Underneath the Tree (gg)

Chapter 10 - Last Christmas

Summary:
Beth heads back to her house with Rio, but is greeted by someone else.

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Beth grabs her keys and begins twisting at the lock only to realize that it had been left open. Letting herself and Rio in, she's greeted by her kids running towards her screaming in joy.
"Hey kids, what's going on, where's your dad?" Beth hugging each of them, glancing around the room in confusion.
"Here..." Dean walks out of the kitchen with a piece of pizza, "Thought you weren't gonna come back... kids go upstairs."
"Um, I wasn't expecting you to be here. I still have a day to myself, you weren't supposed to bring them until tomorrow." Beth still standing near the entrance of the door as it finally clicks, letting the draft stop.
"Clearly it wouldn't be a day to yourself," He makes a quick glance towards Rio, "I tried calling you Bethie."
She cringes at the words, "Stop, you need to leave." Beth directs him towards the door shoving him outside.
"Wait! We need to talk about my- our business." Dean says this frantically, doing anything in order to not be shut out.
Rio let's out a laugh as Beth begins, "No we don't. It's not your business. It never has been! It's our business." She points her finger towards herself and Rio before slamming the door in his face, "What an asshole."
"Our business huh?" Rio looks her up and down.
"He thought I bought it for him. I didn't. I bought it for us obviously." Beth says this as she recalls the day she told Rio about the hot tub plan. They're called spas. She lets out a small laugh before her kids come running back.
"Did daddy leave?" Jane brings herself towards Beth's arms to be lifted into the air.
"Oh yeah. He just left, sorry he didn't say bye-bye. You can call him later okay. Now let's go make some cookies." She drops Jane back to her feet and leads her children towards the kitchen, Rio smiling as he follows behind.
In the kitchen, Beth begins pulling baking sheets out of her cabinets as well as flour and other necessities for cookies.
"Christmas is in 4 days! 4 more sleeps until Santa get's here." Beth says this with amusement as her kids erupt into cheers.
"Hey ma what you doing for Christmas?" Rio breaks out as the cheering dies down. The kids turn to look at him.
"Just staying here, last Christmas we all went to Ruby's house, now it's my turn to host. Why don't you swing by with Marcus." As Beth says this, Jane bursts into a bright smile.
"I know Marcus!" She hops off of her stool and reaches for Rio's arm, "Please say yes!"
Rio laughs as he pulls away and makes his way over to the other side of the counter that Beth is standing by, "I think I will." He looks her up and down once again.
"Uh mom, who is he?" Kenny asks this clearly unsure of the new man in the kitchen.
"I'm just your mama's friend." He smiles, "A real good friend." Rio looks towards Beth.
She looks back at him and makes a half smile before laughing, Rio joins in on the laughter.
"Alright ma, I gotta get going. Marcus is coming home tonight." He grabs her waist to pull her in before walking out the back door.
"Okay, the big question... chocolate chip or sugar cookies?" Beth holds up a spoon and begins twisting it like a fairy wand before her kids begin shouting out their preferences.

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"These cookies are amazing!" Annie reaches towards the plate on the coffee table to grab two more. Beth smiling slightly, pleased with her work.
"Chill, we gotta discuss some stuff. Remember?" Ruby grabs the plate and pushes it farther away from Annie.
"Oh yeah! My bad, we really need to crack the whip now." Annie grabs a throw pillow and squeezes it between her arms.
Beth stares back at them blankly and begins, "Okay, just rip off the bandaid, what do you guys need to ask?" She sits up straighter, preparing herself for interrogations.
"Well obviously... gangfriend." Annie's voice comes to a whisper, "You guys were all, lovey lovey, or smitten?" Ruby nods in agreement, pointing her finger towards the ceiling.
"It's obvious, so you might as well tell us." Ruby sits back waiting for a response.
A flush of red going over Beth's face and neck, they sit in silence until she starts, "Well... if it's so obvious, can't you just leave it to your imaginations."
"I thought you guys were just messing around, but Ruby had to break it to me that you were boning. Like... boning, boning." Annie emphasizes each word.
"Okay Annie, my kids are upstairs." Beth puts a finger to her lips to signify a shush.
"Hey B, I'm not the one judging. I really had to bribe this bitch with tequila to make sure she didn't make you feel bad." Ruby nudges her finger at Annie's arm.
Annie rubs away the probe before reaching for the plate of cookies. They continue small talk, Beth beginning to get drunk, spills more than she should.

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"Jesus Beth, we didn't need that many details." Annie clutches the pillow tighter.
"Really, are you kidding me?" Beth feeling slighted, having just spilled her guts to them, "That's messed up,"
Grabbing their things, Annie and Ruby begin walking towards the door, "Well thanks for having us, we'll see you soon." Ruby twists the door handle, exiting as Beth waves them off.
"Oh my god." Rubbing her forehead, she stands and makes her way up to stairs to check on the kids. Walking into the rooms, each kid is sleeping peacefully, unbeknownst to anything that had happened downstairs.
Making her way back down, she's met with a voice, "Hey Bethie!"
Taking the last step, she glances towards the front door, "Dean... what are doing here?"
Inching closer, "I was just thinking about you." Dean stumbles forward, regaining his composure, he speeds towards Beth.
"Back off, you're drunk!" Walking backwards towards the kitchen counter, "You need to leave, the kids are upstairs."
Rushing towards her, placing his hands on each side of the counter. Cornering her in, "They won't hear anything Bethie."
"I said to back the hell off!" Beth's right hand striking his face, making him fall back slightly.
"Did you just punch me?" Picking himself up, he continues again, his hand raised in a fist, "Oh I'm gon-"
Beth flinches down, preparing for impact, before hearing a click, "Nah, you ain't gon' do nothing." Rio's standing in the frame of the back door, a gun in his hand, "When someone says stop... it usually means that they want you to stop."
Dean stands, glancing towards the gun, throwing his hands up, "Bethie, are you gonna stop him? He can't just shoot me."
Beth shuffles to her feet quickly and runs towards Rio, standing behind him, "I'm not preventing anything from happening." Still shaking, she crosses her arms and stares at the ground.
"Now, if you don't want me to blow your face off, I recommend you leave right now." Rio straightens his back, making the gun click once more.
Keeping his hands up, looking to Beth, Dean runs to the front door. Twisting the handle swiftly before helping himself out of the house.
Lowering the gun, Rio turns to Beth, "You okay ma? He hurt you?"
"He didn't, but he's never done anything like that. It was just, so..." Beth pauses, tears staring to form in the corners of her eyes.
"It's fine mama, you ain't gotta tell me nothing." Rio places the gun down and reaches forwards to wipe the tears off of her rosy cheeks, "Just gotta remember to lock them doors alright?"
"Thanks... how'd you know?" Beth glances upwards to meet Rio's eyes, her face still in his hands.
"I just knew..." Leaning down, he places a soft kiss to her lips. Beth accepting, she returns the contact, with passion.
Standing on her toes, she grabs around Rio's neck, drawing him in closer. The height difference is enough for him to realize, reaching behind her thighs and carrying her towards the kitchen counter, lips still locked. Holding her chin with one hand, Rio moves the other to the back of her head, fisting her hair. Pulling slightly, Beth releases the kiss, her neck now exposed. Rio leaning in closer, placing kisses all the way down her neck, towards her collarbone. Finding his way back towards her lips, he reaches for the back of her hips, pulling her off the counter.
Breaking of the kiss, "I'll see you soon yeah?" Rio holding Beth in a close embrace.
Opening her eyes to stare into his, she nods and bites her bottom lip. Letting go of his arms, she allows him to leave, exiting from the back door.

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