Chapter One

"Jesse, what time do we have to get to your parents' house again?" Aubrey Posen asked as she paced around the apartment she shared with her boyfriend of a year, Jesse Swanson.

"Sometime tomorrow," Jesse said from his piano, trying to come up with a new composition, but having no luck as usual. His inspiration has been severely lacking lately.

"Okay," she said, still pacing and now taking deep breaths, which was never a good sign.

"Aubrey, relax," he said, getting up and walking over to her, placing his hands on her shoulders to keep her still. "They'll love you."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay," she said, smiling a bit. "I'm going to go to bed. I have a conference call to make in the morning."

"Don't you ever stop working?"

"Of course not," she said before kissing him. "Good night."

"Night," he said, retreating back to his piano.

He looked at the blank sheet that was supposed to be filled with his next creation, but it was just empty lines. Sighing, he covered the piano keys and rested his head against the cool wood. Jesse's mind began to wander to a certain brunette he just couldn't get out of his mind, no matter how hard he tried. However, he knew this brunette was not the blonde that was currently sleeping in the bed they share together and he had to stop thinking of her since she was long gone. Which was a lot harder to do than it should have been.

Jesse's phone started to ring, breaking him from his thoughts.

"Hello?"

"Just calling to make sure you'll be there tomorrow," Chloe, his younger sister, said.

"Of course I'll be there. I'm bringing my girlfriend."

"Good, it's about time you brought her to meet the family. It's been what, a year?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "A year."

"You sound happy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing at all, Chloe, just tired. I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

"Okay, try not to look as miserable as you sound. Christmas is a happy time, big bro."

"Night, Chloe," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Mother, your favorite son is home," Bumper announced as he walked into his childhood home with his wife, Amy.

"Bumper, darling," Diane Swanson said, hugging her youngest son. "It's good to see you. Good to see the both of you."

"How are you, Diane?" Amy said, hugging her mother-in-law.

"Good, I'm doing good," she smiled. "You two are the first ones here."

"Figures," Bumper said as he helped Amy unload the groceries they bought. "Chloe has the brat to get ready, Stacie is just a mess herself, and Jesse has that girlfriend of his."

"Is Hat coming?" Amy asked.

"He's another mess too. Not all put together like me," Bumper said with conviction.

"Right, put together," Amy scoffed. "That's why you started a giant food fight in Chipotle a week ago with a group of teenagers."

"They were asking for it."

"I got hit with flying Mexican food."

"Shit happens," he shrugged.

"Has anyone met Jesse's girlfriend?" Diane asked.

"Stacie has," Bumper said with a smirk. "That's a story she'll have to tell you herself, though."

"Oh, it's a good one," Amy nodded.

"I don't think we'll have to wait much longer for the story," Diane said as she saw her husband go to the door. "I think Stacie's here."

"Mom! Dad! I need help," Stacie said as she pulled her luggage and bags of laundry through the front door.

"Hi sweetheart," Gary Swanson said as he took Stacie's stuff. "How's my little girl?"

"Tired," she said. "Who else is here?"

"I think Bumper and Amy. Chloe is on her way with Sophie, she just called."

"No Tom?"

"He's coming on Christmas, Chloe said he had to work," Gary said and Stacie nodded. "I haven't heard from Jesse or Hat yet, though."

"Oh, I know Jesse's coming," she smirked as she left her stuff by the doorway and walked into the kitchen.

"Finally," Diane said, hugging her daughter. "Tell us about Jesse's girlfriend."

"She's a stuck up bitch," Stacie said and Diane gasped. "I don't know what he sees in her, I don't even think it's for the sex because I think the only position this girl knows is missionary."

"Stacie," Diane scolded, but really didn't mean it.

"It's true, Mom," she rolled her eyes. "I met up with them in the city two months ago for lunch. We went to this high-end café filled with stuck-up, pretentious assholes. And she didn't stop talking, at all."

"Talking about what?"

"Herself. She's a lawyer at some big firm, I don't really know. She has this problem though when she gets extremely stressed out."

"This is the best part," Amy said with a smirk.

"She projectile vomits, Mom. It's disgusting. I've seen a video, she did it on national television."

"No way," Diane said, covering her face in shock. "She does not."

"I have the video favorited, want to see?" Stacie said, going to pull out her iPad, but Diane shook her head no. "She was in an acapella group back in college and she blew chunks all over when she started her solo. It was during the ICCAs. It's like some Exorcist shit, Mom."

"Please, Stace, no sex talk this Christmas," Chloe said as she walked into the kitchen, hearing the end of what Stacie was saying. "Sophie's still asking me if a blumpkin is a special type of pumpkin."

"Whoops," Stacie said, blushing a bit. "Sorry about that, I thought she was sleeping. Where is she anyway?"

"Spending quality time with Grandpa," she smiled. "I talked to Jesse last night, he's bringing his girlfriend. What's her name again?"

