Coming Home For Christmas

“Hello there, lamb chop” “Gr.gramps, grams” My grandparents are here. what the actual f**k? “Lace. are you ok? what's wrong?..oh my god” Logan said sounding just as shocked as I was as he entered the living room.

“Duke, Bunny, what are you guys doing here?" My grandparent's nicknames are Duke and Bunny and that's what they're mostly referred to by everyone they know.

1 don't know when or why they were giving these nicknames, I think my gramps gave himself his because he was a huge fan of John Wayne who was also affectionately known as Duke during his lifetime.

“We're here to see our granddaughter, Logan, what are you doing here?" “Same” Logan said as he smiled cheekily at my grandparents as I rubbed my forehead.

“Are you ok, darling? you look pale, I think you need a gin, where's your bar?" My grams asked me as she wandered around looking for my non-existent bar “I don't drink, grams” “You don't drink?" My grams gasped as she came over and started touching my forehead and cheeks like she was checking for a temperature.

“Are you sick, my child? you can't be my grandchild if you don't drink” She says and 1 bat her hand away from me.

“T'm fine, grams, why are you looking for alcohol this early anyway?" “Its not early, Lacey and even if it was, it’s five o'clock somewhere in the world, right?” “This buddy woman.

“Where have you been, Lacey? we've been waiting here for you for hours” “Twas at therapy and then I went to dinner with Logan..how did you all get in here anyway?" “That's not important, honey” My grams said with a wave of her hand “Did you say youre in therapy, Lace? why are you in therapy, lamb chop?" “Its a long story, gramps” “Your mental health isn't a long story, sweetheart, it’s an important one” Isigh in frustration because I know he's right and itis important, it's just that I dort wanna talk about it right now: Logan must've sensed my frustration and distress because he was immediately by my side giving me some comfort by rubbing his hand up and down my back “Why are you guys here?" Logan asks my grandparents “Probably for the same reason you are Logan” My grams said with a smirk whilst winking at him, she then looked over at me and her smile brightened.

“He's cute, lamb chop” Oh my god

“So, when's the wedding?" “Grams” 1 growled and she looked at me with a fake baffled expression on her face.

“What? you two look cute together, way cuter than you and Dominic” “Dylan, grams, his name is Dylan" “Same thing, sweetheart, personally, Td call him a prick because that's what he is” She says and 1 roll my eyes.

Logan was obviously amused by my grandmother and tried to stifle a chuckle but failed miserably as he laughed behind his hand.

“Logan” Telbowed him in his stomach and he looked down at me.

“What? babe, she's not wrong, he is a prick” Lord give me strength.

“Where are our grandchildren, lamb chop? we were hoping to meet them” “They're at Ryker's house, gramps, he's bringing them back in a bit" “Oh good, we've got some time to sit and talk before their return” My gramps says as he sits back down on my couch “Talk? what do we have to talk about?” “About you coming home, sweetheart”

“And your wedding of course” My grams said looking like an excited little puppy.

“Grams, knock it off with the wedding talk because there's not gonna be a wedding and gramps. I'm not coming home" “Oh yes you are, lamb chop, you need to face your past and move on" “And you want me to do this around Christmas? it's the most magical time of the year for kids and you want me to ruin my kid's Christmas by hauling their little asses to New York for a family who aren't even worth it" 1 growled.

Twas 50 angry right now but I was also feeling panicked and like I was about to have a palpation.

“Calm down, love" Logan says as he wraps his arm around my shoulders and kisses my temple.

“You don't mean that, Lacey” “Your grandfather is right, sweetheart, you're judging your family based on Luca and Damon's actions” Its Dylan grams, for f***s sake.

“Actually grams, I'm judging my family because they deserve it, my dad didn't even care about my reasons for calling off my wedding to Dylan because all he cared about was money, power and status, oh and his reputation, of course, we can't forget about that”

“Lacey, your father has been a wreck since you left, he beats himself up every single day for not only what was said but also his actions as well, not to mention his guilt was intensified when Luca and Dylan came out to the families and explained what really happened the night of your engagement party” “Ibet he didnt hit Luca though, did he?" Imuttered under my breath before I realised what he just said.

“Wait..did you just say Dylan and Luca came out?” “Yes, honey” My grams said while smiling, “When we realised you were gone and we couldnt find you, Luca was devastated, he broke down and blamed himself for his baby and his best friend being missing which confused us because you two have always been as thick as thieves and were very protective of each other, so why would he blame himself for your disappearance?” “It was only when we saw how close he was to that Dean boy and the way he was hugging and comforting him that the light bulb went off in our heads and all of the puzzle pieces were put together” My grams said whilst wiggling all of her fingers around like she was sprinkling glitter everywhere.

“You knew they were gay just from how they were hugging each other?" Task in disbelief and my grams looks at me with an obviously expression.

