We had effectively turned the kitchen into a disaster area in a matter of minutes. We had bags lined up the length of the small bar area. I had managed to change my clothes into my most favorite thing I had recently acquired…one of Roger’s tshirts that I took from his flat the previous week. I had somewhat unpacked while Roger was in the shower and I piled my hair messily on top my head. I had loose chunks fallin’ around my face.  I was peelin’ potatoes and Veronica had a large pot of water already boilin’ on the stove. “You do that. I’ll be back very soon.” Veronica told me. “I simply must change.” 

 “I can’t believe you bought the Moet de Chandon already chilled! How did you know to do that?” Freddie asked me. He was taking the liberty to pour everyone a round of champagne…in the plastic glasses he had managed to dig out of a cabinet over my head.

 “Not my first time, Freddie.” I answered him, slicing potatoes into large chunks and dropping them into the boiling water. He laughed at me.

 “Well, of course it’s not! Tell me, what do you have planned here?” He asked as he kept pouring champagne. I watched Freddie grab a cigarette with his free hand. He leaned over for me to light it for him. “Thank you, love.” He mumbled to me.

 “We have on the menu, bangers and mash with toast courtesy of Veronica. I will be preparing this spicy Pad Thai noodle thing as soon as I finish these potatoes.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the enormous smile crept across Freddie’s face.

 “You precious thing! You’re like little Julia Child!” He said, putting an arm around me.

 “Yes, except I don’t have my own show or line of cookbooks.” I said cuttin’ up another potato. John soon appeared from his shower along with Veronica. I had three more potatoes to go.

 “Good, you’re done. I can’t wait to get in there.” Brian announced getting up from the chair in the living room.

 “No! Don’t leave yet Brian. Wait on Roger and we’re going to have champagne. You can go after we have our champagne toast!” Freddie insisted to him. It tickled me how excited Freddie got over seemingly nothin'. Brian rolled his eyes.

 “You put that champagne in plastic cups?” he questioned, joinin' us at the counter and leaning over.

 “Hey, Veronica and I put that Guiness in the freezer because it was warm. She says that’s for you.” I shared with Brian, working on the last potato. “Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt.”

 “Brian, had you packed some champagne flutes we wouldn’t be in this little debacle now would we?” Freddie scolded him. Brian just shook his head.

 I felt hands on my shoulder. “I have a confession.” John began. Veronica laughed. “I made Veronica go get into your luggage and get your hair dryer.” He told me. I laughed.

 “S’alright. I’ll need a lot from that luggage in a bit anyway.” I rinsed the remaining potato peels out of the sink and covered the boiling pot with the lid Veronica had managed to dig out when we started this.

 “I forgot mine. And you and I are gonna' talk about all the gorgeous clothes you packed later! My god! I’ve never seen so many designer labels in one suitcase!” I smiled at her. “You can borrow somethin' if you want.” John stood behind Veronica with his arms wrapped around her.

 “Oh, can I!?” Freddie asked me, watching as I wiped clean the area where Veronica and I had completed phase one of our dinner project. I looked up and flicked my wet hand at him, giving him a good dose of water. He laughed at me again. “No! No John, there’s none of that in the kitchen!” Freddie pointed a finger at John who’s lips were on Veronica’s neck. At about that time, Roger came around the corner.

 “It is like…like the cosmetic bomb exploded in that bathroom! Oh my god there are so many bottles of stuff on that sink!” Roger laughed and came into the kitchen area to join us. He wasted no time in coming into the stove area and grabbing a hold of me. His clean scent was intoxicatin'.

 “No! No! There is no kissing anyone in the kitchen! Did you not listen to me the first time?!” Freddie semi-yelled at Roger.

