It's 10 am this fine Sunday morning in the Harris household, and people are up, hustling and bustling.
"I didn't think Easter was such a big deal..." Noah says in awe as he watches the millions of people rush around trying to find their coats and shoes.
"Wait until you see Christmas," Jordyn chuckles to her brother.
~~~~~
Everyone eventually got out the door, and they made the church service with 5 minutes to spare.
All the kids were very well-behaved during the service, with an occasional yawn here and there. It was actually Noah's first time to church, and Whitney believes he enjoyed it very much.
Someone who may have not enjoyed it so much though, is her wife. Ashlyn never really attended weekly service when she was a kid, so the practice was never instilled in her.
Ashlyn started going to church with Whitney after their first year of dating. She was and still is, very nervous to attend because of her sexuality. Ash is normally very strong and inspiring when it comes to being apart of the LGBTQ+ community, but church is the one place she feels insecure. She won't even hold Whitney's hand.
Ash is very tentatively sitting in the pew, not even looking over at Whitney. The last thing Whit would want to do is make her wife uncomfortable, but she really wanted to hold her hand.
Church eventually ends, and everyone ushers out to their cars. Immediately after Whit and Ashlyn step out of the church doors, Ashlyn interlocks her fingers with her wife's.
Whitney looks over at Ash reassuringly, giving a tight squeeze of affection towards their jumbled mess of fingers, wondering why she didn't try doing it while they were inside.
"You okay baby?" Whitney asks.
"Doin' just fine..." Ash replies smoothly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'
The whole family eventually arrived home and had a wonderful Easter morning breakfast, followed by an egg hunt of course.
By the time that dinner was finished and all the kids were in the basement watching a movie, all hell started to break loose.
Bryce and Jonah came up a few minutes ago to ask Ashlyn to help with the movie. These 21st-century kids...they don't know how to use a DVD player!!
"A DVD player is the simplest thing, I don't know why your 7 children don't know how to work one..." Barb says.
Whitney looks over at her mother, unsure of whether she was joking or not.
"Barb it's perfectly fine that they don't, they are much more technologically advanced things that they know all about and you don't," Jack adds. That makes Whit feel better.
Then, all of the sudden, Barb begins to rag on Ashlyn again.
"All I'm saying is maybe you and Ashlyn should look into counseling. She put you through a lot these past few months."
"She put me through a lot? Or you..." Whit replies sternly, obviously hurt.
Barb stands there speechless.
"Whitney, you're my daughter. I mean a few months ago you were crying to me saying you wanted a divorce, and know everything is just perfect again? I know Ashlyn sweetheart, she could stab you in the back at any time.
"No. You don't know Ashlyn. For the past 17 years that we've been married not once have you tried to make conversation with her. She wants to have a relationship with you Mom, but you can't seem to let her in for Lord knows why..."
"Oh, I don't know her? Well, she isn't too hard to figure out. Tattoos all over her body, she shaved her head, her previous life and morals were extremely upsetting, her dad is a wackado and her mother is too! And that brother of hers, ughh."
Whitney sighs slowly, trying to calm her anger and engagement.
"Get out..."
"What?" Barb asks.
"Get out...now."
"Whitney I am not going to leave."
"Why not? Because you're in my house Mom, and you can't seem to respect me and my family. Ashlyn is who she is, and I love her endlessly for it. Stop trying to change that...we are never going to not be together. It's Noah's first holiday with us and I wanted it to be memorable...but this is not the kind of memory I want to have. We raise our kids the way we raise our kids...they have all been through so much and they don't need this negativity and anger around a place that is normally filled with love and laughter. Please, I think you should go."
Barb stands there for a few seconds more, looking down at the ground, to her daughter, and then to Jack.
"Well, then I will. I wouldn't want to add to the already hostile environment. I'm sorry for trying to help." She says as she walks away and up the stairs to gather her things.
Jack looks over to Whitney.
"You and I both know that she is the one is creating the hostile environment."
Whit gives off a bit of a smirk, satisfied that her point got across to her father.
Jack comes over and kisses his daughter's head."...I'm sorry things had to end up this way. I hope you and Noah can forgive us."
