“Do you think you’ll mum will like me?” I asked and Ashton sighed.
We were sitting on the plane getting ready to land in Sydney from the States. It was probably the hundredth time I’d asked him that question; I was worried.
“I think mum’ll try to adopt you or get me to propose.” He said patting my leg with his big warm hand.I gave him a look. It only made him sigh again.
“Be serious.”
“I think she’ll like you.” He said again, probably the hundredth time he’d have to say it.
“Thank you.” I said turning back to the small plane window. I felt him leaning closer to me. His lips brushed over my shoulder before he rested his chin on it.
“I like you, too, you know.” He murmured. I smiled and gave him a kiss. Since we’d been reunited after his tour, there’d been far too little kissing for his liking.
“I know.” I said and he smiled.
When we landed, we met his mum and siblings at the airport. His mum, right after being introduced to me, barreled me down with a hug. Before she smacked her son for not bringing me to meet the family sooner.
Ashton was disgruntled to say the least. But he got happier when he got to show me around the house he’d grown up in. He showed me all the sport trophies he and his siblings had won before we got down to his drum kit and the other instruments he had. Then he decided I didn’t have enough of a jet lag problem to avoid going on a drive. So he drove me all around Sydney. To his old school, to the other guy’s school, their old studio, the radio stations, the place they’d had their first practice and the overlook he’d drive to when everything needed to slow down or just when he needed to slow down.
Going with him to Australia for the holidays was letting me get to see a part of him I never would have known otherwise. Finally, when we got back, we got a dance show from Lauren before we went to bed.
A couple days later it was Christmas.
“God damn it’s hot here. Do you not understand how Christmas is meant to be cold?” I groaned into the pillow after waking up. I’d been way too hot to sleep until the wee hours of the morning. Ashton just laughed at me. He’s such a doting and loving boyfriend. Usually.
“Hun, it’s not like you spent Christmases in Vermont.” He said patting my back. I sat up to glare at him.
“It is too damn hot.” I repeated kicking the bed covers off of me. He sighed again. He sighed a lot at me.
“You’ll get used to it.” He said in a voice that would have been consoling if it wasn’t so condescending.
“December is winter.” I said and he shook his head.
“This my dear is Australia.” He said and I sighed flopping back into the bed.
“Australia is too damn hot.”
“Sometimes, yes.” He said. He knew when I got like this it was best to let me roll out the ton of complaints until I was done. That’s all I was trying to do. Complain. It was a language where I was from.
I’d had enough of complaining though so I pushed myself up and out of the bed.
“Do you think they’re all up?” I asked stretching. He shrugged.
“I remember Harry waking me up at all hours on Christmas morning.” He said and I nodded along.
“I used to do that too.” I said stepping into my slippers. He got out of the bed too.
“Hey, thanks for coming out here with me.” He said pulling me toward him. I let him kiss me before I squirmed away.
“You’re too warm.”
“I know you think I’m hot.” He said opening the bedroom door to lead me downstairs. I just nodded. Let him think that way if it makes him happier.
“Good morning.” His mum said when we came down stairs. I smiled. After a couple days, I hardly cared that I probably had pillow lines on my face and sleep under my eyes with them. Hell, I was even in PJ shorts and a tank top. This was a family of modest people.
“’Morning.” I said as Ashton poured us each a cup of coffee.
“See? Christmas in Australia won’t be so bad.” He said coming back to me and dropping a kiss on my lips.
“It’ll just be hot.” I said and his mum laughed.
“Can we open gifts now?” Harry said running full tilt into the room and slamming his hands down onto the counter.
“Yep, everyone’s up little man.” Ashton said rubbing his head.
Ashton was good with his family. Seeing it made me wonder if he’d be even better if we had our own family.
