Chapter ten- Christmas Truths

"I'm not an invalid you know," Janie snapped at her boyfriend.

He rolled his eyes as he helped her out of his car. "Fine, walk up the stairs."

She snorted at him and hopped to the stairs on her crutches and placed on foot on them and swung out her other leg to get it over the rise in terrain.

"Oh and do it so that you don't look like a freak," he smirked and she let out an audible huff. "Not so easy is it?" he asked as he came up beside and ran up the few steps.

"Sure, just leave me out to freeze!" she said loudly as he opened his door.

He stopped to look at her. "I might if you don't shut up. Janie, have I ever left you anywhere?"

"Uhh… yeah you have. The McDonalds? I came out of the bathroom and you were gone! I had to call you to come back and get me!"

"On purpose?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"For the sixth time, that was an accident!!" he threw his hands up in the air. "Now either ask me for help or hobble your ass into my house," he said as he crossed his arms.

"Well I want to be inside before dawn tomorrow….so fine. Could you please help me?"

He grinned. "I hope that hurt."

"I should join cross country," she said suddenly and he started laughing.

"Yes you and running are best friends."

"But then I could throw things at you and it would hit. Like my crutches," she cocked her head and kissed him lightly on his lips.

"Honey, I don't care how many javelins you throw, your aim is going to suck for the rest of your life."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence!" she pouted as he shut the door behind her.

"Gregory? Is that you?" his mothers voice wafted out of the kitchen area.

"She does know that you brought me here right? Is she going to refer to me by name tonight?" she asked.

"I think so," he shrugged. "But if not, then I'll kick you in your good leg and we can use that an excuse to go."

"I think one gimp leg is good enough," she nodded.

"So Janie, how are you feeling?" Greg's mom asked her.

She shrugged and shifted slightly. "Ok I guess. I mean it's hard to get around and all that. And I feel so bad," she gestured to the amount of space she was taking up.

"Forget about it," she smiled at the girl. "Now I know we didn't get off to the right start-"

"Mom, you refused to call her by her name. That's a little more than a rough start," Greg rolled his eyes but she ignored him.

"But I hope that you can put all that behind us. My son has had less then admirable taste in women in the past," she said lowly.

"Still here," he muttered. "Hey Mom, why isn't Hailey being subjected to this?"

Janie tensed up at the mention of his sister.

"She'll be here in a few minutes, she went to go pick up Riley."

They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes until a car door was heard. "Oh good," Mrs. Bush smiled and Janie tried to make herself smaller.

"Riley! How are you?" Mrs. Bush trilled out as she embraced the boy. "I haven't seen you in forever."

"Hi Megan. How are you?" he kissed her cheek and handed her a wrapped box.

"What?" Janie lightly hit her boyfriend's leg. "I didn't bring her anything!"

"So?" he arched an eyebrow.

She gestured toward her ex and he rolled his eyes. "Riley is the biggest ass kisser that we have in this town, you're seriously worried about it?"

"Greg," Riley appeared and nodded in his direction but he remained aloof. "Hi Janie," he said softly to the girl and she tried to smile at him.

"Oh right, Jamie, I forgot you were coming," Hailey said dismissively as she sat down next to her brother.

"How've you been?" Riley tried again.

"Well I just finished my tour in Vegas and I start again next week in Miami," she quipped and Hailey stared at her.

"I don't get it."

"Her leg is in a cast Hailey. It's pretty obvious how she's doing," Greg said with a hint of distaste in his tone.

"Then why didn't she just say it?"

"I…I was trying to be funny," Janie said lamely.

"Uh-huh," Hailey said slowly and turned her attention to her boyfriend.

"Kids! Dinner's ready!" their mother called and the two siblings stopped and looked at each other.

"She started drinking yet?" Hailey asked softly.

"Don't think so. But she is happy…"

"Umm guys? It's Christmas, of course she's happy," Janie broke in and Hailey stared at her.

"Don't pretend you know my family ok?" she snapped as she walked out of the room.

Greg sighed. "Christmas is kind of hard for us sometimes. Mom usually ends up falling asleep drunk by about six and dinner is take out."

"On Christmas?" Janie asked incredulously.

"Well not everyone can have the sunshiney family like you do," he shrugged. "My dad left in December so the entire month just goes directly into the shitter."

"Wow…"

"Yeah. I don't remember what day he left but apparently it took all 31," he sighed as he helped her up and into the dining room.