"Aubrey," Stacie said. "Let me tell you, she's not at all what I expected Jesse to date."

"I know," Chloe said. "Every time I talk to him, he doesn't sound too happy."

"I don't like this at all," Diane said, shaking her head. "Let's hope she's a lot better than Stacie's version of her, for Jesse's sake."

"Why do you always look so cute pregnant," Stacie said as she rubbed Chloe's bump. "You're like the cutest pregnant woman I've ever seen."

"Yeah, well I feel like I'm about to pop at any minute and I'm only seven months," she said. "But thank you."

"Mom! The prodigal son has returned," Hat said as he walked into the house.

"I'm so glad you're here," she said, giving him a hug. "Do not even think of smoking pot in the house, Hat."

"What makes you think I would do that?"

"Because I know my own son."

"Very good, Mama," he said, hugging her again. "Anyone know why Jesse is just sitting in his car with some blonde who looks like she's about to throw up?"

"If that happens, we'll want to stand as far back as possible," Stacie said slyly to Bumper and Amy, who just snickered while Chloe shot her a look. "What? Don't give me that mom look."

"Behave," Chloe warned. She looked out the window and saw that Jesse was getting out of the car. "Look, he's coming."

Jesse sighed as he got out of the car, catching a glimpse of the curtain moving from his parent's house. He could tell how nervous Aubrey was just by how she was trying to control herself and calm down.

"Aubrey, come on," Jesse said, opening the door for her. "Let's go in."

"Do we have to?"

"Well, knowing my family, they're all watching us from the window right now. Which means my dad will be coming out the front door," he said and glanced over at the front door, where his dad was standing. "See?"

"Oh boy," she said, trying to calm herself down. "Okay, I can do this."

"My family isn't going to eat you," he said as he helped her out of the car.

"I just want them to like me, that's all."

"They will, don't worry," he said. "Hi Dad."

"Jesse, it's good to see you," Gary said, hugging Jesse. "Who's this?"

"This is Aubrey Posen, my girlfriend. Aubrey, this is Gary, my father."

"Pleasure to meet you, sir," Aubrey said, shaking his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you too," Gary said, shooting his son a questioning look. "Come in, it's cold out."

"Aubrey, this is my mom, Diane. My sister, Chloe, and her daughter, Sophie. My brother Hat, my other brother Bumper and his wife, Amy. And you remember Stacie," Jesse said, introducing everyone since they were standing in the doorway.

"Thank you for having me," Aubrey said. "You have a lovely home."

"Why thank you," Diane said.

"Better keep the mops and buckets on hand this Christmas," Stacie muttered as she walked past Aubrey. "Never know what's going to come up."

"Stacie," Jesse said.

"Hi big brother," she smiled.

"Just because you're the baby doesn't mean you can still get away with shit," he said, pulling her over and putting her in a headlock. "You're 23 years old."

"But I'm still the baby," she said as she struggled to get out of his grip. "Get off, pain in the ass."

"I'll bring both of your bags up to your old room, Jesse," Gary said, picking up the suitcases. Aubrey nudged Jesse in the side.

"Uh, Dad, actually," he said awkwardly, knowing how his family would react to this. "Aubrey's kind of uncomfortable with sharing a room while we're here. Is there anywhere else open?"

"I'm sorry, what?" Diane said with a laugh. "You're telling me you two don't sleep together? You live together, don't you?"

"Mom," Jesse said, blushing slightly. "We do, she's just uncomfortable with it here, that's all."

"I guess we could find space," Diane said. "We'll just have to put you in Stacie's room."

"Wait, what?" Stacie said as she followed Diane upstairs. "What did you just say?"

"Chloe's pregnant, god only knows what is in Hat's room," Diane said.

"Put Jesse on the couch, not me!"

"Don't worry, darling," Diane said as she kissed Stacie's forehead. "Now I've given you a real reason to bitch and complain this whole holiday. That or go get a room at the Inn like Bumper did. I'm sure Daddy will pay for it."

"Thanks, Mom," she grumbled before walking away, shoving past Aubrey angrily.

"I hope I'm not putting anyone out," Aubrey said as she placed her suitcase on Stacie's bed.

"Stacie now has a real reason to not like you," Jesse joked until he saw the look on Aubrey's face. "And if you do that, she'll kill you. So please, don't."

"Oh my God, Stacie wasn't kidding," Diane whispered as she watched Aubrey.

"What?" Jesse asked.

"Nothing, dear," Diane said before walking out.

"They hate me, don't they," Aubrey said as she sat down.

"No, I don't think so," Jesse said as he sat down next to her. "Just don't be so tense. You're freaking out for no reason."

"I just want them to like me, Jesse. I told you. It means a lot to me," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know it does," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Don't worry."

"So, how did you and Jesse meet?"

"At work," Aubrey said and smiled at Jesse. "One of his co-workers was getting a divorce, and I was his attorney."

