This is chapter 11. I started writing this straight after 10 so it flows pretty easily.
Also read the bottom AN!!
Well here you go…
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Part Of the Family
Recap
After about 5 minutes of silence Julie started picking up her plate and glass as well as Jake's. This led everyone to do the same. Noticing a change of mood in his mum, Troy volunteered to help wash up so he could have a one on one with her.
Once everyone's plates were picked up, they all went to watch TV while they waited for Troy and Julie to finish cleaning up. About 10 minute's later, Troy's phone started to go off.
I'm bringing Sexy back
Those other boys don't know how to act
I think you're special
What's behind your back
So turn around and I'll pick up-
"Chadster." Gabriella answered happily.
"Gabster. What's goin' on?" Chad laughed from the other end of the phone.
"Nothing really. You?"
"I'm about to go see Taylor."
"Trying to get some Christmas somen-somen?" Gabriella laughed. Chad also laughed but if Gabriella had been talking face to face she would have seen the scarlet that covered his face.
"You know me too well. Not that I don't wanna talk to you Gabs but is Troy there?"
"Umm, he is but I think he's having a one on one with Julie."
"Seriously? I always thought Julie hated basketball."
"Talking Chad. Not everyone plays and thinks about basketball all the time."
"I don't always think about basketball you know. I think about Taylor as well." Chad replied in a mock hurt voice.
"Don't tell me any information on that what-so-ever. I'll get Troy to give you a call back in about an hour or so, so he doesn't interrupt anything with Taylor."
"Thanks. I better go. Merry Christmas sis."
"Merry Christmas bro." Gabriella smiled and hung up.
In the Kitchen… (This happened before, during and a bit after the phone call.)
An uncomfortable silence filled the kitchen. Troy was unhappy about this. The only other time Troy felt this uncomfortable when he was with his mum, was when her and Jack had found out Troy and Gabbi were having sex and ended up giving them an hour long talk on practicing safe sex and so forth.
Gabbi refused to enter his house for a week after that event.
As Troy silently dried the dishes handed to him, he started thinking about what had put his mum in such a mood. Maybe she's angry at me for not telling her that I was giving Brie a promise ring? But wouldn't she just tell me that? Or maybe she actually thought we were engaged and thought I was making a mistake. But that can't be true because she is always telling me how she can't wait for me and Brie to get married and have kids. She will make a great mum. I definitely want a daughter first though. A daddy's girl. At this point Troy smiled to himself but quickly withdrew it remembering exactly why he was cleaning up- something he never did.
"What's wrong mum?" Troy asked stopping his mum before she scrubbed the plate she was holding into shreds.
"It's nothing Troy, just a little stressed with finding time to make dinner and set the table in between presents and everything. Don't worry sweetie." Julie wiped her hands on her apron and started putting away the cleaned dishes, avoiding looking at her son the entire time.
"Well I am worried. Come on mom, you can't even look at me." Julie stopped in her tracks hearing the rejection in her son's voice. Sighing, she turned around showing her watering eyes.
"Mum please tell me what's going. Truthfully." Troy pleaded stepping closer to his upset mother. Julie took a few deep breaths, trying to keep her composure, before speaking.
"I'm losing you. My baby boy. It was only yesterday when you would come crying to me when you would get the smallest cut and now your practically engaged to a great girl. And soon you won't need me."
Troy looked sympathetically towards his mum, who seemed to have calmed down but not by much.
"You won't loose me mum. I'll always come running to you if I need help with anything. Ok so you may not be the number one person in my life anymore but you will always be a close second. Plus if anything me and Gabbi getting well pre-engaged, actually gaining something not loosing something." Troy smiled at his mom who returned it even though she was confused at the last point of Troy's statement.
"What am I gaining exactly?"
"Another daughter. She sees you as her second mom, and yer maybe I won't come to you for everything and neither will she, but there are things we will come to you for when we need your help. So you aren't loosing anybody. Ok?" Troy hugged his mom and smiled when he felt her hug back.