"Mom," he said startled. "You…cooked?"

"What's wrong with that?" she asked with a grin.

"The house is still standing," Hailey piped up.

Janie leaned over to Greg and said softly in his ear, "I saw the supermarket boxes outside, she ordered it."

"Explains a lot," he smiled at her and kissed her head as he sat down next to her.

"Now I forget, how do you all know each other?" Mrs. Bush asked as she passed around the mashed potatoes.

The four teenagers faltered for a minute before Riley picked them up again. "We all go to the same school."

"Besides that," she waved him off.

"Umm, Riley and I used…to be good friends," she said after a minute and Hailey rolled her eyes.

"Oh that's so sad that you had a falling out. Well the holidays are all about reuniting friendships!" she said with glee and her children looked at her like she had a third head.

"Ah, actually they used to date Mom," Greg said after a minute. "You knew that."

"They did?" she looked confused.

"What are you doing?" Janie hissed and he shrugged.

Riley cleared his throat. "Uh yeah, right before I started dating Hailey."

"That was a while ago then," she replied and Janie coughed on her drink.

"Excuse me?"

"Well they've been dating for what five months now? Is that right honey?" she asked looking at Hailey who nodded and shrugged.

"Really?" she asked in a tight voice as she looked at her ex boyfriend. "That long huh?"

"Janie," he said softly.

"Whatever," she said holding up a hand. "I don't care anymore. Whatever you did in the past behind my back, stays there."

"Last time I checked you knew about it," Hailey started and Greg kicked under the table.

"What? She did!"

"Because your brother showed me!" Janie shot back.

"Am…I missing something here?" Mrs. Bush asked feebly.

Hailey sighed. "They were kind of dating when I met Riley and started talking to him and she's upset about it."

"To be fair, what you call talking, most call making out," Janie cut in with a smile.

"Hailey Elizabeth! Did you steal this poor girls boyfriend!?" her mother asked in shock.

"Mom, you knew this," Greg said with his face in his hand. "You knew all about this."

"I did not!"

"Then you forgot. Like you usually do. Me and her were fighting loud enough that even the neighbors knew all about it!"

"Why were you upset?" she asked confused.

"Because I liked her!" he yelled and pointed at Janie.

She stayed quiet for a minute. "Gregory I really don't like how you're talking to me right now," she said quietly and he sighed.

"Mom-"

"It's rude and we have guests."

Janie placed her napkin on the table. "I'll make it easy for you Mrs. Bush. Your daughter has my sloppy seconds. Now if you'll excuse me," she said as she tried to get up.

"It's hard to have sloppy seconds when someone's an uptight prude," Hailey said under her breath and Janie cut a sharp look at her.

"You know what, we'll just go," Greg said as he hopped up and gently grabbed his girlfriend and steered her towards the door.

"You're being rude!" Hailey yelled at him.

"I'm sorry, are you talking?" he cocked an eyebrow. "Didn't think so."

He shut the door and Janie let out the breath she was holding.

"Yeah, I told you; making you have two gimp legs would have worked."

"Wow," was all she could say. "Did your mother really know all about it?"

He shrugged. "Like I said, me and Hales would fight about it. Loudly. A lot. I'd be surprised if she didn't know all about it. Look, I'm sorry Janie. That dinner was all fucked up and it's Christmas…" he sighed.

"Come with me," she smiled.

"Where?"

"Ricky's," she said slowly.

He stopped halfway around the car. "What?"

She nodded. "I told him that I'd go over there today. No presents or anything, just to hang out."

"Well you don't need me there then," he said after a minute.

"Uhhh, yeah I do," she laughed. "When I'm talking non stop like an idiot, who else knows how to shut me up? Besides, you're important to me," she said softly.

"Am I?" he joked as he kissed her softly.

She pulled away and looked at him after a second. "What?" he asked softly.

She shook her head. "I can't do this…"

He sat back in his seat, stunned. "Wow. Uhhh…ok…" he said hoarsely as he scratched his head. "Just like that huh?"

"Oh God no!!" she yelled out. "No, no, no! I just meant I have to say this and I don't know how," she said.

He cut a doubtful glance at her. "Really?"

She grabbed his hand. "I swear."

"Then what's so hard to say?" he asked skeptically.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "That Ricky better get used to you. Because I love you," she said softly.

He blinked as if he hadn't heard her correctly. "What?" he asked softly.

