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skyler10fic · 1 year

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Home for the Holidays: Evergreen Lane

By Skyler10

Summary: As Daisy and Carol’s relationship grows increasingly serious, Carol knows she can’t put off coming out to her parents any longer. It does not go well. Luckily, Daisy and her parents, Phil and Melinda, have a warm, welcoming home on a snowy Christmas Eve. A story of love (both romance and family) amidst the magic of Christmas even when things seem cold and dark.

See if you can spot all the holiday fic tropes! It's like a whole holiday bingo card in here.

Notes: There is some homophobia from Carol’s parents directly mentioned, in the flashbacks in italics in the middle as Carol recounts the story for Daisy. If that is a trigger for you, feel free to skip the section in italics and just enjoy the Philindaisy + Carol family fluff. :)

There will be three parts total: Christmas, a short bit at New Year, and then the following holiday season to wrap up. Here’s part 1!

Read on Ao3 | Listen to the fic soundtrack on YouTube

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It’s snowing. Of course, it’s snowing.

Carol’s boots crunched on the icy sidewalk as she pulled her hood up to shield her cheeks from the biting wind. Her duffle bag weighed heavy on her shoulder, but she walked as fast as she could without slipping. Her fury at her parents burned inside her against the winter chill.

Some white Christmas.

She brushed her glove against her cheek. She couldn’t cry now. The tears would freeze to her lashes.

The street lamps’ glow changed from harsh LED white to a comforting yellow. Carol paused and caught her breath as she walked past the brick sign: Evergreen Lane. The “gaslamps” of this historic neighborhood were solar-powered now, but they still held a distinctive home-like welcome. Naturally, they were wrapped in garland with wreaths at the top this time of year, and each house behind them was decorated in holiday cheer.

JOY! JOY! JOY! one yard sign blinked in bright neon. Carol winced at its blinding insistence as she passed. Others were more tasteful, making the burden she carried (both physical and emotional) a little lighter. It wasn’t until she arrived at one special house, though, that the protective ice around her heart thawed and she let herself feel the ache within.

It was just like a movie: perfectly imperfect. As the Christmas Eve snow fell, a string of lights drooped a bit in front of a big picture window with a cozy family scene, where a middle-aged dad and his grown daughter stood hanging new ornaments on an already-full tree. The girl was wearing reindeer antlers and a silly sweater, but Carol had never seen anyone so beautiful. A few of the tears escaped, but only because this was worth every one. She was worth every one.

Carol carefully made her way up the sidewalk. It was shoveled, but it’d be covered again by the morning. At the wreath-covered front door, Carol raised her finger to the glowing doorbell but hesitated. She hated to ruin their Christmas Eve like this, but she had no choice. She swallowed her pride and pressed the button. She heard the familiar jaunty bell ring and the cry of “I’ll get it!” followed by the laughter that made her heart sing. It was one of Carol’s favorite sounds in the world.

The door opened to reveal not just Daisy May Coulson, Carol’s beautiful girlfriend in full silly holiday apparel, but Phil, her dad, behind her and Melinda, her mom, coming up behind them.

“Carol?” Daisy asked, breathless laughter turning to concern. Carol opened her mouth to speak, but her lips trembled.

“I… I didn’t know where else to go.” Carol shifted the duffle on her shoulder.

The family instantly understood.

“Come in, come in!” Phil ushered as Daisy opened the door wider. Once inside, Carol dropped her bag, closed the door behind her, and met Daisy’s worried expression as she took off her coat and gloves.

“Thank you. I’m sorry for coming here like this.”

This was met with a chorus of “No, no, not at all” and “Of course, you can come here” and “Anytime.”

Melinda took Carol’s coat and tucked the gloves in the pocket before hanging it on the hook next to the rest of the family’s. It didn’t escape Carol that though none of the hooks were labeled, that one had sort of become her own each winter, she’d been over here so much in the past few years. And there was a reason for that frequency.

“You’re always welcome here,” Melinda reassured. “But I have to ask as a mom, does your family know where you are?”

