Christmas with the Family

[Jessica Reed]

Jess couldn't wipe the smile off her face all day, she was so excited that Jenny was spending Christmas with her family. Her whole family were delighted, it had been too long. The new house was a complete tipp at that moment, boxes were piled high that still needed to be unpacked, then there was the search for the Christmas decorations boxes which lead to tearing open half of the other boxes. However Jess knew Jenny wouldn't mind, her family never prepared anything fancy or made sure the house was clean when Jenny was coming, it was just that everyone was so comfortable with her around.

Jess was wearing one of her typical outfits as she made her way down the stairs with a large box of what she hoped were Christmas decorations. She was about to call Matt to help her but she could hear him playing music in his room, she knew from experience that it was a bad idea to disturb him while he was playing his guitar. She carefully made her way down the last three steps, and when she did, she dropped the box loudly on the wooden floorboards before dusting off her hands. "Dad, the box is at the bottom of the stairs." She shouted openly before hurrying into the living room, the most normal room in the house. It was a little messy but not as bad as some of the other rooms. Jess kicked off her converse and threw herself onto the recliner sofa. One of the best things about moving to New Zealand was definitely the recliner seats.

She casually flicked on the muggle television and browsed through the many channels. The Reed's were quite a muggle orientated family. Of course there was many wizarding features in their house, but there was also many muggle features. Many wizards would frown upon this but they never really cared, Jess certainly didn't. She settled on a music station (one of her favourite channels) however she was not listening to the music blaring from the tv, she was waiting hopefully for the unfamiliar ring of the doorbell, she knew Jenny would be arriving pretty soon.

 

[Jennifer Wilkonson]

When Christmas break had begun, Jen ran into her home to get the presents she had purchased for the Reed's then ran out. She hadn't spoken a word to her mother and was ignorant to the fact that she now had a baby sister despite hearing the cries of an infant. She had thought nothing of it, she was far too eager to be going to see Jessie, Matthew, Lucie, Mum and Dad.

Jen took a muggle trolley over to Jessica's house and soon enough she was off it and following the directions Jessica had laid out for her by foot. As she arrived on the front steps of the house she straightened her Holister top then eagerly rang the door bell with her elbow, still trying to balance all the presents for her family.

lame

 

[Matthew Reed]

Jessica had told Matthew that Jenny would be staying with them for Christmas break and he honestly couldn't have been happier. He was a little stressed about his meeting in a few weeks time but Jenny would be a great distraction from that problem. He was just messing around with a song in his room when he heard Jess shout to their father that she had brought the box down, lazy git he thought to himself with amusement. He knew that Jess knew their dad was hanging up the decorations in the kitchen. However, if it were him in the situation he probably wouldn't have brought the box in either. Thankfully the whole record deal thing was a great excuse not to help around the house.

When he heard the doorbell ring, he smiled to himself, Jenny was here. He put his guitar away and walked quickly down the stairs. Hearing the blaring music from the the tv as he walked by he gave the living room door a knock with his fist to indicate to Jess that Jenny arrived. Matt opened the door to see the familiar face of his friend. "Jenny! You made it, here let me get those for you" he said charmingly taking the boxes of what looked like presents from the girl. He smiled happily before being pushed out of the way by Jessie.

 

[Jessica Reed]

Jess turned her attention back to the television and listened to the familiar rock song that was playing. The skill in the guitarists were unbelievable, she had full faith in Matt that he would be that good some day. However, over the blaring music she managed to hear the ring of the doorbell. The boring tone never sounded so good. Jess hopped off the comfy recliner chair and gave a passing note to Matt who had knocked on the door of the living room, "I know dumb@ss" she smirked as she made her way more casually towards the front door. Jess stood on the tip of her toes as she looked over her brother's broad shoulders at her best friend with a delighted grin on her face. Once Matt took Jenny's stuff from her hands, Jess pushed him out of the way and enveloped her best friend in a huge hug. "I'm so glad you're here! I've been waiting for soooo long!" She said laughing as she released her friend from her tight embrace. "You don't believe how boring it is when you're at school." Jess smiled, her eyes lighting up. This would definitely be the best holiday yet.

