Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Christmas is always about family, but in celebrating it, don't forget your friends
24th December
15:00
"Sam Christmas tree ornaments are just for looking at, you know that" the voice of his mother came to mind as he watched his daughter playing with the ornaments "What did I tell you, they're very expensive" she'd walked in on him once, stood on the footstool trying to get a closer look at one of the baubles, much like Des'ray was doing now, reminding him of when he was six years old, a very inquisitive boy, fascinated with colours and shapes.
"When I grow up, I'm going to have my own tree" he told his mother
"When you grow up you'll understand the value of this tree and family traditions" he cringed remembering how his mother's laugh had made him feel like he'd said something ridiculous "You'll always have Christmas around this tree sweet" she'd smiled patting his head, like she always did to shut him up.
Now he was an adult the festive season was very different; this was the calm before the storm, they were waiting for Mercy's mother to come and collect Des'ray so they could prepare for their Christmas Eve party. Unlike in his childhood, there was nothing untouchable in their house, which would have been much to the dismay of his mother who was a clean freak, if she'd have witnessed Des'ray's behaviour today she'd have surely burst a blood vessel.
Their daughter was a firecracker, constantly on the go and talking from the second she woke up, she'd started talking earlier than most children her age, surprising everyone with words like annoying, practical, and tolerate in the right context at the tender age of fourteen months. Now at six years old there was no point in having silly conversations with the girl, there were none of those usual why questions to answer, it was all as she'd read, facts from books, and why don't you know that you're supposed to be an adult comments, with attitude.
He watched her moved away from the tree, obviously fed up with repeatedly moving the bauble, every time her mother placed it back where she wanted it, they had unspoken conversations, that were met with smiles or frowns, and if Des'ray didn't agree with mommy, they'd be tears. He watched as she moved on to the gingerbread house they'd made earlier, having lost the battle of the minds with her mother. They'd apparently made it to take to her Grandma's house, but the side of the house had gone already, and now she was eating at the roof.
He smiled as he remember telling his mother one year that all the children at church were making gingerbread houses for Sunday school the following day, and asking if they could make one, not wanting to be left out. Rolling his eyes at her rather bittersweet response "Sweet" she knelt down to be on his level "I just finished cleaning the kitchen" she frowned at his sad face "We'll go to the bakery this afternoon and get one, how about that?" she tapped his head again
He didn't even know why he expected any other answer, from the day he'd started watching her she'd never used anything in the house just cleaned it, constantly "Okay" he'd given in, unhappily. That was the attitude he learned to adapt to most of his life until he met his wife, free speaking, opinionated, and messy in a good way, now he was sitting watching his child go all the way left on everything too, loving her free spirit
"What do you think?" Mercy looked at him
"It looks good" he got up "No, I tell a lie" he smiled "It looks great"
"Would your mother approve?"
"I know she treasured those other decorations, but they were tired, we needed these new ones"
"We still have the tree"
"Come on sweet" Sam called their daughter "We're doing the re-switch on"
"Correction" she walked over to them "I'm doing the switch on"
"Switch on, one last slice of pineapple and then upstairs to get ready for Grandma" Sam told her using his I'm not playing voice, her grandma was right the girl was too bright.
Eventually Evelyn turned up collected Des'ray, her over packed overnight bag and the half-eaten gingerbread house, and they were off. Sam and Mercy waved them off, nodded at each other and went into action getting the snacks made, music pumping, and Christmas jumpers on, pretty sure they were going to win the cutest motif showing the baby Jesus in a manger with the three wise men, donkey, and everything knitted across the front
18:00
"Okay" Sam stood back to look at the table an hour later "I think we've got everything"
"I think we have" Mercy came out with a bowl of pretzels in hand, already nibbling
"I thought we could make a punch, call it Eve's kick or something like that" he laughed
"As long as it has a kick" she agreed
The Guests
It had been a rough year on everyone, they'd lost Sam's mother, learned to reconnect, after housing hate between them, but the end of teh year had found them in a new, better place, and they were ready to enjoy life with their friends again however it found them.
she was starting her first year working hard at being a paediatrician, while he was starting his second year with the hope of graduating and specializing in something to do with generic research, having lost his father to a mysterious ailment in his early childhood years previous. Five years later they were both what they'd always wanted to be, it was hard work and Des'ray landing on them in Mercy's final year wasn't a plan they'd envisaged, but she was here now, and they wouldn't have had it any other way.
