Written as part of a Christmas Instagram challenge for the twelve days of Christmas, this very HSA Christmas is a unique series set in no particular time within the series; written simply for some festive cheer.
“It looks like –,” Bender started.
“Don’t say it,” Anna said, holding up a hand to silence him.
“What?” he exclaimed, staring around at the rest of their friends crowded around the kitchen island.
It was Christmas Eve and late last night, Will finally arrived, having travelled the furthest from Wigan. He’d been exhausted and had collapsed on the sofa in front of the fire.
The gas man still hadn’t arrived and was ignoring all of Sam’s calls, and so several of the rooms of Clearwater Lodge were like ice boxes that morning of December 24th. Most had braved the cold and slept in their own beds but they’d all agreed; if the engineer didn’t turn up today, they would all be bunking down in the living room in front of the fire. It sounded cosy, until Erika remembered that it would mean sharing a room with seven boys and their smelly feet. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and turned her attention back to something which appeared equally revolting.
Eggnog.
“It does!” Bender said, gesturing to the tray of glasses in the middle of the counter full to the brim with a thick white liquid.
“Yes, we know, Bender. But you don’t have to say it,” Elivia said.
“Say what?” Bender teased, nudging their prudish friend while the others chuckled.
“Fuck it,” Sam said and with a shrug, he collected a glass and downed it. With all eyes upon him, he gulped back his last mouthful. Setting down the glass, he ran his tongue across his top lip and clacked his tongue at the taste. “Eggy.”
“It’s supposed to be eggy,” Emily said, “Its Eggnog.”
“I think it’s supposed to be sweet, actually,” Elivia said.
“I put plenty of sugar in it, like the recipe said,” Anna said, checking the print out sheet once again.
“And cream?” Will suggested.
“Yep.”
“It should be fine –,” Elivia started when Bender interjected.
“It looks like a jizz!” he declared.
With a loud grimace, any who had taken glasses returned them to the tray while others wrinkled their noses; made retching noises and shook their heads in disgust.
“Happy?” Sticks smirked across at his best friend who had collapsed against the counter in relief.
“Yes. Oh gawd, it was killin’ me,” Bender said, his words muffled against the countertop.
“Eh.” Erika shrugged. “I’ll still give it a whirl.”
“Like thick white gloopy substances, E?” Sam teased as the boys jeered.
Erika held the rim of the glass to her lips as she wiggled her eyebrows across at him to more thunderous jeering from the boys and grimaces from the girls. She took a sip. Sam was right; it did taste eggy. “Did you check the eggs, Anna?”
“Check them?” Her best friend shot her a frown.
“Yeah? You know? Make sure they’re okay before you use them?” Erika questioned, giving the drink another sniff. Something definitely smelt off…
Emily picked up one of the glasses and also gave it a whiff. She recoiled backwards, her punishing horrified glare finding Anna. “Anna – did you check the eggs?!”
“By check you mean?” Anna said, teeth gritted in an awkward expression.
“You have to press the bottoms to your bottom lip –,” Emily said.
“Oo-er,” Bender laughed, receiving a fist bump from Sam and more laughter from the boys.
Emily ignored them. “– and if the bottom is warm and the top is cold, they’re good.”
The large group of friends turned their attention to where Anna was shifting from foot to foot, trying to hide behind her recipe print out.
“Anna?” Erika pressed.
“Alright! I didn’t check the eggs!” Anna said, chucking down the print out.
More grimaces and mutters of disgust filled the kitchen. Sam let out a long, low rumbling burp, face contorted with a mixture of revulsion and anxiety.
“You alright?” Dominic asked, one hand to Sam’s shoulder.
“I just drank rotten eggs,” Sam said and burped again, even more tentatively. He used the counter to support himself as he gave Anna a hideous glare. “I think I’m gonna be sick.”
“Oh hush your complaining, Robinson,” Anna huffed. “You’ve had much worse in your mouth.”
There was more jeering and laughter as Sam chuckled in agreement, then went back to looking rather green.
“I think you’ve given me food poisoning,” Sam breathed, head low as he gave another burp.
“What a baby,” Elivia tutted.
“Dick,” Erika agreed.
“You might have killed me!” Sam exclaimed jokingly at a less than impressed Anna.
Waving her wooden spoon like a weapon, she smacked him around the shoulder. “And I’ll do much worse if you don’t shut up!”
Sam gave another burp, his stomach gurgling loud enough for them all to hear. “Oh god. This is it. This is how I die.” He gave a long groan, clutching his stomach.
Nonetheless, Anna didn’t let up; smacking him again and again with the spoon as the rest laughed and shifted out the way as Sam tried to make a break for it.
“Anna’s cooking finally killed someone!”
It was safe to say they wouldn’t be drinking any eggnog that Christmas Eve.
A very HSA Christmas Copyright © 2020 Jodie May Mullen