 

[Jennifer Wilkonson]

Jennifer was expecting Jessie to open the door so as Matthew opened the door she gave an unexpected grin and said, "Thanks Matthew." She was about to step forward to give him a tight embrace when Jessie pushed him out of the way, while she was delighted to see her best friend she wouldn't have minded a moment with Matthew alone. But she pushed those thoughts out of her mind and hugged Jessica tightly. As the two best friends pulled away she smiled brightly and said, "You have no idea how boring it has been at school." She grinned playfully and added with a roll of her eyes, "I have no idea why I went to the Yule Ball instead of coming here early."

Although Jennifer got well needed time with Scorpius and friends there hadn't been much else going on then and she would have much preferred going home earlier. "So you gonna invite me in or what?" she asked with a playful glint in her cerulean blue orbs.

 

[Jessica Reed]

"Yule Ball? Thats sounds lame. You really should have came here instead." She said with her usual cheeky grin, it didn't take a genius to know what it was Jess was more curious as to who she went to it with. Although, she was not going to launch into the boy topic right now, not only was Matt standing there but she would also have to talk about Jackson. Someone she did not want to talk about, she knew he'd come up at some point but the longer she could delay it the better. "Of course!" Jess smirked, her eyes dancing with excitement. "Welcome to the new Reed household. At first I was all 'blah' about it, but its actually pretty cool." She explained rather quickly with a wave of her hand and then skipped brightly into the house to alert the rest of her family of Jenny's arrival.

 

[Matthew Reed]

Matt didn't know what he was doing just standing there with the pile of presents but he didn't necessarily want to leave. What he really wanted was just to have a one-on-one conversation with Jenny but he knew that wasn't going to happen until things settled down with Jess. As she skipped by him he looked back at Jenny and indicated her to come inside. "That is probably the first time I have seen her skip. Ever!" He chuckled thinking back to his childhood. Jess was never one of those girls who wore pink dresses with matching ribbons and shoes. She was the girl who scraped her knee twice a day while trying new tricks on her bike. Skipping was something he had never seen her do before. "I kinda wish I recorded it," He added with a smile.

 

[Jennifer Wilkonson]

Jenny's eyebrows rose with amusement as Jessie skipped into the house, it was a rare action but not completely unknown of and her gaze met Matthew's before she walked towards him, closing the door behind her. With a playful glint in her eyes, she too skipped forward but turned sharply and started walking backwards in front of her friend, trying to make sure she didn't bump into any furniture, walls or boxes. "So, get any special phone calls, Matty?" she asked with eagerness in her face and in her eyes, hoping for her friend that he had.

As they continued walking, Jennifer clumsily tripped over a box and quite dramatically fell backwards, landing flat on her back. "Guh," she moaned as she opened her eyes, trying to stop herself from blushing so hard but of course she couldn't and her cheeks were a beet-root red with embarrassment. Certainly Matthew would tease her and as she stood up she warningly glared at him, daring him to tease her but gave him a playful smile to show that she was not truly upset.

"Any chance you didn't see that?" Jenn asked Matthew as she rubbed her back painfully. She sighed and said, "Well, now that I have successfully embarrassed myself, you can put those gifts down and give me a hug." Her eyes glinted with joy as she looked at her friend, awaiting his reaction as she searched for the box that had caused her to fall so harshly on her back.

 

[Lucie Reed]

At the news of Jenny's arrival Lucie rushed forward to the front door, carefully avoiding all the boxes and said, "Jenny!" Before her brother could hug the blonde she rushed towards the girl and enveloped her in a tight hug. She tightened her arms around her waist and rested her head at the girl's hip as she looked up at Matt with a playful smirk. "Matt has been talking non-stop about you, almost as much as Jessie," she said, even if it wasn't true she enjoyed teasing her brother.

