“She wanted to come Full Sidney!” Clive chuckled, stepping forward to hug his naked niece. “But we told her this was your big day and she had to let you be centre of attention.”

“Look!” the young girl who clearly preferred that everyone’s focus be on her call, hitching up the back of her skirt and pulling aside the integral panties, revealing a meat-stamp that was clearly hand-drawn but never the less very well done, grading her A of course, on her rump. “Daddy drew it on for me! What do you think?”

“Hey, snap!” Samantha giggled, shifting her position a little to make her own, very real meat-stamp more visible. “Tell you what,” she leaned in conspiratorially. “See my two friends at the end of the hall?” Willow turned, saw the two older girls in their own Sidney sets and nodded, not sure even in her own mind whether she was more annoyed at not being the only one there in the Sidney getup or excited to be able to hang out with fellow enthusiasts. “Well they were teasing me about coming in the Full Sidney too,” she giggled, “but I told them they had to keep their clothes on until I was in the oven but what happens after that, I’m really not bothered! Maybe you want to go have a chat with them?”

Willow’s parents made eye-contact with Samantha’s and all four rolled their eyes but nobody could bring themselves to be cross with the cheeky turkey as her confident and no doubt tasty little cousin ran off to introduce herself to her fellow Sidneys.

“She’s been pushing for a while now.” Martin confided as he took his turn hugging Samantha. “I think we’ve more or less convinced her to wait until she’s twelve like Sidney did, but I guess we’ll have to see!”

“Hmm well it’s not going to help when she finds out about Ella!” Samantha giggled, hugging her uncle back and giving him a kiss on the cheek. “She could be a good spit-roaster, I think?”

“She wants the full Sidney experience!” Martin chuckled. “Chopped up and every edible piece of meat used! Of course, that could change!” he observed. “Maybe she’ll grow out of this?”

“Don’t hold your breath!” Laura teased, thinking about all the years of not-quite-jokes that today’s meal marked the culmination of. “Here!” She handed him a glass of prosecco. “You look like you could use this!”

“Hey!” Merlin smiled at Samantha, stepping forward to give her a slightly awkward, one arm around the shoulders hug. “Hope you enjoy cooking later! Looking forward to dinner!”

“Thanks!” Samantha grinned, noticing that her cousin already looked a little distracted and wondering which of the girls at the other end of the hall had caught his eye. In truth, it was not a matter of attraction at all. Although he was technically only ten while the others were eleven, Merlin was actually in the same year at school as all of Samantha’s little gang aside from Ella, although his late July birthday made him the youngest in his year. What he had actually been pleased to notice was that there seemed to be another boy his own age at the party, meaning he would not be stuck hanging out either with his little cousin George or trying to fit in with the girls. Taking his non-alcoholic welcome drink, he followed his sister down the hall to introduce himself.

“That just leaves your parents.” Laura observed to her husband, pouring glasses for them both.

“They’ll be coming straight from Church, no doubt.” Josh chuckled. “You sure you want to stay there?” he asked Samantha. “You can go hang out with your friends for a bit if you’d rather?”

“No, I want to wait here to greet everyone!” she grinned. “I’m not really a guest at this party after all,” she reminded them, “or even a host! I’m the catering!”

“That’s one way of looking at it I suppose!” Josh chuckled again, clinking glasses with his wife before sipping the chilled, sparkling wine. Fortunately, they did not have to wait much longer before Grandma and Grandpa arrived, Grandpa in a suit with a tie that did at least have a discrete holly pattern on and Grandma in a red corduroy skirt and chunky white knitted jumper with a very pretty bejewelled snowflake broach.

They both hugged Samantha warmly, kissing her on the cheek and assuring her of how much they were looking forward to their Christmas dinner then Josh gave them both a drink and led them down to the far end of the hall to be introduced to the other guests.

“Well, that’s everyone!” Laura observed as she and Samantha were left alone at the front of the hall, watching the fairly disparate group of friends and relatives at the other end all getting to know each other and, pleasingly, seeming to get along very well. Even Aaron and his daughter who knew nobody there except Josh seemed to be having a good time. “I guess it’s time to get the turkey in the oven!”


To be continued...