The Carlin residence was officially jammed packed. Aunts, Uncles, Grandparent, nieces, and cousins all filled the house. Spencer sat on the couch listening to her older cousin talk about his job. The majority of it she wasn't listening to. He hadn't noticed, or if he did he didn't care. He just continued to talk on and on chewing Spencer's ear out. The blond toyed with her phone subconsciously as she pretended to be interested, honestly she was paying more attention to the music playing. Hanson's Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree.
"Spence, come help me in the kitchen." Her dad called over the buzzing voices of the other family members. 'Thank you dear lord.' Spencer said silently to herself. Just as she stood up her phone blasted it's loud ringtone. She had purposely put the ringer on full blast so she would be able to here it over everything.
"Everything's gonna be cool this Christmas, Well everybody's lookin for you down at the house, The tree is lookin'" It rang, and suddenly half the room was looking at Spencer.
"Sorry," She said to them before picking up. "He-" She was cut off by the phone being momentarily taken out of her hands by Glenn. "Hey! Give it back!" She shouted running after her brother. Glenn just snickered and put the phone on speaker.
"Spence, Spence you ok? You there hun?" Ashley called on the other end. Suddenly the room went silent once again, half the family starring at the phone then to Spencer.
Snottily Glen handed the phone back to Spencer. "I believe your lover's on the line." He whispered to her. Spencer snatched the phone.
"I'm fine Ash." She said forgetting the phone was on speaker.
"Thank god. I was worried about my beautiful girl. What happened sweetie?" Spencer felt her cheeks get red hot
"Oh my god," Spencer said under her breath. She watched as Glen laughed off to the side.
"Sweetie, everything alright?" Ashley asked again. Spencer was too frozen to turn the phone off so quickly she stammered out,
"I'm fine but can I call you ba-"
"Excuse me miss, is there a reason you are speaking to my granddaughter that way? You know you're on speaker right?" Spencer grandmother, on Paula's side, asked. Spencer shut her eyes tight. This was embarrassing.
"Uh….I didn't know that, I'm sorry." Ashley said as politely as she could.
"Who are you?" Spencer's grandmother asked.
"I'm Ashley Davies."
"Wait, Spencer isn't that your girlfriends name?" Aunt Tracy asked with a slight smile. She was Arthur's sister. Meaning she was on the cool side of the family. Grandma Carlin that was conducting the interrogation was on the not so cool side.
"Oh, my, God." Spencer repeated still not speaking. Wile the room went silent Ashley sat on the other end trying to remember everything Spencer had said about her fmily. "They think Christmas is the ultimate holiday. EVERYONE has to be in the same place. Family is really important to us." She remembered Spencer saying. It was weird, her family was the exact opposite of Spencer's.
"Yeah, that's me, guilty as charged. And I'm truly and sincerely sorry that I'm stuck here at my house instead of with Spencer. I miss you baby." She said only adding fuel to Spencer's already red cheeks.
"Well couldn't you stop by for just a few minutes? We'd all love to meet you." Spencer's cousin Leah said almost condescendingly. "Honestly I didn't think you were real." She continued. Leah may have been on Arthur's side of the family but that didn't mean that she was great. She was just as snotty as Paula's side.
"Oh, I'm sure Ashley's really busy with Christmas at her house." Spencer said silently begging Ashley not to come over.
"Are you kidding, I could use a home cooked meal. That is if Mr. C is cooking." She said calling out to Spencer's father.
Arthur chuckled in the kitchen. "You know it Ashley, I believe it's the best meal EVER." He said in all his glory.
"Count me in then. Can't wait to see you gorgeous." She said before hanging up the phone. Spencer sighed, her heart beating fast as she slid the phone back into her pocket.
"Spence I could still use your help." Arthur called, his voice caring and knowing.
"Ok, I just have to use the bathroom." Spencer said walking off briskly to her escape. Locking the door she quickly dialed Ashley's number. Three rings in Ashley picked up.