"Jenny, you're staying the whole vacation right?" she asked eagerly, hoping that her big-sister-type was.

 

[Matthew Reed]

Matt watched Jenny curiously as she began to walk backwards, he knew it was a bad idea from the start but he still answered her question, "None yet. But we're heading ov-" He began but stopped shortly as Jenny stumbled back and fell onto the floor. Matt didn't know wheter to see if she was alright or to laugh. However when he saw the playful glint in her blue eyes he knew it was okay to laugh. It started off as a mere chuckle but soon developed into a full fit of laughter. He would never let her live this down. Ever! "I wish I had recorded that too." He continued to laugh as he put down the gifts and went to hug her. But instead, he found Lucie already there. He couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. He smiled softly to himself at how eager the young girl was to see Jenny again, how eager his whole family was to see Jenny again.

Although her comment wiped the smile right off his face. He was in complete shock. He didn't talk about Jenny....well not all the time. Not non-stop. Say something! "What?!" Thats the best you could come up with? He thought to himself miserably. "That is such a lie!" He felt his cheeks burn a little and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. He avoided Jenny's eyes and picked up the presents eagerly once more. "Jess? Are you going to show your guest to her room or what?" He shouted loudly and walked away into the kitchen. He avoided Jenny's blue eyes the entire time. He couldn't believe that had happened to him, he couldn't believe how he handled the situation. I can't believe I just walked off! Matt wanted to smack himself. He was glad Jess wasn't there, she definietly would have made some smart remark.

 

[Jessica Reed]

Jess told her father excitedly that Jenny arrived. He was on a ladder hanging up decorations in the kitchen. "Fantastic! I'm going to finish hanging up this wreath and then I'll be right in. You know how I feel about ladders." He said with a small smile. He was extremely happy to have Jenny stay with them for Christmas, although he had a quirky fear about ladders. He would have went out and greeted his 'third daughter' but he just wanted to get the decorations hung up as quick as possible. Jess had to laugh at her fathers weird fear, "You're so strange." She said with a cheeky eye roll before hearing Matts voice. Before she could reply he was in the kitchen with them, "Gees, whats up with you?" She asked him noticing that his brows were furrowed. Matt rarely got angry about anything, and when he did it was only when the Chudley Cannons lost or if he was embarassed. However, Jess left before she heard his reply. She hurried to join her friend once more and said chirply, "You're bunking with me! I can imagine lots of late-night talks", an excited expression spread across her face. It was like one big sleepover.

 

[Jennifer Wilkonson]

Jenny opened her arms to embrace Matthew but she was quickly embraced by Lucie, she outwardly frowned, but not because she was disappointed that Lucie was here, she loved the girl like her own sister but she would have loved to hug the older boy. She hugged the little girl back, meeting Matt's blue eyes with a soft grin, they would get to the hug later. But at Lucie's comment her lips fell apart in shock and she blushed profusely. "Matt?" she asked, wondering if he had actually had but when he denied it she frowned, wishing that he had because she had thought about him a lot.

She took Lucie's arms from around her and put them to the little girl's side as she went to follow Matthew to ask him what his problem was but he yelled causing her to flinch and stop walking. She starred at the kitchen with her mouth apart, wondering what to stay or do in the situation but as Jessica returned to her she looked up at the girl softly. "Okay Jessie," she said with a nod before saying, "Let's go, I'm suddenly not in the mood for greetings." She took her friend's hand and began walking out of the room with her suitcase in hand, wishing for nothing more then to be out of the general area of Matthew because she was a little hurt at the moment.

