Breathe in, breathe out. Count to ten, LeBeau. Shit is getting shittier by the minute but your wife is so lovely. Besides, she's so happy right now. She loves the season, and the fact that everybody came. And when I say everybody, I meant it. Every fucking body came. Tout le fucking monde!
Why is it so hard to have a quiet small family Christmas?
If you'd ask me, I'd be more than content to cook dinner for my wife and children, listen to them singing some carols, watch them open their presents with relish. And, last but not least, put the kids to bed and make love to my beautiful wife all night long. Oh, that reminded me of last year…
"Come here, Santa baby." Her sweet southern drawl rang in my ear. Never in a million years had I thought a Santa costume could be that useful, pleased the kids and then later, the wife. "I've been a bad, bad girl this year. Can I still get my present?" Those lips of hers roamed all of my body and I...
"Mama!" My Anna cried out, waking me up from last year's flashback memory. "You came!"
I should be happy, right? After our passionate moments in our room just minutes earlier, I should be relaxed, but my eyes found no other than my mother-in-law of sorts, adopted, foster, whatever, mother-in-law. I can tell you, man, that's worst kind of mother-in-law available on the market.
"What the hell is Mystique doing here?" I ask Anna when I realize she is not surprised to see her foster parent.
"What was I supposed to do? Irene's death is still so recent, she asked me if she could come, and I couldn't find it in me to say no, sugar." She replied, whispering in my ear.
I could have pushed it further, and asked her why she didn't bother to tell me my beloved mother-in-law was coming for dinner, but decided against it. Oh, if she'd told me, then I could've got prepared, and drunk much more whiskey while I was cooking. My favorite social lubricant would have helped, but tough luck of mine, no, she didn't tell me.
I took one good look into those adorable green eyes of hers and, oblivious to my dissatisfaction, she smiled at me so sweetly. And there goes all my resolution to complain about Mystique's presence. I'm an idiot, I know. Stupid fool! Besides, my wife had given me such a good time upstairs, I was so drunk in love and lust for her that I let it slide.
"Good evening, LeBeau. Busy knocking my daughter up yet again? She can't possibly pop out any more of your children, can she? She's lucky none of them look too much like you though, huh?"
"It's nice to see you too, Raven." I replied, glaring at her. "Chére, let's serve dinner, shall we? I'll get everything in nice dishes and the youngins can help carry the dishes to the table." I try to make my exit. Just then, that fucking bastard and my little princess showed up. The boy was clearly timid and unsettled, and Juliette, she's got some nerve this daughter of mine, was looking as cool as a cucumber. She passed me by and winked at me. Seriously! She fucking winked at me! The Summers boy didn't even look me in the eye.
Raven loved him, of course. And she wouldn't miss the chance of making a big show of it, just to fuck with me.
"My dear Juliette!" She exclaimed. "Come here you and your handsome boyfriend." In a second they were both being squashed into a big embrace. Both Emma and I watched the scene cautiously.
"When will you guys give me a great-grandchild? Your children will be the prettiest the world has ever seen!" Alex blushed, looking like a tomato, while Juliette smiled broadly. This is worse than I thought if she's dreaming of babies already. Someone shoot me now! I still vividly remember the nights when we were making this human being back in Antarctica.
"They will, nana." She said, her heart filled with joy. She loves the boy. I sighed despite myself. Who doesn't love to see their kid happy? My heart softened a bit, but not enough to be blinded by love.
"Mais la, not so soon, huh? You're a baby yourself." Raven shook her head in reprimand and gave me the side eye. "Jules, I want to talk to you. Can you follow me to the kitchen, s'il vous plait?" I complete.
"Non, not now! You have your whole life to have a heart to heart with your daughter. Enough of this nonsense, son. I'm hungry!" My father exclaimed. Juliette told her grandpa she had all under control and confidently assured him it would only be a minute. It surprised me that she didn't take the chance to escape our talk. She's got balls, more than her boyfriend will ever have.
"You two, outside! I'm gonna go to the kitchen with Alex, and we'll get all the food on the table. By the time we're done with that, I want you two back here so we get dinner started, you hear me?" My chére dictated how we were going to roll.
"Yes, mom." Juliette nodded.
"Oui, chére." I followed suit.