“I think so,” Carol began. Melinda didn’t seem convinced, so Daisy jumped in.

“Carol was going to come out to her parents tonight and tell them about us. They—well, they aren’t like you guys.”

“Oh,” Phil exhaled in sympathy as Melinda nodded in understanding.

“It went bad,” Carol explained and closed her eyes. “So so much worse than I…” She inhaled and Daisy wrapped her in a warm hug.

“I’m so sorry,” Daisy mumbled into her hair. Carol just held her girlfriend for a minute, aware that Phil and Melinda were looking on in sympathy. Carol pulled away from Daisy’s embrace and quickly wiped away the tears that had started to fall.

“But at least now it’s over.” Carol tried to put a shinier tinge on it to lighten the mood.

Daisy concluded, “And you don’t have to wonder anymore. And if they can’t see how freaking amazing you are, that’s their loss.”

“Yeah,” Carol sniffled a teary laugh. “Yeah, exactly.”

Phil jerked a thumb over his shoulder toward the kitchen. “We’re not experts or anything, but some hot cocoa might help?”

“Yes, please.” Carol smiled a sad but genuine little smile and followed the family out of their entryway into the kitchen.

“I’ll make up the guest room,” Melinda said as her way of indicating Carol was welcome to stay as long as she needed. Phil got the cocoa ready while Daisy sat by Carol on the bar stools at the kitchen island. Daisy wrapped an arm around Carol, and Carol laid her head on Daisy’s shoulder.

“I was really hoping for a Christmas miracle,” Carol sighed.

“I know, babe.” Daisy gently rubbed Carol’s shoulder in comfort.

“I should have known.” Carol straightened as Phil approached with the cocoa mugs.

“Give ‘em time,” Phil encouraged. “You never know. And if not, I know it’s not the same, but you always have us. Whatever you need.” The sincerity in Phil’s steady gaze was nearly too much for Carol to bear. She nodded and said thank you and blew on her still-too-hot cocoa to avoid tearing up again at the contrast between the love in how Phil looked at her and the disgust on her own father’s face from an hour ago, a mile away.

Eventually, after they had cheered Carol up a bit and it was clear she was going to be okay, Phil glanced at the clock on the oven, then turned to Daisy. “Your mom and I are headed to bed soon. Can you turn off the tree lights when you’re done?”

“Yeah, thanks, Dad. I got this,” Daisy said. Carol knew the “this” in question meant herself and the coming conversation, not the tree.

Phil nodded once. “Special Christmas pancakes in the morning. You’re gonna love ‘em, Carol. Goodnight, girls.”

“Night, Dad!” Daisy called. Carol almost echoed it but corrected herself. “Night. Thanks again!”

When Phil was out of earshot, Daisy took a sip of her cocoa and asked the inevitable question. “So…?”

Carol exhaled and started at the beginning of the evening.

—-----------

Her parents’ voices still echoed in her ears.

“Honey, I wish you wouldn’t say it like that. What will our friends think? You can do whatever you need to do, but, well, just be careful. Don’t let anyone see you.” Her mother patted her hand. “It’s for the best.”

Carol rolled her eyes and removed her hand from the kitchen table.

“Carol, stop it.” Her dad huffed and scowled at her. “There’s so much you don’t know yet. Don’t call yourself… THAT. I won’t have it.”

“I do know.” Carol pled. “And I don’t care what your friends think. Don’t I matter? I’m not asking. I’m telling you, this is me, this is who I am.”

“No, you aren’t. It’s just not right. It’s not natural,” her dad concluded.

“Wasn’t there that one boy, the athletic one, in high school?”

“Mom,” Carol sighed, exasperated. “That was a long time ago, and I didn’t like him. He liked me.”

“Well,” her mom drew out the word as if Carol should reconsider. “I thought he was a very nice boy. He wanted to take you to prom. His mom told me so. I bet he’s home for the holidays too. I could…”

“MOM!” Carol shouted. “I just told you I have a girlfriend. I love Daisy.”

