"Miles, no offense man, but I really don't want to come with you to see Ben and Rachel." Bass sat on the couch, beer in his right hand, and the TV remote in the other hand as Miles stood before him with a confused look on his face. He had given Bass no warning when he showed up demanding that he hurry up and get dressed otherwise they were going to be late for dinner.
"What why not? They like you more than they like me, plus you haven't seen Charlie or Danny in years, they'll be excited to see you." He thought about the last time he had seen both of Rachel's children, recalling it was before he and Miles left. He couldn't remember how old either of them were, but they were both very young. It's not that he didn't want to see them, in fact he was almost excited at the prospect of seeing Charlotte, he remembered how sassy she was as a child and could only imagine the attitude she had acquired as she aged. He figured she could probably give Miles a run for his money and take away his title of 'The Most Stubborn Matheson.'
"I'm just not in the holiday mood this year," or any other year for that matter since his parents and his sisters' died. He had become the Grinch of Christmas, and usually Miles didn't fight him on the subject, but this year he just wasn't giving up.
"Well I don't give a damn, you're coming with me. You can't just sit at home every year during the holidays and mope. Only one of us can be the devilishly handsome yet brooding one and that's me, so get your shit together we're gonna be late and Rachel will be pissed."
Great Miles was forcing him to join in on the holiday festivities and causing them to be late and endure Rachel's wrath. Not that he was afraid of Rachel, he wasn't…mostly, but she could be one scary lady if the occasion called for it. Miles had already headed for the door when Bass sighed loud enough for him to hear it and called after him, "all right, but if there isn't booze at this shindig I'm forever holding it against you. It's bad enough that I have to eat Rachel's cooking, but if I have to listen to you two bicker I at least better be drunk."
He attempted to tame his unruly curls, while putting on jeans and a decent shirt, trying to hurry since Miles was waiting impatiently at the door, "any day now princess," he heard Miles bellow from the living room. Bass just took his sweet ass time lacing up his boots and zipping up his leather jacket, "well dickhead if you would've given a brother some notice maybe I would've been ready." That wouldn't have been true even if Bass had been given time, he was a last minute kind of person, he never got in a hurry or felt rushed. "I've been telling you for weeks we were going so don't even give me that shit."
Bass emerged from the top of the stairs and just snorted a laughter, "yeah we, I thought you meant you and that mouse in your pocket, considering I said no the first five times you asked. You could always go and I'll meet you there." Miles rolled his eyes and motioned Bass to hurry up and get out the door, "yeah right and run the risk of you not showing up, you're my buffer against Rachel, you're going so put some pep in your step and put your most cheerful holiday face on."
"I'll just mimic your face," Bass muttered underneath his breath as he passed by Miles out the door. When the realization caught up with him halfway down the driveway he spun around and glared at Miles, "your buffer? You're only bringing me along because you still feel guilty about having an affair with your brother's wife. Guess that means neither of you had the balls to tell Ben yet. Happy fucking holidays to me." Miles just sighed as they continued on towards the car, "look it isn't like that, it's just complicated ok? We were going to tell him, but shit Bass, I mean where do we even begin? Besides it's over with."
He could tell Miles was getting worked up about it so he tried to ease the tension, "well it's not like I'm a moral compass to guide you now am I?" He knew Miles would understand his reference, they practically shared a brain, and when Miles grinned, he knew he remembered the instance Bass was talking about.
They didn't talk again in the car; they let the comfortable silence surround them until they finally arrived their destination.
The Matheson house was just as Bass remembered it, only now it was covered in a couple foot of glisteningly bright snow, which reflected the colorful lights strung across the house. The yard was filled with blow up reindeers, Santas, elves, you name it. He must've been staring at the house because Miles just laughed and let out a low whistle, "Charlie must've been busy, Danny told me earlier that she was going around and making everyone get in the holiday spirit by assigning them decorating tasks. Wonder which unfortunate soul had to decorate the yard."
For some reason this made Bass smile as he thought about little bossy Charlotte going around handing out tasks, while she supervised them, she was so much like Miles it was uncanny. Both of them employed the 'work smarter not harder' motto, which usually involved making some other poor chump do the work while they watched.
The snow crunched underneath their feet as they made their way to the front door, not even bothering to knock before the door flung open to reveal a tall blonde haired kid standing before them with a grin on his face from ear to ear. He engulfed Miles in a hug immediately and Bass knew it had to be Danny, only he looked so much different from the last time Bass saw him. Now he was grown up, he might've called him a kid in his head, but he looked about 16 and almost as tall as Miles.