We walked out of the house together. As soon as Juliette was out of the door, her whole body language changed. Her sweet demeanor vanished, she crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at me. I opened my mouth to speak but she cut me short.
"I'm sorry, okay, dad? I'm sorry if me loving my boyfriend offends you this much."
"What? I wasn't going to say that, I was…"
"So what were you going to say? Why else would you be so mad at Alex and me, dad? My boyfriend hears your thoughts when you're this angry, even if he doesn't want to."
"And he's told you what he's heard, the little jerk?" I asked her and she rolled her eyes at me. If I weren't her father, I'm sure she'd have flipped me the bird. "I'm not mad at you." I added softly, trying to make amends. Man, the women in this family! They got me wrapped around their fingers.
"So, you're mad at him, right? Do you seriously think he put me to it? Really, dad?" Her indignation was obvious.
"I know! I know it could only have been your idea. But he could have said no."
"Oh, dad!" She spoke exasperatedly, ran a hand through her hair as she took a deep breath, she composed herself before speaking again. "Listen, papa. I'm sorry, okay? It won't happen again. But, seriously, count me out of New Orleans, I just decided spending New Year's Eve here in New York with Alex and his parents is a much better idea." Her resentful words hurt me but I didn't let it show. I tried to say something, to apologize for being an ass. But how on Earth do you explain that you are irrationally jealous of your daughter? Not only that but you also want to protect her from pain at any cost.
"I love Alex, daddy. I love him and I want to be with him. All the time!"
Her resolution, her sheer love for the boy, the way she thought she knew what she wanted, it gave me the chills. Suddenly, I realize why I have this irrational fear that their relationship is doomed to disaster. She reminded me of Bella Donna stepping up and confronting her father for us to be together.
I wanted to scream some sense into her. Tell her how she was too young to get married, that getting married too young is a terrible idea. But she doesn't even know the boy wants to propose. Then it hit me. I'm afraid for Juliette because of my own experience of young love, marrying my childhood sweetheart was one of my poorest decisions in life, but Jules and Alex, they are not Remy and Bella Donna. They are different people, they have been brought up very differently from me and Belle. But I just can't ignore the feeling. Fear, I fear they will end up like we did.
My beautiful daughter stares at me expectantly with those eyes of hers, eyes exactly like mine. My empathy kicks in and I feel her. She's conflicted, and I know why. She loves her boy dearly but she also loves me. She's feeling anxious, she doesn't want me to get upset at her. She wants my approval, just like to this day, I still care about my father's opinion of me. 'Just say something, LeBeau.' I command myself.
"I love you, daughter. And, I understand your motives, Jules. I still think you should have reigned in your... your passion. It's just… there's a time and a place for everything."
"Says the man who keeps banging my mom all times of the day, in the most inappropriate places, without a locked door, for crying out loud!"
"You still haven't let it go, have you?" Two years ago, just before she started hooking up with Scott's son, Juliette caught us having sex in my office. Anna was heavily pregnant with Oli. We weren't fully naked, but it can't have been a good experience, I have to give her that.
"I'll send you the bill of the shrink I've been seeing about that!" She joked, a cheeky grin spread across her face.
"Whatever you ask, you shall have, my dear daughter." I reply honestly. She chuckles. I wasn't joking, though.
"So, if that's an honest promise, please, just let Alex out of the hook, will you? It's not even much I'm asking for. Deep inside you know he's a great guy."
Before I could say anything in reply, Anna shows up at the door and asks, correction, orders us inside. Juliette told her mom we were done with our talk. Before stepping inside the house, she turned around and looked at me over her shoulder.
"Dad?"
"Yes, Juliette."
"You know I love you, don't you, daddy?" She said, it may be my impression, but her eyes were shining brightly.
"I do. And I love you too. I will shed my life for you, if I have to." I replied frankly. She halted and turned around to face me. Our identical eyes were firmly locked.
"That's why it matters to me so much that you approve of Alex, that you treat him nicely. I can't stand all this bickering of yours." Before I had the chance to say something, she turned and entered the living room, joining all the others. I glanced at Alex whose eyes lit up when he saw my daughter. They smiled at each other, there was a sparkle. The same kind of sparkle I see in my wife's eyes. Juliette took a seat next to him and kissed his cheek tenderly while he took her hands in his and brushed his thumbs over them softly. I nodded at him curtly and he did the same.
