Escaping Grace

"So what do you wanna do for your birthday this year?" Clarke asked. We were in the studio kitchen, playing cards.
"Eh, I dunno. I haven't really thought about it." Vale shrugged.
Such a lie, Vale always had big plans. Her birthday was at the end of December, which was only in a couple weeks. Our last performance with BVb was in January, and our tour with them wouldn't start until mid April.
I frowned.
"Aren't you gonna be home this year?" I asked, looking at her. Vale blinked at me, as if realizing it.
"Oh, fuck," she sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I'll be home."
"It'll be just like old times!" Clarke brightened. "Vanessa will probably be there, and Aunt Virginia will have to tell you all of her stories again. Maybe Vera will even show up. It'll be great! "
"And don't forget Grandma Violet," Nate grinned. "She makes those badass gingerbread cookies."
I chuckled. She did make great cookies, like the kind you would totally fight your entire family over in a heart beat. And she was the sweetest lady ever, it was kind of ridiculous. I had lived with Vales family for the short time before we all left for Cali, so I'd got to experience how a normal family actually functioned. I missed them, but I wasn't about to go back to that town willingly.
"Make sure you bring me some back!" Nate burst. "I love her cookies!"
"Those cookies are mine," Clarke told him as I laid a card down absently.
"Don't be greedy! I don't get to come home this year, so you gotta bring me something."
"I'll bring you some, but you have to share with Leah, or I'll skimp on your Christmas," Vale warned.
"Ugh, fine," Nate grimaced, and played his card. "But remember I like blue socks."
"Nate, you would be happy if someone brought you a bag of Doritos for Christmas," Clarke scoffed.
I grinned.
"What are you and CC doing for Christmas?" I asked, placing down a card. Vale frowned, and tossed her card down. "We're not doing anything since I'm not even going to be here. Plus, we haven't been dating long, and what do you get someone who has everything?"
"True." I watched as Nate retrieved a card from the deck.
"Are you and Andy doing anything?" she asked.
"Er, we haven't really talked about it."
Fuck.
What would I even get him?
I know he likes Doritos...
I mean, we literally had only been dating not even a week yet, and I'd already gotten him indirectly almost-murdered.
God, maybe I should get him some life insurance.
I frowned at my cards. I hated trying to figure out what to get people. I literally agonized over it because I was never sure of anything when it came to making decisions. I loved the wrapping and giving and watching them open part, though. We'll just have to talk about it, I decided, and tossed a card down.
"That one doesn't work." Nate informed me.
"Why not?" I asked, exasperated. I sucked at card games, no matter what they were, and half the time I didn't know why they still made me play.
"Because! Either the color or a number has to match the card before it, or you keep drawing until you find one." he announced to me, and I raised a brow. "Really, Leah, I don't see why you play with us. Are you TRYING to sabotage the game?"
I rolled my eyes, and tossed my hand down.
"I'm out." I sighed.
"Yo!" We all looked over, and Craig stood at the door. "You guys got some visitors up front."
"Are they girls?" Nate asked eagerly. "Is one a red head?"
Craig frowned at him, then rolled his eyes. "Nah. Guys, go on, and you can head out. We've got all we need for the day anyway."
"Cool," Nate jumped to his feet and took off down the hall way.
"You coming?" Vale asked when I didn't get up.
"Yeah, um, I'll be a minute." I waved them on.
I had an idea for Christmas.
A few minutes later I headed down the hall to the lobby, and blinked. Vale was hugging her mom and dad, and her cousin Vera was talking to Nate while Clarke was talking to the receptionist.
What were theydoing here?
"Leah!" Vales mom suddenly squealed as she saw me, and then she rushed across the floor and swept me into a hug. "Ooohhhh, Leah! Look at your hair!" she gushed as she pulled away, and patted my hair. "It's so long now! And your nose is pierced! Oh, it's been so long since we've seen you!"
"Uh, hi, Mrs. Durant," I flushed. "It's nice to see you too."
Mrs. Durant smiled at me. She looked like a grown and more sophisticated version of Vale, just a lot more affectionate and huggy.
"Come," she wrapped her hand around mine and pulled me over to where the group was huddling, trying not to draw all the attention.
