lid and gasped at the silver brooch. Two hearts interlinked with thistles in the center, a crown with three purple amethyst stones topped it.
“Did I get the right-” he started to ask but she cut him off by kissing him.
“Yeh got me a luckenbooth.” Nessie whispered. “And it’s perfect. Do yeh want yers now or later?”
“I know you want to get to your kitchen.” He brushed her hair out of her face. “Isn’t Dixie supposed to teach you how to make tamales?”
Excited to learn how to cook something new, she got ready and headed to the kitchen. Her new brooch proudly attached to her t-shirt.
The girls gave her a white chef’s coat with Nessie’s Kitchen on the left breast and Chef Nessie on the right. On the upper left sleeve was an outline of Loch Ness filled with the blue and white of Scotland’s St. Andrew’s Cross Flag. On the other sleeve was her line drawing of the Monster.
After hugging her girls and giving them all the small presents she had picked for each of them, they went and filled the buffet. Nessie pinned her brooch to her coat and then joined them in her kitchen.
After breakfast, which Dixie and her daughters helped with a few hundred burritos, Nessie learned to make tamales. They were popular and many requested that they go on the menu rotation.
Later, Toad and Knuckles took her out to the greenhouse. All the plants that she had picked were already in the raised beds. Many other fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers were also planted. Along with empty beds, work tables and pots.
The flowers, triplet sisters named after flowers and married to three of the Lowery men, made sure that she had lots and lots of needed tools and supplies. Including bags of soil, fertilizer and seeds.
The end closest to the clubhouse was set up as a solarium with a table and chairs and large swing.
She was excited about the greenhouse and solarium and nearly missed the small library along the edge of the building. Nessie squealed and spoke so fast that neither man knew what she said.
When they went back to the clubhouse, she and some of her girls fixed a traditional Scottish Christmas meal. This included roast beef, clottie pudding, Brussel sprouts, and minced meat pies. Surprisingly, haggis bon bons were quite popular. She decided not to tell them that it actually had haggis in the breaded bon bons.
