The next morning, Jaiden woke to the smell of turkey cooking, an empty bed, and a headache. Mouth dry and tasting faintly of stale beer, she trudged into the bathroom and brushed her teeth tiredly. Her eyes were bloodshot and she couldn't help but notice how haggard her features appeared even after she washed her face. The growing aroma in the apartment left a strange knot in her stomach and a feeling of sickening nostalgia floating through her mind. How the holidays had changed since she and Beca were kids.
After a minute of hesitation, Jaiden made herself walk down the hallway and enter the kitchen. She headed straight to the coffee machine amidst the blur of chaos that was her sister's wife.
"Good morning!" the redhead called as she sprinted between the stove and whirring mixer on the opposite countertop.
"Hey," Jaiden grabbed a mug out of the cabinet above her and programmed the Keurig, "where is everyone?"
"I sent Beca and Em to the store to pick up some last minute stuff. They should be back in like 15 minutes."
"I can't believe you forgot something," Jaiden pulled her hair back into a ponytail as the coffee brewed and grabbed an apple out of the fruit bowl. "Did Em seem cool?"
"What do you mean?" Chloe asked distractedly. "What did you do?"
"Last night got…tense," Jaiden muttered—a little ashamed that Chloe immediately figured out that she had messed up.
"Are you going to elaborate?"
"I don't really know what happened. We got drunk—"
"—typical," Chloe snorted.
"Listen, I got freaked out last night. She's been really, like, different since she got back and I asked her what was going on and," Jaiden's voice broke off for a moment and she took a drink of coffee to cover the emotion in her tone, "she sounded like she was having doubts about us. Because of what that place did to her."
"Of course she's acting different. Do you know how bad those places are?"
"Only from what she told me after I got upset."
"Well, I know from experience."
"What?" Jaiden hopped onto the counter, mug in hand, and stared at Chloe's back, which was turned towards her. "You were…why didn't you say anything?"
"Because it was a horrible experience and you didn't need to hear about that while Emily was there."
"Does Beca know?"
"Nope."
"Why wouldn't you tell her?" Jaiden frowned.
"She didn't need to hear it either," said Chloe. "It wouldn't have helped anyone at the time."
"What happened?"
"I checked myself in before I started my freshman year. I only lasted a week and a half before I withdrew myself. It was awful. They really get into your head."
"Did it make you, you know, doubt whether or not you liked girls?"
"No," Chloe shook her head and turned away from the counter. Thermometer in hand, she opened the oven beside Jaiden and jabbed the piece of metal into the large turkey inside. "It made me realize it might be hard sometimes and that some people would hate me for it."
"Well, what can I do for her? To help her forget it?"
"She won't," Chloe closed the oven and put the thermometer aside, "but that's alright. Just give her some time to realize that it's safe to love you." Jaiden was about to voice her doubts when the sound of the front door opening interrupted their conversation. The 18 year old slid down off of the counter and sipped at her coffee; anxious to see Emily and gauge her attitude towards her. Beca entered the kitchen first, arms full of groceries, and set them down on the crowded countertop. Emily followed close behind, also carrying bags, and shot a quick glance towards Jaiden. The older couple quickly got distracted by each other and the apparently endless amount of tasks scheduled for the day, so Jaiden moved to Emily's side and squeezed her hand tentatively.
"Can we talk?" she tugged Emily out of the kitchen and into the adjacent hallway.
"We don't have to, it's fine."
"Yes, but I want to. Please?"
The younger of the two reluctantly followed her into their shared bedroom and Jaiden closed the door behind them both.
"I love you," Jaiden took both of Emily's hands in her own after setting her coffee on her dresser. "I'm sorry I panicked last night. I know that's not what you need from me right now, but you have to tell me what I can do. I feel a little helpless here."
"You can let me process this in my own way," Jaiden averted her gaze, ashamed at her actions, and let her grasp loosen on Emily's hands.
"Okay."
"Which is what I was trying—" Emily pressed against her and began to back both of them towards Jaiden's bed, "—to do last night."
"Oh," Jaiden's eyes widened in realization and she felt the back of her knees hit the mattress.
"Yeah, oh," Emily mocked her with a playful smirk and tilted her head to the side. "So, do you want to give me what I need or not?"
Jaiden sat down on the edge of the bed and took Emily's hips in her hands.
"Of course I do," Jaiden began to pull the younger girl's shirt up and pressed her lips to Emily's skin. Warmth spread across her own flesh as she realized the sincerity behind Emily's advances over the past few days. It hadn't been forced. She genuinely wanted her.
—
"Happy Thanksgiving!" Aubrey shoved the pie she had made the night before into Beca's hands and breezed right into the apartment to find her best friend.
"Gee, thanks Posen," Beca followed the blonde down the hallway with an eye-roll and watched her wife light up at the sight of the older woman. She had never thought that she would have such a soft spot for Aubrey when they first met, but now she found herself fond of her.
"Where are your kids?" Chloe laughed at the question and wiped away a streak of flour on her forehead.
"They're in Jaiden's room, doing God knows what," answered Beca.
"They missed each other a lot."
"I don't like to think about it," the brunette shot her wife a grossed out look and shuddered.
"No trouble from her parents?" Aubrey pulled her hair back and took over stirring a boiling pot on the stove. Beca grimaced and shrugged.
"Well, they came here and got arrested last night, so I guess you could see there was a little trouble."
"Also Jaiden punched through their window," added Chloe.
"Well, I see that the Mitchell temper is hereditary," Aubrey said. Beca scoffed and sat herself down at the counter to watch the two cook together.
"Yep, so watch out."
"No threats on Thanksgiving, please," Chloe warned her.
"Sorry babe. Is it to early to start drinking wine?"
"It's 11:30 a.m., babe."
"Great. I'll grab some merlot," the small woman jumped up and ran to their wine cabinet across the kitchen.
"And so the holidays begin," Aubrey noted.
"Aubrey, hey," Jaiden's presence in the kitchen hadn't been noticed until she spoke, and the older trio jumped in surprise.
"Happy Thanksgiving!" the blonde smiled brightly and nodded at Emily when she appeared behind Jaiden in the doorway.
"Yeah, you too," Jaiden replied in a less than enthusiastic tone.
"Do you guys need any help?" Emily brushed past her girlfriend and allowed Chloe to direct her towards an incomplete task in the kitchen.
"Thanks," Jaiden nodded at her sister as the older girl came to her rescue with a glass of wine.
"Today is going to be good," Beca told her earnestly. "I promise." Their glasses clinked together and the siblings retreated to their living room and gave their lovers the kitchen.
hey folks don't forget to review or give feedback or even pm me because your validation and praise gives me a reason to live lmao
