“Well,” Laura clapped her hands together, getting back to business now that the emotional moment had passed. The organisational switch in her mind had flipped and what was in the oven was no longer her daughter but rather just one element of a large meal for the friends and family they had invited to their party, a meal which still needed to be properly coordinated if everything was to be ready on time, “that’s the turkey in the oven,” she smiled, “she will need basting every half hour then, when we put the other bits that need to roast with her in about…” she checked her phone, “I would say two hour’s time, depending on how things look in the interim, we can add some more butter and put the extra bacon on to crisp up.” She looked around the room, preparing a mental to-do list in the absence of her trusty note-book. “The vegetables are all prepared, they just need to be put on to boil at the same time we add the potatoes and trimmings to the turkey. How much stuffing is there left?” she asked Amelia who peered into the bowl and made a mental assessment, trying to remember exactly how much there had been to begin with.

“About a quarter, maybe?” she guesstimated, “Maybe a little less?”

“Enough to be worth making into balls anyway.” Laura smiled, satisfied at her own calculations. “I do need to sort through the offal. The liver can go in the oven when we put the other stuff in but I want to separate what’s being kept from what can go.”

“Do you want me to make the stuffing balls?” Amelia offered helpfully. “While you get cleaned up in here?” She glanced over at Josh who was still bare-chested, the buttery residue that had been deposited as he cuddled Samantha glistening in the harsh fluorescent light of the kitchen.

“No, you’ve done enough.” Laura smiled, meaning it genuinely. “You might want to wash your hands?” she suggested with a slight chuckle, “But once you’ve done that, you can go back to the hall and let people know that the turkey is in the oven. Ask that they give us about fifteen minutes to get sorted in here then they can come and take a look if they want to, but do ask everyone not to come at once, twos and threes if possible, please!”

“Will do!” Amelia gave a playful salute then went over to the sink to wash whatever the residue that from inside Samantha that clung to her arm was. Luckily, it came off easily and Laura put out another towel for her to dry herself with, knowing that Josh would need to wash himself too before putting his nice shirt back on. Walking over to her neat pile of clothes on the counter, Amelia took off her apron then picked up her white faux-leather Stetson and put it on, using her reflection in the glass of the kitchen window to adjust it.

“That’s it?” Laura chuckled. “Not putting the rest back on?”

“What?” Amelia did a very poor impression of being surprised. “Samantha’s in the oven, isn’t she? And that was the rule, clothes on until she’s in the oven!”

“Well, technically the rule was no getting naked before she’s in the oven…” Josh reminded her. “Nothing to say you have to strip off as soon as she is?”

“Same difference!” Amelia winked. “Why?” She teased. “Are you complaining? Don’t think this outfit suits me?”

“Well, no…” Laura made one last attempt which she already knew was doomed to failure. “But, well, I know we’re all friends here but you’ve only just met some of the people out there. You barely know them!”

“Well then this will be a nice surprise for them!” Amelia declared brightly, chin raised confidently and shoulders back. “Not to mention a great way to get acquainted!”

“Your choice, of course!” Laura chuckled. “Go on, have fun!” She patted Amelia playfully on her bare backside as she headed out of the kitchen to rejoin the party. “Sorry, little bro!” Laura chuckled under her breath. “Come on!” She slipped her arm around her husband’s waist and kissed lightly on the lips. “Let’s get this place cleaned up then we can go join in the fun!”

Back in the hall, Amelia found everyone standing in a circle in the dance floor area, watching the final round of a game of musical chairs with Rachel and Merlin slowly circling a single chair and Gramps with his finger hovering over the pause button on the sound system, his back turned to the game so that he could not be accused of favouritism! Ella, she noticed, was wearing one of the fancy dress party-style Sidney hats from the prize table while Willow was hugging the plus Sidney toy. Looking over at the table, she could see quite a few spaces but could not work out what was missing.

After a few false alarms where Gramps teased the players by twitching his poised finger towards the button, the music stopped and a mad scramble ensued, resulting in Merlin sitting on the last remaining chair of the game with Rachel on his lap! Since it was his bottom actually on the chair, Merlin was declared the winner and invited to make a selection from the prize table and Amelia was both amused and pleased to see that he chose the snow-globe with her and Samantha sitting in their birthday suits on Santa’s knee!

“Woo! Congratulations!” she applauded, directing everyone’s attention to herself. “The turkey is in the oven! Mr and Mrs Martin say to give them fifteen minutes to clean up then you can go and have a look, but please keep it to groups of two or three.”

“Wow!” Gram chuckled. “That’s quite the outfit!”

“Do you like it?” Amelia gave a playful twirl. “Samantha said I wasn’t allowed to wear it until she was in the oven but, now she is…”

“Well it definitely suits you!” Gram chuckled. “Funny, I used to have an outfit just like that but somehow it got all loose and wrinkled!” Amelia giggled, finding she liked Samantha’s “cool grandmother” a lot! Ella ran over to her mum and began to ask something earnestly while Willow handed her toy and hat to Martin or, rather, shoved them into his arms and began to pull her top off over her head, revealing her cute flat chest with perky, pink nipples.

“Um, what are you doing?” Clive asked, exchanging eye contact with his husband who just shrugged, looking equally confused but lacking the energy to argue with his determined daughter.