Once Danny released Miles he headed straight for Bass, "hey Bass, Miles said you were coming too, it's so good to see you." Bass returned the hug and smiled, "it's good to see you too kid, you shot up, pretty soon you'll be taller than Miles." Miles groaned and shooed them both inside, "funny, let's take this reunion inside it's too damn cold out here."
"Good thing you guys showed up when you did, you can save me from Charlie, she's going around the house like a madwoman, decorating everything in her path. Nothing and no one is safe."
They thought Danny was just being dramatic, but when they stepped inside and took in the lavish decorations that covered the ceiling to the floor they knew he wasn't kidding. Danny just laughed out loud at their awestruck faces, "careful if you're caught staring too long she'll swoop in and make you decorate something or put on a holiday sweater."
"I don't know why everyone is complaining, sheesh what are you all Grinches?"
Danny didn't turn to look at his sister, but both Miles and Bass turned to where the voice came from inside the kitchen. Charlie stood just an inch shorter than her brother; her long light brown hair cascaded in waves and was pulled around the right side of her body. Speaking of her body, Bass took in every curve of her body, the way her dark red v-neck shirt molded against her chest, the way her jeans hugged tightly to her hips in all the right places, which caused his to feel a tightening in his jeans.
He shook those thoughts out of his head quickly before they could escalade, this was Miles' niece, Ben and Rachel's daughter, but standing before him, he saw nothing but a beautiful woman.
"Kid I think you've outdone yourself this time, is there anything else left to decorate?" Miles laughed but Charlie narrowed her eyes at him, "keep talking and I'll go find those ugly Christmas sweaters Danny was talking about and make you wear them."
Bass laughed, this was the Charlotte he remembered. She made her way over to Miles who was rolling his eyes at her threat with a smile on his face as he held out his arms for her. Miles always had a soft spot for Charlie; she was the closest thing he had to a daughter. He would always tell Bass about Charlie whenever he heard any news and from everything he heard, Charlie was just like Miles. She was more like Miles than Rachel or Ben, which always made Miles skeptical granted Bass never heard him question if he was Charlie's father. Bass could just tell by the look in his eyes when he talked about their similarities that he was putting the pieces together.
He had been zoning out when he felt a warm body pressed up against his, it took him a minute to register it was Charlie, but he immediately wrapped his arms around her, "it's good to see you Charlotte."
He felt her laughter as she pulled back just enough to look at his face, "Charlie, it's Charlie, Sebastian." She threw his full name out in a teasing manner as she smirked, but neither fazed him, "I seem to recall someone demanding to be called Charlotte because that was the name on her birth certificate."
He only saw Charlie a handful of times maybe, but every time she would make a point that her name was Charlotte no matter how many times everyone would shorten it to Charlie, "well maybe I outgrew it, it's a quite a mouthful don't you think?"
He couldn't tell if Charlie was flirting with him, but she wouldn't flirt with him right? She wouldn't see him as anything but another uncle figure, hell he was old enough to be her uncle. Her real uncle was his best friend, no, she wasn't flirting, but the gleam in her eye told another story.
Miles chose the perfect moment to break up their conversation, making him realize how close they still were, "ok you two, quit making goo-goo eyes at my niece Bass, let's go find those beers."
The nonchalant, joking attitude in Miles' voice told Bass he was just making a dig at him, but he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt when he thought back to before when he was all but undressing her with his eyes.
Charlie stepped aside so they could make their way into the kitchen as she brought up the rear. Rachel was already in there putting the finishing touches on the pie she was putting in the oven for after dinner. When she heard them come in she stood up straight and smiled at them both as she dusted off the remaining flour on her hands, "you both are looking well, glad you could make it. I know Ben will be happy too."
Speaking of Ben, neither of them had noticed before that he wasn't to be seen, Charlie answered the unspoken question, "he was called into work for a bit. He should be home soon though."
Miles scoffed, he knew his brother, all work and no play, he wasn't really surprised that he wasn't even taking a holiday off to spend with his family. Rachel would often complain to Miles about the amount of time Ben spent away from his family, maybe in her mind that was her justification for cheating on him with his brother.
