Skye could tell Laura was not a fan of Gerald Figg’s.
Laura went off to work on her surprise, and Skye decided to go up to her room and begin the New Year by writing a letter to her nieces and sister.
Just as she was finishing the letter, a strange smell wafted up the stairs and attacked her nose. She dropped her pen and walked out of her room and downstairs following the strong odor coming from the kitchen.
Her aunt was at the stove stirring something.
“What is that smell?” Skye asked pinching her nose.
Sara laughed and blew some of the steam off the pot in Skye’s direction.
“Eewww!” Skye hollered.
“It’s sauerkraut, silly, what else would I be cooking for New Year’s day?”
“Oh, right, I remember Julie cooking it when I first moved in with them that first New Year. I hated it then and I hate it now. After that we had Stan’s incredible ribs every New Year’s Eve. Yum . . .” Skye smiled remembering.
“Oh, mom, come on, ribs sounds so good. Why can’t we have ribs for New Years?” Laura moaned pinching her nose like Skye and collapsing into a kitchen chair.
“Because, it’s tradition,” Sara declared. Everyone knows you have sauerkraut and pork, or ham, on New Year’s Day.” Sara scowled at the two girls.
“Well, I say that has to be changed for those who hate sauerkraut,” Laura suggested.
“I agree, all those who hate sauerkraut raise your hands,” Skye said raising her hand along with Laura.
Sara looked at the girls, with both hands up and slowly raised her own.
All three burst out laughing, as Sara turned the stove off and pushed the pot of sauerkraut to the back of the stove.
“Alright, we all agree we want ribs. Laura, go down to the freezer and bring up a couple packages of the baby back ribs.”
“Yeah!” Both girls yelled, as Laura rushed down the basement steps to the freezer.
“I swear I will never win an argument whenever you two agree on something.” Sara laughed looking at Skye, “But it’s one heck of a blessing to have both my girls together . . . finally.”
Skye walked over to her aunt and hugged her.
“Well, it’s all settled, we’ll have ribs and sauerkraut tomorrow for New Year’s Day.” Sara smiled.
“NO!” Both girls yelled, as Laura reached the top of the steps from the basement.
“Just checking,” Sara laughed. “I hate to throw out a big pot full of sauerkraut though, maybe I should take it down to the glen to Misha?”
“What did Misha ever do to you, Mom?” Laura snickered.
“Oh, just forget it,” Sara moaned, as she walked out of the kitchen.
“So, is Todd coming over tonight?” Skye asked.
“Oh, yes, he’ll poke his ugly face in here a couple of hours before midnight, I guess,” Laura said like she was bored.
“Ugly face, are you kidding?” Skye asked shocked.
“Hey, you’ve got to keep that boy on his toes. His ego is already bigger than his feet.”
“Laura, you never fail to surprise me,” Skye laughed.