Cresswell: The Lunar Chronicles

Ninety-Nine

Cress woke early the Monday before Thanksgiving. Scarlet and Wolf had gotten in late last night and opted to sleep in the Rampion instead of the living room. Scarlet insisted she didn't mind pitching in and helping with whatever Cress needed, but Cress wanted her to have to do as little as possible and be able to play guest.

"Do you want me to figure out breakfast?" Carswell asked as he walked over to the kitchen area pulling a hoodie over his head.

Cress, studying her list for the 17th time, looked up as he walked in. "Is that your way of telling me your hungry?"

Carswell blinked. "Uh, no—I mean yes I'm hungry, but I wasn't sure if you were doing something."

"Oh."

"You okay?"

"No, there's just so much to do! And I feel like I'm forgetting something but I don't know what."

Carswell walked around so he could see over her shoulder. "That looks doable. And it's only Monday so you probably don't want to start any of the baking or cooking today anyway."

"Yeah, that's true." Cress chewed her lip. "I'm sorry I snapped at you," she added, looking sheepishly up at him.

Carswell smiled her favorite one sided smile, hugging her against himself. "It's okay. I know you're stressed. But don't be. Seriously—worst cast scenario everything's a total bust it'll still be great. We'll order a pizza and start a new tradition."

Cress nervously laughed, though she hoped that wouldn't happen. She wanted to make a good thanksgiving, not one people joked about for the rest of eternity.

"So, where'd we land on breakfast?" Carswell asked again, moving toward the cabinet.

Cress laughed, for real this time. "There's all kinds of cereal, and I got some frozen waffles for anyone who wants them."

"You expect Wold to survive on cereal and waffles?"

Cress blinked. Oh aces, Carswell was right. Poor Wolf would starve!

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," Carswell quickly added with a laugh. "There's plenty of stuff here he can eat."

"Yeah?" Cress asked, chewing her lip and yanking open the fridge doors.

"Yeah," Carswell nodded. He pulled a box of fruit loops out and grabbed a bowl from the cabinet. "Come and eat something," he added, taking her hand and pulling her toward the table.

Cress followed, eating two bowls of cereal before Wolf and Scarlet cake in.

"Fruit loops?!" Scarlet grinned. "Ugh I used to eat those all the time."

"There's plenty," Carswell said around a bite.

Scarlet started toward them, pausing to grab herself and Wolf bowls and spoons.

"So how goes the food prep? Anything I can do yet?" Scarlet asked as she sat down opposite Cress.

Cress hedged. "I don't think so, at least not yet. I finished the grocery shopping last week, so that's out of the way, and then I thought maybe Wednesday we'd bake all the pies."

Scarlet nodded approvingly and Cress breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm volunteering myself as taste tester," Wolf said.

Cress laughed. "Oh thank the stars, I was hoping you would."

"How many desserts?"

"Uh... I have four different pies--pumpkin, apple, pecan, and banana cream. Any other request?"

"Chocolate peanut butter."

Cress nodded, reaching for her port and adding it to the list.  "You got it."

Wolf nodded once. He finished another bowl of cereal and then stood up, pausing to kiss Scarlet. "I'm gonna hit the gym."

"Sounds good," Scarlet mumbled.

"Mind if I join you?" Carswell asked, shoving away from the table.

Wolf shook his head.

As soon as Carswell and Wolf had left, Cinder came out of her and Kai's room already dressed and ready for the day.

Cress and Scarlet cleaned up breakfast, and then the two of them plus Kai and Cinder played a few games of Uno while waiting for Carswell and Wolf to get back from the gym.

"So word in the tabloids is that Thorne finally has access to his trust fund," Cinder said, playing a yellow 4.

Cress nodded. "Yeah. We think we're going to keep the house and either use it for summers or maybe rent it."

"Oh that's a good idea," Scarlet added. "Ooh you know what we should do one of these summers is find an air B&B or something in like... Australia. Some where no one's ever been."

Cress hesitated. "Um, well, Carswell's been to Australia."

"I mean so have the three of us, but I mean like for an extended period of time. For fun."

Cress glanced down at the cards in her hand.

"Wasn't Thorne wanted in Australia?" Cinder asked.

Cress tried to hide a smile. She nodded. "Yeah, kinda."

"So maybe... London? Summer in London could be fun," Scarlet continued.

"I'd be down." Cress threw another card on the pile. "But I think this summer we're gonna go back to LA and at least check out the house."

"Sure, I just meant at some point."

"Hey, this is really random," Cinder said, "but have you ever met your mom?"

Cress glanced up, surprised she was looking at her. She shook her head. "No. Why?"

"Just curious."

"I thought about trying to find her but... I don't know, I'd rather live with the pretend imaginings that she regrets her decision and misses me every day of her life than find her and... find out none of that's true."

Cinder pressed her lips together, glancing at Kai. 

The front door opened and Wolf and Carswell walked in, both drenched in sweat.

"Alright, who wants a hug?" Carswell asked, grinning. He wiggled his eyebrows at Cinder.

"I still have a finger dart if you even think about it," she retorted.