Quinn and Mercy were old school and college friends, while Mercy branched off into medicine, Quinn went into law, making partner within three years of graduating and finding Noah in the process, he was in the construction business and doing well for himself when they hooked up. Unfortunately for Quinn their relationship was stormy at it's best, toxic at its worst
Tina and Artie had been a couple for longer than either of them cared to remember, the newest additions to the group, only being part of the tradition for the past three years. They'd met the couple on one of their let your hair down nights at a bar, Mercy was doing her thing and Artie was sat on the next table to Sam giving her more props than he was, he was getting ready to be offended. It turned out Mercy was his wife's sister's paediatrician, and moreover it turned out that his wife was actually Tina Abrahams teh well known actress. That was the beginning that found no end, it turned out Artie was a budding film director who was into vintage cars, so every opportunity he got to drive one, he'd call Sam and they'd hit the countryside for an afternoon, sharing interesting conversations and beer
Then there was Kurt their very gay and happy friend, he didn't want to be tied down because life was too short. He was most comfortable when others were uncomfortable around him, he could be pompous, proud and insult without a care in the world, which meant the wrong side of him wasn't the best place to be. Mercy and he had been all through school together, parted company for college and then met up again when he came to New York to work on his first production, after that he'd never left.
Sam and Mercy had made Lima home, for the past six years, so of course when everyone came home for the holidays, they'd meet up at their house and have a catch up and a drink to loosen some tongues and dance
18:00
"Should we get dressed now?" Sam asked as they smiled with satisfaction at the well loaded table
"We might have time to get undressed first" she wiggled her eyebrows at him, giggling as he stepped towards her, making her run towards the stairs and up to their room, where they stayed well over an hour too long "Come on get dressed" she threw his Christmas jumper at him when they got out the shower "They'll be here any minute now"
20:00
Their two-hour window had shrunk down to ten minutes before the first guest arrived "Hey" Kurt smiled kissing Mercy's cheek before he hugged them both "Am I early?" he handed them a bag full of presents and backed his coat off
"No" Sam smiled taking his coat to hang it up, while Mercy grabbed the bag "Help yourself to food and drinks" he pointed at the door to the den
"The others shouldn't be long now" Mercy told him, watching him kicking his boots off in exchange for some Christmas house shoes by the door "Pinocchio?" her face puzzled at his jumper choice
"Christmas movie, I watch it every year" he rubbed his jumper smiling
"Movie" Mercy nodded looking at Sam
"Any drama?" he asked passing his hat over to Sam to hang "I haven't been in touch with anyone for the longest time"
"No drama, not tonight anyway" Sam assured him
"Don't shut the door" they heard as they were about to "It's only me" Lauren's head popped through the open door
"Lauren" Mercy gasped surprised "I thought you were stuck in Canada?"
"I was, but I'm not now" she smiled hugging her friend with her hands full of bags "And I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd rather be, I was praying you guys still had those eve parties, I was hoping to crash" she held her chest "I need to relax" she put the bags on the floor
"We do, and you can" Mercy hugged her again "It's great to see you"
"You too" Lauren let her friend go and hugged Sam "And I see Hummel's still around" she smiled at him "Good to see you" she walked up to him for a hug "We need to catch up"
"I'm done" Kurt rolled his eyes, picking her bags up "I have my partner in crime, this party is going down"
"I'm doing a punch" Sam told them walking towards the den, as the door knocked again, he opened it to find Quinn, Tina, and Artie on the other side "Come on in" everyone kicking off their boots and hanging coats as they talked about their jumper choice and greeted each other. This was a once-a-year thing, and although they kept in touch throughout the year, this time seeing each other in the flesh was important to them. The party moved to the den, everyone sat around talking while Sam made the punch with a kick that would hopefully allow them all to relax, while Mercy handed bowls of food around
"So" Mercy finally focused on Quinn "How are you doing?"
"Me?" she asked in her weak attempt to not answer that question
"Yeah you, the last time we spoke you told me you guys have broken up for real this time, yeah?"