"Marcus! Look who finally popped up," she said to her husband, and he sent me a smile. I wiggled my hand away from Mrs. Durant and took a step back with a smile. She'd been about to break my fingers.
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked as Vale and Clarke reconvened with us.
"Well, we decided to surprise Clarke and Valerie for Christmas! We came to spend some time here, and then we head back to same day they do! Isn't it wonderful?"
"A blast," Vale said dryly. "You guys sure know how to surprise."
"It was all Vera!" her mom gushed again. "We couldn't have done it without her! You know how I am with planes." she gave a shudder. "Oh! And now we get to meet your boyfriend!" she clapped her hands in excitement. "Christian, isn't it? What a lovely name! What church does he go too? You know how I feel about those other heathens."
Vale could barely contain her blanch. "Um, well, I ---."
"Don't ruin the surprise!" I interrupted hastily. "Let's let them meet him first."
Vale nodded hastily. "Yeah! You'll just have to meet him if he has time. You know how busy his life is with recording and, um, all that important band stuff. Where are you guys staying?" she changed the subject. Her dad raised his brows as he looked at her, his arm around her mother, who immediately answered.
"Oh, we were looking at hotels, but none of them quite fit my liking. We were hoping for some suggestion from you," she looked at her daughter innocently.
Vale gritted her teeth. "No, you guys can stay with us until we all leave." Her smile was visibly forced; it looked like she was in pain. "We have room at the apartment, dont we, Leah?"
"Um, yeah." We only had a two bedroom apartment, where the hell was I supposed to go? I wasn't going to babysit them for her. And I wasn't going to sleep on the couch, either.
Well.
"Or at Clarkes," Vale suddenly brightened. "He has a spare bedroom since Nate moved out. You could spend half your stay there."
"Marvelous!" her mom nodded her head, and Clarke looked resigned. I smiled. You had to love their mom, there was no way you couldn't, but she would literally drive you insane.
I looked over at Vera. She had her black hair cut to about her chin, and her tattoos now completely swirled up her arms now. She grinned at me. "How's it going, Leah?"
"It's good. How's Trevor?" I asked of her son.
"He's good. He's at football practice right now." she shrugged. "I never have any idea what's going on there."
I smiled.
"Oh! So, how's the new boytoy?" she asked, hands going to her hips. "Is he as good in bed as he's said to be?"
"Vera!" I flushed, and she sent me a wink.
"I thought so." she grinned. "So when does ol' Aunt Veronica get to interrogate him for his religious values?" I glanced over nervously at where Mrs. Durant stood chatting to her children, and poor Nate. "Um, maybe not too soon. We've barely been dating."
"Not according to Rockstar Magazine."
I winced at the reminder. "I wish I'd never interviewed with them. She had no idea what she was talking about."
"You want me to beat her up?" Vera asked, cracking her knuckles. "Because I'll show her not to write stuff about my girl again."
I grinned, but shook my head. "No, it's not that big of a deal. I'll take care of it."
"Well, we're going to head off!" Mrs. Durant announced a few minutes later. "we'll be at Veras until you can make it home, dear," she kissed Vale and Clarke both on the cheek. "Give us a call! Bye, Leah!" she waved at me, already halfway to the doors.
Vera gave all of us a quick hug and hurried off after them.
I waved back as they left, and Vale blew her breath out as she came to stand beside me.
"Well, this is a disaster," she sighed, running a hand through her hair. ""They can't meet CC yet."
"Mom will literally holy water crucify him when she learns he's not a Baptist," Clarke agreed. "She might even try to convert him if she likes him enough."
Vale looked nervous.
"It might not be so bad as long as you forewarn him," I told her.
She bit her lip. "This is awful. What am I gonna do?" She looked panicked.
"Hey, don't freak out." Nate told her, patting her shoulder. "Just make her meet Andy and CC at the same time and then she'll be distracted."
I glared at him. "Andys not even religious, Nate. She'll eat him alive."
"But it might work!" Vale looked at me desperately. "Ask him, okay? I'll talk to CC and see what will happen. Oh God," she muttered, running her hands over her face. "Shit."
Well.
"Oh, and I have an idea for a Christmas gift for Black Veil Brides from us," I said, hoping to distract her. "You wanna hear it?"

Notes