“Samantha said I could wear my full Sidney outfit once she was in the oven.” she informed him confidently. “And Amelia is wearing hers, so I can too!”

“Okay!” Clive chuckled, putting his hands up in surrender, knowing that this was a battle neither he or Martin had any chance of winning. “If that’s what you want!” Unlike Amelia, Willow did not think to take her boots off before the bottom half of her outfit, resulting in her doing an awkward, off-balance dance and needing to be supported by both her dads but soon enough she was stark naked from just below the knees upwards and took her hat back from Martin, putting it on with a flourish.

“Come on!” she grabbed both their hands and started dragging them towards the lobby. “Come take a picture of me with Sam’s Sidney figure!” As they passed, Clive glanced over at the sitting Sidney on the stage, correctly guessing that his Sidney super-fan daughter would insist on being photographed with all of them.

Willow’s stripping had been so theatrical, Samantha realised, that she had not even noticed Ella start to get undressed with the help of her mum, nor Caroline quietly stripping off in the corner, but very soon they were both naked too, apart from Ella’s hat.

“Doing some advertising?” Amelia grinned, walking over to the sister, having of course heard all about them signing up to the Sidney’s private menu and having been proudly shown their listing like everyone else at the party, with the possible exception of Samantha’s Grandma and Grandpa who had been the last to arrive.

“It’s all about the hustle!” Caroline giggled. “And what could be a better advert for our meat than this?” She gave a twirl.

“Totally!” Amelia grinned. “Hey, you know what?” she suggested, eyes sparkling. “We should go outside and play in the fake snow. I can show you the spit and the pot too!”

“Ooh there’s a spit?” Ella ran over, overhearing the older girls’ conversation.

“And a pot!” Amelia repeated with a chuckle. “Honestly, this place is like a mini Sidney’s! Would that be okay?” She turned to Gram who seemed to have been accepted as being in charge of the party while Samantha’s parents, the official hosts, were busy in the kitchen.

“Well,” Gram looked out the large windows where it was still mostly light, although getting a little dusky, “it’s pretty cold out there…” She looked at the crestfallen faces of the three naked girls and the indulgent grandmother in her over-rode the responsible parent. “But I suppose if you don’t stay out there too long it will be okay! I know Laura has towels and I’m sure we can arrange some hot drinks when you come back in. Better take Gramps with you ‘though. You really need a responsible adult to supervise you but, since there don’t seem to be any of those around, I guess he’ll have to do!” The girls giggled.

“Think he can cope?” Amelia giggled.

“What do you think, Ed?” Gram asked, summoning Gramps over. “Happy to keep an eye on these ladies? Not going to have a heart attack on me, are you?” she winked.

“Well it’s a tough job,” Gramps sighed theatrically, “but I guess someone has to do it! Come on girls!” He opened the fire door at the back of the hall and ushered them out.

“Me too! Me too!” Little Rosie ran after them, worried about missing out on something fun.

“I think you’d better ask your mummy.” Gram suggested, knowing from earlier encounters that her son-in-law’s family were of a more conservative persuasion. She looked around to find Julie then beckoned her over. “Rosie’s asking if she can go and play with the other girls outside.” she explained.

“Well that should be okay if...oh!” Julie saw the girls through the window, prancing around under the fake snow, and realised how they were dressed. She looked down at her youngest daughter then back out the window then back to Rosie who had a pleading expression on her face. “Well okay,” she sighed, “as long as someone’s out there keeping an eye on them!”

“Oh yes, my husband’s out there.” Gram assured her. “And I’ll probably be joining them them in a minute. Don’t worry,” she assured her with a cheeky chuckle, “I’ll be keeping my clothes on!” Julie knelt down to help Rosie get undressed when Amanda, who had been chatting to Rachel, spotted what was going on and ran over. “Oh, wait for me!” she grinned, sitting down to pull off her boots then hitching up her dress to pull down her tights and panties before standing up and asking for help with the zip on the back of the dress.

“Want to join them?” Rob asked Merlin with a chuckle, rather enjoying the sight of the naked girls frolicking under the falling white foam flakes.

“I’m up for it if you are!” his friend and new cousin grinned. “Is it girls only?” he asked Gram, “or can anyone join?”

“I’m sure you’d be welcome!” Gram grinned. “Go on boys, have fun!” They quickly started to unbutton their shirts and pull them off as Amanda, now naked aside from her boots and hat, ran through the first exit to join the others. “Guess they’re in a good mood!” Gram remarked to Aaron who had come over to see what was going on as the pre-teen boys pulled down their underpants revealing that they both had erections that were decently impressive for their age. Physically, the boys both had similar figures to their sisters, with Merlin being quite trim and toned while Rob had a softer look, just on the right side of chubby.

“Planning on joining them?” Aaron teased his teenage daughter.

“Well I’m not getting naked,” Rachel gave him a slightly withering look, “but I would like to go look at the spit! Come on,” she told her dad, “let’s go see!” She headed out the fire doors, closely followed by Willow who had finished her impromptu photo shoot, leaving Nadine and George as the only children left in the hall, along with their parents, grandparents and Gram.

To be continued...