"Gosh Q" Tina gasped holding her chest
"It's fine" Quinn calmed her down "Yeah, it's for real"
"You went back to work this week as well didn't you, how did that go" Mercy tried to change the focus seeing her friend was still hurt about it
"Good" Quinn smiled "But it's weird not speaking to him every day" she looked at her friends
"Q" Tina hissed "I'm sorry"
"No, it's fine"
"Noah's a…" Mercy looked up at Sam's voice interrupting their conversation
"Great guy" Sam offered them a cocktail from the tray
"A what?" Mercy asked through hissing teeth
"A good guy" he repeated "Before you women start trashing us men"
"Seriously?" Mercy looked at him puzzled that he wasn't joking
"What?" he looked at her questioning
"Quinn and Noah broke up; I told you that" she looked at him annoyed
"No, you didn't" he straightened up telling her "I would have remembered that"
"I did" Mercy turned to look at him again "We were in bed the other night; I got off the phone and told you they were finished"
"Babe, how much do I listen when we're in bed, you know I'm not interested in hearing anything except your..."
"Sam" she rolled her eyes at him, refusing to smile
"Well, I didn't know, so when I sent the invites over, I didn't miss him out" he looked at Quinn
"So, he's coming?" Quinn asked
"Sorry" Sam sat the tray of drinks on the table and walked away just as the door knocked "Dude" he smiled at Noah coming through the door
"Hey" Noah smiled hugging his friend
"You didn't tell me you and Q weren't a thing anymore"
"That was so last month's chapter of my life" Noah huffed taking his jacket off "That woman was much too high maintenance"
"It took you what?" Sam looked at him, taking his jacket as they spoke "Eight years to figure that out?"
"It took me eight weeks" he laughed, pushing his feet into the Christmas house shoes "The rest I spent trying to change her mind about me" he tugged at his jumper "Like?" he stood proudly showing Sam his kisses under the mistletoe motif with mistletoe dangling in an unsavoury position at the bottom of it, in his groin area
"Funny and rude" Sam laughed "Don't be showing that to my wife" he shook his head smiling "Drink" he asked feeling the need to change topic "Q's here" Sam slipped in as they walked further into the room, he stood watching Noah work the room talking to everyone as if nothing had changed, frowning at him missing out Quinn, something was brewing there, he shared out more punch and grabbed another tray to do the rounds again
"Still the firecracker" Kurt smiled nodding at Lauren dancing, to the festive music playing like she was in a nightclub
"Who is she?" Noah asked looking on interested
"Another one of Mercy's best friends, Lauren" Kurt told him
"Don't even think about it" Sam warned him "Quinn's right there"
"I'm already being accused of doing it, what difference will it make" Noah laughed
"Dude" Sam shook his head looking at the girls huddled together watching Lauren perform for their men "Game?" he pointed at the pool table, trying to distract Noah
"Good call" Artie got up to get to the table at the other end of the room
"Are you alright?" Mercy asked Tina, who was sat looking at Artie with a worried face
"I'm fine" she smiled
"Tina" Quinn rolled her eyes at her "Even I know that's a lie, what's up?" their attention turned from Lauren to their friend
"I.." she looked to see where Artie was again before she answered "I kissed someone else"
"You did what?" Mercy asked looking over at the guys, relieved they were too engrossed in the game to notice her screech
"It was sort of an accident" she whispered "And now I feel so bad for doing it"
"Whatever you do don't tell Artie" Quinn suggested "It will ruin you two"
"I can't live a lie" Tina gasped "This is killing me"
"So, tell him and lose him anyway" Quinn snapped "What?" she asked of Mercy's face telling her she'd gone too far "She asked" she pointed at Tina
"I don't think much of your delivery" Mercy told her
"Look at your friend" she nodded her head at Lauren exposing what she was really mad at "Giving it up for all the men" she hissed "Well, if you can't beat them" she got up "Coming?" she asked, not wanting their friend to make a complete show of herself they got up to join Lauren in the middle of the room, typical Quinn behaviour, everything was always about her.
"Who's the good-looking single guy over there?" Lauren whispered in Mercy's ear as they danced
"Mediocre looking, not single" Mercy whispered back
"His eyes are telling me he's single"
"It's temporary" she took a sip of her drink "Quinn and he are going through some stuff so please" she looked into her friends' eyes "Keep a wide berth"
"I'm here to see my friend not pick up strange mediocre men" she laughed as she carried on dancing
"Excuse me" Quinn took her phone out to look at the incoming call "I've got to take this"
"Never stop do you?" Tina called after her "She makes that assistant of hers work while he sleeps" she laughed
"Mercy" Quin called across "Is it alright if he pops over with some paperwork?"
