Year 22: Home

The last year had been a busy one for Ryan and Kelsi. Ryan, through his hard work at college, had been given an opportunity to choreograph a new show that would be appearing off-Broadway. Unfortunately, this kept Ryan away from home for long hours, and occasionally days at a time. Kelsi meanwhile stayed at home, looking after the twins, who were growing more each day. Eventually, the show got picked up, and the cast and crew – including Ryan – begun a country-wide tour of the show. The nearer it got to Christmas, the more stressed out Kelsi got. Whilst in the middle of feeding the twins a few days before Christmas, she got a phonecall.
"Hello?" She said, tiredly.
"Hey honey, it's me." Said Ryan, softly. "Um...I've got something you might not wanna hear so you might wanna be sitting down."
"...Why?" Asked Kelsi, suspiciously. Ryan let out a heavy sigh on the other end of the line.
"...The cast are doing a matinee on Christmas Eve, so I can't leave until then."
"WHAT!" Said Kelsi, upset. "But that means you won't be there to put the twins to bed on Christmas Eve! And you'll be tired and jetlagged on Christmas Day!"
"Kelsi, I'm sorry, I really am sorry, if there was anything I could do, but I'm contracted, I don't have a choice.
"But we miss you..." She sobbed, the twins looking at her quizically. "This is their first proper Christmas that is gonna be all about them, you can't miss it..."
"Kelsi baby please, I really am sorry..."
"...I'm gonna go and stay with your parents and Sharpay then." She sniffed. "I'd rather they were around even if you're not." She knew she shouldn't be so bitter to him as it wasn't his fault, but Kelsi couldn't help but look at the twins, and feel sorry for them that their daddy would be missing Christmas with them.
"...I love you." He said, upset.
"Love you too. Come home." She whispered, before putting the phone down.

Rushing around, she packed a suitcase for her and the twins, and got the first flight she could back to Albuquerque. Everytime she came back home, she missed it that little bit more, and travelling for the first time on her own with the twins, she was sure that she wanted to raise them here. She shook her head of the thought. It wasn't even a possibility. New York was where her and Ryan were going to get the most work, so they had to stay there. As Kelsi came out of the luggage collection, she instantly spotted Sharpay, and grinned when she saw Zeke standing next to her, his arm around her waist.
"You guys have FINALLY got your act together and got together!" Squealed Kelsi, hugging Zeke, then Sharpay.
"Well....I finally decided he was worthy of serving me. Grinned Sharpay, taking Natalie from Kelsi. "Aww she's got so big!"
"Yeah she has...And Ryan's missing it all." Kelsi sighed, holding tightly onto Jayden.
"Well...he's an idiot don't worry about him." Sharpay smiled. "My parents are so excited to see you, they converted one of the spare rooms into a nursery just in case you ever visited. There's so much I need to tell you!" Sharpay and Zeke led her to the car, chatting away.

Ryan sat in his hotel room, head in his hands. The cast of the show were due on any minute, and after giving them a quick pep talk, he had done his job, but was supposed to wait around in case one of the dancers couldn't go on, and he had to fill in. Pulling out his wallet, he looked at the pictures in it. There was a professional one that had been taken several months earlier of him, Kelsi, and the twins. They all sat happily, and a tear rolled down Ryan's eye. He shouldn't be here. He should be with the twins and his wife. Looking over at his suitcase, he paused, before grabbing it.

On Christmas Eve after Kelsi had put the twins to bed in their new nursery, she sat downstairs with Sharpay and a glass of wine.
"They asleep?" She asked, and Kelsi nodded. "Great, then my guests can come round now. We're gonna have a party and cheer you up about Ryan not being here!" Kelsi sighed.
"I don't know, I still have to wrap some of their presents, and put things in their stockings, and—"
"No choice, they're on their way." Teased Sharpay, as the doorbell rung. "I have a surprise for you, so stay there." Kelsi went to speak, and Sharpay shook her head sadly. "And no, it's not Ryan." Kelsi slouched into the sofa, therefore not caring what the surprise was. Minutes later, Taylor and Gabriella came into the front room, hugging Kelsi and exchanging gifts with her.
"Oh, and you can get my special holiday card!" Grinned Taylor, passing over an envelope with Kelsi's name on it.
"Special?" Said Kelsi, confused, and she slowly opened the envelope. She stared at the picture on the front, and gasped. Taylor and Chad were sitting with their arms around eachother, and Taylor was holding onto a small bundle in a blanket.
"Oh my god! Taylor why didn't you tell me!" Gasped Kelsi, hugging Taylor tightly. Taylor blushed.
"I was gonna come and see you in New York in the new year, but when I heard you were coming over for Christmas, I figured it was a good time." Taylor smiled proudly at the picture. "She's called Marie, and she's perfect."
"She does look like a cutie." Smiled Kelsi, wiping a tear from her eye. "Ryan would love to meet her..."
"Hey, he'll be here in the morning, remember? He'll be here for the christmas, he wouldn't miss it for anything in the world..." Said Gabriella, softly. The rest of the evening was spent talking about Ryan's job, baby Marie, Natalie and Jayden, Gabriella's engagement, and Sharpay's relationship with Zeke.

The next morning as Kelsi was woken up by the twins crying, she turned on the radio. As she held a twin on each arm, her heart broke at the report.
"And due to severe weather warnings, planes are being diverted away from New Mexico, leaving thousands of passengers stranded on Christmas Day.
"A tear trickled down Kelsi's face. Ryan wouldn't be there. Heading downstairs to get them breakfast, she carefully placed the twins in their high chairs, and went to cupboard to retrieve the baby food that she'd bought yesterday. Natalie and Jayden babbled away at eachother, when she suddenly heard Natalie utter her first word.
"Dada!" Kelsi spun round to find Ryan coming into the kitchen. She instantly welled up.
"But...the planes.."
"I got an earlier flight." Whispered Ryan, hugging her. "I promised I wouldn't miss their first proper christmas and I meant it."