 

[Lucie Reed]

Lucie giggled wickedly into her hand, how she enjoyed teasing her half-brother. To see him blush was amusing to her, but she didn't understand why he was lying. He had been talking about Jenny a lot. She watched the scene unfold before her eyes and suddenly tears of guilt formed in her eyes, she ran past Jenny and Jessie up to her bedroom and closed the door behind her with a slam. Matty was the one lying, he did something wrong not me, she thought as she sat down on her bed with crossed arms.

 

[Jessica Reed]

Jessie watched Lucie tare up the stairs in a huff. She didn't question it, the girl was a bit temperamental sometimes. Jessie walked ahead of Jenny as she led her up to her room, their room. She was too happy to notice the mellow tone in her friends voice. "Well dad would have come out but he has this weird thing about ladders." She laughed, "Usually mom would be up the ladders, but she's been in town all day buying groceries. I made sure to tell her to get some butterbeer. She should be here soon, she'll b-" Jess turned around to Jenny at the top of the wooden staircase. Her happiness didn't blind her completely from the fact that her friend was upset. Jess knew when something as up with Jenny, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

She was unsure to what it could be? Before she left Jenny she was fine, she was happy. Now, there was something definitely up. Jess' happy expression turned into a concerned expression, "Dude, is there something wrong?" She asked her friend. She looked at the shut door of Lucie's bedroom. What did she do? Jess began to think but she realized that Jenny wouldn't get upset by something Lucie would say. The girl was eight, or is she nine? Jess never really could keep up with Lucies age, she always appeared to be around six to her anyway. Jess looked back at Jenny unable to make any sort of connection as to why her friend was upset.

 

[Jennifer Wilkonson]

Jenny listened to her friend speak with a melancholy expression, quite offended and hurt about Matthew's words and as Jessie noticed what was wrong she sighed quietly. "Lucie teased Matthew about talking about me constantly and I don't know I guess I was hurt about Matthew denying it like I was such an awful thing," she sighed quietly, looking down at her feet with a sigh, Jessie would probably think she was stupid for being hurt by Matthew's words, heck she thought she was dumb for it.

Matthew was her friend, her best friend's brother, he was supposed to tease her and be an overall jerk right?

 

[Jessica Reed]

When Jenny told Jess what was wrong she rolled her eyes. Not at the reason why Jenny was annoyed, she rolled her eyes at her brother. He could be so oblivous at times. "Listen. Matt's a jerk." She said simply with a laugh as she led Jenny into their room, he was a typical guy. "..plus hes under a lot of stress at the moment." She added. Jess was definitely going to have a word (or a fight) with him later about it. Jenny was their guest, she was like family. "And if its any consolation, he has been talking about you quite a bit." She said with a small smile. She never really thought about it that much, but now that Lucie pointed it out. He was talking about Jenny quite a bit, even more then Jess was? Jessica shrugged it off, she was bursting to tell Jenny something, she really couldn't wait but she had to make sure that Jenny was okay first.

---

Overall shape of bedroom - with a lot more mess
What the walls look like.

 

[Jennifer Wilkonson]

Jenny pushed back her blonde locks out of her eyes as Jessie said that Matthew was a jerk, she knew he wasn't but why he got so angry about Lucie's comment she didn't know. She looked back up at her best friend with a soft smile and a blush, showing her appreciation for her best friend's reassuring words and her embarrassment at the thought of being spoken about by Matthew. She didn't know why he did this to her but since the first time they met it had been this way, well without the hurt. "Thanks Jess," she said quietly as she made it into what would be their bedroom during this vacation. She looked around and toed around the clothes and boxes in her friend's bedroom to the bed and sat down with a grin. "Tell me, what is new with you?" she asked with a polite grin.

 

[Jessica Reed]

Jess was going to contain the news until dinner that evening, when she was supposed to tell Jenny. But she had asked the perfect question, it was like a sign. She inhaled deeply and tried to hold back the large grin that was about to burst onto her face. "Okay, so I wasn't supposed to tell you this until later on. But I just can't hold it in any longer." She said with excitement. "Don't flip out or anything but.." she paused, "no wait, come. Follow me." Jess opened her bedroom door and led Jenny out into the landing again.