"It's Christmas Eve Q"
"It's important"
"Tell him to wear a Christmas sweater" Mercy laughed, knowing that would be the only festivities that boy would be seeing if it were left to Quinn
"Ten minutes" they heard Quinn hissed down the phone before cutting the call "Thanks" she smiled at Mercy "This one case could pay a year's worth of bills; I can't afford to slack on it"
"Not a problem, Blaine's a darling" Mercy assured her "Sam" she called holding her empty glass up, watching as he took his shot and headed for the bar, she needed to talk to him
"What's up?" he asked as she got close
"Everything" she looked across at the girls still dancing "Tina kissed some random, Quinn's obviously still in love with Noah and Lauren seems to have found herself attracted to him"
"Okay" he poured the drinks "Tell Tina to come clean, tell Quinn to make her damn mind up, and maybe we could get away with telling Lauren about Roderick"
"Roderick?" she asked, "Isn't he in Holland or somewhere?" she looked at Lauren "That" she nodded across at her "Is a woman on heat, she is not waiting for next week"
"Maybe she might be a bit of healthy competition for Q, let her realise exactly what she really wants" he frowned "We can't fix everyone"
"I guess" she frowned taking one of the drinks off the tray "Thanks" she smiled at him planting a kiss on his lips before walking away "Oh" she turned back to look at him "Blaine's on his way"
"I'll leave that as a surprise" he smiled. Blaine and Kurt had met a few times and it was interesting to watch the sparks fly for the couple, but Kurt was non-committed, and Blaine was too busy doing for Quinn to have a life, so it never really kicked off.
21:00
"Q" Noah was stood with the girls smiling at Quinn "Can I have a word, in private?"
She didn't say anything just walked off to follow him "You want to talk to me now?" she asked when they got the bar
"This might not be the time" he looked around "Or even the right place, but" he looked around the room again "I don't know about you but..." he frowned "I think we should consider a divorce"
"Divorce?" she asked shocked
"How many times do you really expect me to come running back?"
"I've done my fair share of running in this relationship" she snapped at him
"I don't know I can do this anymore Q, it's toxic"
"Relationships are hard, two people need to work at them" she looked into his eyes
"Hard not toxic" Noah snapped
"Can we talk about this another time?" she asked seeing Blaine enter the room "I have to see Blaine"
"Monday?"
"Breakfast" she smiled
"I'll think about it" he watched her walk away, determined she wasn't ever going to know how much she was hurting him
She sat on the couch with Blaine, music pumping, drinks flowing, and people chatting around them, but Quinn and Blaine's focus was on the case she was working on, and getting the best possible outcome, the court date was for the early January, and they needed every second before that to prepare
22:00
"Where's Noah?" she finally asked Mercy when they'd finished
"I don't know, I guess he's gone" she shrugged her shoulders at her friend
"And where's your friend Lauren?"
"Gone I guess" Mercy told her looking around shocked that her friend had gone there
"You two have split up, haven't you?" Tina asked
"Note to friend, this is not an argument" Quinn looked at Tina "It's advice" she snapped "Go sort your life out before you start telling me what mine is or isn't"
"I wouldn't have said it like that" Mercy told her "But Q's right, you need to come clean to Artie"
"I know" Tina agreed
"And I'd do it now" Quinn looked at Tina about to response "Advice" she reminded her
"Look at them" Mercy nodded at Blaine and Kurt being cutely awkward with each other "Perfect match"
"I think you might be right" Quinn surprised them all agreeing "What's he doing for tomorrow?"
"Who?" Tina asked
"Kurt" Quinn looked at them
"Not sure, parents I guess" Mercy replied
"He could join Blaine and I after dinner" Quinn looked at Mercy "Do you think he'd be up for that?"
"Ask" Mercy advised her "Oh" she looked at Quinn as Noah entered the den again with someone behind him "Who's this?"