"Nice, making money off of people's misery," Hat said in an approving tone.

"Uh, yeah," Aubrey said, clearing her throat. "Anyway, I was dropping off some paperwork and I ran into Jesse and spilled his coffee all over the two of us."

"I'm sure that was the first of many substances Jesse was covered in," Stacie said to Amy, who started laughing.

"Stacie," Jesse warned. "Yeah, so I gave her my jacket and she asked for my number so she could return it."

"How cute," Chloe said, but not really meaning it. She picked up the empty pizza boxes and brought them into the kitchen. "I'll be going to sleep, the baby isn't being agreeable tonight."

"You need any help?" Jesse said, getting up to help Chloe.

"Uh, yeah," she nodded. "Why don't you all play charades or something?"

"Yeah," Stacie nodded enthusiastically. "I'll make up the clues."

"Come on, Jess. Help me upstairs," Chloe said in a tone that Jesse took as she wanted to talk to him. He followed his sister up to her bedroom and helped her on to the bed.

"What's up, Chlo?"

"Whatever happened to that other girl, Jesse?"

"What other girl?"

"You know who I'm talking about, don't play stupid."

"Alright, Mom," he said, rolling his eyes. "I haven't heard from her since we parted ways. Maybe three years now?"

"You sounded happy with her."

"I'm happy now, Chloe."

"Alright, let me rephrase that then. You sounded happier with her."

"It's long over," Jesse said in frustration. "It's been over, I've moved on and I'm sure she has too."

"Jess, I just don't want you doing anything for the wrong reasons. Okay? You're my big brother, I want you to be happy."

"I know," he nodded. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine."

"Okay," she nodded, but wasn't convinced. "You going back downstairs?"

"I'm tired from the drive, I'm going to get to bed."

"You think it's safe to leave Aubrey down there with Stacie, Bumper, Amy and Hat?"

"Total immersion into the Swanson family," he shrugged. "Night, Chloe."

"Well, I guess Jesse's not coming back down," Stacie said after a few minutes of waiting. "Let's start, shall we?"

"Let Aubrey go first," Hat said. "She is the guest, after all."

"I've got the perfect one," Stacie said with a smirk.

"Okay," Aubrey said nervously as she took the paper and looked at it. The paper said 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding.'

"A movie," Hat guessed when Aubrey motioned toward the giant DVD collection the family had acquired over the years. She nodded and held up five fingers. "Five words."

"Fifth word," Bumper said and Aubrey acted out what she hoped was a bride. "Uh, funeral?"

"Death at a Funeral?" Fat Amy guessed.

"No, that's four words," Stacie said.

"Bride?"

"Wedding!" Hat yelled out and Aubrey nodded. "I'm good at this."

"Third word," Stacie said, following Aubrey's gestures. "Oh my God."

"What?" Bumper said. He looked at Aubrey and saw she was pointing in some direction. "I don't get it?"

"You're totally pointing at Amy. I can't believe you, that's so rude," Stacie said, trying to hide her smirk.

"I'm a clue?" Amy said. "Gorgeous? Drop Dead Gorgeous? Australia? Kangaroo Jack!"

"I wasn't pointing at her," Aubrey said, feeling herself start to stress out. "Excuse me."

"Make sure you make it in the toilet," Stacie called out after her as she laughed.

"I still don't get it," Bumper said as he took the paper from Stacie. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Oh."

"Stacie, stop being a bitch," Hat said, throwing a pillow at his baby sister. "She totally wasn't pointing at Amy."

"I introduced myself as Fat Amy when we first met, like I would care if she used me as the clue," Amy said. "You're a brat, Stacie."

"I try," she shrugged. "That's what baby sisters are for."

Aubrey ran up to Stacie's bedroom and sat down on the bed, trying to control her breathing and her incredible urge to vomit everywhere. She reached for her phone and called the one person she was hoping could help her.

"Dude, do you realize what time it is?"

"They hate me. I need you here for emotional support."

"You're asking the wrong person for that, sister dearest."

"Please, I'll do anything."

"Well, I really don't want to spend Christmas with Shelia. No offense, but your mother is intolerable around the holidays. I'll come upstate by you. I'll be there tomorrow morning."

"I owe you. You're the best. I can't do this by myself."

"Text me the address. I'll see you tomorrow, I'm going back to sleep."

"Night."

So, here's the new story. If anyone has seen The Family Stone, that's what it's mainly based on. There's another movie as well, so if anyone guesses I'll give a preview of the little I have written of the next chapter.

I don't have a lot of this written yet, and it might be a short story. Hopefully you all like it.

Oh, and anyone have any opinions on the potentially dating Skylar Astin & Anna Camp? I actually think it's adorable, but now I'm not so sure if they're dating since they were in some play together. I kinda hope they are though, I think they're really cute together lol.

Anyway, let me know what you thought of the first chapter. Hate it? Love it? Don't really care about it? Anything lol. Thanks everyone :)