“I knew you were good friends, and she’s very nice,” her mom conceded. “But you can’t possibly think those things about such a sweet, normal girl. She’s your best friend, Carol. Isn’t that enough? Friends are so important.”

Carol stood up and groaned into her palms. “She’s queer too, Mom. I would know!”

“Don’t say that word in this house!” her dad demanded.

“It didn’t seem like it to me.” Her mom got up to clear the table and wash the dishes.

Carol wasn’t done. She slammed her hand on the table. “Why can’t you hear me? Why don’t you believe me? Tell me you’re disappointed, tell me you’re angry, whatever. But at least trust me that I know my own girlfriend. I AM gay.”

“No,” her dad said quietly but definitively.

“I am,” Carol turned to her dad, fire in her voice. “Merry Christmas, Dad. Your daughter is a lesbian.”

“No. I will not have a …” His bellows faded off, unable to even bring himself to say the word. “Not in this house.”

Her mom wrang a dish towel worriedly in her hands. “Just calm down, everyone. Carol, say you’re sorry and we can have a nice, family Christmas. Your brother will be home tomorrow…”

Carol turned to her mom in disbelief. “Say I’m sorry? Sorry for what? Sorry I’m gay?! Well, I’m not. I’m not sorry. I’m only sorry you’re too scared accept it.”

Her mom wouldn’t meet her eyes, but her dad did. He jumped up from the table, chair knocking out behind him.

“That’s enough!” he shouted. “You should be ashamed. Ashamed of all of it. I will not have this in MY house on Christmas. Look at your mother! After all we’ve done for you, you’re gonna talk to her like that? Shame on you!”

“Are you? Are you ashamed of me?” Carol rose from the table and met his fury in equal measure, a snarl to her lips.

“Get out!” he screamed. “Get out, you ungrateful little bitch. Until you can apologize, you are not welcome in this house!”

“Joe!” her mother exclaimed in surprise. “Language!”

“No, he’s right.” Carol backed away. “It’s clear I’m not welcome here. Maybe I never really was.”

She made it to the doorway as she finished, then turned to run to her room.

She heard shouting from the kitchen, but she didn’t look back. She stuffed the things she’d unpacked back in her duffle bag: Daisy’s gift and cards for her parents, clothing, her phone charger, her travel toiletry bag… She looked around quickly for anything else of hers. She didn’t grow up in this house, so there wasn’t much in this frilly pastel guest room she would miss. Mementos of her childhood and teen years were either back home at her apartment or in storage.

She rushed to the back door, put on her winter outerwear, shoved her feet in her boots, and slipped out the side gate while her parents were still shouting. They never even heard her leave. No cries to come back. No offers to reconcile or urge her to stay so they could work it out.

Then again, she never expected her parents to take the news easily.

“That’s over the top, though,” Daisy finished her thought as Carol trailed off. “God. I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah,” Carol sighed. “And the thing is, it wasn’t just tonight. They’ve been like this my whole life, but hearing it so head-on, you know, so out there. At me….”

“It’s a lot.” Daisy rubbed her girlfriend’s back soothingly.

“Not just that. It’s almost a relief. I’m not crazy.” Carol sat up straighter in realization. “All of my life, I’ve been just taking it. Hiding myself to keep the peace. But when I left for college and they moved here, I thought maybe things would be better. Dad’s retiring, no Air Force appearances to keep up; Mom has new friends. But it’s just a different neighborhood with the same them. It’s like, me being gone most of the time made them even more controlling when I am there.”

Daisy nodded. “They feel like you’re slipping away from being their little girl?”

“I guess.” Carol rested her elbows on the counter and rubbed at her eyes. Then, to Daisy’s surprise, she let out a bitter laugh. “They really thought we were both straight. 100 percent convinced.”

Daisy giggled a little. “I mean, me, sure, I can blend in, but you?”

Carol gestured to herself and laughed again. “Really? This? You should have seen me in high school too. I even had the haircut.” She mimicked a short swoopy cut with her hand.