"It's no problem for Noah Dad, he knows nothing about it...I just hope I didn't totally wreck my relationship with Mom."
"Oh sweetie you didn't. You know your Mom, causing a fight and then running back a few days later saying it was all her fault. I promise everything will be fine, just let things run its course."
"I'm sorry you have to leave too."
"Oh, it's no problem Whit. We'll get a hotel room and take our regular flight tomorrow morning."
"Jack..." A voice says from the front door. It must be Barb.
"Well I'll see ya later honey, maybe we'll come in for a few days in the summer."
"Looking forward to it. Have a safe flight home."
"Will do. Tell the kids and Ashlyn I say goodbye."
They hug.
"Bye, love you..."
"Bye Dad. Love you too."
~~~~~~~~
The front door closes and Whitney can hear her parent's rental car start and pull away.
Just then, Ash comes into the kitchen slowly.
"You okay?"
"Yea...I'm fine." Whit simply answers.
Ashlyn walks up to her wife and leans next to her on the counter.
"Could you hear the yelling from the basement?"
"No, I came upstairs when you two first started. I waited in the living room for things to cool down,"
Whitney sighs and puts her head in her hands. Ash rests her hand on the small of her wife's back.
"It seems that you didn't hold back though..."
"Why shouldn't I have held back? She was being totally absurd. I couldn't take it anymore."
"You know all those things she said about me don't bother me right? She's said them too many times. They've just lost their meaning,"
Whitney looks up at Ashlyn. "And why should you have to deal with that. They're supposed to be your family, and families don't stab each other in the backs..."
Ashlyn looks at Whit.
"Right..." Whit quickly corrects. "...sorry." She apologizes. It totally slipped her mind that Ashlyn's father left her mother and indeed stabbed her in the back.
"I just wanted to show you and the kids the love that families should truly share,"
"Baby what do you think you've shown me for the past 17 years? You're the one who taught me how to love...and these kids, they don't need to see the love between you and your parents. They just need to see it right here, between us. Which they do! You sacrifice so much for them to have the best possible lives after their horrible pasts...If that isn't love, then I don't know what is."
Whitney smiles as she looks into her wife's eyes.
"You really think we're doing a good job?"
"I know we are...and no one can tell us otherwise."
Whit grins as she wraps her arms around Ashlyn's neck, kissing her lips.
"I liked that," Ash whispers onto her lover's lips.
Whitney grins. "...me too. I love you."
"I love you..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The kid's movie eventually ended, and after asking where their grandparents were, Whit and Ash explained to them there was a bit of an emergency with their Grandpa Jack's job in California and that they would have to the next flight out immediately. Whitney didn't like to lie to her children, but it was the best thing for them.
After they are all snuggled in their beds and fall fast asleep, Whit and Ash stay up together in their bedroom.
"Okay, I have one question for you," Whit says as she looks over to Ashlyn in their bed.
"Shoot," Ash says as she looks up from reading her emails.
"Why don't you hold my hand in church."
"Huh?" Ash asks confused.
"You heard me. Why don't you like to hold my hand in church? You held it right before and after, but when we're inside it's like you're scared straight."
"Whitney, that's not true."
"Then why?"
"I just feel...uncomfortable."
"But baby church is the one place you should feel contented with yourself 100%..."
"I know, I was just paying attention. I'm sorry if I offended you."
"You didn't..." Whit says as she reaches for Ash's hand. "...I was just wondering."
Ash grins and kisses Whitney's hand.
"Lights off?" Whit adds.
"Yea...it's been a long day, you deserve some rest. Are you sure you're okay with everything about your parents?"
"Yea it's alright...she'll come around. Plus, it's not like I regret anything I said. I meant it all."
"I'm happy for you babe. You finally told her how you felt."
Whit grins as she snuggles herself up into her wife. Ashlyn leans over and turns out the light.
"We're having your mom for Thanksgiving," Whit says in the dark.
Ash chuckles, kissing Whitney on the head. Who knows what these months will bring. But as long as Whitney is by her side, she is grateful and ready for it all.