"If there's no kissing in the kitchen than you're really gonna' hate what happens after about four drinks." Roger teased him. I loved the feelin’ of Roger’s skin after he had gotten out of a shower. It was so soft and I could hold on to him like this forever. He put his head on top of mine and had me pinned in the corner where the sink met the stove. Out of spite entirely, John kissed Veronica again. Freddie put his hands on his hips. “Fine…have it your way. Have an orgy in the kitchen! Just don’t make a mess out of those potatoes. Okay, okay…champagne!” Freddie handed Brian his glass first, seeing as he was still shirtless and greatly anticipating his shower. He handed one to me, one to Roger, John and then Veronica before grabbing his own. I watched his eyes twinkle as he thought a moment, Roger still holding on to me with one arm. I examined the champagne in the plastic glass and gave it a sniff. “To our truly fabulous weekend!” he smiled all over.

"To the weekend!" We all chimed in. There wasn’t a typical clang of glasses but it was an endearing plastic toast. We all took the first drink together before Brian disappeared with his drink in tote.

 I kissed Roger again, probably much too passionately for the kitchen…breakin' all of Freddie's rules, course! “Look at this.” I then spun around to show Roger what Veronica and I had picked up. “I’m makin’ this for ya’ in a few minutes.” I took another drink of champagne. He smiled all over. “How’d you remember?” he asked.

 “I just did.” I felt my necked covered in a sea of hair as his lips grazed my chin.

 “You’re an angel…you know that? Right?” he asked me.

 “It takes one to know one.” Was my reply before kissing him again. “Do me a favor. Unload the rest of those bags and put some of the stuff in the fridge so it will be cool after we finish off this champagne.” I instructed him.

 Veronica joined me in the kitchen again as John and Freddie took the rest of the champagne into the living room area.

 “Oh I see how ya’ are! Takin’ the bottle all to yourself, huh? Well, maybe me and Lydia will open our own bottle.” Veronica said to Freddie.

 “I’ll share with you, Veronica. Don’t worry, love.” I heard him assure her. Veronica laughed and opened the package of bangers. I pulled a skillet out for her.

 “No, that’s okay Freddie…Roger just pulled out the Southern Comfort. Veronia and I will do shots after we drink this champagne.” Veronica laughed at me.

 “Oh my god, that will mess me up so much….” She paused for a minute, still laughing”…I can’t wait.”

 “See? These two know what to do!” Roger said to anyone who would listen. I watched as Veronica threw the bangers in the skillet. It was time to drain the potatoes and I needed to find another pan for these noodles. I laughed to myself because Freddie was already refilling his glass with more champagne. Roger came back into the small kitchen and handed me a cigarette. I gasped because that was exactly what I was thinking at this moment.

 “Thank you, sweetheart.” Since I had my hands full, Roger did all the work for me…and I actually let him. He kissed my cheek and I drained the water off the potatoes, sitting the pan aside.

 “What else you want?” he asked me. I put my cigarette in my left hand and pulled him over near me; whispering in his ear. Naturally, his response got Freddie’s attention. I leaned over and told Veronica what I said which made her howl in delight.

 “I don’t know what's going on back there, but I certainly hope everyone is wearing pants!” Freddie said taking another drink of champagne and another puff on his cigarette.

"Where are the shot glasses, John?" Roger asked leaning over me as Veronica and I worked on the bangers and mash. I had just located another pan in which to drop his noodles. "Nevermind. Found em."

"Hey, I see where you're puttin' that hand! We have your dinner to cook! You better not distract her." Veronica said noticing Roger's free hand wrapped around my thigh. His other hand was full of shot glasses. Roger laughed at her.

"I'm gonna' fill these and you, me and Lyd are gonna' do 'em." Roger insisted. Brian had once again joined us, all clean and ready for the rest of the night.

"Roger, what on earth are you doing?" Brian asked getting into the freezer for the Guiness Veronica and I had crammed in there earlier.

"I'm fillin' these shot glasses!" he told Brian enthusiastically.

"You're fillin..." Brian paused to count the glasses Roger was linin' up on the bar. "...15 shot glasses? Are you insane!?"

"They aren't all for me! John's going to come over here and do some with us to!" was Roger's arguement.

"John may not, but he could be cooerced." I heard John say, referring to himself from the livin' room.

"That's it...I'm getting up and seeing what's going on back there...it's soundin' interesting." Freddie said turning around with his champagne. I had just dropped the noodles into a smaller pot of boiling water. Freddie was right about one thing...it was definitely getting interestin'.