"Are you out of your gorgeous mind!" She scolded before Ashley even had the chance to say hello.
"Lovely to talk to you too. Hello, I'm fine thanks." Ashley said sarcastically. "And no I'm not. Are you? What makes you think you couldn't get a sweet date with me?" She continued with a sly smile.
"Do not change the subject sweetie." Spencer teased, still showing some anger.
"No, you don't avoid the topic." Ashley scolded back.
"Ash, you haven't met my family. They're perfect. They all have these high class jobs, own this amazing house, have perfect clothes, perfect hair, just perfect everything. And then…there's me.." Spencer trailed off.
"What's wrong with you?" Ashley asked in all seriousness.
"Ashley, have you seen me?" Spencer asked sighing, taking a seat on the toilet.
"Yes Spencer, I have, your gorgeous, your sweet, kind and can bring me up from my lowest low. You make my life easier. You're an angel Spence, I don't know what I'd do without you. And you may not see it, but I think your perfect." What could anyone say to that? Spencer just sat in a mild shock as she took in the words Ashley had just told her.
"I love you." Spencer whispered. Ashley smiled on the other end.
"I love you too, Spencer. I'll be there in a few minutes." She said before they shared there goodbyes.
When Ashley arrived at the Carlin house she was wearing a form fitting green and red argyle print polo with a red tie. She found herself growing more and more nervous with each step she took towards the house. Before knocking she went over Spencer's families names. There was Aunt Tracy, Uncle Jeff, Grandma Carlin, the obvious ones she had already met, Arthur Paula, Glen, and Clay. Leah the bitchy cousin, Stephanie. She struggled to remember the few others but figured she would be able to not know the few others. Swallowing her nerves she knocked on the door. The door flew open and a lanky brunette answered the door.
"Can I help you?" She said rudely. Ashley figured this was Leah. Behind her stood an older woman and man. And past them came Spencer, calming Ashley's nerves just from the sight of her.
"I'm Ashley." She said introducing herself with a smile. Leah looked at her disbelievingly.
"no your not." She deadpanned. "Ashley is Spencer's girlfriends name. There is no way you're her." Leah continued.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm her. You must be Leah." Ashley said offering her hand. Leah cautiously shook it still not believing her the girl. "Spencer." She called looking over Leah's shoulder. A smile grew on her face as Spencer approached.
"Hey you, come on in." Spencer said as Ashley pecked her cheek. 'And so it begins.' Ashley thought to herself as she stepped into the house.
Ashley found herself feeling as if she were in some kind of interogation room as she sat on the beige sofa holding Spencer's hand. "So, I'm sorry Ashley right?" Grandma Carlin asked. She was oddly taking this slightly better than Spencer would have thought.
"Yes Ma'am. Ashley Davies." Ashley replied politely stroking Spencer's hand.
"Davies, isn't that the last name of one of the people in purple that one band?" Leah asked.
"Purple Venom and yes. I'm his daughter." Ashley said proudly. Leah's eyes went wide for a few seconds before she blinked ferociously.
"Wow, isn't that something. So Spence, who knew that you were such a gold digger." Leah said with a smile taking a sip of her spiked eggnog. Ashley scoffed.
"Spencer is definitely not a gold digger, she won't even let me buy her some new clothes." Ashley said defending Spencer as best she could without punching out the brunette.
"Dinner!" Arthur called. As he began to set the table with the various pots and pans of the delicious smelling meal.
"Mr. C this looks amazing." Ashley said as she pulled the seat out for Spencer, then taking a seat next to her.
"Thank you Ashley.". Arthur said flattered. Grandma Carlin said grace and then everyone got to eat. Most of the attention was on Ashley and Spencer but the two handled it well. Answer questions as best the could without getting too flustered.
"Time for presents!" Aunt Tracy called excitedly as she turned her camcorder on. Ashley took Spencer's hand as she led her gracefully to the coach.
