Biebe: Thanksgiving

by Atonia

Part 6

They fell into a routine, Connie and Donna made breakfast and Toni watched the babies. Some days they picked up the boys from school and went into Belfast for a late lunch, and sometimes Toni and Connie cooked. They all helped with chores, firewood for the cottages, taking out the trash and running errands for that carton of half and half somebody forgot. John had to leave every night for work around 8:30 and he slept in until 11 or 12, but he was going to have Thanksgiving Day off. It was the day before Thanksgiving that the brothers went into Belfast for a beer.

Terry bought the first round and brought them over to a table. “That should get us started.” He sat down and picked up his glass.

“This has been a great week so far,” John said sipping his beer, “This was Donna’s idea you know.”

“Let’s drink to Donna then,” Max held up his glass, “it has been fun.”

“Thanks for taking the boys out on the boat, Jack, they couldn’t quit talking about it last night, and all the stories you told them.”

Jack smiled, “I enjoyed them too. I’m not sure they believed half what I told them, especially Mikey.”

“Ah they’ve been coddled, don’t know how lucky they have it.” John said.

“You’ve got it lucky too, John, I was…um thinking, you’ve got a lot of expense with that property. Have you got any money I might invest for you?” Max asked.

“Money? Hah, we’ve got about $1200.00 in savings and that’s it.”

“Hm, that would take a little longer than I’d want to work with it, how about I advance you say $100,000.00 and invest that amount and grow it for you? I can do that and make you enough money where you won’t ever have to worry about it again, get you to the point where your money is making money and that’s what you live off of, and live well.” Max sat back in his chair and caught a look from Terry.

“He can do that, John, “ Terry said.

“What do you mean advance me $100,000?” John asked.

“I would simply take that amount from my own account and play with it, when it reaches its maximum I take that back.”

“What if you lose it, Max, how can you be so certain; that’s a lot of money to play with.”

“I won’t lose, John.”

John took a long drink of his beer, “Max, I appreciate it but…why does this smell like charity?”

“Because you are a bloody minded stupid pillock who does not deserve my time and expertise that I am offering you for free.”

“You’d better take the offer, John before he removes it from the table,” Jack said cocking a brow.

“I don’t get it, you’re going to lend me 100,000 bucks and turn it into who knows what for nothing?”

“Oh I get something out of it, I get the pleasure of winning and that goes a long way with me, and who knows, I may throw in a few for myself. I wouldn’t do this for you, John, except I know that Toni loves you and would not see you struggle. Take it or leave it.”

“Well I got nothing to lose, go for it, Max.” John finished his glass of beer.

“Since you are a soon to be wealthy man, you’ve got the next shout, John.” Terry clapped him on the back and got up to go outside and smoke a cigarette.

John stood at the bar in a daze; he couldn’t believe what Max had just offered him.

“I thought you might need some help,” Jack stepped up to the bar.

“I…I don’t believe what Max is gonna do, and why would he do it?”

“Perhaps because he cares, and because he can.”

“Why not you?”

“Because he cannot help me, there is no way to convert what he has to what I would need. I would suggest that you do not say anything to Donna until the deed is done.”

“No, I don’t think she’d believe it anyway.” John paid for the beers and he and Jack brought them back to the table, Max had stepped outside to talk to Terry for a minute and bummed a cigarette off him.

“I didn’t know you smoked?”

“Hidden vice, I generally smoke cigars, you think he’s okay with this?”

“Why wouldn’t he be, you’re going to manage it for him, right?”

“I thought I might, I’m not sure what he’d do with a million dollars.”

“Is that what you’re shooting for?”

“At least that, I’ll have to see what I can do.”

“That’s very generous of you, Max.”

“I don’t like to see him worrying over something we never give a thought to, and it was time to do something for little brother.”

“You bloody scare me some times, mate, just when I think I got you figured out you turn another direction.”

“I am the wind, the air, I can turn when I want to.” Max angled his head.

Terry put his cigarette out in the sand filled urn, “Don’t think I don’t know that.”

“Seriously, Terry, I do want to help.”

Terry had to smile at Max’s earnest look, “you’re a good big brother, Max.”

The house smelled like pumpkin and apple pies when they returned from Belfast. Connie and Donna had been baking. Toni was at the sink deveining shrimp, since she didn’t bake she was going to make a seafood casserole for dinner.

Terry came over and leaned on her shoulder, “Need anything deveined? She asked holding up a strange looking implement.”

“Not with that thing,” he replied, “Guess I’d better start thinking up plan B.”

“If plan A involved me and a bed yes you had, are you sober?”

“I had four beers, I’m okay why”?

“Because Jacky needs feeding and I’m up to my elbows in whatever came in the nets today.”

“I can do that, where’s his tucker?”

“In his bag by the playpen and Terry, check his bottom first please.”

Terry sorted out Jacky and put him in Claire’s high chair. He opened his little cups of food and found his spoon. What he really wanted to do was shag Toni and take a nap, but he could adapt.

John came in and gave Donna a sloppy kiss and a hug; he was feeling great.

“You’re certainly in a good mood,” she commented as she wrapped the pies in foil.

“Yeah I am, are you in a good mood, Donna?”

“I think you’ve had a beer or two,”

“Or three or four,” he patted her bottom.

“Jo-hn.” She said quietly and glanced over at Terry, who was spooning something green towards Jacky’s face.

“What? He’s patted bottoms before”

“There will be no bottom patting in the kitchen,” Toni said from the sink. “Take it somewhere else.”

“She sure is bossy, who does she think she is?” John leaned on the hot stove and quickly righted himself.

“She has a weapon, John,” Terry said trying to get a spoon in Jacky’s mouth.

“Oh yeah, we-ll I got one too,” he sauntered over to Toni and Donna grabbed his shirt collar and turned him toward the hall to the den.

Toni laughed, “You got John drunk, Terry, Donna will kill him.”

“I had help, who knew he couldn’t hold his beer. Toni what is this crap, he won’t eat it?”

“Spinach, and he will if you put it in his mouth instead of on his face.”

Max and Connie came through the kitchen, “See you later, we’ve got some…um business to transact.” Max smiled opening the back door.”

“I don’t want to hear about it,” Terry replied.

“Have fun,” Toni called after them. “Okay, what did you do with Jack?”

“The boys captured him for some kind of video game. That could have been us going to the cottage for some business.”

“And who would feed Jacky and look after him?”

“Anna that we didn’t bring.”

“You just hold that thought, Mr. Thorne, all things come to those who wait.” She finished up the shrimp and washed her hands, and went over to the table taking pity on Terry and finished feeding Jacky and cleaned him up. “Honey, why not take him to the cottage with his bottle he’ll go down for a nap and you can too.”

“Alone?”

“I’m cooking dinner tonight, Connie and Donna have done enough, sorry sweetie.”

Terry came around behind her and cupped her breasts with his hands, “Just so you know what you’re missing.”

“You’re not playing fair, Terry,” she turned and kissed him and handed Jacky to him.

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