Notes: So the original Pitch Perfect movie came out in 2012, but I really wanted to use a song that came out in 2013, so this Christmas is sometime after 2013. I'm going to keep that vague, as there is another song in the next chapter that also came out in 2013.
Best Christmas Ever
Chapter 11
Family Decorating Fun!
The forty minute walk back to the house went completely unnoticed by Beca, despite the beauty of the forest or the chill in the air. She essentially moved on autopilot letting Chloe guide her by their joined hands. After the kiss on her cheek by Chloe, the world had just faded away until all Beca could think about was the kiss Chloe had just given her, and what it could mean.
It wasn't until she felt a gentle tug at her hand that Beca stopped. She looked up and around and realized they were again in the backyard of the Beale's residence. She briefly noticed Chad and Chase were dusting off the snow from the tree, while Charles was taking the axes and sled around to the garage.
"They're going to clean the tree up a bit before they take it inside," Chloe explained. "My Dad will take a few branches off near the bottom so it can go into the stand. My Mom and I always take the trimmed branches and weave them into Christmas wreaths, and mini trees for centerpieces." The redhead bit her lip, unsure what to make of Beca's silence. "Maybe you would like to do it with me and Mom…"
Chloe's words had pulled Beca's attention to her friend, and the moment she looked she was lost in the sparkling blue of Chloe's eyes and the touch of her soft lips. It left her dazed and confused, and unable to articulate any words; so she stood mute as she looked back towards the redhead next to her.
"Are you okay Becs? You were kinda quiet on the trek back." Chloe hesitantly asked; a bit worried what Beca's answer might be. She couldn't help wondering if she had been too forward too bold earlier when placing a spontaneous kiss to her best friend's cheek in such an intimate setting. She wondered if she should apologize. "Beca…"
"Umm-what?" Beca suddenly realized she must look like an idiot standing mutely. She quickly tried to remember what Chloe had just said to her. She locked in on Chloe asking if she was okay. "Oh-umm-yeah, no I'm good. Just uh, tired I guess. Really tired, you know…" Beca wanted to stop talking, but her nervousness just manifested itself in a rush of words just pouring out. "Yeah, like really early morning, long walk. Lots of exercise for an inherently lazy person like myself." She tried to cover her embarrassment by answering coyly with a grin. Beca desperately wanted to exude some semblance of confidence whilst suppressing her nerves.
It was more than that, Chloe could tell. She might have only known the introverted brunette for a few months, but she had learned enough to recognize when Beca is processing something. She decided it was better to let Beca have the space and time to do it. She smiled warmly at Beca as she took her other hand and said, "Well lucky for you the rest of the day is completely void of physical activities. Dad and my brothers are gonna clean up the tree and then set it up in its traditional place inside our family room. As soon as that's all set, Mom will take charge, and we'll decorate it. Then we'll just chill with hot chocolates as we listen to music, and create decorations with the branches for the rest of the day. You can take a nap or work on mixes if you want, too."
It sounded like an ideal day to Beca, and helped to settle her nerves. She smiled as she said, "Sounds like a very solid plan of action. Lead the way, m'lady." Beca gestured in a sweeping motion towards the sliding back door that led into the house.
Chloe just rolled her eyes and giggled before taking Beca by the hand again, and led her into the house. She took her directly to the mud room, so they could shed their heavy coats and boots.
"Hey, thanks again for lending me these boots," Beca said as she pulled one off. "They were a godsend when we went through the snow. My feet would have been soaked if I had been in my tennis shoes."
"Oh, no problem, Becs," Chloe replied nonchalantly. "I hate to have cold wet feet, so figured you would too."
Beca smirked, "Good call."
After changing out of their outdoor gear, Chloe and Beca rejoined the Beale clan in the family room. Charles had been joined by Charlie and they managed to get the tree situated in it's base, while Chad and Chase were carrying boxes of decorations up from the basement and over toward the fireplace for easier access. A minute behind them Catherine and Lizzy came in with trays lined with mugs of cocoa on the coffee table. They set them down next to a couple plates of Christmas cookies.
Everything about the room was so inviting for Beca. It had a nice Christmas smell, with the fresh cut tree, and what she thought might be gingerbread baking in the oven. And there were the sounds of the family moving about in well practiced ways, while music played, and fire crackled and popped in the fireplace. The energy of the room was infectious.
It was perfect.
"Here," Catherine said as she approached with two mugs on her tray, she presented them with the handles facing towards Beca and Chloe. "Hot chocolate, girls. Do you want one?"