"Shit" Tina hissed "It's Mike"
"Who's Mike?" Mercy asked puzzled
"The guy I kissed" Tina whispered
"He's Noah's soon to be partner in crime" Quinn told them
"You have got to be kidding me" Tina gasped as she watched him shaking hands with the guys before making his way towards them "Where can I hide?" she looked around
"Stop it" Quinn snapped at her "Act normal"
"Q you know! Noah smiled "This is Mercy our host, and this is Tina, Artie's better half"
"Artie" Mike pointed at the guys at the pool table "Pleased to meet you" he smiled at Mercy "And sorry for crashing your party, Noah never said it was a party"
"That's Noah" Mercy laughed "There's plenty to go around make yourself comfortable"
"Tina" Mike smiled holding his hand out for shaking
"Mike" she quickly grabbed his waiting hand, shook it even quicker, and let it go
"Nice to see you again" Mike smiled at her
"Again?" Noah asked shocked
"Yeah, we auditioned together a few days ago, weren't supposed to go that far into the role, but we kissed" he laughed "No one said stop, it all got kind of awkward" he told Noah "Did you get the part?" he asked Tina
"Yeah, I did" she smiled "That's my present for the evening out the bag"
"T" Quinn and Mercy hugged her
"Great news"
"And did your wife hear about that kiss?" Noah asked Mike
"Of course, it was an audition" he laughed
"Artie" Noah called him over "Come meet the man your wife kissed"
"What?" Artie's attention immediately grabbed "Mike?" he rushed across the room "You said he was your friend" he looked at Noah
"He's an actor" Noah laughed
"Oh, the audition you smashed the other day" Artie nodded at Tina "I think we can let that one go" he laughed
"Sure" Tina sighed with relief
The drinks were kicking in, the punch was a creeper, everyone grabbed their partners for dance to more jolly Christmas songs
23:00
"Still up for this year's present?" Artie asked Tina as they danced
"After this movie I'm ready to start on that yes" she smiled
"You're in very dangerous territory here you know" Lauren smiled at Mike
"I think that's you" he laughed "You haven't met my wife" he looked at his watch "I have to go soon"
"I thought we were talking divorce" Quinn looked up at Noah as they moved in a circle in the middle of the room
"I'm getting a lot of things, but none of them are the woman I married" he looked around the room "Why can't life always be like this for us?"
"Because I need to be able to trust you"
"You can, if you let yourself" he pulled away from her "Trust me Q" his voice echoing as the song finished
23:30
"Okay" Sam clapped his hands "Presents, the nights nearly ended" everyone found a seat to wait for their bags to be handed out "Time seems to get shorter every year don't you think?" he asked when the last present was packed, before he got up to get the last tray of drinks
"Can I?" Kurt asked Blaine
"Sure" Blaine laughed
"We're going to try at being a thing" Kurt clapped happily
"I need to get home" Mike got up telling them all "Happy Christmas" he smiled, they all responded, watching him hug Quinn and Noah before he left
"I'm going to learn to trust before I lose my man for good" Quinn smiled at Noah
"Of course, you all know already, I got the lead role in that film I auditioned for" Tina smiled
"But what you don't know, is as soon as that project is over we have an addition to the family project to get on the way" Artie laughed as everyone clapped
"We're about to open the Evans Children's Ward at the hospital" Sam announced
"And I'm moving back to LA" Lauren smiled "Trouble is back for good"
"My word" Sam rolled his eyes "To everyone" he held his glass up "Have yourself a merry little Christmas"
"I feel a song coming on" Lauren laughed
"Just don't slap anybody" Kurt begged
Guys: The mood is right, the spirits up, we're here tonight, and that's enough
All: Simply having a wonderful Christmas time, simply having a wonderful Christmas time
Girls: The party's on, the feelings here, that only comes, this time of year
All: Simply having a wonderful Christmas time, simply having a wonderful Christmas time
Guys: The choir of children their song, Girls: they practice all year along,
All: Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong ..
'Wonderful Christmas Time' by Paul McCartney
"Here's to another fantastic year" Sam held his glass up at everyone "Happy Christmas" he hugged Mercy and kissed her, well wishing echoed around the room, Lauren, Mercy, Tina and Quinn gasping at Blaine and Kurt sharing their first kiss
"Definitely going to be a great year" Mercy smiled
Happy Holidays Readers