Underneath the Tree (gg)

Chapter 11 - Deck the Halls

Summary:
After the incident last night, Beth and the girls head out to go Christmas shopping. Beth begins to contemplate decorations.
(The second time cut goes from evening time, to earlier morning which is when the kids get dropped off)

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Making their way into the store, Annie is already running off towards the candy display.
"She's a damn child." Ruby laughs as she's glancing off towards a toy truck that Harry had wanted.
"Pretty much." Beth pushes the cart and throws a few things in from the front displays, "I can't believe Christmas is in 3 days. The kids are freaking out, Jane really wants to see Santa."
"I hear you B, the kids won't stop begging me to stay up on Christmas. I just had to tell them that Santa won't come if they don't sleep." Just as Ruby is about to continue, she's cut off.
"Hey, would Ben like these?" Annie is holding up a pair of pajama pants with cartoon depictions of the Grinch.
Beth looks towards Ruby and laughs, "Are you serious?" Glancing at the pants once more she pauses, "...wait a minute. I have an idea."
"Oh God! Beth whenever you say stuff like this I get genuinely scared." Ruby shakes her head and stares towards the floor.
"No- I... it's nothing bad. It's about our little Christmas get together." Beth pauses to make sure they're both listening, "Let's wear Christmas pajamas! We can go grab pants for everyone."
"Oh my yes! I love that, I'm gonna go grab a bunch of them!" Annie sprints off towards the clothing section, ready to retrieve handfuls of pajama pants.
Beth and Ruby look to each other and share a laugh before following Annie towards the aisle.

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"Okay, so I have all of my gifts ready to wrap. I have to do that tomorrow morning because the kids come back tomorrow afternoon." Beth rummages through her Christmas decorations, trying to find the box containing wrapping paper.
"Hey sis, are you gonna decorate... it looks so boring in here." Annie roams around the room, looking for a speck of decorations, coming up with nothing.
"Shit! I totally forgot about decorations!" Beth retrieves the box of wrapping paper from her closet, returning to the living room.
"B I gotta head out. Apparently Stan's parents are coming over for a last minute dinner." Ruby rolls her eyes as she grabs her jacket, opening the front door, waving once more before exiting.
Beth and Annie wave her off, "I made cookie dough... want me to bake a batch?" Beth motions towards the kitchen.
"Um... duh!" Annie skips over and takes a seat on a stool under the counter, "So, is Deansie coming here for Christmas... or?"
"Oh hell no. That asshole is never welcome back here again. Only to pick up the kids." Beth kneads the cookie dough in her hands, punching it at the thought of Dean.
Annie just watches her, strangling the dough, flinching as she increasingly shows anger, "Okay. What's going on?"
Beth lifts her hands from the dough and sweeps the hair out her face with her forearm, "It's just..." She pauses, letting out a long breath, "Dean came here last night, he was really drunk. I don't know if he was trying to hurt me, or rape me. I don't know."
Annie's eyes widen, "Did he?" Staring frantically into Beth's eyes.
"No, but I punched him... and he was going to hit me back." She pauses again, gaining the confidence to say it, "Rio actually showed up."
Annie's eyes seem to get even wider, "Gangfriend saved you from Deansie?" Now standing and maniacally gesturing.
"Yeah." Beth whispers, smiling slightly to herself. Unaware of her thoughts. Was it even scary? Did I enjoy having him come to save me? Beth feels like she's going crazy, placing her hands back into the dough, she begins rolling small pieces into balls.
Annie regains her composure and sits back down, "You have to tell Ruby." Fiddling her phone in her hand getting ready to call.
"I'll tell her tomorrow, she's with family and I don't want to stress her out." Beth finishes putting the dough balls on the cookie tray.

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Sitting on her living room floor wrapping presents the doorbell rings. Shit. Beth frantically sweeps the wrapped presents under a blanket that she had covered herself with. Walking towards the door, she knows exactly who it is.
"Hey kids! Come on in!" Beth waves her hands directing them inside. Trying to shut the door quickly, it gets held open.
"Beth come on, I just want to talk." Dean is holding the door open with his hand.
"No Dean, you lost the right to talk to me. Now fucking leave before you make a scene. It's too early for this. I don't need extra stress." Beth tries to keep the door as closed as she can, pushing her back against it.
Conceding, Dean allows the door to shut. Walking off towards his car. Locking it quickly, she turns to see the kids sitting at the kitchen table, reaching for the cookies she set out. Smiling brightly, she walks towards the kitchen to grab juice boxes from the fridge. Making her way towards the dining room, she stops for a moment to look around the area, continuing on, she gives each kid a juice.
"Guess what kids..." Beth pauses, allowing the kids to respond, "We're going to decorate for Christmas. It know it's a little late, but Santa won't come unless there's fun decorations!"
Her kids scan the room and nod in agreeance. Jane looks into the living room, "We need to get a tree."
"Yes we do! I'm going to pick one up in a little bit, and aunty Annie is going to watch you." Beth motions her hands, waiting for cheers.
The kids follow suit and erupt into laughs and cheers while eating their cookies.
"Now, I'll be right back okay?" Beth walks towards the living room to grab the wrapped presents, discreetly carrying them upstairs to her bedroom.
Shoving them into her closet, she glances upwards, the little black dress she had worn to the bar hanging above her. Smiling down, Beth pulls herself onto her feet, swiping her hand over the soft material. Next to the dress, her Christmas pajama pants draping off of the store's hanger. Laughing, she realizes, pulling her phone out of her back pocket. Beth searches for Rio's name in her texts quickly and tells him about the pajama pant idea. Of course, he doesn't respond, but she knows he got it.
Before leaving her room, she hears the front door click. Running downstairs, Beth glances around the corner, relieved to be met with a concerned looking Annie.
"Chill sis, did you see a ghost?" Annie walks towards the kitchen and places her bag on the counter.
"I thought you were Dean." Beth palms her forehead, walking towards the counter next to Annie.
"Oh. I get it, you thought he was sneaking in." Nodding her head, she shoves her keys into her purse before grabbing a cookie from a plate in the center of the counter.
"Yeah I locked the door, I forgot you had a key." Beth laughs as she grabs a cookie for herself.
Both walking towards the dining room, they look towards the empty table to see all of the cookies missing. Turning towards each other and laughing, Beth retrieves the plate and loads it into the dish washer.
Making her way to the living room, Beth begins, "So, I assume the kids ran upstairs while we were in the kitchen. Make sure you don't fall asleep, I'm going out to get a Christmas tree. I'll be back soon." Beth, grabs her jacket off the back of the couch, reaching for her purse.
"Um, sis I'm like totally responsible." Annie crosses her arms, making a smug facial expression.
"You are the opposite, now I'll see you later, love ya!" Opening the door about to leave, "Lock it behind me please. Also, if Dean shows up, don't let him in."
Annie nods, "Love ya," Waving her hand before the door latches, then locking it swiftly.

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