Not Just a Summer Love (One Direction)

29. GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN

Hi. Sorry for my failure to update. I know I’ve really been terrible about even once a month but my goal of finishing this story by the end of this year should be accomplished. Once again, my writing style is odd and throughout this fanfic has changed enormously! WARNING: CARROTY MOMENTS (but also remember this is set in the fetus era) Without further ado, I present chapter 29.

Love yall so so much

xx M

~

Alexis’ POV

Warm hands shake me awake as I open my eyes, waking up from the short nap I had taken during the trip back from the zoo.

“Alexyy, wake up we’re here” Harry’s heavily accented voice resonates in my ears, I sit up with a groan, glad that Harry acted as my pillow while I slept so I wouldn’t be left sore. Unbuckling my seat belt, I get out of the car, Harry in tow, dragging us to the door. I giggle a little as Macy struggles with the keys, fumbling until Liam takes them from her hands and has us entering in seconds.

I check my phone, 6:04; I should probably ask Lily to start on---

Oh. Well she can’t. She’s…

I’ll make dinner tonight.

Everyone settles in the living room so I walk into the kitchen, taking a seat on one of the tall chairs to take a moment to decide what dinner options are available. Suddenly, my stomach and brain come the conclusion that the choices are meat and potatoes or gumbo.

Having decided between the two, I join the group, seeming to be absorbed in whatever television show they’re watching… Super-human… No. Unnatural? Macy and Haleigh had talked on and on about recently during coffee but I can’t seem to remember the name. All I know is that the actors are good looking as hell…

“Hey guys, we’re having gumbo tonight, any objections?” No one refuses the idea and Hals and Brit shout in happiness. I’ve always made amazing gumbo (if I do say so myself) and they’ve loved it since forever.

In the freezer, I pull out the meats I had frozen the last time, Andouille sausage, shrimp, and crab meat and the bag of okra, an essential vegetable in this Cajun dish.Putting them down on the counter, I reach into the fridge to get the other greens such as celery and green pepper, and an ingredient that I’ve always found to add an irresistible taste: bacon.

I pull on my apron, tying my curls into its usual lazy bun, then stroll by the pantry to grab sugar, flour, and cans of tomato, picking up garlic and onions on the way. My last stop is the spice drawers where I pick out a couple bay leaves, thyme, Cajun gumbo spice, and the most important, sauce of fire, Tabasco.

I begin to make the base and as I’m stirring the mahogany mixture that is slowly becoming rich and thick, a pair of arms wraps around my waist and I turn to see Harry’s goofy face. He asks to help me and at first I’m skeptical because I’ve never actually seen him cook before, even though he has mentioned multiple times that he can.

As a matter of fact, he worked in a bakery before auditioning for The X Factor so I guess he can’t be that bad. I hand him the wooden spoon, bestowing it upon him with trust like the sword of a courageous knight. He gets to work.

Starting with sausage, I slice it and into a bowl it goes. Glad I had already removed the shells and veins in the shrimp last time; all I do is place them in another recipient. After that, I begin to chop the veggies, also using a food processor for the finely chopped ones. 30 minutes later, my preparation is over and I can add what I’ve prepared to the bouillon that Harry has carefully been stirring all this time.

As I approach him with the bowl of vegetables he shoos me away,

“GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN” he says with a smile playing on his lips. I roll my eyes and hand him the bowl, if he wants to do my work then I won’t stop him…

He finishes up with me telling him what to do (considering he doesn’t know the recipe) and soon we are practically done, letting the gumbo simmer in the spices deep down in the pot. The only thing left to cook is the rice and with Harry’s help, we should be done in less than an hour.

I boil the rice, hanging by the stove, watching over food to make sure it doesn’t burn (we don’t need that again) when he hops up onto the counter-top next to me, drying his newly washed hands on the front of my flowery yellow apron and placing a kiss on my cheek. He takes a spoonful of gumbo to taste and licks his lips.

“You know what’s hotter than this gumbo?” he asks me, a glimmer in his eyes, “The girl who made it…” I laugh at his corny joke but still decide to counter it,

“Harry, it’s not nice to call yourself a girl!” He gives me a fake look of offense and chases me around the room until I finally agree to apologize, to which he replies with a lingering kiss. Even when it’s over I can still taste the spice on his lips mixed with the bitter-sweet taste of his tongue.

~

I have to admit, usually gumbo takes almost four hours but thanks to our teamwork, we have a new personal record of three!

Before I shout the usual “Dinner’s ready” at the top of my lungs, Niall has already sniffed us out. Drawn to the amazing smell coming from the stove like flies, the others don’t wait to join us.

“Okay, I need someone to set the table and someone else to get the sparkling cider out of the fridge while I wash my hands.” I turn on the faucet and rinse the mess from cooking off my fingers, drying them on a nearby dishrag.

Zayn has already set the table with some help from Louis and Jeanne has grabbed the drinks. We sit down at the table, taking our normal seating arrangement once again. My hand drifts to Harry’s as Britney, being the main host of the house, spoons some food into everyone’s bowls.

“Wow Alexis! You really outdid yourself again!” Haleigh exclaims between bites. I smile, gladly accepting everyone’s compliments.

“Well we also have Harry to thank, I wouldn’t have finished without him” I say, pecking him on the lips; Britney coos at us from across the table.

“Success” he says proudly although I am somewhat unsure of what he’s referring to.

Suddenly, the chiming of the doorbell rings throughout the house. Macy gets up to answer the door, assuring me that she’s got it; Liam trailing beside her like a lost puppy. They’re so cute!

The sound of the door opening is followed by a loud gasp and intelligible cries of happiness. Crossing the threshold is a group of people none of us had been expecting.

“Mom, Dad, it’s been a long time.” Britney almost sobs, running into their open arms. Behind them stand Hals’ mother, Jeanne’s father, Macy’s parents, and MY PARENTS!

We all leave the table to greet them, reintroducing the boys because although they met at the funeral for a couple hours, we didn’t exactly think it was the right moment to get into that conversation. But I guess it’s inevitable now; I can especially tell from the look Mom is giving me…

“Well Harry, could you and the boys extend the table” I tell Harry as I try to escape my mother's piercing glare. Turning back to face the parents, I say,

“Come on and sit down cuz’ there’s plenty of gumbo to go around. I think we have lots to talk about”