40)

So… fill in the kids later. Right now. “Charles, can you pull out enough meat from the freezer and toss it in the sink to start defrosting, figure about twelve people since some of use will be eating a lot and the kids less… Which adds up to twelve somehow. Ah well, better too much and have left overs, then have someone go hungry.”

I sat up as he nodded. “Meanwhile I pull out the grill and such from the garage.”

We headed downstairs by way of the service stairs. The boy gave me a questioning look when I waved him after me. “Trying to dodge the kids, the longer they don’t know whats going on the longer we got without them being underfoot.”

That got a look of realization since me, his dad, and his uncle had pulled the same thing on him, his sibling and cousins as kids.

He shook his head. “I’m not doing that… I’m not going to go looking for them either. But I’m not going to spend the day dodging some children I’m looking forward to being the only one in the family to know about.”

He grinned “And getting to be the only one with any information about them other then you, that I can hold over everyone’s elses heads.”

I headed for the patio door. “Yesss, give into your smugness, let it flow through you. Embrace the snide side.”

I left him starring into the open door of the walk in freezer while I headed out to the garage for the barbecue.

I had looked at a number of brand new ones, both gas and charcoal. I had examined the big hulking fancy one with all the options, and even considered having a permanent brick one built, which all things considered I might go looking into that again.

But what I had settled on was the old scout troop one made up of half of a metal barrel with sockets for four screw on legs welded to the corners. I had dug it out of my oldest brother’s pole barn from where it was buried under all the other junk that was unsaleable or undonatable that my dad had saved and Drew had taken rather then let it all be thrown out.

There was a little, okay, a lot of rust, but only on the body, the grill that went on top was in pretty good shape, and the whole thing all together had a lot of cooking area.

Lifting it in the past had been a two man job without it dragging it, but now I could heave the whole thing up and carry it out the side door without it banging into anything. Other then the ground when I tapped it a few times to loosen up the loose rust and shake it out. So, perfectly good shape, and what all might end up falling through the holes in the bottom weren't going to hurt anything much.

I set it out in a open patch of grass behind the patio and then positioned an old picnic table that I had gotten from the same rescue trip. This time out the garage door since I had to semi drag it a bit, not because it was all that heavy but becase it was just a bit awkward in size.

Plus it really needed a good sanding and a fresh layer of varnish, which is why it had been in the garage instead of sitting outside. But I had been putting if off since I didn’t want to end up ruining the worn out chess and backgammon boards that my own grandpa had let me “help” him paint on it. I was going to get around to figuring it out, someday.

I had bought up some fancy barbecue briquettes, some hickory chips, and a newer set of implements of cooking, the old set had gotten rusty, which for utensils was unforgivable.

The newer set was longer too, which helped since the barbecue sat pretty low to the ground.

Sky looked clear, and I remembered to double check on my phone, since getting my body fixed up meant the old broken bones on my hand didn’t ache before a rain front rolled in anymore.

So no problem letting everything sit outside. But I decided to set up one of the dining flies for some shade, and maybe some of the Tiki lights in case people want to stay outside after dark.

Bugs might be a issue, but I did have some keep away candles for them. I just wasn’t sure I wanted to get a whiff of them with my new sense of smell. Another thing to ask about.

As far as the light went, I had some older ones with Easter island looking heads that were probably horrible racist now. Which would give me something to look forward to if the socially conscious grand kids complained about them. Also some lights made of colored bulbs with netting around them like the ones that had been used in fishing somehow.

Not too clear on how, but they looked nice and had been on sale.

So, Charles should have meat out, hopefully the ribs, sausages, and chicken for the adults, with hot dogs and hamburgers for the kids. Their were buns of both kinds. I also had corn and potatoes for the grill and I could mix up some dough for some biscuits in the oven.

I had cider and beer for the drinkers, and soft drinks for everyone else. I should probably mix up some lemonade even if it was only the sugar free stuff I already had in the house.

Dessert? Maybe get out the dutch oven and make a molly with the leftover coals, but I would have to use jelly since I don’t have any fruit pie filling. Heck, might as well experiment and make a peanut butter and jelly molly, most kids, and me, will eat it if now one else does.

Maybe I can fine a recipe on my phone… nope, guess I can wing it.

I headed in since setting up the fly needed more then one person, no matter how strong you are, you need a second guy to hold up the pole while you hammer in stakes.

I stopped and stared at the meat sitting in the sink as Charles wandered around the kitchen looking in the cupboards. “Ah Charles...you have to fill the sinks with water to help defrost the meat quicker.”

He turned to me and frowned at the sink. “Really?”

I paused to think about it. “That’s what I always saw my mom do, I always assumed it pulled out the cold faster since air doesn't transfer heat all that well.”

I shook my head. “You’re a bachelor, how do you normally do it.”

He leaned back and folded his arms. “I went from living at home, to being a collage student that ate fast food or at the cafeteria, to a lawyer that could afford to eat out all the time. I’ve never needed to learn how to cook.”

I gave him a look. “Well today you are going to learn how to barbecue, since that is a man’s skill, and claiming you need to learn will keep the girls out of the way.”

The girls in question wandered in just in time to hear that. Sara looked suspicious while Ami asked. “Out the way of what? What are we doing, what’s going on?”

I stepped forward, one hand on my hip, the other lifted up in a first as I looked intently out into the distance. “Manly cooking! An open flame flavored with gasoline and treated wood. Large slabs of meat with flying grease. Not a place for little girls.’

I pointed at the two of them, “No, you will limited to baking and making side dishes and baking where you belong.”

Sara flipped me off. Ami got excited. “I get to bake? Can I make some cookies too?”

I tossed a head shake and a “Rude” to the older girl and a “Sure, and I'll be in and out to help you.”

Charles made a “get on with it” gesture at me. Hmm?

O yeah, I guess I should warn them.

“Plus I invited a bunch of werewolves to dinner, so watch out for the little one, she bites.”