Max and Charles - 8. Caviar

Over the next few months Max and Charles cooked up a plan to out Roger and Conrad as the practical jokers. They arranged a dinner party at their place, as well as the two jokers also invited four other friends to witness their proposed retaliation. The guests included Craig and Justin, invited as a thank you for their excellent work planning the wedding and Angus and Gus, who were unable to attend the wedding, because they were overseas at the time. As the group of eight started their first drinks, Max brought out appetisers and placed them on the coffee table. Also on the table was the carved box they had received as a mystery wedding gift. The four extra guests had not previously seen the box so Charles asked Conrad to explain its history to them. When Conrad got to the part about Stefania’s ova, one of the guests, Angus, said “That’s a terrible curse to place on a young couple, I don’t know if I want to hear anymore, unless it has a happy ending.”

“There is more but, I’ll tell you later. Let’s pause to try Max’s appetisers, what are they Max, they look delicious?”

“They’re something new I prepared especially for you and Roger to thank you for the work you did finding out about the provenance of this fascinating treasure. So I want you two to try them first.”

“OK, let’s try them.” Conrad and Roger each tried the appetiser and declared them excellent.

“It looks and tastes like caviar Max, am I right?”

“Well you are close. They are eggs, but not from the sturgeon fish.”

“What fish are they from then?” Roger asked as he reached for another.

“Before that I have to tell you a story as well. We did some research of our own and found out more about the history of the curse this box carried to the newlyweds 100 years ago.”

“But how could you find out more, the story is just.....”

“Let me interrupt you there Roger, and I will explain. As you know the box will open and the curse lifted when a newlywed couple conceive their first child. But there is no point lifting a curse placed one hundred years ago as the cursed will now be dead. However the curse can be passed on when this box is given to another couple as a wedding gift. It will be lifted simultaneously at the time of conception of their first child if the box is under the matrimonial bed at the time.”

Craig then asked “But what can a gay couple do about this curse?”

“Yes, seems a bit confusing to me.” added Justin.

“I will explain gentlemen. We also found out that the curse could also be lifted by a childless couple. They had to recite a certain chant to open the box, but to lift the curse the contents of the box had to be consumed by the couple and their closest friends. The box would then be free of the curse and can then be passed on without danger.”

“Oh Max that can’t be true.” replied Conrad.

“Well let me prove it to you”. As Max opened the box and showed that it was empty, Charles took two of the appetisers, ate one himself and offered one to Max. The guest watched Max and Charles eating, then Roger said “Was does this prove?”

After eating Max replied “There, the curse has been lifted now that we and you have consumed the contents of the box.

You have just enjoyed, not fish eggs, but Stefania’s unfertilised 100 year old eggs.”

THE END