Sophie nudged her girlfriend gently. "Sian." … Nothing. "Sian." she nudged a little harder this time but the blonde continued to sleep soundly. "Babe! Wake up!"
Sian let out a groan as she rolled over a little to face the brunette. "You know Soph, when someone doesn't answer the first time, it's usually a sign they don't want to speak to you." she grumbled, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"But Sian it's Christmas!" exclaimed Sophie, clapping her hands together in excitement. Even in her sleepy state, Sian couldn't help but smile at the cuteness of her girlfriend. That was until she rolled over and looked at the clock.
"Soph! It's six o clock in the morning!" she moaned, flopping her head back down in to the pillow before it shot back up again as someone burst in to the bedroom.
"Merry Christmas girlies!" shouted Rosie, bounding towards the bed and throwing herself on to the end of it, a smile on her face that challenged the size of Sophie's.
Sian tried to ignore the sisters, pulling the pillow over her head and shutting her eyes tightly in the hope she could go back to sleep but was interrupted by Rosie smacking her in the leg. "For fuck sake! It's early!" she shouted, sitting up angrily.
"God Sian, don't be such a scrooge." sniggered Rosie, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah babe, it's Christmas, it only happens once a year. And if you're going to have a Webster Christmas, you're going to have to live with getting up at six in the morning." stated Sophie matter of factly, poking the blonde in the ribs playfully.
"If someone doesn't get me a coffee within the next five minutes you won't live to see the rest of Christmas." said Sian as she stretched her arms in the air, letting out a large yawn.
"We can't do that I'm afraid Sian." said Sophie, fidgeting with her hands uncomfortably.
"What? Why not?"
Sophie looked over at her sister, pleading for help with her eyes. Sian didn't fail to see that Sophie was looking a little red in the face.
"Ohhhh … Right!" piped up Rosie, finally getting what her sister was trying to say. "Yeah Sian, we can't go make you a coffee, cause then we'd have to go downstairs. And well, we can't go downstairs yet."
"What? I don't get it … Why can't you go downstairs?" asked Sian, a confused expression on her face as she looked between an embarrassed Sophie and her sister.
"Cause our parents have to go downstairs first, duh, it's Christmas!" said Rosie, looking at Sian like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Sian just raised her eyebrow, still not getting it.
"Our parents have to go downstairs first cause … cause they have to check if …" Sophie added a few words on the end but they were mumbled so quietly that Sian didn't catch them.
As if realising this, Rosie finished her sister's sentence. "Cause they have to check if Santa's been."
Sian frowned at the sisters, thinking this was some sort of joke she wasn't in on. She looked at Sophie, seeing the embarrassed look on her face and as she started to understand they were being serious the smile on her face started to grown considerably until a huge laugh escaped her. Sophie looked at her girlfriend, clearly unimpressed as she rolled around in laughter.
"Sian it's not funny!" she shouted, slapping her arm.
"Oh .. That's where you're wrong. It's SO funny!" Sian howled in between her laughter.
"Look we know that Santa isn't real or anything, we're not stupid." muttered Sophie.
"Yeah it's just we always did it as kids and we never really stopped. It's a Christmas tradition, and we like traditions don't we Soph." added Rosie, nudging her sister and smiling
Sian grinned at the brunette, putting her arm around her and giving her a small hug. "Babe, it's okay. I think it's dead cute." she said, placing a kiss on Sophie's cheek.
The girls chatted a few minutes more before someone cleared their throat in the door way. They all turned to see a smiling Sally and Kevin.
"Some things never change do they girls? One of you is going to be a mum herself next year and yet here you are, up at the crack of dawn waiting to go downstairs and see if Santa has been." chuckled Kevin as he looked at the sight before him.
"So does that mean we can go now?" asked Sophie, jumping up from the bed her excitement clearly visible. Sian's heart almost melted to a puddle on the ground at her girlfriend's behaviour, she really could be the cutest at times.
"Yes Sophie, we can go downstairs now." said Sally, shaking her head but unable to not smile at her daughter.
Rosie and Sophie let out a small squeal of excitement as Rosie stated she would go grab Jason and practically skipped out the room. Sian wrapped her arms around Sophie's waist, placing a few kisses along her shoulder before they walked out of the room, the full family meeting on the landing as Kevin stood at the top of the stairs. He slowly crept down as everyone waited at the top, Sian couldn't believe the ridiculousness of the situation but at the same time couldn't help but think it was brilliant that at their age, Sophie and Rosie still loved acting this way.
Kevin turned back to everyone, a huge smile on his face as he said "You must have been good this year! Santa's been!"
Suddenly, the landing became a stampede danger zone as Sophie and Rosie bounded down the stairs towards the living room to be greeted by two piles of presents, labelled with their names.
The next half an hour was filled with paper being torn, screams echoing around the living room, presents being handed around and hugs being exchanged. Sian sat on the arm of the sofa, watching the scene unfold before her, letting out the occasional chuckle at Sophie or Rosie as they would get a little too excited at a present they had received. Once all their presents had been torn open, everyone turned to look at Sian expectantly.