Before he could start Rachel interrupted in a low voice so neither kids who were setting the table could hear, "Miles don't start this is supposed to be a nice family dinner, just please, for the sake of Charlie and Danny, keep your opinions to yourself. I know that will just eat you alive, but suck it up."
She spun on her heel and went about preparing the food for the table, Bass who remained silent during the whole thing went to help, but Rachel steered him in the direction of the food that setting on the island, "help Charlie put the rest of the food on the table will you Bass?"
Charlie looked up at him from the corner of her eye, then continued on about her business, he could tell she was baiting him for some reason so he played along, "so Charlie how old are you now 17, 18?"
She laughed and shook her head, "22, but I guess you were kind of close."
It dawned on him then that they missed her 21 birthday, Miles had never mentioned that, "wow look at you, all grown up. Are you going to school?"
He swore he saw her movements falter but she continued, "Yeah U of Chicago for right now, I live in a place off campus."
"What are you studying?"
This time he knew he saw her jaw tense, but she recovered quickly, "English and creative writing."
"If I had a say in the matter she would be focusing on a subject that would be more likely to get her a job after graduation instead of spending the rest of her life trying to climb out of debt."
When Rachel made that comment Bass knew why Charlie reacted the way she did before.
"Well maybe I like digging holes that I can't get out of, I'm sure you can understand, digging a big hole for yourself and then trying to climb out can't you mom?" Charlie's piercing eyes were focused on Rachel, but they slid to Miles for a faction of a second who was leaning against the refrigerator door, sipping on his beer. When his eyes met hers, he had a questionable look, but when he realized Charlie must've found out about the affair he choked on his beer and spilt some on his jacket sleeve.
She shook her head and finished setting the table, working silently around Bass until he spoke up again, "you know I always wanted to major in history."
When she didn't say anything but look at him from underneath her lashes he continued, "if I hadn't joined the Marines with jackass over there that's what I would've done. Couldn't have made a career out of that either." He smiled, which caught on and caused Charlie to crack a smile that spread from one corner of her mouth to another. She rolled her eyes, but the mood instantly changed, except for Rachel and Miles who were so wrapped up in their own dark secret neither of them could see the blossoming between Charlie and Bass.
Danny though, he could see it all, and ideas started to form in his mind.
They didn't have long to develop because shortly after they heard the front door opening and slam shut from the wind. Seconds later Ben emerged from the front door, full on smile on his face as he embraced his brother, "good to see you Miles, sorry I wasn't here when you got here. I would've been home sooner, but the roads are getting really icy out."
He let go of Miles as he walked over the Bass and embraced him in the same way as Miles before, "Bass, man, so glad you came too, Mile said you were coming but he also said you might not because you aren't a big fan of the holidays."
This statement surprised Charlie who cried out, "not a fan of the holidays? What's not to like about them? Man, if I had known you didn't like them I really would have made you wear the Christmas sweater, that would've gotten you in the spirit."
"Thanks for the invite Ben, you know I love free food and free beer," Bass tried to laugh off Charlie's question about why he didn't like the holidays but he could tell she wasn't one to drop subjects.
"Wait, why don't like the holidays?"
Bass could see Miles from the corner of his eyes, shuffling back and forth awkwardly trying to come up with some way to intervene on Bass' behalf, but he turned to answer Charlie instead, "I don't know I'm just not one for having to decorate and that Santa guy is pretty creepy if you think about it, squeezing into people's chimney's uninvited and shit."
Even though Charlie could tell there was another reason, she laughed at the Santa bit and nodded, "ok point, but you're still wearing the sweater."
Before Bass even had time to say anything she was gone from the kitchen, her boots could be heard as they stomped up the stairs. He then turned to plead with Danny, "she isn't serious right? You weren't serious when you said she had ugly Christmas sweaters for us to wear?"
Danny burst out into a fit of laughter and when Bass surveyed the room and everyone else was smiling or trying to bite back a laugh he knew this was a typical Charlie move.
"Hate to break it to you, but I never joke about Charlie, she'll force you into the Christmas spirit one way or another. Plus I think she just wants someone to wear the sweater and you basically volunteered yourself." Danny shook his head and clapped a hand over his shoulder in mock sympathy.
"Hold on a damn minute, I didn't sign myself up for anything."
Miles was full on laughing now from his permanent place by the refrigerator, "well brother looks like you did," he motioned his head to where Charlie was standing at the entrance of the kitchen with the most hideous looking sweater in her hands. It was long sleeves, cream colored, with an obnoxious picture of Santa on the front saying 'ho ho ho' and reindeers at the back.
