Nick smirked as Loki all but threw the steaming cup on the table in front of Mooney. The delicate china wobbled and splashed out onto his brother’s hand as he tried to right the thing and keep the liquid from spilling into his lap. Loki, unperturbed by his father’s growls of frustration stood with his hand out, clearly waiting for his tip.
He could hear the clink, clink of another cup coming his way and looked to Thor who was trying to go slow, but the dribbles following him told another story. Nick scooted his chair back and let Thor thunk the cup and saucer onto the table in front of him.
“Ten dollars, please.” Thor announced, also putting his hand out.
“Fifteen dollars,” Loki said, not wanting to be under sold.
“That’s a bit steep for a cup of … what the hell is this?” Mooney grumbled, “Its fricking green.”
“Mom … Dad wants to know what the hell the green stuff is.” Loki hollered back at the counter.
“Language! All of you …” Marissa wagged her finger and Nick could see the heat flair in his brother’s eyes. ”That is green tea for my sweets and Earl Grey for our illustrious newspaper editor.”
“No!” Mooney bellowed. “I ordered coffee, with the works.”
Nick sipped the tea and found it to be quite good. Damn Elly had made him eat herbie food over Thanksgiving and now Marissa with the tea. It was a conspiracy to make them eat better, but it was one that was working. He actually felt better and had more energy if he paired his protein with some greens. He wondered what Ziva would think is she knew.
His brother on the other hand was holding strong to the carnivore lifestyle and the more Marissa pushed the more he ate crap. Not around the wonderful witch, but at work with the other carnies.
“That coffee with the works, Mooney, is giving you a paunch. The Green tea is good for you and will help with the pooch thing. Drink it.” Marissa started to walk away, but his nephews didn’t. They remained with their hands out.
With a nod of respect, Nick pulled out his wallet and laid a five in each of their hands. “For the nerve to spill tea all over the customer and demand payment anyway. You two are truly McMahons. Now take a hike and let me talk to your pops, then later the three of us will take a run in the woods.”
“Yes!” “Yeah!”
He loved their enthusiasm. And audacity. They kept them all on their toes but the rewards were worth it. Some day he hoped, he and Ziva would have a couple cubs to raise and love of their own.
“You spoil them Nick, but I’m going to take advantage of that today and take their time away to win coffee rights back from the Misses.”
“Good luck. Try the tea though, it is good.”
“Yeah, Yeah.”
Mooney sipped and grimaced, then sipped again. Nick smirked as he enjoyed his brew.
“Rumor mills running strong that you and Ziva have reconciled. Any truth to that?”
“More like are starting to meet each other half ways. I’m hoping we can spend some time on Christmas together.”
“Cool.” Mooney nodded, cleared his throat and started again. “You’ve, ah, been surprisingly laid back these last few weeks considering your, ah, lack of sex.”
“Who says that’s been lacking?”
“Hell, Nick, you work, run and go home to that dog. Unless there’s something going on with you and the mutt you’ve been having a very long dry spell.”
“Don’t worry about my spells … wet or dry. Ziva …”
Nick looked up at the woman in question barreling through the shops door, out of breath and bending at the knees. He rose and moved close to her, but didn’t touch. They weren’t there yet though he had high hopes for Christmas. “Are you okay? Is someone bothering you?”
She held up her hand and lifted her head huffing out “I can explain. I promise. I. Can. …”
The bell over the door jiggled again and a voice he’d not heard in a very long time rent the air. “Hello, bitches … it’s me, a friggen Christmas miracle!”
Reetha had returned.
~~~
Happy Holiday's
Serena
