Let's All Make Believe - Oasis

Chapter 76

Liam suggested a big family Christmas at our house. He thought the whole family could get together. Peggy, Paul, Noel and Meg, him, Patsy and Lennon, me, Lydia, Stephen and Nathan, Lydia's parents and even my parents.

"That sounds like an explosion waiting to happen." I commented.

"It won't be."

"Are you kidding? Two minutes with any one of Noel, Meg Patsy or my parents and I might lose my head."

"Well I want us to try it so I can see you and the boys for Christmas and Ste's birthday."

"You don't even like Christmas."

"I'm not Noel. I want us all together."

"Alright but it's all on your head." I said, it was his house, if I didn't agree he'd just do it anyway.

"It's a big house, plenty of space to get away."

I tried to insist on at least discussing it first with Lydia but it was going ahead whether we liked it or not.

"Oh and our Paul's new bird." he added to the guest list.

"She's not new. They've been together for months."

"We've not met her so she's new."

"I've talked to her on the phone so that's half met." I pointed out but I wasn't sure she'd come, they might not be at the shared Christmases stage yet.

We invited everyone who needed inviting to come over for Christmas. I thought it was too big and Lydia worried it'd be too much for me but we had to get on with it. Not everyone agreed to be there though. Noel was only coming for Ste's birthday (Meg didn't want to travel this far into her pregnancy) so was my parents and Billy. It was still going to be a full house for the three days though.

Liam didn't think it was any effort to to pull off a Christmas and a birthday because he'd never had to prepare for anything. He left everything to me and Lydia and she was still working. I spent so much time with Nathan in shops buying a lot of food, party supplies and presents for each guest. When we weren't shopping we were wrapping presents without the kids seeing and trying to keep up with what we had or hadn't gotten done.

There was stuff to prepare in the house too, bedding on the beds, a cot for baby Lennon, nothing prepared itself. It felt like we were opening a hotel rather than having people over.

On Christmas Eve we prepared food as we waited for people to arrive. Lydia kept telling me I needed to relax, everything would go smoothly if we let it, she thought. Peggy, Paul and Bethanie arrived first which gave us chance to introduce ourselves.

Bethanie (or Beth, she said she didn't mind either) looked like Paul had pulled one of Patsy or Meg's model friends. She wasn't like them though, she was a down to earth Mancunian even if her looks could let her stand out like that if she wanted. She was tall for a woman and beautiful. Her eyes were a warm brown and her black hair was long even with being plaited into a lot of box braids. I tried to look away so it didn't look like I was staring.

"So you're ready for a Gallagher Christmas already?" I asked Bethanie jokingly once she'd met everyone.

"Paul's warned me. I think I'll be okay though."

"We all will be if we're all on our best behaviour. If we focus on the kids we'll be fine." I didn't know whether I was telling her or myself.

Once they were settled in Liam, Patsy and Lennon joined us. They were tired after their drive so they met Beth quickly and went to their room.

...

Everyone except me and Lydia went to church before we got out of bed. Peggy had already asked to take the boys and even though I didn't want them getting religious I couldn't say no. She didn't bring up Nathan's lack of a christening so I let them go when she wanted.