“Mmm,” Daisy hummed as she pictured it. “I like it this length. And when you tie it back and this part falls out…” she softly twisted a lock of a short front layer of Carol’s golden hair around her finger.

“Yeah?”

“I had purple streaks,” Daisy confided.

“That’s hot.” Carol was impressed, mainly that Melinda would have allowed it.

“Reward for my black belt,” Daisy explained.

“Ah.” Yeah, that made more sense.

Carol yawned, which made Daisy yawn and stretch.

Daisy stood up and gathered their now-empty cocoa mugs to rinse in the sink.

“It’s Christmas Eve,” Daisy reminded, then whispered conspiratorially, “We better get to sleep before Santa comes.”

Carol smiled at Daisy’s silliness and joined her in sneaking down the hallway to not wake up Phil and Melinda.

They reached the lamp-lit guest room, where Phil had moved Carol’s duffle bag and Melinda had set out a fresh towel on clean bedding.

“Well, looks like this is my stop.” Carol shrugged, hands in her pockets.

“Yeah, looks like it.” Daisy echoed but didn’t move to go to her own bedroom.

Carol sat on the bed and stretched a hand out to Daisy, who eagerly took it but stayed standing in front of her. “I know it’s weird with your parents, like, right there, and we wouldn’t, you know, do anything, but I just…” she paused in her rambling and found the right words were the simplest. “I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

Daisy read the vulnerability in her eyes. “Okay. Let’s sleep in here though. My room is a mess.” She grinned. “I cleaned the rest of the house for my grandparents coming tomorrow for Christmas lunch, but I wasn’t expecting bedroom company.” She waggled her eyebrows.

Carol exhaled a tired laugh. “If your parents find out tomorrow morning that you slept in here, we’re not going to be in trouble are we?”

“Nah, they just wanted you to have your own space, if you need it.” Daisy looked around the room. Her eyes landed on something Carol couldn’t see behind her at the moment, but later realized was in the vicinity of a photo of Daisy’s parents on their wedding day. “They really like you, you know.”

“Glad someone does,” Carol joked darkly. Daisy gently brushed her fingers through Carol’s hair in concern, helping Carol relax. “Sorry. I’m just tired. I’m really grateful for you guys and I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Daisy opened her mouth and looked like she was going to say something serious, but closed it and started over, more teasing. “We should get ready for bed. Christmas at the Coulson house starts early. You have never seen two complete children like Mom and Dad on Christmas morning.” She shook her head in faux disapproval. Carol’s lips turned up in a hint of a smile, which accomplished Daisy’s goal. Satisfied, she walked to the door.

“I’ll just be a minute.”

As Daisy left, Carol got up and lifted her duffle to the bed to unpack what she’d need for the night.

She joined Daisy as she was brushing her teeth and they moved through their bedtime routine together. Carol took a brief shower before putting on a soft shirt and pajama pants and joining Daisy in bed.

Lit by the lamp on the bedside table, sleepy Daisy was irresistible. Carol drew her close under the covers and kissed her deeply.

“For real,” Carol whispered, “thank you.”

Daisy traced lightly down Carol’s face, from her forehead to the swell of her cheek to her jawbone. “Thank you for coming here, to me. Of all the places in the world. I’d understand if you didn’t after all your parents said.”

“That doesn’t matter. None of it,” she insisted. “I’d choose you, and being the real me, every time over the daughter they wish they had.” She kissed Daisy again before reaching to turn out the light.

“I love you,” Daisy whispered into the dark.

“I love you.” Carol pulled Daisy’s body close, and they held each other in silence until they drifted off.

—------------------

Daisy grumbled as the sunlight streamed in through the sheer curtains in the guest room. It was extra bright this morning as it reflected off the snow and icicles hanging from the roof. She stretched and tried to remember for a second why she wasn’t in her room.

Voices sounded in the hallway. “Not in her room” and “should we knock or just let them…?” and “The pancakes … cold!”

