Feening - Rhea Ripley

Chapter 15 - Christmas With The Bennetts/Big Step

As the sun began to rise on Christmas morning, Lily awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside her window. She stretched her arms above her head, yawned, and let out a long, slow breath. It was her first Christmas without her mum, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness deep in her chest. But she knew that her family would be together today, and that her brothers, Frankie and Callum, and her father would do everything they could to make her feel loved. Lily received a message from Demi, reading:

"Hey bby, Merry Christmas. My mum and dad said you can come here with your dad and brothers, if you want!"

Lily was excited, but also nervous. She hadn't seen Demi's family in a while and wasn't sure how they would react to her. But, she decided it was worth a shot. She quickly replied, "Thank you, Demi! That would be really nice. I'll ask my dad and brothers if they want to come too."

Lily's Brothers were more than happy to come along with her and their dad. Lily felt a little nervous as they drove over to Demi's house. It was a big, beautiful house in a nice neighborhood with a lovely garden. As they pulled up, Lily saw Demi waiting for them at the door. She was wearing a beautiful red dress that accentuated her curves and made her eyes sparkle. She smiled shyly at Lily and waved her over.

All of Lily's family knew Demi was now her girlfriend so finally no more hiding. As they walked up to the house, they were greeted by the warm smell of cinnamon and nutmeg wafting through the air. Inside, the house was decorated beautifully with Christmas trees, lights, and ornaments. There was a huge Christmas tree in the living room that must have taken forever to decorate. Lily's family were introduced to Demi's parents and her little sister, Calista of course. Everyone was very nice and welcoming, making Lily feel right at home yet again.

"Hey baby." Demi wrapped her arms around Lily, giving her a warm hug. Lily felt herself relaxing into her embrace. There were laughs and squeals of delight coming from the living room, followed by Demi's parents and Calista coming to the door to greet the 4.

"So guys, these are my two older brothers, Callum and Frankie. And this is my dad!"

"Come in! Come in! Make yourselves at home and it's good to see you all." Demi's mum hugged everyone as Her dad shook everyone's hands. Callum and Frankie looked around the house in awe. They had never been to such a big and beautiful house before. The Christmas tree in the living room was breathtaking. It was at least ten feet tall and had hundreds of ornaments hanging from its branches. There was also a beautiful nativity scene set up in the corner, with hand-carved wooden figures of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus.

For once in her life, Lily finally saw her dad genuinely happy. He had been smiling ear to ear ever since they had arrived. The warmth and laughter in the room was contagious, and it didn't take long for Lily and her brothers to feel right at home. They played board games with Demi's sister, Calista, and even helped her dad with a little barbecue outside. The aroma of grilled steaks and sausages filled the air, making everyone's stomach growl in anticipation.

3 hours later...

As they all sat down for dinner, Lily couldn't help but notice the way Calista and Callum were acting. They were sitting pretty close to each other, occasionally stealing glances at one another, their cheeks flushed and their smiles shy. It was cute, really, but Lily couldn't help feeling a tiny twinge of annoyance. She had always been protective of her older brother, even though he was usually the one looking out for her. The thought of him liking someone else made her feel a little bit... weird, he had been hurt in the past so she was only looking out for him.

Demi noticed Lily's gaze and nudged her gently with her elbow. "What?" she whispered. "You're cute when you're protective." Lily rolled her eyes but felt herself blush a little under Demi's teasing. Demi's dad, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the undercurrents between his daughter and Callum.
"They're both adults, plus Calista has been in need of being with a guy for a while. She's been feeling a bit lonely."
Demi's dad was engrossed in telling a story about the time he had mistakenly put the turkey in the deep fryer instead of in the oven. Everyone at the table laughed so hard they nearly fell out of their chairs. Even Lily's dad joined in, looking genuinely happy for once.