“T've been on this planet for a very long time, my child, I think I know a gay man when I see one” “Yet, you didn't notice it earlier?" Tasked whilst trying not to smirk and her response shocked me because I wasn't expecting it but it had Logan and my gramps laughing.

“Yeah well, neither did you" What the hell? “She's got you there, babe” “Shut it you" Telbowed Logan in the stomach again and he groaned whilst still laughing.

“Tove you too, my love” He says as he quickly recovers from my little bump to his stomach and he cups my face giving my forehead a kiss.

“Talways hoped you kids would get together, I never liked that Declan boy for you" “Grams, his name is Dylan, are you doing this on purpose? or do you genuinely keep forgetting his name?" “Hmm, a bit of both” She said with a smirk and a wink while I just groaned.

“This buddy woman.

“Anyway, back to you coming home” “Gramps.” “Dorit gramps, me young lady” He said angrily which startled me.

My gramps very rarely gets angry at me and when he does it's odd because it's so unusual and out of the norm for a man who is usually very happy and cheery.

“Its been six years, Lacey. six years, it’s time you came home to your family and it's time those three precious babies of yours got to meet yours and Logan's families” “Wait, you know Logan's their dad?" Task stupidly Anyone with a decent set of eyes can tell my kids belong to Logan, hell even Stevie Wonder can tell and the man's legally blind “It doesn't take a genius, lamb chop” My gramps said as he held up a picture of my babies making sure his finger was pointing towards Logan Junior.

“Not to mention, Logan David, you're not exactly making the clues hard, sweetheart”

“That and the fact the only other man youve ever been with clearly has a phobia of cats so he can't be the father” My grams said while rolling her eyes and I facepalmed as Logan chuckled Tthink my grandmother was bor without a filter on her brain “Grams, you need a filter on your mouth” “And you need to get your ass upstairs and start packing because we're heading back to New York tomorrow and ‘were taking you and our grandbabies back with us” “No, you're not” “Yes, we are” “No, you're not, grams” “Yes, we are, Lacey Carpenter” “No, you're.” “Lacey” Logan interrupted me as he stepped in front of me and stopped the verbal ping-pong between me and my grams

"You know they're right, love” He says and I shake my head Tknew they were right, Iwas just feeling anxious about it.

Logan cups my face and looks me deep in my eyes.

“I know you're scared, Lace but you've got no need to be because you've got me and I'l be by your side every step of the way, I promise you" He said and even though my heart filled with warmth and my stomach felt like it had a bunch of monkeys partying in it, still felt slightly sick at the thought of going home.

“Just say yes, babe, say you'll come home with us “Did you know they'd be here?" Task him hoping he says no which thankfully he did.

“No, 1 didnt, babe but either way with them here or not, I would've presented this to you eventually because I want you to come back home with me, I want our children to spend Christmas with us together as a family, as well as with both of our families. it's what they deserve, babe and you know it" He says as he leans in and gently kisses my forehead before placing his forehead against mine.

“Say yes, baby. please” Logan pleads with me.

My heart was racing and even though the words were on the tip of my tongue, I couldn't say them

Out of nowhere, the sound of a stampede as well as my baby's very upset voices filled the air and my over-protective momma wolf instinct kicked in.

Tturned around just as my kids came running into the living room and instantly panicked when I saw tears streaming down all three of their faces which shocked me the most with Logan Junior because he never cries “What the hell happened? why are you all crying? who's upset you?" “U.uncle R Ryker, m_mummy” What? Tlooked up at Logan with a glare on my face as he looked at me confused “If your brother has hurt so much as a single strand of hair on their heads then I'l skin him alive” “Calm down, love. what happened, kids? what did uncle Ryker do?" Logan asked our babies as he knelt down next to us.

“He said they're leaving, mummy, they re going to stupid America and they re not coming b_back ever a. again" My little girl sobbed and whimpered.

wrapped my arms around my daughter and embraced her in a hug “Sshhhll it's ok, baby" “No, it's not mum, we finally got a cousin and some family and now we're losing them, it’s not fair”

Dayton said angrily while Logan Junior just stayed silent.

My heart hurt for my three babies as tears filled my eyes Tknew what I had to do to make my three precious bundles happy and smiling again, I just did't wanna do it but for them, I would Td do anything for my kids even this.

Tlooked over at Logan who knew exactly what I was thinking.

1 could tell he was happy and ecstatic because he was getting what he wanted but I could also tell he was trying to hide how happy he was from me to be supportive and considerate of my feelings.

Just say yes, baby.

His words from earlier rang through my mind and I sighed as I closed my eyes in defeat. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Fine..T1l go back home” “Thank you, love” Logan said with a smile as he wrapped his arms around myself and Teddy and kissed my temple before kissing our daughter's head God, really hope I haven't just made the biggest mistake of my life.