Daisy woke up enough to roll over and kiss Carol’s shoulder. “Wake up, babe.” She kissed her exposed neck. “It’s Christmas!”

“Mmm… Daisy?” Carol mumbled, still half asleep, and turned over, squinting against the brightness of the light.

“Morning,” Daisy greeted. “Christmas morning.”

Carol’s face fell as it came back to her, why she was here, in Daisy’s guest bedroom instead of her own at her parents’ house.

A knock sounded at the bedroom door. “Girls? Pancakes are ready!” Melinda called through the door.

Daisy sat up and stretched more. “We’ll be right there, Mom!”

“Pancakes sound good.” Carol yawned and moved to get out of bed.

Daisy watched, indulging herself in a favorite sight: Carol getting dressed. Second, of course, to Carol getting undressed. But that was more fun at their own apartments with no waiting family members.

“Enjoying yourself?” Carol winked between pulling on soft yoga pants, a sports bra, and an Alumni Winter 10k snowflake hoodie from their university. Last winter, Daisy had said a hard no to running in the 10k but had provided a warm reception at the finish line, including buying her the hoodie and a cup of cocoa.

“Just remembering.” Daisy scrambled out of bed and touched the snowflake on Carol’s chest as she passed her on her way to the door.

“Hey.” Carol caught her and pulled her in for a brief good morning kiss. “I have better clothes for later, but is this okay for now?”

“It’s perfect,” Daisy confirmed, then sighed happily. “I’m sorry for why it happened this year, but waking up with you on Christmas morning…”

“Yeah. Me too.” Carol squeezed her hip before letting her go. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

Daisy changed in her room while Carol got ready in the bathroom and then Daisy took her turn. When Daisy arrived in the kitchen, she couldn’t help how her heart warmed. Christmas music played from the living room speakers, but the smell of bacon and sound of conversation beckoned from the kitchen table. Carol fit so naturally here in her life, chatting with her dad as he flipped pancakes with red and green sprinkles and her mom as she poured the coffee for Carol and Phil and made tea for herself.

A lump formed in Daisy’s throat as she wished on all the magic of Christmas that every year would look like this, with the four of them together. She knew Carol’s lease was up for renewal soon, and a question burned in Daisy’s mind, but with everything going on with Carol’s parents, it didn’t seem like the right time, so Daisy let herself simply wish with all her heart that the people she loved most would wake up every Christmas morning for pancakes together and left it at that.

Serious adult discussions of leases together and making commitments and taking steps in their relationship could wait until after breakfast and gifts and a family photo that Carol would definitely be peer-pressured into later.

Daisy took her place at the table next to Carol and caught up on the conversation.

“Carol, we have to warn you,” Melinda began seriously, pulling her tea bag out of her mug and laying it neatly on her plate. “My dad can be a handful. And my mom might ask some questions. If it starts to sound like a job interview or an interrogation, we’ll keep her in check.”

“I don’t mind if they don’t mind me being here.” Carol shrugged and picked a slice of bacon from the serving plate. “I just feel bad that I’m interrupting your family time.”

Daisy shook her head and swallowed a mouth full of pancake. “They’ve been asking to meet you anyway. I already told them you weren’t coming and they were disappointed, so they’ll be thrilled to see you here.”

Phil chimed in, “In case Daisy hasn’t explained it, they are divorced, but they still take care of each other, as friends.”

“Friends is maybe stretching it,” Melinda quipped.

“But it’s still cute,” Daisy countered. “They live close by and drive each other places, to appointments and the country club. It works for them, better than marriage did, and we still get to see them together for family stuff.”

After breakfast ended, they made their way to the living room with that picturesque tree in front of the window looking out at a white Christmas. A family across the street was already out playing in it, with a half-built snowman and new sleds with bows still attached. Daisy sat on the floor near the tree as Phil sat in his chair and Melinda curled up on the couch, mug of tea in hand.

“Oh! I need to get your gifts.” Carol was gone for a moment, and Daisy had a moment with her parents as they waited. Melinda rose and wordlessly brought out two gifts from behind the tree, one addressed to both Daisy and Carol and one for Carol alone. She placed them next to Daisy’s gift for Carol in the front of the tree.