"Please don't make me say it again," she pleaded finally opening her eyes.

He looked at her and she sighed. "I said…I love you," she said lamely.

He smiled slightly. "Good."

She raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Good. I hate those one sided relationships."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Can you just say what you mean?"

"That's no fun though," he grinned.

"Really? You really wanna piss me off on Christmas night?" she crossed her arms.

"Depends. Do we get to have the hot make up sex if I tell you I love you too?"

"Psh! Just because you say…" she trailed off. "Do you?"

He tugged her hair. "Now who's dumb?" he smirked at her and she hit his arm.

"The front door is nice."

"Well, we came and now we can go," Janie joked as she looked at her boyfriend.

He gave her a look. "Yeah, ok," he said as he got out of the car.

"This is not going home!" she yelled to him as she crossed her arms.

"Well then close your eyes really tight," he said as she got out of the car and glared at him. "Why did you agree to come if you don't wanna be here?"

"Because it's the right thing to do," she sighed.

"Who said?"

She shrugged. "Well he is my father you know? And he did take me to the hospital when he didn't have to."

"Give the guy a medal then!" Greg said loudly as he clapped his hands a few times. "If you don't want to be here, then fuck it. Let's just leave. You don't have to know this guy at all. Your father is Ben; we both know that."

She shook her head. "No I thought he was," she said softly. "Besides, I told him that I'd come."

"Whatever," Greg shook his head as he rang the bell.

"Janie!" Grace smiled as she opened the door. "Hi Greg," she added when she saw him there. "How are you?" she hugged them both.

"…Fine," Janie smiled tightly.

The next hour or so involved awkward conversation between the foursome and Janie was counting the minutes until they could leave. They covered topics from school, possible majors in college, tv shows, music, movies and they had finally reached the pinnacle of awkwardness.

"I have something to say," Grace said suddenly with a large smile. "I'm pregnant!" she yelled.

Ricky just looked at her without saying anything. "Grace," he sighed.

"No, I really am," she protested. "I took the test yesterday. I took three of them. All of them gave me the pink line or whatever it was."

"How?" Ricky stumbled over the word.

She shrugged. "One of God's little miracles I guess," she grinned. "I told you that if we trusted in Him then he would provide," and Janie could feel Greg twitch beside her.

Ricky blinked a few times. "Wow. So…we're having a baby?"

She nodded and he shook his head. "We're having a baby!" he repeated, this time louder with happiness.

"We're having a baby!" she yelled back at him and he picked her up and swung her around.

Greg looked at Janie and nudged her. "The safe word is pineapple."

She just blinked at him.

"If you wanna get out of her. The safe word is pineapple."

"Because that's not an awkward word," she hissed at him.

"I figure it should be. That way when you use it, it means that you really can't take another second of this," he smirked and she rolled her eyes.

"So looks like you're gonna be a big sister again," Grace broke up their conversation.

"Yeah," she nodded slowly. "Congratulations by the way."

"Thanks! I mean the doctors all said it was impossible but I believed you know? That's what people need to do," she said earnestly.

"Hey honey," Greg broke in suddenly. "Didn't your mom say she wanted you back early tonight?"

She looked at him with the hint of a smile playing around her mouth.

"Something about a special pineapple cake thing," he shrugged his shoulders.

Her eyes crinkled in silent laughter but she kept a straight face. "Uh, I think so. Ricky, Grace I'm sorry," she turned to the pair who stood up and nodded.

"It's ok Janie," Grace said with a smile. "I'll probably see you later anyway; I'm gonna tell everyone!"

Ricky just laughed and stuck an arm around his wife. "Thanks Janie, for coming over today. I know it wasn't exactly comfortable."

She waved him off. "It was fine, we had fun."

"We talked about college majors Janie," Ricky said lowly. "That's about number 500 on the list of twenty good conversation topics to have."

She laughed. "Ok so it was a little…awkward."

"It will get better," he reassured her.

She hesitated but nodded after a minute. "I know."

"I can't believe you cracked first!" she cackled when they got the car.

"Come on, she got all Jesus huggy," he whined.

"Jesus huggy?" she raised an eyebrow.

He sighed. "You know, hug Jesus, the world is a great place, all you need is peace and that type of bullshit."

"Pineapple upside down cake?"

"Shut up!" he retorted as he drove her to her house.

"Amy?"

"Adrian! Hey, how are you?" she smiled.

"Umm, could you come over?" she asked softly.