Beca hesitated for a brief second, as she indicated Chloe should take one. The redhead shook her head, and said, "Guests first." Beca nodded her thanks, and then reached out towards the steaming mug.
"Thanks Mrs Beale…"
"Catherine, love," Chloe's mother reminds gently.
"Thanks… Catherine," Beca blushes slightly.
Warm, nice and warm . Everything and everyone here is nice and warm.
The mug is warm, she's warm now, which Beca appreciates. Being inside, Beca realized how cold she actually had been outside, but now she's inside and she's warm and comfortable, and it's more because of the morning's excursion.
Beca sipped the hot chocolate carefully and enjoyed every bit of the taste, it was maybe the best tasting hot chocolate she had ever had. She traded smiles with Chloe after taking her sip. Chloe's smile fills her with as much warmth as the hot chocolate, and suddenly, it's almost like Beca hadn't been hiking outside at all. She brings the mug to her lips again, tipping the cup back as she takes a drink. The sweet chocolatey taste hits her tongue. It's sweet and it's rich - the liquid a warmth blooming in her chest even as it settles in her belly.
It was delicious and comforting.
"So come in, you two," Catherine said as she guided her daughter and Beca to the couch. "Drink your hot chocolate, have a cookie, and feel free to help decorate."
"Try the gingerbread cookies, Becs," Chloe suggested as they both made themselves comfortable on the loveseat. "It's one of the best of my Mom's special holiday treats, and it's amazing! Trust me."
Taking one of the homemade gingerbread men, Beca almost felt bad eating such a beautifully decorated cookie. "Is your mother like a baker or something? I mean, these look better than you get at the store," Beca observed.
"Don't give her a big head," Chad said from the couch as he pulled out a tangle of Christmas lights. "Ow!" He then exclaimed as his mother smacked the back of his head.
"Don't listen to this misbegotten cretin, whom I'm sure was switched at birth," Catherine said. "Thank you Beca, it's very kind of you to say."
"We've been trying to convince Mom that she should open a little bakery in the old village in Wickford," Chloe told Beca. "Her cookies and treats would sell like hotcakes." Chloe beamed at her mother.
"But really, how well do hotcakes sell?" Chad chipped in again.
"Chad's just worried he would have to buy his fix of Mom's cookies," Chase interjected as he pulled out a stash of tinsel for the tree.
"It's a legitimate concern," Chad defended.
"OH MY GOD!" All talking ceased as Beca shouted. As the banter had been going back and forth around her, Beca had absently taken a bite of the gingerbread man. The taste was heavenly. She had never been that big a fan of gingerbread, but this was so soft and balanced in its flavor, she couldn't help her outburst. Realizing she had shouted, her pale skin matched the color of Chloe's hair. She slapped her hand over her mouth, even as she said, "I'm so sorry, but this cookie is just so delicious." She looked at Catherine. "You have to share these with the world."
"I told you," Chloe said, smiling proudly at her mother.
"We're going to need an addition to the house for her ego now," Chad joked good naturedly.
"Hush you," Catherine chided. "Why thank you Beca, you definitely are passing certain people in my list of favorites." She shot Chad another comically stern glare, before softening her gaze towards Beca. "You are more than welcome to enjoy more, and to give your honest opinion."
"Are you ready to help with decorating the tree?" Chloe asked, then realized it was a bit presumptuous of her. "I mean if you want to."
"Sure," Beca answered with a nod. "I would love to."
"You can put up anything you find on the tree," Chloe said with a bright smile that conveyed her feelings of relief.
"Those boxes over there the boys brought up are free reign; you don't even have to stick to decorating the tree, if you want to add decorations to the shelves or hang something from the ceiling," Catherine informed Beca with her best motherly smile.
"Basically Mom and Chloe want this place looking like it was assaulted by Santa Claus," Chase piped in.
"You young man have been spending too much time with your brother," Mother Beale scolded.
"He's not wrong," Chad interjected.
"Where did I go wrong with you two?" Catherine asked the ceiling. Again she focused on Beca. "Anyway, Lizzy brought some craft stuff so you and Chloe can make ornaments, too!"
"Come on Becs!" Chloe exclaimed as she headed to the line of boxes.
Following Chloe to one of the boxes of ornaments, the two start to help decorating. It's fun, actually, and not quite so overwhelming Beca had imagined back in her dorm room in Barden. Sure, there are more decorations in this family room than Beca has seen cumulatively in her life, but everything is carefully sorted and easy to find.