"Aren't you going to open yours love?" asked Sally, placing her hand on Sian's shoulder.
Sian looked between the Websters a look of bewilderment on her face as Kevin nodded towards the Christmas tree, a small pile of presents next to it labelled Sian. She blushed a little and a huge smile spread across her face as she turned back to Kevin and Sally, wrapping them both in a hug. "Thank you so much!" she said, feeling herself getting as emotional as she had last night.
"Hey, it's nothing to do with us who Santa leaves presents for." stated Kevin with a wink.
"Come on guys, let the girl open her presents before she cries again." sniggered Rosie as Sian blushed a little more before heading over to her pile of presents, tearing them open with the enthusiasm of the girls before her. She couldn't believe how lucky she was, to not only have the perfect girlfriend but also to be part of her perfect family, this could be the best Christmas ever.
….
The morning had been full of the usual Christmas activities, visits from relatives, the exchange of gifts and a few too many drinks for such an early time. Everyone was now gathered at the dining room table, crackers had been pulled and a paper hat was perched on everyone bar Rosie's head who had stated she looked 'ridiculous enough with her huge belly never mind sporting a stupid hat'.
"Sally this looks amazing!" stated Sian, looking around the dinner table eagerly.
"Well we go all out in this house!" chucked Kevin as everyone started to tuck in to their food.
Once the plates were empty and everyone sat back looking satisfied Sally couldn't help but laugh. "I think that's the longest this house has been quiet for since we've lived here."
"Do you want some help clearing up Sally?" asked Sian, getting up from the table and putting her plate on the counter with the rest.
"Oh no, don't be silly love, you just go sit down and get yourself a drink. Me and Kevin can handle this can't we?"
"We've had to every other bloody year." grumbled Kevin, getting up and grabbing himself a tea towel.
Sian sat herself down on the couch as Sophie lifted her arm, inviting her in for a cuddle and placed a light kiss on her hair line.
"This is the best Christmas ever." whispered Sian, snuggling a little further in to Sophie.
Before Sophie could reply there was a knock at the door and Rosie, excited at the prospect of more gifts, shouted up that she would get it and headed straight for the door.
"Err Sian?" mumbled Rosie, making her way back in to the room as Sophie and Sian turned to see what she wanted. Behind Rosie, an obviously drunk Vinnie was making his way in to the house.
"Well isn't this nice?" he mocked, as he stepped in to the living room, looking around at the scene in front of him. "A lovely family Christmas."
Sian jumped up from the couch, quickly followed by Sophie who placed her hand on the blonde's back. "Dad please don't make a scene, you don't need to come here and ruin everyone's day."
"Ruin everyone's day?" he shouted. "You ruined my life child. And who's paying for it? ME! I'm sat at home, by myself and you're here playing happy families."
"You're the one who deserves to pay for it!" shouted back Sophie as she stepped in front of Sian.
"Sophie stay out of it." protested Rosie seeing the anger in Vinnie's eyes as the full Webster family gathered around them.
"Yeah, don't you think you've done enough damage, turning my daughter in to a dyke?" spat Vinnie.
"DAD!" shouted Sian. "Don't speak to her like that!"
"You cutting her out of your life was the best thing you ever did for her!" yelled Sophie "Look at the state of you, almost too drunk to stand and bursting in to someone else's house making a scene and ruining their day."
"You shut your mouth, don't you dare speak to me." snarled Vinnie.
"No, you shut your mouth, this is my house and Sian is my girlfriend and she deserves better than you!"
Vinnie took a few steps forward, he was much taller than Sophie but she didn't back down, staring him right back in the eye. "I think you should leave now. Don't you think you've upset her enough?" suggested Sophie, glaring at Vinnie.
"You need to listen to your sister and pipe down." said Vinnie, pushing Sophie back a little.
"Dad make him stop." begged Rosie, panic in her eyes as Vinnie pushed Sophie again.
Kevin moved forward, putting a hand on Vinnie's shoulder and shoving him away from his daughter. "I think you wanna listen to Sophie and leave mate." he snarled. Vinnie had had enough and before anyone could stop him he threw a punch at Kevin, knocking him back slightly as Rosie let out a scream. The scream wasn't like anything anyone had expected though, it was a scream of pain causing everyone to stop and look at her.
"What's wrong babe?" asked Jason, running straight to her side, putting his arms around her comfortingly.
"I think it's the baby." cried Rosie, tears forming in her eyes as she clutched her stomach again. "It really hurts."
"What do you mean it really hurts?" asked Jason, panic written all over his face as Rosie let out another scream of agony.
"Call an ambulance!" shouted Sally at anyone who would listen, running over to Rosie.
"What's the matter with her Mum?" asked Sophie, no one paying any attention to Vinnie anymore who was now stood in the door way looking strangely pleased with herself.
"No time to wait for an ambulance, car will be quicker. Sophie, Sian, follow us in a taxi. And you?" Kevin started, turning back to Vinnie as he wiped the blood from his nose. "Get the hell out of my house." And with that, everyone started running towards the door