"Presents, bet you didn't think about that Ms. Davies. You know I don't even think your really Spencer's girlfriend, she just hired you, like that one movie with Jennifer Anniston." Leah said as she ran her hands down the curly haired girls arms. The scent of alcohol more evident in her breath. Ashley pulled away from the lanky girl before adding in.
"you're really pushing you're luck here." She said while squeezing Leah's wrists to show her she was getting angry. Nothing to severe though, just a small squeeze to show her to back off. Which Leah did.
While presents were being passed out, Ashley made a mad dash for her car to grab the simple gifts she had bought Spencer's family on the way here. Just some basics, like candles, and some massaging things from bath and body. For the guys she got Arthur a cook book, Uncle Jeff a book on Jeff Gordon ,he was a huge fan, and then just a few knick-knacks for the others.
Arthur thanked her many times for the book as did Paula, her gift a new set off wine glasses each with a verse from the bible on them. So that one was more expensive so what. It didn't hurt to suck up sometimes.
"Open your's first." Spencer and Ashley said at the same time. They two smiled and Ashley had convinced Spencer to open the first half of her gift. Inside a small box was an ornament. A shining white snowflake made f crystal sterling silver and diamonds that was spread all around the snowflake. In the middle was a small picture of the two of them "Don't worry the diamonds are fake so it wasn't expensive." Ashley said with a nervous smile. Spencer sat still just admiring the beauty of.
"Ash, its amazing. Thank you so much." She said as she lay it back in the box. Smiling she motioned for Ashley to open her present. Ashley's box was bigger and heavier.
"Spence what did you get?" Ashley asked as she hoisted it up onto her lap. Spencer smiled nervous emanating off her.
"Just open it." She said in anticipation. She had been so excited for Ashley to open this gift. She pictured it going hundreds of different ways, and she just wanted to know how the girl would react.
Ashley quickly opened the box and squealed happily when she opened it. Inside was one black Scottish Terrier puppy, and next to it a white West Highland puppy.
"Spence this must have cost so much!" Ashley squealed. As she picked up the little Scottish terrier.
"I had some money saved up. Plus I got them from the Humane Society."
"You saved two puppies for me?" Ashley asked dreamily. Spencer nodded happily.
"So what are you going to name them?" Spencer asked.
"Scotty is going to be Yin and Westie will be Yang." Ashley said simply. Spencer smiled at the simplicity of it.
"Ok open the second part of yours." Ashley said as she placed the two puppies on her lap. Spencer smiled and opened her next gift. Inside was a gold charm bracelet. On it three charms, a heart, a snowflake, and a key. "Ashley.." Spencer said.
"Don't even try, I had to get you something super special, just like you." Ashley beamed at Spencer's reaction and smile to the gift. "Merry Christmas baby." She whispered before the two shared a kiss. Leah made a gagging face as the two shared there moment.
Ashley helped clean up the wrapping paper as the two little pups followed her. She stood in between the kitchen and living open glass doors when Spencer ambushed her. "What they hell are you thinking gorgeous? Giving me a gift like this?" Spencer asked. Ashley just smiled at her.
"And what were you thinking getting me two dogs?" She retorted.
"Please they were all together a hundred dollars. But this, as real diamonds in the middle of the heart, I know its got at least some amount of real gold, and then the charms look like the ones at Kay. What were you thinking?" She asked again.
"I was thinking that I should get something special for a very special girl. The love of my life. And don't yell at me your keeping it." Ashley told her sternly.
"Hey, stop bickering and look up." Aunt Tracy said with a smile. The two looked up and chuckled to themselves. Right above there heads hung a mistletoe.
"Oh, Aunt Tracy, just forget-" She was cut off by Ashley's lips crashing into her own. The two just stood there kissing. Soon Ashley ran her tongue against the bottom lip of Spencer's. Granting aces Spencer opened her mouth and the two began to battle for dominance. Ashley pulled away a smile spread across her face.
"Merry Christmas Beautiful." She whispered before guiding Spencer back to her family.