"Thanks sweetie. Come on we better get back in there before they start going spaz." Julie kissed Troy on the forehead before walking out ahead of him.
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Walking into the lounge room Troy and Julie found everyone in practically the same positions they were in that morning, watching yet another old Christmas movie. Troy smiled and went to join his girlfriend who was patting Mr. Sox (A/n this was totally by accident that I actually named Lizzie's dog with the practically the same name as Troy's cat, I actually forgot about Mr. Sox until I reread the story. Lizzie's dog is going to be name Max now).
Troy slumped down next to Gabriella and answered the question her eyes were asking with a smile and a nod. Gabriella smiled in return and moved closer to Troy, leaning her head on his chest while his arm wrapped securely around her shoulders, both of them patting Mr. Sox who had moved onto Troy's lap.
"Mummy, now that Uncy Troy and Nana are here can we open gifts?" Justin looked up at his mom, who was currently going to sleep due to boredom, with puppy dog eyes. Looking up at the rest of her family, Christine asked.
"You guys cool with that?"
"Sounds good to me." Daniel jumped up out of his seat and went to join Jack who was already standing at the tree. It was always a Bolton tradition to have alternate uncles hand out the gifts each year.
Sitting down in front of the tree, Jack and Daniel started handing out the remaining gifts which would go to nieces and nephews, and uncle and aunts.
10 or so minutes later all the remaining gifts were gone and were safely in their owner's hand. Sam, Caitlyn, Christine and Cassie received gift vouchers to a spa (Cassie's was brought by Matt just in case she came to Christmas but was signed from everyone). Kelly and Lizzie received CDs and books, and Gabriella got jewelry and a music shop voucher from Jack and Julie. The nephews all got a variety of things although they all had something to do with sport one way or another.
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"Okay so I think we should go all together so we'll have to figure out a date like a month in advance. Now since I am in college it will have to be on a weekend, Cassie since you're a doctor you'll gave to find out your hours and Caitlyn you'll need to get Kyle to take care of Meg and Jen for like an afternoon same with you Christine." Sam was currently discussing the spa treatment with Cassie, Christine and Caitlyn while eating from the boxes of chocolate they all also received at the last minute from their grandparents.
Matt, Troy, Kyle and Daniel were all discussing the latest basketball game between the Lakers and Knicks. (A/n I have no idea about American basketball so if they play in winter is just a guess!) Jack was also talking about the game although he was doing so with his sister (there all still in the lounge room). Lizzie and Kelly were both in the kitchen/lounge area reading their new books, Anthony, Mitchell and their parents were off in another room doing God-knows-what, Brendan, Jake and Dylan were also talking but about something that their mothers defiantly wouldn't want to hear and finally Gabriella, Julie, Miranda and Emily were all talking while making up dinner. (It's around 2 now.)
"It was the funniest thing I had ever seen but at the same time it was really sweet. I remember I was laughing so hard he thought that I didn't want to get back together with him." Miranda laughed along with the other three after retelling the story of how Mitchell tried to make it up to her after a break up.
"I'm sorry but I gotta ask, how is running around your entire college campus completely naked considered sweet, weren't you slightly embarrassed?" choked out a now crying Gabbi. (Laughter crying!)
"At first I was but when I heard what he was yelling I just loved him more for it although when he got down on one knee in front of a crowd which consisted of like every college student in the school, the side angles weren't exactly to be admired." A whole bunch of fresh laughs filled the house as Miranda finished speaking. All four of the girls were now leaning against the counter top for support, tears streaming down their faces, trying desperately to compose themselves.
Looking up from their books, Kelly and Lizzie also joined into the laughter not knowing what their mothers and in-law (well that's what they call her) were actually laughing at but because of how funny it was to watch full grown women crying from laughter.
"Troy, Uncle Anthony, Uncle Mitchell, dad! Your significant others have gone crazy!" Lizzie yelled after getting over the 1 minute laughing session. Settling back into the couch, she went back to her book. Kelly soon followed suit.