“Thank you,” Daisy said. “For all of this.”

Phil darted his eyes to the hallway to make sure Carol was still in the guest room. “We had a feeling she’d be over at some point this weekend now that her family lives so close. She’s a keeper, Daiz.”

“Yeah, she is.” Daisy smiled mischievously. She checked the hallway too to make sure the coast was clear. “I’m going to ask her something important very soon.”

Melinda sent her a knowing look. “Give it time. Not yet.”

“Mom,” Daisy groaned. “I know.”

“Wait, like?” Phil mimed putting on a wedding ring, eyes as big as saucers.

“No! I mean, ideally, yes, eventually, but first…” She mimed a roof, then turning a key and opening a door.

“Oh, okay,” Phil exhaled and sat back in his chair.

It’s not that Daisy hadn’t thought about doing it all at once, but she knew they needed to take things one step at a time. Learn how they worked as a unit 24/7, not just in between other things in their busy lives. Slow adjustments. Carol just barely came out to her parents, after all. Her mom was right. She needed to give it time.

Carol emerged with two cards, one for Phil and one for Melinda, and a wrapped gift for Daisy.

They thanked her as they received them and she urged them to open them as she sat on the floor next to Daisy. The cards held gift cards: a spa gift card for Melinda and a Top Golf gift card for Phil. Daisy and her parents knew those gift cards would be swapped, with a pain-relieving massage for Phil’s bad shoulder and golf for Melinda to get her own dad out of the house, as they did some Saturdays.

They were coincidentally great gifts, if mis-assumed as to the recipients. Carol’s gift to Daisy however, was truly perfect. Daisy realized what it was as she unwrapped it and saw the fabric. And then a box plopped out of the middle.

Carol watched her, ready to explain, “I saw the way you always hesitated by that shop window. If it doesn’t fit, they said they do exchanges with any size…”

It was a dress, or rather, The Dress, as Daisy referred to it in her mind. Soft and yet well-shaped, with a tasteful but deep v-shaped neckline. She’d pictured herself surprising Carol in it for a date.

Though the look wasn’t really complete without the necklace paired with it on the mannequin…

She looked to Carol and then to the small box in her lap. “Is this?”

Carol’s anticipation turned to delight. “Just open it!”

Sure enough, the silver necklace sat in the jewelry box on a long chain. “It’s perfect. Thank you!”

“You’re very welcome.” Carol preened, confident she’d won at gift-giving. Phil urged them together for a photo with his phone camera.

Phil and Melinda opened gifts for each other, and Daisy opened gifts from them, all discussing and joking and explaining back stories behind them, with a few photos with significant gifts, but then it was Carol’s turn.

“Oh you didn’t have to…” Carol said in surprise as Daisy handed her the gifts from her parents. The one to Carol alone was a nice set of running pants and a moisture-wicking running shirt, not all that surprising given they knew she was a runner but very appreciated as this brand was out of Carol’s normal budget when it was full-priced.

“This one is for both of us,” Carol read on the tag of the remaining gift bag.

Phil and Melinda just exchanged knowing glances.

Daisy dramatically tossed a piece of tissue paper out of the bag and away. Carol followed suit. They peered inside in unison to find an envelope. Daisy took it out and opened it, giving her parents inquisitive eyebrow raises as she did.

She unfolded a piece of paper with a romantic lake cabin getaway voucher.

“Aw, guys,” Daisy said. “That’s so sweet.”

“Wow,” Carol took the paper and read the text there. “This looks amazing.”

Phil smiled to see their reaction. “It’s not for a specific date, but if you get on their website soon, they might still have availability for Valentine’s, or you could go sometime warmer like this summer. Up to you. You have all year to use it.”

“We’ve stayed there before in the fall,” Melinda added. “It’s a nice place and not too far of a drive.”

