Step Into Christmas – The Puppini Sisters

Year 21.

The first part of this story is a flashback, and the end steps into present day. It's a little different, so try to have an open mind

"I just…I just don't know why he's been acting that way Arizona." April sighed, pushing her cobb salad around on her plate from where they sat in the cafeteria. Her thoughts were killing her appetite.

There really didn't seem to be a reason, not one that Arizona could think of either. But she saw the difference. "He's been busy Apes. Sometimes you just need time. Maybe some personal space."

She shook her off. "He's not any busier than usual. I checked his caseload. I'm on the board too. I'm turning into someone straight out of a Carrie Underwood song. Help."

Arizona shrugged. "And you're convinced he's cheating on you? Really? I just don't think Jackson would do that."

"I don't want to think that. I don't. But I don't know what else to think." April admitted quickly, going on a rant that was quickly cut off by Meredith who sat down at the table to join them for lunch.

"What don't you know what else to think about?" She asked, taking a big bite of her pizza and sighing at the feeling of some food finally hitting her hollow stomach. After more than twenty five years of working together they had finally became pretty close friends.

"Nothi-" April spat out but was interrupted by Arizona. "April thinks Jackson's cheating on her."

The obvious sound of April kicking Arizona under the table penetrated the awkward silence and Arizona's cough made the situation worse.

"Ugh! What was that for?" She asked loudly, shaking her head at her best friend sitting across from her.

Meredith interrupted. "Why do you think Jackson's cheating on you?" She'd almost never seen the Avery's have any trouble in paradise.

April listed all of the same reasons she told Arizona a few minutes ago and Meredith jumped up for a pretend page and ran, leaving behind half of her pizza and the salad that was untouched.

They stared at each other awkwardly until April got up and walked away, trying her best not to cry.

The day had been long, but she was finally home. Her husband wasn't. She did her normal routine though, cleaning up after the small dinner she made for herself since Graycin and Erin were out of the house, Colin was out for the night and her husband was nowhere to be found.

She washed her makeup off, brushed her teeth and changed into her pajamas. They had never had a tv in their room, so she read while winding down for bed just like she normally did. Maybe her book wasn't good or wasn't interesting to her, or maybe she just couldn't take her mind off of the idea that her husband was probably out with another woman. She knew from her sources that he wasn't at the hospital any longer for the day. He'd left two hours ago.

Ten o'clock and he still wasn't home. She didn't feel like waiting any longer because the feeling was painful. How could he have done this to her? What about her wasn't good enough anymore? Why couldn't he have just left her instead of putting her through this? The lonely feeling of sitting at home alone was killing her.

She turned the light off but then heard him pull in the garage almost immediately after. He went through his normal get home routine too before entering their bedroom. She stayed "asleep" because why be awake? Why make him pretend he was happy to see her?

He stripped down and jumped in the shower, washing the day off. A few minutes later he crawled into bed, snuggling into her and pulling her into her arms. When she shook him off and moved further over to the other side of the bed, he was baffled.

"Babe, where are you going?" He asked her, thoroughly confused.

"Jackson, don't. I'm not in the mood and I don't want to be touched. Especially by you."

He took a minute to digest what she had just said, her words were cold. "What does especially by you mean?"

She turned around to look at him, despite the lights being off in their room. She didn't want to bring up the cheating but she gave him every opportunity to tell her himself and he didn't. She asked him where he'd been and he talked around it. "It means I don't want my dirty, unholy, cheating husband anywhere near me. Get out Jackson."

She pointed toward their bedroom door but really she meant the house. "Leave! Get out!"

His jaw dropped. "Wait. Just a minute April." He finally pushed out. He reached over to his nightstand and flicked on the lamp that sat on the table.

She folded her arms angrily across her chest and then went to their bathroom, slamming the door behind her. None of the kids were home so it was just the two of them. Luckily.

Jackson sat in silence, stunned. He didn't know how she could ever believe that he would cheat on her. He would never break their vows, especially not like that.

"April, come out of there. Please." He asked her, hoping she would before he had to get up and really beg her but he heard no movements on the other side of the door.

So he got up. And he tried to open the door but it was locked. Of course. "Babe, please."

"Jackson. Go away. Please." She was shutting down.

He couldn't take it anymore. After a while the anger and the resentment of being thought of like that got to him. So he yelled back.

"Dammit April! Do you really think that I would cheat on you? Really? Over twenty years of marriage and I've never once even looked at another woman! I've never wanted anyone but you. Ever. But you know what April? I'm offended that you would think that low of me. After everything I've done for you, after everything I've done for our family. So you know what, you can stay in there. Come to bed when you feel like being a damn adult."

Her sadness turned to anger and now she was in a blind rage. The bathroom door flew open and she came out, completely furious. Much like the time she saw Jackson the bus explosion, she came at him. Her fists pounding into his chest. Not in an "I want to hurt you" kind of way, but in a "How could you ever do this to me?" kind of way.

He grabbed her fists, engulfing them into his hands. Finally she yelled back, "I didn't think you were cheating on me Jackson. I never thought that, but what am I supposed to think? I'm not stupid, I'm not oblivious to everything. What do you want me to think Jackson? What do you want me to tell myself when I'm home and you're out with another woman? What was I supposed to think?" She spit out, tears of anger spilling down her face.

He barked back at her, "The other woman is your brother April! You have a brother. Joe cheated on your mom and he found you. Well… he found me. He came to the hospital."

April paused completely. "My dad would have never cheated on my mom. Ever. Why would you even say that?"

Jackson was quiet, trying to choose his words carefully. He'd been nervous to tell April because of course she would take it poorly. Her parents had what she thought was a perfect marriage for decades and decades. Her dad had been gone for six months and her mom less than three.

"From what I've pieced together, he was conceived the same year Libby was born. And that's about the same time your dad was away at boot camp for the army, right? While your mom was pregnant in Moline?"

She carefully sat down on the edge of their bed. He was away then. The timeline made sense but the whole thing was shady.

"My dad would have never done that." She told him, shaking him and the idea off.

"April, I'm sorry. But he did. People make mistakes." He told her pulling her into his arms. She wept. Everything she believed in was over.

She didn't bother asking him how he knew for sure because if he was convinced, so was she.

Two months later

*Ding*

"Colin will you answer the door?" April asked her youngest son who was entranced by his cell phone. She wanted to break the thing.

He groaned at her request but got up to get the door. "Oh hey Uncle Luke."

"Hey Colin. Hey April. Thanks for having me over." He smiled politely. He set the bottle of wine and couple of gifts he brought on the kitchen counter.

"Of course. You're family." She smiled earnestly. The whole situation had been immensely difficult for her but she was making it work. It wasn't Luke's fault, the way he was conceived. It was her fathers though and forgiving him had been a task all its own. She still wasn't able to completely forgive him.

Jackson wondered into the kitchen from his office. "Hey man," He greeted his brother-in-law, pulling him in for a quick one shoulder hug.

"Hey, I was just thanking you guys for having me over. I hate being alone on Christmas," He laughed, shaking his head.

"Oh yeah, any time. Are we still on for some hoops tomorrow night?" Jackson asked him. They were became quick friends and Luke was the perfect addition to their family.

Luke nodded. "For sure." They were both interested in a lot of the same things. Fitness, sports, eating.

Colin and Graycin set the table and they all sat down for an early breakfast before opening the rest of their gifts.