And the Fake Christmas Cheer
A/N: The plot for this story popped into my mind when I saw the Christmas decorations already out at the store. It's barely the end of October. Ridiculous isn't it?
I'm on a roll. I guess I've been inspired to write lately. This one could be considered a one-shot. Or could also be a companion/prelude to 'And the Indecent Proposal'. I'll let you guys decide. Read, review, and enjoy!
Max hated this time of year. She hated Christmas. She hated how happy and cheery everyone was over the stupid holiday. She hated all of it.
She tucked herself under the sad looking fake Christmas tree that made Charlie Brown's Christmas tree look like the Christmas tree outside at Rockefeller Center in New York City. She stared up at the lights and the dollar store decorations and sighed heavily lost in thought.
Christmas time was when she was the most depressed. When she thought about her dead beat alcoholic dad and her mother that abandoned her. She usually spent Christmas alone.
But this year was different. She had Caroline this year.
As if on cue the blonde made her way over and laid down next to her. The Christmas lights cast an amber hue across the taller girls features and Max couldn't help but stare as Caroline scooted closer trying to get comfortable. There was plenty of room beneath the small tree. The two decided to give each other one gift to each other that they already exchanged earlier.
Max had given her a burned mixed CD of all of Caroline's favorite songs. She would regret it later when Caroline played from the stereo nonstop and all she would hear blaring from the speakers were songs by Britney Spears, Ke$ha, and Carly Rae Jepsen. She would probably have to hide the CD from Caroline in the near future.
Caroline had gotten her a refurbished Cuisine Art mixer. The bowl was dented and the whisk was bent. The motor stalled every once in a while, but Max knew that Caroline had been saving her tip money for a long while to get it. And it didn't go unnoticed that one of Caroline's beloved designer pair of heels were missing. She probably pawned them off to get enough money get the mixer. The thought depressed Max even more.
Max didn't spend a dime on the gift she gave Caroline. It was such an impersonal gift and she was kicking herself for it. All of the music she hacked illegally and the blank CD she stole from Han's office.
She spent all of her money she saved to give Caroline the Christmas she wanted this year. She wanted her friend to be free of distraction and depressing thought. Every last dime she saved on getting the decorations, the Christmas tree, the turkey dinner she cooked for Caroline.
Max gave her the only gift she could offer. She pretended for Caroline. Pretended to like the holiday for the woman who lay beside her with her head on her shoulder. She did everything she could just to see Caroline smile.
Christmas time was depressing for them both. So they both pretended. No matter how much it stung for both of them, they still had each other. They at least had someone to spend Christmas with this year. That's all that mattered.
The silence was shattered when Caroline softly asked, "do you want to be alone?"
"You've been laying with me for ten minutes," Max said and smirked.
"Do you?"
"No," Max said seriously. "I haven't been alone all night why would I want to be alone now?"
Caroline took Max's hand. "Thank you Max."
"For what?"
"This is one of the best Christmas's I've ever had."
Max snorted, "your kidding me right?"
"I'm serious," Caroline said sitting up and looking into Max's eyes.
It made Max pause at the flutter she felt in her stomach from the look Caroline was giving her.
"Merry Christmas Max," Caroline said and laid her head back on the brunette's shoulder.
"Merry Christmas Caroline," Max said softly and smiled.
For once that night, Max's smile didn't feel forced. And the tension she felt in her body ebbed away as she relaxed into the Caroline's embrace.
It was one of the best Christmas's Max ever had too.