= December 2018 - Star City =

Felicity was exhausted and wasn't sure how she was going to make it through the holidays...let alone with her mother in town. She just felt like she needed to be on top of things when her mother was in town and Felicity also knew that her being tired only made it harder for her to handle her mother's visit.

"We've got to get up," Ray told her as he snuggled closer.

"Thank you for getting up with Liv," she whispered. Their daughter, Olivia...but Liv...for short, was only a few months old and they were still struggling with getting enough sleep. Ray had wanted to be involved as much as possible, which he'd even tried to be up EVERY time she had to be up with Liv when she was first born...until they decided that was too hard and he wasn't sleeping enough.

"I only had to sing 'The Ballad of Serenity' like...a million times," Ray told her. "I probably have all my steps for the entire week."

Felicity just smiled sleepily at him. "You get up now...we can still shower together…"

"I like showering," Ray mumbled against her and then kissed the side of her head. "I like showering with you even more…"

Rolling out of bed and pulling blankets with her so that they weren't covering Ray, she smiled devilishly back at him. "Then you better get out of bed…"

Ray groaned, but he moved and he moved quickly.

They wouldn't have much time to shower...there was not only Liv to think about, but that things needed to be done that morning. It was the last day of school before the winter holiday started. That meant that there really couldn't be any slacking.

Moving to the bathroom, Felicity quickly started to shower, ensuring that it would be warm enough. There was never a certainty for anything being uninterrupted, especially not showering together. Felicity wanted to take full advantage of it. Sure, the girls were really good with Liv, but she didn't want them to feel like they needed to play mommy.

They really both needed this shower, though.

"You know, we don't have to host holidays here...we could just have a low key holiday," Felicity told him as she stripped. The sound of the shower going was soothing and so inviting. She knew that they couldn't be long, but she was going to enjoy every second of it.

"I know that it's a lot...and I don't want you to think that you have to do everything on your own, but I think that having Hanukkah and Christmas last year really helped the girls...plus, your mom is going to be here," Ray pointed out as he was taking his cue from Felicity about getting naked. "Why don't we let the girls decorate? We'll order food for both holidays...and we'll just give everyone the head's up that we're not going to be over the top?" He shrugged a moment later. "We can do all the present shopping online. Have it delivered. Hell, they'll even wrap."

He was right.

"I just...I don't know if I have the energy for it all this year...and that sort of sounds horrible...and pathetic…" Felicity said as she crinkled up her nose.

Ray moved to her, his hands settling on her bare hips. He smiled brightly down at her and kissed her nose. "You, my love, are never horrible or pathetic…" He was quiet for a moment. "Wanting to take things easy and not pushing ourselves to exhaustion or insanity because we have a new baby...that's not a crazy thing. I think it's smart."

"I'm just afraid my mom-"

"Quentin's going to be here," Ray reminded. "They seem to get on okay."

"I'm pretty sure my mom's infatuated with him…"

"Does Laurel know?"

"I don't know if she wants to know," Felicity said. "It still creeps me out a bit…"

"Come on," Ray brushed it off. "Having Quentin Lance as your stepdad...things could be worse."

Shaking her head, Felicity just grabbed him and hauled him with her towards the shower.


"I still think it's silly…"

"I actually think it's sort of neat," Quentin countered.

Felicity didn't miss the look her mother gave Quentin. Were they dating? They seemed to be joined at the hip on this visit...but whenever it was brought up, they always brushed it off. She supposed if things got serious, her mother would be the first to be squealing about it. So, she just sat there on the couch, nursing Liv, as her mother and Quentin watched the girls decorate the book tree that they'd put together once again.

"You know what?" Donna spoke up. "I've totally dropped the ball...I haven't taught any of you any Hanukkah songs…"

"There are songs?" Clara asked, suddenly interested.

"Of course there are songs!" Now her mother was looking in her direction. Felicity knew it was coming. She knew what was coming. "How is it that you haven't taught them any songs?"

"I...have been a little busy?" Felicity offered.

"I think I know a song about a dreidel…" Alex offered.

"Well, I was thinking something more...current," Donna told them. "I mean, I can see how the tradition ones would benefit you...teach you a bit more about the culture...BUT...I don't think that you'd absorb them as much…"

"This is all sounding like some kind of history lesson all of the sudden."

"Well, it sort of is."

Felicity had noticed that Etta was being quiet. This wasn't unusual, but she knew that especially around the holidays that they needed to be more observant of the kids. She and Ray had been watching them even more so since Liv had arrived. There had been several times where Alex had caught their attention, she didn't want to be a burden or she seemed to not feel connected. They'd worked so hard since the girls had joined their family to make sure that they felt loved and included, but the holidays and special events always seemed to test it.

"You know, I think maybe I'll borrow Etta for a little bit to help me," Felicity spoke up. If nothing else, she needed to talk to her daughter and assess if there was a problem. She didn't want any of the girls to be uncomfortable, especially during the holidays, but she also didn't want to have the conversation in front of everyone else. That would just humiliate Etta when there was no need to do that.