Then my mother-in-law said something to annoy me, and it was all business as usual again. I just ignored her and moved past everybody, taking the seat my wife saved for me at the head of the table. She kissed my lips briefly and all of a sudden, life was good. It was great, indeed.
-O-
Holy Guacamole! When we joined Jules' family, knowing damn well that Mr. LeBeau wanted to exterminate me, none other than her grandmother slash kidnapper was anxiously waiting for us. She hugged us tight and all the while I was thinking "awkwaaaard'. This woman tried to stop me saving my damsel in distress all those years ago, saving Juliette from her only biological grandparent, by the way. Hell, Juliette totally wins the prize for the strangest family ever. My mom in lingerie and my father who never takes off his glasses are no match for the LeBeaus.
And the terrorist, correction, I meant, Jules' grannie, who looks anything but that, kept treating us like little cute puppies, squeezing us into a tight embrace. I was wondering what I did to deserve such a fate, when my mom says in my head: 'You fucked Jules right under her father's nose on Christmas' Eve!'
'MOM! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!'
'At least it was worth it, huh? Juliette sure had a lot of fun! Well done, son!'
'MOM!'
'You can't even keep a straight face so we can talk psychically! You have to go and look straight into my face… and glare at me. Even your father notices we are talking.' She rolled her eyes at me. Suddenly, I heard Jule's grandma say something about Jules and I making babies and I snapped, shut my mother out and was in full alert mode again.
Mr. LeBeau and his mother-in-law bickered a little longer while I laughed inside my head about it. Serves him right! Then, off he was, out of the house, taking my love with him. He wanted to talk to her. He'd probably decided to let me live another day.
'Alex, you were actually laughing out loud, you know that, don't you?' My mom says in my mind. 'Wipe that smirk off your face and follow me into the kitchen. I've got something for you.' I chuckle regardless and see my father shaking his head at my behavior.
I obeyed my mother and followed her into the kitchen. She was carrying a shopping bag, laid it on the breakfast bar took off the jacket I was wearing, lay it aside, got the ring in the pocket and put it inside the inside pocket of a jacket she took out of the bag. Wordlessly, she slid a suit jacket up my arms and I let her like the good obedient child I am.
"What's this, mom?"
"It's an Armani. You should look like a million dollars, no less, to propose to my dearest Juliette." Her eyes were actually shining with tears about to fall. She took a step back and stared at me. Resting her chin in her hand, she looked at me as an artist analyzing his most recent work of art. Just then, Auntie Anna dropped by, her and all the other LeBeaus, carrying dishes to the dining room. She stopped in her tracks when she saw my mom staring at me.
"Looking handsome, sweetie. I hear it's a special occasion." She glanced over at my mom who winked at her. Then they start talking about me as if I were not there. 'How they're so grown! Isn't he the most handsome young man you've ever seen? I hope they have kids soon enough. Thanks to me Jules will have an excellent lover in her bed.' I cleared my throat, they got the clue and finally turned their attention to me.
"Right." Auntie Anna said, on her tiptoes, she reached out for my hair and started rearranging some way she thought it best. "The jacket looks crisp, honey, but I don't think it goes with this Star Wars tee. Haven't you brought him a shirt, Emma?" She asked.
"Nope, I never knew he'd be dressed in what looks like his pyjamas. If mama is not around… I hope Juliette can fix his lack of fashion sense. I'll tell her, tell her to deny him sex if he doesn't do away with all these kid's tees of his." She paused, still throwing that scrutinizing look at me. "But, see, if we button it up, we can hide C-3PO."
"That's perfect, sugar. Now I gotta go and get them back inside. We're starving the guests to death." Auntie Anna said, leaving us behind.
My mom and I locked eyes. She knew perfectly well how nervous I was, she reassured me, told me how it was all going to be alright. We heard the front door, Juliette and her father were back in the house, so we all made our way back to the table. There was no running away, the dinner would start in a minute. I had a 'should I stay or should I go' brief moment, then off I went.
I don't care what anyone says, that girl is the love of my life. I knew what I wanted and all I wanted was her, forever. That girl, that girl was gonna wear my ring.