what happens in Maine, stays in Maine.

5.

december 25th
alex's eyes fluttered open briefly. she was laying atop something warm, her hair being gently played with, someones nails raking softly over her scalp.
she sighed contently at the sensation she hadn't felt in so long, her mind was foggy with sleep as she let herself drift off again.
bradley also was starting to awaken, her hand almost having a mind of its own as she stroked her hand through laura's luscious raven dark locks...
wait...
bradley opened her eyes confused and was slightly scared to find it wasn't laura who was sleeping softly in her arms...
they had both tossed and turned a couple of times in the night and they'd ended up with bradley sleeping on her back, alex's head resting on her chest, their legs almost entwined.
bradleys hand motions stopped as she realised she'd been dreaming about laura and had begun to mirror the actions of the dream in the real world.
alex sensed the pause in someone playing with her hair, she inhaled deeply as she raised herself up, squinting.
the person beside her also stretched and yawned, they each took a moment to let their eyes focus before they looked at each other
they both didn't know what to do or say, both knowing how close they'd just been sleeping.
bradley's neck and chest started burning as alex tried to not laugh.
she lay back down beside bradley before whispering "merry christmas...again"
bradley returned the phrase as they both lay there.
"we should probably get up" alex murmered as she sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
there was that morning voice bradley was quickly growing to love.
bradley also got out of bed, wrapping her robe tightly around her as she watched alex tie her hair back in a loose bun.
she looked so fresh faced and glowy when first waking up, makeup free, well slept.
bradley couldn't help but be slightly jealous at how effortless alex made her beauty seem.
they leave bradley's room and shuffle down the creaky stairs, already hearing chatting and giggling coming from the living room.
jennifer's shock of seeing the two women enter the room together was evident on her face, what a coincidence that she'd heard laughing last night and now they were waking up at the same time.
"good morning" she smiled as they walked over.
she was sat on the sofa with ollie crawling over her lap, max sitting on the floor as he waited patiently to open his presents.
"merry christmas" alex smiled shyly as she crossed the room and kissed her sister on the cheek.
after everyone had settled down, presents began being opened in no particular order.
bradley, having placed alex's present under the tree when she first arrived, sat contently as she watched everyone's excitement at what they'd received.
"oh, these two are for you bradley" alex handed her two decent sized boxes.
"me?" she stuttered as she held them in her lap.
"well yeah, did you think we wouldn't give you anything?" alex chuckled.
bradley opened the first box that was from jennifer, to find an assortment of bath salts, tea lights and bath bombs.
the second box was from alex.
"woah" bradley whispered as alex, sitting beside her, bit her lip to try and hide her smirk.
inside the box were a gorgeous black pair of jimmy choos heels, atop was a $5000 louis vuitton gift card.
bradley looked at her friend in shock.
"alex i-" she hadn't expected anything from alex, let alone the shoes she'd been harping on about for months because she saw them in a store window on her way to tms.
"you like your gift then?" she smirked.
bradley was lost for words as she flung her arms tightly around the older woman's neck.
she pulled away laughing "i feel bad now, if i'd have known i would've gotten you more than some fancy dishes, and thankyou jen" bradley stood up to hug the other woman in the room "these will be a lifesaver, believe me"
more presents were handed around as alex and jen slowly worked their way through their presents too.
"is this...?" alex looked over at her sister as they both held a present, wrapped the exact same.
"yep, couldn't forget the gag gifts could we?" jen laughed as she began to open hers.
"oh wait! i wouldn't open that here if i was you" alex laughed.
jennifer looked at her quizzically as she gave the box an experimental shake.
bzzzzzzz
the sound was coming from the box as alex laughed loudly.
she turned to bradley who was very interested in this scene "every year me and jen have a tradition to get each other a gag gift, normally something that you would not want your mom or dad finding if you know what i mean"
"oh...oh!" bradley started giggling as she realised what was most definitely making that buzzing sound.
"okay open yours" jennifer pressed, her cheeks bright red after finally managing to turn the object in the box off.
alex pulled the wrapping paper off, bradley was intrigued to notice that she started where the cello tape was, carefully peeling it back as if she was scared to rip the paper.
she slid the flat, square box out and lifted the lid off, gasping before snorting loudly.
bradley's shoulders were shaking as she tried to contain her laughter, watching alex slowly lift up a very red, very lacy set of laungerie.
jennifer was almost crying as she laughed at alex's reaction. underneath the bra and thong, was a black satin slip dress.
images flashed briefly through bradley's mind of what alex would look like wearing this at night, with a glass of red wine in hand.
alex looked at her sister, raising her eyebrows as she tried to hide her smirk.
"and who do you suppose i wear this for?"
"well...you're single now...find someone" her sister winked back at her.
alex shook her head, giggling as she closed the box.