Her mother obviously had other plans as she spoke up. "But I'm going to teach them-"

"So, wait and you can teach-"

"How long are you going to be? Why can't it wait?" her mother rattled off faster than Felicity could get the words out. "I am trying to-"

Instead of continuing the argument, she just glared at her mother, but it was Quentin's clearing of his throat that got her mother to stop. Felicity sucked in a breath and tried to remind herself that this wasn't going to be forever, it was just for the holidays. She knew that she would be happy that they were able to have family holidays, but right now...she was having a difficult time being in that particular mindset.

"Etta's a smart girl, I'm sure if she misses something, you can catch her up quickly," Quentin put out a breath later.

"Okay, good," Felicity said a bit too brightly before motioning for Etta. She wasn't finished feeding Liv, but she could do it in the other room while she talked to Etta. Adjusting her shirt and battling with a now grumpy infant, she got to her feet and motioned for Etta to head back towards her and Ray's bedroom. She looked over her shoulder at her mother and the girls and noticed Quentin giving her a nod. Felicity nodded back and was glad he was there, if nothing else...he seemed to have the superpower to rein in her mother.

Once in the bedroom, Etta found a seat on the corner of the bed and Felicity moved to the glider. She got Liv back to nursing, which made her youngest much happier. Turning her attention back to the next eldest, she put on a small smile. "You okay?" she asked quietly. Etta was really the one that needed the quiet conversations and needed her space more so than Alex and Clara. "I know my mom can be-"

"I was just a little sad," Etta confessed.

"That's okay."

"Nan wouldn't think so."

Felicity sighed because she knew that Etta wasn't wrong. "Sometimes we all need to be sad and we need time alone...or quiet time. That's okay." She felt bad for Etta because Felicity knew that her mother was far more outgoing, loud, and flat out intense...and it was all too much for most people. "Listen to me, if you need time away from everyone...you can say something. It doesn't have to be an announcement. You can just go to your room or you can say something me to or to Ray or to even Quentin."

"Are they going to be married?"

"You would know more than I would on that front."

"Well, they like each other."

"So it seems."

"Is that weird for you?" Etta asked.

Felicity smiled at that. Things had been suddenly turned around. "A little."

"But Quentin is great."

"He is."

"And Nan likes him."

"She does."

"He would be a really good Grandpa...like a real one…"

"You're right."

"I hope they do get married."

"Yeah...just maybe not rush into it."

Etta just smiled at that. "That sounds very unlike Nan."


The book tree had made its triumphant return.

Every year, Felicity swore that the girls made it look better and better. There was more and more representation of everything that their family loved and stood for. The only thing that made it harder was that there were people that she wished were there, that weren't. She stared at the girls as they sat around the tree with presents. Blessed was the best word she could think of for that moment as she held Liv. This was not how she had expected her life would look like, but she wouldn't change it.

"Mom, come sit with us," Clara called.

Ray was on the other side of the tree, shaking a box and looking almost more excited about opening presents than the girls did. There wasn't much there to open, there had been Hanukkah presents and honestly the girls really didn't want much of anything. Most things they wanted were books. Ray was all about spoiling them, but she really couldn't fault him for it.

She settled down between Clara and Ray, Liv in her arms. Her mother and Quentin joined on the other side a moment later. Felicity wondered if her mother thought she'd ever be celebrating both Hanukkah and Christmas every year as a family...because they'd been doing it fairly consistently. It was good, though. She'd not really thought it was so important, but since Christmas was important to the girls then it was important to the entire family...and it always would be. They were a blended family and they would blend holidays where need be.

"How about we go around and say something we feel blessed about?" Felicity suggested. She was just so happy to have them all there. Sure, it sounded silly, but sometimes it was good to hear it outloud. "I'll go first. I feel blessed that we are all able to come together and celebrate more than one winter holiday and I think each year we learn more and it just gets better."

Ray was next. "I feel blessed that our family is bigger this year, but that our traditions just get bigger and better and more personal to our family."

"I'm just blessed that no one's killed each other," Quentin mumbled with a shrug.

Felicity grinned and her mother looked shocked at Quentin. Donna sighed and shook her head before looking at everyone with a smile on her face. "I am just so blessed to have grandchildren. I am so happy that you girls are willing to learn another heritage and take that in. Thank you."

Etta was quiet, but everyone fell absolutely silent so she could speak. "I am thankful for our family, even if i t's not traditional."

Alex spoke up quickly, maybe to keep anything from being commented on about what Etta had said. "And I am thankful for the fact that we are able to be accepted for however insane or geeky or quiet or goofy we are...because we are a family, which I think is something that we all didn't think we'd have...well, in the way we have it now."

And Alex was right.

"I am thankful for," Clara picked up next. Her tone was bright and perky and likely the most excited out of them all to actually do the 'I am thankful for' round. "Everyone here...and books. How can you not be thankful for books? They're amazing! They teach us things and help us understand the world and they take us to new worlds...which is why they're always the perfect gift...and they're always the best thing to share."

"Happy Christmas."


TBC...