She goes through the ornament boxes and finds a few generic ball shaped ones that she likes, and brings them over to the tree. More of Beca's Christmas music mixes she created for Chloe are playing over the speakers. Laughter and conversation soon became a harmonious echo lingering in the air as the family all danced about to various Christmas inspired songs as they decorated the tree.
Later she opened a box filled with more special ornaments. Beca listened with genuine interest as Chloe told her some of the stories behind some of the more interesting ornaments from her childhood. Chloe even lets Beca hang up one that her grandmother had given her when she was five. Beca is pretty sure this is a really big deal, but she can see Chloe is trying not to act like it.
Chad and Chase wander over occasionally, and she shews them off when they start throwing tinsel bombs at Chloe. Colton is still sitting in a bouncer, staring open-mouthed at the silly antics of the adults in the room.
'Jingle Bell Rock' began to play over the speakers, and Chloe started to whistle along to the upbeat song as she picked another shining red bauble from the box on the coffee table. She looped the wire through the hook at the top, as she scanned the tree for the perfect branch to hang it off of. When she found just the right spot, she placed the ornament with a small, satisfied smile as whistling became singing.
" Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock ," Chloe started her singing softly in time to the upbeat Christmas song, but as it played through the speakers, her natural evanescence came through, and quickly she grew louder.
Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring
Snowin' and blowin' up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun.
Really getting into the song, Chloe shook her hips to the beat of the music and danced about, making sure to pull everyone in. She placed a small crystal looking ornament on one of the higher branches as she began the next verse. She caught Beca's eye and nodded to her petite friend.
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
Dancin' and prancin' in Jingle Bell Square
In the frosty air
She was singing with abandon, wiggling her hips as she danced around the family room, her sock covered feet sliding across the floorboards.
What a bright time, it's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go glidin' in a one-horse sleigh
Beca shook her head and made for the box of ornaments to get another, but even as she tried to escape, the still singing redhead caught her by her wrist. Chloe nodded to the younger woman, even as Beca shook her head, but the battle was already lost and they both knew it. With a roll of her eyes, Beca picked up the tune, perfectly harmonizing with her persistent friend.
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin' feet
That's the jingle bell rock
Of course the two women sounded so perfect together. It was easy to pull in the rest. Lizzy and Catherine jumped in to join in on the singing. It was very apparent why singing came so easy to Chloe, her mother had an amazing voice, and the same ability to be completely free with her singing.
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
Dancin' and prancin' in Jingle Bell Square
In the frosty air
Lizzy pulled Charlie in even as Charles was wrangled by Catherine. They all danced like no one was watching, without a care in the world. Beca found it both confounding and liberating.
What a bright time, it's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go glidin' in a one-horse sleigh
Soon even Chad and Chase were pulled into the song, though Chad's initial reluctance was more for show. He actually loved the opportunity to ham it up. The whole family was now singing and dancing about.
Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin' feet
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell rock
Colton watched over all the singers from his bouncer as he laughed and clapped along. Lizzy danced over and swept him up. She and Charlie danced with their son between them.
The next song came on, a mashup of Mariah Carey's classic ' All I Want For Christmas is You ' and Kelly Clarkson's ' Underneath the Tree '.
Only Chloe started singing at first, and like most things music Chloe did it with gusto.
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree
Though the room was crowded, and everyone was watching, Chloe naturally focused on Beca as she sang with natural feelings that the ' Alt-Girl ' just seemed to pull out of her.
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
With her right hand extended towards Beca, Chloe wiggled her fingers to invite Beca to take her hand and join the duet. Usually Beca would be hesitant to be the center of attention in front of people she had just met, but this is music and Chloe, and so she doesn't hesitate to take Chloe's hand as she begins to sing.
You're here where you should be
Snow is falling as the carolers sing
It just wasn't the same
Alone on Christmas day
Presents, what a beautiful sight
Don't mean a thing if you ain't holding me tight
You're all that I need
Underneath the tree
Since no one else knows how the lyrics have been arranged, only Chloe and Beca continue singing this mashup, but in truth it's obvious this is a duet.
Chloe came back in with more of Mariah Carey's lyrics.
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
Beca jumped in with the refrain (and I), while Chloe continued to dance along with the music as she sang more.
Don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking there upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy with a toy on Christmas Day
The redhead really got into the singing, really belting out the lyrics of her all time favorite Christmas song.
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
You
Beca knew the lyrics as she had spent a lot of time putting this song mashup together, she knew it would be a favorite of Chloe's, so she had no trouble jumping in. When she had been matching the two songs together, she couldn't help picturing Chloe singing along to them. Her imagination had looked a lot like this.