"Are you ok?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just…need a friend," she said softly.

"Ok. Yeah I'll be right there," she said as she hung up the phone.

"How is Ms. Doom and Gloom?" Ben asked as Amy hung up the phone.

"She asked me to go over there for something," she said as she got her purse.

"What? The kids haven't been home yet today!" he whined.

"Well just hold them hostage until I get back," she replied. "And no gift opening!"

"Amy!!" he yelled and she kissed his cheek.

"Thanks hun," she said as she ran out the door.

"Adrian?" Amy opened the door slowly and found the other woman sitting on the couch in her pajamas.

"Hi," she said weakly.

"What's going on?" she asked in concern as she sat down.

Adrian shook her head. "It's not fair Amy. It's just not fair."

"What?" she asked as she started to softly rub her friends back.

"Ricky! We were both doing fine without him you know? Now he shows up out of the blue and fucks up your family and makes me think about shit that I haven't thought of in years!" she exclaimed as she sniffed through her tears.

"Well," Amy shrugged. "I don't know what to say here Adrian. We both know how I feel about him but I would have been far too lucky if he never showed up once in Janie's life."

"You know why I hate Christmas?" Adrian looked at her.

"Your mom with the promotion," Amy nodded.

"That's not the whole story Amy," she said bitterly. "I was waiting for him that night. I was waiting for him to show up, like he said he would and he never did. You know why? Because he was with her. He was with Grace when he said he would be with me. That's the night I found out that he liked her, that he said all we did was fuck. I thought I loved him Amy, I really did," she said softly. "How stupid is that?"

"Not that stupid," Amy comforted the woman as she played with her hair. "At least you didn't have a kid with the bastard," she joked.

"I depended on him you know? He made me feel safe and I told him things that I had never told anyone else. And he just threw it back in my face saying that all we had was a physical connection. Bullshit!"

"Adrian when did this happen?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, like fourteen years ago or something."

"Exactly. Don't let him bother you like this. You're letting him win," she whispered. "I think, if you want Ricky to see that he fucked up, you should make it seem like he doesn't bother you."

"I can't do that anymore Amy," she laughed bitterly. "He's married now. He won't just come running to me."

"I know," she nodded. "But you could at least get an apology out of him. We both know if you just tell him what's going on, he's not going to care in the least bit. You need to find a way to make it known that he hurt you and he messed you up by coming back."

She sighed and wiped her eyes. "I hate him you know that?"

"I know," she nodded. "Now get dressed."

"Why?" she asked wearily. "Are we gonna go egg his house?"

Amy laughed. "No, you're coming over to my place."

"Oh God Amy! I'm not doing that! I'm not gonna sit there during your nice little family's Christmas and pretend that I belong there," she turned her head.

"Ok," Amy said as she got up. "But how long have we been friends Adrian?"

She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Fine. Sixteen years, that's how long. As soon as I had my daughter you started showing up at my place. At first I thought it was weird but then I got used to it. Sixteen years Adrian. Don't tell me that you're not a part of my family, you know that you are," she said as she left.

"Mom!" Janie pounced on her as soon as she walked in the door.

"Hi!" she exclaimed back, caught off guard. "What's up?"

"You will never guess what happened at Ricky's today."

Amy nodded as she took off her coat and put down her purse. "Should I have a drink first?" she joked.

"You might," Greg replied.

She cast them a look. "Ok, I'm listening."

"Grace's pregnant," she blurted out.

Amy laughed. "No she's not. She can't have kids."

"Apparently that's what can happen if you believe in Jesus," Greg chimed in and Amy stared at them.

"You're serious."

"Yep," Janie responded.

"You know, I think I do need that drink," she got up and went to the kitchen as the doorbell rang.

"Hi," she stated as she opened it.

Adrian shrugged her shoulders self-consciously in the cold. "I'm sorry," she said.

Amy looked at her and nodded. "I know," she said as she ushered her inside.

a/n: so I know that it's obviously not Christmas and I missed that one by a landslide but oh well. The show must go on right? Lol. And I just want to say that even though Greg's character is quite vocal about his problem with "Jesus huggy" people, I don't want to offend anyone by that. I'm not sure if I will, but if I do, I want to apologize in advance. I personally am quite the opposite of that, I just think it's fun to take the opposite side sometimes in the imaginary world. And thanks so much for the reviews!! I'm sorry that I kept y'all waiting :(