Walking into the kitchen area, Alice, Laura, the three girls and the males found 4 women, who had now collapsed to the ground, laughing their heads off to the point where they had gone red in the face from not being able to breathe.
"What's so funny?" Alex asked although his question was directed to Lizzie and Kelly knowing he wouldn't get a straight answer out of the hyenas.
"I'm not sure. Aunty Miranda was telling them a story about something and they just started laughing." Kelly answered not turning her head away from her book.
"Right I think we should stop them before they suffocate." Matt looked at his mother who had gone bright red in the face and was now laughing without making a sound. "How do we do that?"
Everyone (including Lizzie and Kelly who had abandoned their books) looked down at the now fetal hyenas.
"We could pour a bucket of water over them." Brendan suggested.
"Nah coz then we would have to clean it up." Jack said shaking his head. Gabriella slowly started to stand up, and tried to mime 'help' to the group in front of her before seeing Mitchell and starting up a new bunch of laughs.
"Oh she did not tell them that story." Mitchell crossed his arms angrily.
"What story?" Cassie asked curiously.
"Doesn't matter. Now come on we need to get them to breathe again or they will most certainly die." Everyone moved the attention back to the ground trying to think of a way to break them out of their laughing fit.
"Oh I know." Jack walked around and bent down next to Gabbi. "You'll never believe who booked a table to see you sing every single week. Mr. Henderson." Gabbi immediately shot up seizing her laughter and turning her face from red and smiling to red and horrified.
"That's disgusting. Don't ever say that type of thing ever again. I don't even know why you would go there." Gabriella playfully pushed Jack onto the ground before getting up and joining the onlookers.
"I'll ask about that later, for now we have to get these three back to normal." Jake paused for a moment before adding, "Actually you know what, I say we leave them here and they can come join us in the den when they're ready." Stepping over the now calming down fetal hyenas, everyone made they're way to the den (except Gabbi who told Troy she was going to the bathroom.)
Once getting to the end of the hallway, Anthony tried to open the door although it wouldn't budge making everyone stop.
"Jack your door here seems to be locked or something because it does not want to budge." Anthony started hitting the door with the side of his body while trying to turn the door knob, not noticing Troy holding a key.
"Dad. Dad. Daddd! Troy has the key." Kelly pulled her dad away from the door giving Troy room to unlock it.
"Since when did the den get a lock?" Brendan asked following Troy in. Although Brendan stopped abruptly halfway down the stairs noticing something different, this in turn made the rest of the group run into each other.
"Since Gabbi moved in more 15,000 dollars were of music equipment." Troy answered sitting down on the large L shaped sofa that was put in front of all Gabbi's equipment.
Slowly everyone made their decent down the stairs to join Troy but not before taking in the 8 acoustic guitars which were placed on the wall about a meter and half off the ground, the piano against the right wall, speakers and 2 electric guitars on stands under the stairs, a sound board on a table up against a wall with a computer plugged into it and the keyboard to the left of it (making it so when Gabbi were to sit down behind the keyboard the sound board would be to her right with the wall behind her), also a microphone (one you see when people record music) next to the keyboard on a stand and lastly the tall bookshelf with about 5 shelves filled with folders and the 2 tall cd holders filled with what seemed to be about 200 CDs. There were also what seemed to be about 20 cables leading off in different directions.
"Does this girl record albums or something down here?" Matt asked looking over the equipment.
"Well she writes her own music that's for sure." Sam responded, curiously looking through the manu (sp) script paper spread over the coffee table in a huge mess. Jake and Dylan were also going through mess of songs on the table doing a once over of them.
"Hey wasn't this that song she was singing when she walked down the stairs the other morning?" Dylan asked picking up about 4 pages of paper clipped paper.
"This stuff is awesome." Brendan exclaimed pulling a guitar off the wall and putting the strap around his shoulders.
"Brendan do you play guitar?" Gabriella asked from the top of the stairs stopping him just before he strummed the strings.