Tonight I'm gonna hold you close
Make sure that you know I was lost before you
Christmas was cold and gray
Another holiday alone to celebrate
But then one day everything changed
You're all I need
Underneath the tree
Said redhead knew the lyrics because she had replayed this particular mashup well over fifty times, and each time she had sung along with them, all the while picturing a particular petite alt-girl.
Oh, I won't ask for much this Christmas
I won't even wish for snow (and I)
I'm just gonna keep on waiting underneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send it to the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won't even stay awake to hear those magic reindeer click
'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do?
Oh, baby, all I want for Christmas is you
You, baby
Charles placed his arm around Catherine and guided her to the side, letting their daughter and ' friend ' continue the impromptu concert. Both husband and wife share a knowing look. Both could see plainly what was occurring between those two. Their natural chemistry was just plain to see.
You're here where you should be
Snow is falling as the carolers sing
Oh-oh, all the lights are shining so brightly everywhere (so brightly, baby)
The two started singing back and forth, trading lyrics. Their audience was memorized by the incredible performance they were witnessing. They always knew Chloe had an amazing voice, she had demonstrated it enough over the years; but singing with Beca took Chloe to a whole other level. Together the two were completely amazing.
It just wasn't the same
Alone on Christmas day
Presents, what a beautiful sight
And the sound of children's laughter fills the air (oh, oh, yeah)
And everyone is singing (oh, yeah)
Dancing around with her son, Lizzy pulled her husband back into dancing. Chad being the goofball he is, made a show of asking Chase to dance, and the two did an exaggerated dance around the room, which seemed to delight Colton even more.
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa, won't you bring me the one I really need? (Yeah, oh)
Won't you please bring my baby to me?
The young people continued dancing together and had a great time decorating, as Catherine and Charles smiled at the sight. Catherine took over a hundred pictures and videos so she could capture it all.
And then one day everything changed
All I want for Christmas is you, baby
You're all I need
All I want for Christmas (all I really want) is you, baby
Underneath the tree
The two women finished singing to the other. Again it was easy to forget they had an audience, so lost in the other's eyes, until the last note was sung, and the room exploded with cheers. Both Beca and Chloe were swept up by Chad and Chase respectively, and swung around, which caused simultaneous shrieks and laughter.
Beca was sure to give both her most severe
More merriment ensued as the decorating and singing continued.
-~Merry Pitchmas 2021~-
A little while after the impromptu duet, Chloe was feeling it in her throat. She was sure Beca noticed, but before the younger woman could inquire about it, she decided she wanted to try some eggnog. After announcing her intention to get some, Charlie and Chad both agreed they wanted to get some eggnog too, so the three siblings headed for the kitchen.
"Do you want some, Becs?" Chloe asked over her shoulder.
"Uh-yeah, that would be nice," Beca answered as she hung a red bulb ornament. She watched Chloe literally skip out of the room, and could only smile fondly.
Deciding that the tree was decorated enough, Beca stepped over towards the fireplace where Catherine was pulling several stockings out of a box to hang over the mantle.
"Do you need any help Mrs. Beale?" Beca hesitantly asked, still feeling really nervous around Chloe's parents.
"What have I told you Beca? It's Catherine, please. And I would love your help. Just grab those mantle hooks from the box there and we'll set those up first."
Beca pulls out a handful of heavy-ish gold stocking hooks which would hang over the edge of the fireplace mantle. Each was a different design: a reindeer, snowflake, snowman, etc. Both women went about setting the hooks up, evenly spacing them out along the long mantle.
"Wow, are these all gonna fit?" Beca asked out of curiosity, as she grabbed a couple of classic red stockings to hang up. She saw that each had the name of one of the Beale's stitched in silver.
"Don't you worry, dear. They'll fit just fine up there, though it may get a bit tight."
"These stockings look really old." Beca commented as she reached into the box, backtracking quickly when it dawned on her about how that might have sounded rude. "I'm so sorry! That's not what I… I mean no… I'm not saying old, like in used and out-of-date… Or like you should get new ones! Just like, they look like they're special and have been in the family for a while. Sorry."
Catherine laughed softly, finding the shy girl's frantic and unnecessary apology to be quite sweet. She held up her hand as she assured her, "I know what you mean dear. And yes, we've had all of these in the family since the kids were each born." Catherine ran her finger over the lettering on each stocking as it was hung up, relaying the story of acquiring each one.