Unconsciously Bass scrunched up his nose at the sweater, could she not have picked something without that creepy white haired dude on the front?
"I picked the one with Santa on it just for you, seeing as though you have a fascination for him." It was as though she could read his mind, he looked up at her, but she wasn't backing down. She held the sweater out at arm's length and shoved it further out so he would come and get it, but two could play at that game. He stood on the other side of the room with his arms folded over his chest.
After a few minutes she gave in and met him the rest of the way and put the sweater on his crossed arms, "you're going to get into the Christmas spirit Grinch, put the sweater on and tell me it doesn't make you 10 times happier."
He didn't know why he was humoring her, of course putting a sweater on wasn't going to change anything, he still wasn't going to be in the mood, but his arms were moving without his accord, discarding his leather jacket on the chair behind him. Once his jacket was off, he pulled the sweater up and over his head. Instantly his eyes met Charlie in defiance to tell her that he didn't feel anymore cheerful than before, but one look at her beaming face when he put the sweater on changed his answer.
When he didn't say anything, but crack a light smile, Charlie pumped one fist in the air and turned around, "see Danny I told you these would come in handy. Granted I thought I would have to use them on people as punishment for misbehaving, and I assumed Miles would be the first to end up wearing one."
Miles' voice echoed from the front of the kitchen, "hey I resent that!"
Charlie laughed, "yeah but you didn't refute it now did you?"
Miles thought a minute but he knew she was right, "but I would've made sure I didn't get in trouble if it meant looking like that idiot over there."
He pointed his thumb in Bass' direction, which earned him a glare from Bass, Charlie however turned to look at Bass so that no one else could see her face, they could only hear her say "well I think he looks nice, cheerful even."
Danny laughed from his place beside Miles, "That's only because you picked the sweater."
She was still looking at Bass, but when her brother's voice broke through the connection she turned back to them and nodded, "damn right, I've got good taste."
Miles was full on smiling at her, biting back the urge to throw an insult Bass' way out of fear of ending up in the same predicament, "I think you're right kid, that sweater really does bring out his eyes."
"Yeah that sweater fits you nice Bass, like it was made for you, fits in all the right places" no sooner had Danny said that did he and Miles both burst out into laughter not able to contain it any longer. Bass narrowed his eyes at both of them, but neither was paying him any attention due to being doubled over in fits of laughter.
Charlie threw her hands up in the air and feigned exasperation, "that's it! You're both getting Christmas sweaters."
That made both of them straighten up and cut their laughter short, "come on kid we were just messing with him." Danny shook his head and backed away from her as she continued her flight back upstairs to retrieve more ugly sweaters for the offenders.
"You can't be serious, I'm not wearing a sweater Charlie, it's not my fault Miles is a bad influence," she heard Danny's pleading voice at the bottom of the staircase and it made Charlie smile when she heard Miles exclaim from the kitchen, "hey you started it, you were whispering and making jokes about the Santa on his sweater."
They were still arguing about who started what when she arrived back in the kitchen with two sweaters in her hands, "I don't care who started it, you did the crime so now you have to wear the sweaters."
Bass took in her face and how jolly it made her look to be able to dish out punishments if she wasn't so Charlie he would've found it oddly creepy how much pleasure she was getting out of laying down the rules and enforcing them.
"Kid nothing you could do or say would make me wear this hideous thing and look like that dumbass over there."
"Miles I've seen you wear worse things, remember that hand knit scarf you wore once?"
"That's not fair, your grandmother made that before she died."
"Doesn't mean it wasn't ugly, besides I've taken the liberty of hiding the rest of the beer, so if you want to find it you'll put the sweater on."
This got Miles to moving a little faster towards the refrigerator as flung it open to find that she wasn't bluffing. He groaned and made a pitiful face, before caving and snatching the sweater from her hands and pulling it over his head quickly, "there are you happy now?"
No one is certain who started laughing first, but all of the sudden everyone was laughing, even Rachel and Ben who were sitting back watching their playful argument. Miles made a face and rolled his eyes at them, "yeah yeah, to hell with you all, where's that beer I'm going to need to get drunk if I have to look like this all night."
Charlie continued laughed and pointed to the fridge, "it's in the bottom shelf, I didn't even hide it, I just knew you'd be too lazy to bend down and look."
"Ah hell, you know me too well kid."