Looking forward, not back (OMIMB SEQUEL.)

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"Babe, get the door will you?!" I hear my boyfriend Alex yell from the kitchen, sounding exhausted just from having to hold the turkey for so long, "Course!" I laugh, placing the final wrapped present under the Christmas tree.

It has been four years since I've moved into my own house with Alex but this is the first year that we'll be hosting Christmas for the whole family, I'd been dreading this since the day I moved out, feeling pressured after the amazing Christmas days we have had at everyone else's house. We had all taken turns, the first year after I'd moved out, mom and dad hosted Christmas, the next year was Fay and her husband James, the Christmas after that was Olly and his, at the time, 'new girlfriend' Isabella who are still in a beautiful relationship today...I did feel bad that year as it was their first Christmas together and they were hosting it. Oh well, it was Olly's choice!

This year? Our turn.

And surprisingly...I'm excited about it!

I pull my Santa hat onto my head and rush to the door; brushing down my outfit...an elf dress is not too overboard right? I twist the keys into the door and tug the handle pulling it open, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

I look at Issy's surprised face at my choice of outfit and then look at Olly who is dressed as a reindeer, I high five him as Issy laughs, "Damn! I must have missed the memo!"

I hug them both and Olly says, "Fay and James are going to be a little late but Mom and Dad should be here any second...they were driving behind us..." He looks outside, scratching the back of his neck through confusion, "You know what dad's driving is like." I say to Olly.

"Ah, true, 'VICKI I KNOW THE LIGHT IS ON GREEN BUT JUDGING FROM HOW LONG IT'S BEEN ON GREEN IT'LL TURN ORANGE ANY MINUTE WHICH MEANS SLOW DOWN...THEN ON RED WHICH IS STOP!'" Olly imitates dad's driving as I imitate mom back at him, "YES PETE BUT YOUR VERSION OF SLOWING DOWN IS THE SAME SPEED AS YOU ACTUALLY DRIVING!"

We both laugh at each other as Issy laughs along with us, "Look who's pulled up!" Olly and I immediately look outside to see mom and dad strolling up to the door with bags in their hands.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" We all yell, Alex comes out of the kitchen with a grin, beads of sweat on his forehead, "Guys I think the whole country can hear you, never mind this street!"

We all hug mom and dad as Olly says "Where can I put these?" Lifting up some Christmas bags that I never noticed he was holding, "Ah you can just plonk them by the tree."

As the family walk into the living room to relax on the couch, I follow Alex back into the kitchen and close the door, "Baby, don't stress about dinner, it's your Christmas Day too." I say to him, wrapping my arms around his waist as he leans on the table, watching the timer which has three minutes five seconds left.

"I know you don't want me to stress, I don't want to either, but I want to show your parents how good I am for you," "Okay big head," I laugh, sticking my tongue out at him; he laughs back. "You know what I mean, I want your parents to like me, I don't want them to think that their daughter had picked the wrong man, Leah I love you so much I love being able to call you my girlfriend."

"Alex, my parents have known you for the eight years we have been together, they couldn't like you anymore than they already do, and you don't have to prove yourself anymore! It's only dinner anyway, you're definitely way too dramatic about dinner." We both stay silent for a moment as Alex kisses my forehead, then I add, "and if worse comes to worse...we always have pizza hut!" I say, kissing him before I leave the kitchen as he laughs to himself.

Just as I am about to walk into the living room to join the family and watch Elf, the doorbell rings and I immediately remember that Fay, James and Louie are still due to arrive.