"Charles and I got ours for the first Christmas together. They were simple red velvet and faux white fur and cheap, but I was able to add the trimming and embroider our names onto them," Catherine explained as she held up her husband's and her own red stockings.
"Wait, you put the names on them yourself ?" Beca asked, pointing to the ' Catherine ' written in fancy calligraphy on the red velvet stocking.
"Yes I did," Catherine answered fondly. She hung Charles's stocking on the far left of the mantle, and directed Beca to hang the one with 'Catherine' on the far right, so their stockings would be bookending the rest.
Pulling the next stocking out she smiled fondly as she pointed to the German Shepherd stitched into the velvet above the name. "When I made Charlie's, I had an idea to make it more personal. We had a dog named ' Pep ' then. He was a German Shepherd, and Charlie was always so fascinated by Pep; so I added a German Shepherd wearing a Santa hat to his stocking. Later, as we got to know Lizzy, it was soon apparent she was a cat person. She had a beautiful all white Siamese named ' Snow ', so I made one with a white cat wearing a Santa hat about four years before Charlie and Lizzy got married, so that they kind of match," Catherine explained with a fond loving smile.
"They are pretty cute, matching like that," Beca agreed as she hung Lizzy's where Catherine directed.
"Thank you sweetie. Colton has this stocking," Catherine continued, as she hung another red velvet stocking between his parents' two stockings, "As you can see, I haven't figured out what his picture will be yet." She points to the empty space on the red stocking. "I'm thinking about adding a toy train on it, because he giggled so much when Lizzy played ' Thomas the Train '."
"That's really sweet," Beca said as she pulled out the next stocking.
Chloe's mother pointed at the stocking and explained, "Chad has the polar bear wearing a Santa hat and playing with a ball, on his, because when he was three he loved watching the polar bears playing with a giant ball at the zoo."
"Chase when he was two and a half got a hold of a tray of gingerbread men, and ate them all," Catherine explained as she pulled out a stocking with Chase written over a dancing gingerbread man.
"And Chloe's is the…" Beca started as she brought out the last stocking.
"The ice skates," Catherine finished knowingly, looking at the gold trimmed stocking with a simple pair of white skates, looking like they were hanging from her name done in calligraphy..
"I take it she loved ice skating," Beca chuckled.
"Of course." Catherine smiled in return. "Chloe loves ice skating. She actually competed till she injured her knee when she was sixteen. She was pretty good, but after the rehab, she only did it for fun."
"Oh, I didn't know that," Beca said.
"Do you skate?" Catherine asked as she hung Chloe's stocking.
"Not in years," Beca answered softly, the slight catch in her voice didn't go unnoticed by Catherine. "My Mom…" she felt the telltale prickling in her eyes of potential tears. "My Mom took me… before..."
"Those must be some truly cherished memories," Catherine suggested, even as she overlooked the potential tears she could see in the young girl's eyes. She didn't want to force Beca into talking about anything she wasn't comfortable with.
"They are," Beca admitted, a small smile forming even as she felt like she was going to cry. "It was so much fun, she really loved skating with me."
"Maybe you and Chloe could go skating with Chloe," Catherine suggested. "She would love it. Her favorite was to go to Narragansett Pier Ice rink. She loved skating near the water."
"That would actually be really great," Beca said honestly. "Do…" She hesitated.
"Go on dear," Catherine encouraged with a smile that actually reminded Beca of her mother's.
"Do you think I could surprise her with a trip?" Beca asked. "I mean she was so generous asking me here for Christmas. I mean you all have, really…"
"We are quite happy to have you Beca," Catherine assured Beca. "And yes, I can keep it under wraps. I will even help you out with getting tickets. Leave it to me, I'll help you set it up."
"Really?"
"Of course, dear."
Looking back towards the mantle, Beca wanted to get the attention off her. She smiled at all the stockings now that they all were in place. "They're all very beautiful and even more special knowing the thought that went into making them and keeping them all these years."
"Thanks Beca, I appreciate your kind words," Catherine said in a way that also reminded Beca of her mother.
"We didn't have any special stockings when I was growing up, just plain and simple boring ones." Beca said with a small hint of sadness underneath her words. Thinking back to her early childhood, she had loved her Christmases spent with her parents, but they could never compare to what she was experiencing here with the Beales. It was completely different in that it was more upfront, more encompassing, more invested. They seemed to embrace every little thing the Christmas holiday had to offer.
