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The party's on, the spirit's up,
Together, they pulled up to the picturesque house on the end of the street. On the red door was a green wreath, and multicolored Christmas lights dangled off the roof. It looked exactly like Bri had described it, and Max's heart was in his throat.
It was Christmas Eve and he was about to meet his girlfriend's family. The pressure was on, suffice to say. He didn't want to make her favorite holiday awkward, so he had been trying his best to stay calm -- but now, now it was happening and, oh God, was he about to have a stroke?
He turned the car off and pulled the keys out of the ignition. He turned to her and smiled.
"Max, are you alright?"
"What? What do you mean? I'm fine?" Max said, his voice cracking ever so slightly.
If only he could have sounded like he meant it.
"You don't smile like that when you're fine." She insisted.
"Like what?"
She paused, making a face to herself. Bri needed to put this as gently as she could.
Oh well. He deserved to hear the brutal truth. Better her than her mother, after all.
"Like you're about to pass out."
Oh. Max tried to pass it off with a laugh, but he went to do just that, only no sound came out.
"Max, honey. What's the matter?" She asked, looking him over and reaching an arm out to rub his arm.
"What if they don't like me?" He asked, looking down at his hands in his lap. Max was ashamed of himself, making her worry about him,
Over on Bri's part, her heart was breaking. Her family, not liking him?
"I'm sure they'll love you."
Of course, she couldn't control her family. She didn't know what would happen, but she was sure that they'd be just as taken with him as she was. What wasn't there to love about Max Fried?
Bri held out her hand to him and, once he took it in hers, she brought it up to her mouth to kiss.
"I love you. They'll love you too." She insisted and, after a few more deep breaths, they went in.
Everyone else was already there, and greeted them both warmly. Bri hugged every member of her close and extended family while walking into the house. She couldn't help but turn around to check on Max. She couldn't see him, though, because he'd been surrounded by her family.
Uh oh.
Moving into the living room, Bri tried to regulate her heartbeat.
She was worried and sitting on the edge of her seat, trying her best to occupy herself with talking to her little cousins, who (like always) had a million, billion questions for her. They couldn't contain their excitement, trying to gauge Bri for all her stories of the magical world of adulthood.
She was telling them about her job (something they could never get enough of hearing about), but she caught her mother's glance out of the corner of her eye.
Bri stopped in the middle of her story to cock her head to the side at her mother. They both looked at Max, who had seemingly fallen right into place, talking and laughing with her father, aunts and uncles. Bri's family members were gathered around him, listening to his stories (much like her own little cousins were gathered around her).
After a little pause, a warm smile broke out on the woman's face.
Bri couldn't help the brighter-than-the-sun smile that broke out on her face. To make matters better, Max caught her eye and sent a wink her way, before turning back to talk to her father.
He seemed like he was home, and that was all she could ever want on Christmas, or any other day.
We're here tonight and that's enough.
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hey hey ATLBravesGirl! i really hope you liked this and thanks for requesting! happy, happy holidays!