"No." Brendan answered watching Gabriella walk down the stairs to him.
"Then I suggest you put the guitar down." Gabriella grabbed the guitar out of Brendan's hands giving him a slight glare, and put it back up on its rack. She then walked around the sofa and started picking up all the songs.
"Gabriella, these songs are really good." Cassie complimented reading through one.
"Thanks." Gabriella whispered adding the song Cassie was holding to her pile. Walking over to the bookshelf, Gabriella pulled out about 3 different folders and silently filed them ignoring the looks she was getting.
"Can you sing one for us?" Laura asked hopefully. Gabriella looked up to see either pleading looks or curious looks. This in her mind made no sense. Why would they be curious?
Gabriella sighed heavily before sitting down behind her keyboard. "What song then?"
"What songs do you know?" Laura inquired looking at the many folders in the bookshelf labeled with dates and the word 'requests' down the side.
"Suggest a song and I'll say if I know it or not."
"Umbrella by Rihanna." Brendan accidentally shouted. "I mean Umbrella by Rihanna."
"You do relies that she isn't going to show you the video she's going to just sing the song. Right?" Matt asked unsurely.
"Yes. Can you please just sing the song." Brendan sunk into the lounge feeling slightly embarrassed.
Gabriella smiled and got herself ready- this meant simply turning her laptop and keyboard on and finding the right pre-made beat.
Note this is not Rihanna's version this is Australian idol winners, Natalie Gauci's. It is slower and only the piano is played with a beat in the background. Only Aussie's would probably have heard the version!!
When the sun shines
We'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be your friend
Stick out till the end
You had my heart
and we'll never be world apart
Maybe in magazines
but you'll still be my star
Baby cause in the Dark
You can see shiny Cars
And that's when you need me there
With you I'll always share
Because
[CHORUS
When the sun shines
We'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be your friend
Took an oath
I'mma stick it out 'till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we still have each other
You can stand under my Umbrella
You can stand under my Umbrella
Said you can stand
[VERSE 2
These fancy things,
will never come in between
You're part of my entity
Here for Infinity
When the war has took it's part
When the world has dealt it's cards
If the hand is hard
Together we'll mend your heart
Because ...
[CHORUS
When the sun shines
We'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be your friend
Took an oath
I'mma stick it out 'till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we still have each other
You can stand under my Umbrella
You can stand under my Umbrella
[BRIDGE
You can run into my Arms
It's okay don't be alarmed
Come into Me
There's no distance in between our love
Gonna let the rain pour
I'll be all you need and more
Oohhh because ...
[CHORUS
When the sun shines
We'll shine Together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be your friend
Took an oath
I'mma stick it out 'till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we still have each other
You can stand under my Umbrella
You can stand under my Umbrella
I said you can stand
Under my, under my
Ohhh, ohhh.
"I officially like that version better." Kelly announced. A chorus of yer's were heard mostly from the younger generation. Gabriella smiled before turing off her laptop and keyboard.
"So why are we gathered in the den?" Cassie asked after a minute of silence.
"Oh of course. Everyone let's split into sexes shall we, so we can get this game started." Anthony rubbed his hands together and took his place on the small couch on the left side of the room. All the males, excluding Alex, joined him, while all the females stayed on the L couch, Cassie and Gabbi shot each other confused looks but remained on the sofa. Alice pulled up two chairs and the white board which had been left lying on the ground.
"What's going on exactly?" Cassie asked seeing Alex pull out two red buttons, like the opens you would see on game shows. Alex looked at her before grabbing the white board marker and holding it up like a microphone. He then said in a host's voice:
"It's time to play battle of the sexes."
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That was so different then what I thought it would be!!
Anyway,
So I have a few requests-
I want you to come up with a few questions you would like to be asked.
Next chapter will be the last Christmas day one I promise!! But I want to know if you want me to write about Boxing day when the family leaves or skip to New Years Eve and do a flashback to when they left?
Let me know!!
Nikki