"I hope you won't think I'm too bold in getting you this," Catherine said, as she pulled something out of a separate bag that was sitting next to the box the stockings had been taken out. Uncharacteristically demur, Chloe's mother handed a new stocking to the petite young woman.
Intrigued by the older woman's sudden timidity, Beca took the item from her to look at it. When she realized what she had been handed, she gasped out loud. In her hands was a soft red velvet stocking with three simple gold musical notes and golden calligraphy letters stitched on it spelling out ' Beca '.
"You made this for me?" Beca asked, shocked at the thoughtful gesture. "When did you…"
"Shortly after Chloe asked if you could join us, I started working on it. She may have mentioned a few times how much you love music, and I happened to have a couple blank stockings, so I thought I could make something that would fit you very well."
"I-I-It's perfect," the prickling in her eyes immediately returned. "I-I love it, but you didn't have to do this Catherine."
"Nonsense. Of course I did. You're now a part of this family, young lady. So it's too late for you to rethink coming here and trying to escape." Catherine joked.
Beca threw her arms around the Beale matriarch and pulled her into a hug that would make Chloe Beale proud. She held the hug, as she whispered "Thank you, thank you."
Returning the hug, Catherine said, "You're welcome love. You're family now; can't take it back now."
"I would never," Beca chuckled as she released the hug. Beca took the stocking from Catherine and ran her fingers over the notes and letters..
"Beca?" Chloe asked, concerned when she saw her friend wiping tears from her eyes. It had been shocking to see Beca of all people hugging her mother. When she saw some level of distress in her friend, Chloe hurried over. "Are you okay?"
Beca held up her stocking to show Chloe. "You made a stocking for Beca, Mom?"
"Of course, she's family," Catherine answered.
"Guess I'm stuck with the Beales," Beca smirked.
"That you are," Chad jumped in. "Besides, ChloBear had us place booby traps around the house, you'd never make it out alive," he said with a wink.
This brought a hearty laugh from all three women.
"What do you say we hang your stocking right there." Catherine said while indicating the hook hung to the right of Chloe's stocking.
"I think it looks perfect right there." Beca smiled. It came as an epiphany that she realized she had been doing a lot of that today.
"I think so too," Chloe agreed.
"I do too," The Beale matriarch said, as she looked between the petite brunette and her daughter standing next to her. "I do too."
-~Merry Pitchmas 2021~-
The family spent the next hour sipping eggnog or hot chocolate and chatting merrily whilst pulling the remaining lights, ornaments and ribbon out of the boxes and hanging them up around the room. When the last of the ornaments had been hung, and the last strand of red and green lights had been strung around the edges of the ceiling, Catherine pulled out the final decoration.
Looking over to Chloe, Beca noticed Chad walking over towards his little sister, with a devilish grin.
"Alright ChloBear, you ready?" Chad asked, as he squatted next to her.
"Always," Chloe answered with a wide smile, before she climbed onto his shoulders. The redhead wrapped her legs securely over his shoulders. The tall red haired man took two quick breaths, then smoothly lifted his sister high up into the air. Carefully he walked the two of them over closer towards the 12-foot tree. Just as he neared the tree, he jokingly stumbled a little causing his sister to squeak out a small scream, before she whacked him on the top of his head.
"Don't be a jerk, jerk," Chloe laughed. "If I fall, I will take you with me!"
"I don't doubt that," Chad laughed, "Alright, here ya go."
Beca watched as he took the tree topper from his mother, and then handed it to his sister. The tree topper was a really beautiful angel. Catherine admonished Chad to be careful with both his sister and the angel. At Chloe's guidance, he inched them even closer to the tree till the top of the tree was within reach. When she was confident she could reach it, Chloe carefully lifted the angel over the top of the tree and gently slid the antique looking angel on. With gentle adjustments she made sure it was secure before motioning Chad to step back.
"That looks perfect sweetie." Catherine said happily as Chad set Chloe back on the ground. Beca smiled softly at the beaming grin on the redhead's face.
"Yep, very well done guys. The tree looks great. Perfect choice hunny." Charles kissed the top of his daughter's head proudly.
"Thank you daddy. What do you think Becs?" She turned to the petite brunette standing not far behind her.
"Beautiful." Beca said, looking directly into Chloe's eyes, not looking at the tree at all.
-~Merry Pitchmas 2021~-
Hope you enjoyed the music, songs used:
'Jingle Bell Rock' by Bobby Helm
Music Mashup of 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' by Mariah Carey and 'Underneath the Tree' by Kelly Clarkson.
This mashup can be found on YouTube: watch?v=rYy9HLuzOlQ