She looked at Jenny with a huge smile. "Ready? Don't flip out okay?" She repeated once more, she didn't know how Jenny would react to her surprise. She took her by the hand and opened a door next to her room. The space was quite small but was clear of all boxes, the walls were yet to be decorated and there was minimal amount of furniture in the room. Jess looked at Jenny, her face bursting with joy. "Merry Christmas." She said indicating the room. It wasn't a hard decision for the Reed's to make. They knew when they bought the house that there would be a spare room, it wasn't a question who they would give it to.

 

[Jennifer Wilkonson]

Jenny arched an eye brow curiously at Jessie's cryptic words, she just was not making any sense at all but she nodded anyway and said uncertainly, "Okay." As she was taken by the hand she followed quickly with a curious grin on her face, wondering what the heck was happening. As they turned to the room next to Jessie's bedroom she watched as her friend opened the door, to see what she assumed was just a spare room should they have guests. I'll be spending a lot of time in this room, she thought but looked at her best friend with confusion as she wished her a Happy Christmas. "Jessie, why are you showing me a bedroom?" she asked as she looked at her best friend with confusion as she fiddled with her shirt with her spare hand.

 

[Jessica Reed]

Jess shook her head while letting a few raspy laughs escape her mouth. "Eh, because its yours." She said putting great emphasis on the 'yours' part. She bit the top of her lower lip holding back an urge to laugh happily. She looked at her friend with anticipation. The room was for Jenny for whenever she wanted it, the girl had practically lived in their house back home. What made New Zealand any different? It still had to be cleaned out, the room was covered in cobwebs and dust, but eventually, it would look the part. Jess ran her hand through her soft brown hair as she waited for a reply from her friend.

 

[Jennifer Wilkonson]

Jenny gasped in shock as Jessie said that the bedroom was hers. She could not believe it, so she hugged the girl excitedly and squealed, "Oh my god Jess! I love, love, love it!" She tightened her arms around the girl before she let her go with a wide grin. "You know that we will be spending every moment possible with each other right?" she asked with a laugh, she could not be happier then she was now and she smiled brightly.

Do you want to skip ahead to Matthew and Jenn talking? Or something?

 

[Jessica Reed]

Jess rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet, smiling brightly at Jenny's reaction. She was so glad she liked it, Jess wrapped her arms around her friend just as tight and laughed, "I'm so happy you like it!" She said beaming, pulling her arms away from her friend. After Jenny's comment, Jess rolled her eyes playfully "I'm sure I can live with that." She was still smiling, her cheekbones began to hurt but she didn't care. It was impossible to stop the smiling and the laughing at that moment. Jess walked into the room with a bounce in her step. She looked around it, inspecting all the details. She never really got a proper chance to look at the room fully. "Oh we have to do a makeover on this room together!" She said with excitement. "It'll be so much fun!" Jess clasped her hands together happily. She could imagine the two giving it a paint job, putting in more modern furntiture. The very idea made her want to start at that moment. "I dunno, if you want to stay in here from now on or not? I mean its kinda disgusting..." she trailed off as she wiped her finger through the thick layer of dust lying on the dresser. The Reed's would have cleaned up the room a bit, but they were still up to their necks in unpacking.

 

[Jennifer Wilkonson]

Jenny followed her friend into the bedroom and said, "Yup, it needs a paint job and some serious cleaning and what not but it's the best gift I've ever gotten." She smiled widely but as Jessica entertained the idea of her staying in this bedroom during this break she laughed quietly, "No, I think I'm good staying in your bedroom." She looked around the room and smiled, it had some definite potential.

Jenny grinned before she burst into a coughing fit, while coughing she said, "Let's go find Dad." Her mood was turned around that she had pushed Matthew back in her mind, she would handle the dumb boy in a little while. "I want to thank him. When is Mum going to be home?" she asked curiously.