That answered a question in both Carol and Daisy’s minds. With Carol’s job in aerospace engineering plus grad school, and Daisy’s job in cybersecurity with its long hours, they had to be careful to plan their time off, and the less travel time the better to maximize that.

They’d have to look up the details on the location later. Carol still needed to open Daisy’s gift.

They watched as Carol tore open the wrapping paper and revealed a brand new pair of ice skates with rainbow laces. Carol held them up in pride as Phil took a photo with his phone.

“So you don’t have to rent them when we go,” Daisy explained. “It may hurt to break them in at first, though.”

“It’ll be worth it to not have to wear the ones at the rink.” Carol grimaced. “Thank you!”

Daisy knew that later in the day, the skates would come up in conversation and could already hear her grandpa telling Carol about Melinda’s ice skating competitions when she was little. Melinda had taught Daisy at the local public rink, and Daisy had taught Carol when they were in college. Daisy now pictured them skating hand in hand with their matching Pride-laced skates, maybe even at that lake for Valentine’s if they booked the cabin soon…

Her daydreaming was interrupted by her mom urging her to help clean up the wrapping paper and trash, as her grandparents would be here soon enough and they needed to get lunch ready.

Four cooks in the kitchen was too many, so Daisy and Carol put on winter gear and shoveled and salted the front walk and sidewalk in front of their house. They noticed the Coulsons’ elderly neighbors hadn’t done theirs yet, so of course that became their next task, and the neighbors to the west were out of town, so that became task three…

Soon enough, they had company as other neighbors saw them and joined in. In an hour, they had the whole block clean and safe to navigate. Exhausted, the girls headed back inside to warm up and rest before changing for the family lunch and Carol’s introduction to Daisy’s grandparents.

As soon as they opened the front door, the scent of lunch cooking was heavenly.

“They will be here soon!” Melinda shouted as she heard the girls enter and take off their winter outwear.

“And take your gifts to your room so they have somewhere to sit,” Phil added, poking his head out of the kitchen. “When you’re both ready, we could really use a relief crew in here so we can get dressed too.” He gestured to his Santa T-shirt and matching PJ pants and slippers.

Daisy giggled. “No problem, Dad. We won’t let Grandma see you like this.”

Phil explained to Carol, “My mother-in-law isn’t really the pajama day type.”

Carol laughed. “We’ll try to make it quick.”

—----------------------

By the time the Mays arrived, everyone was wearing appropriate clothing. While Daisy wore a red sweater dress and black leggings, Carol decided on khakis and a (coincidentally matching) red and black Buffalo pattern button-up flannel.

“Is this formal enough?” Carol asked, straightening her collar in the bathroom mirror.

Daisy clapped her curling iron’s clip rhythmically. “Yes, if you let me curl your hair.”

“Do we have time for that?” Carol met her eyes in the mirror.

“Yeah, I’m faster on you than on myself since I can see what I’m doing.”

The result was well worth it. Both dressed with hair and makeup done, Daisy knew they were ready for the upcoming traditional photo session.

“Much better,” Melinda voiced her approval upon seeing them in the kitchen. She tossed Daisy her apron. “I’ll be back soon.”

Phil filled them in on where they were, meal-prep-wise, and ceremonially graced Carol with a festive-patterned apron. Daisy grabbed her matching one as she watched in amusement.

“I dub thee, Carol of the kitchen,” he said, slipping the neck loop carefully over her slightly bowed head.

“I’m honored,” Carol laughed and tied the apron strings the same way Daisy was tying her own as Phil hurried out of the kitchen to look presentable for his in-laws.

“Ready for this?” Daisy said with a challenge to her tone and hands on her hips.

“Oh, I was born ready,” Carol confirmed. “Let’s get to work.”

They were just in time, too. The Christmas ham was ready, oven timer beeping, as the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it!” three Coulsons shouted at once.

“Phil, ham,” Melinda assigned. “Daisy, door.”

Daisy obeyed with Melinda behind her.

“Merry Christmas!” Grandpa William shouted as they opened the door.

“The roads were a mess,” Grandma Lian complained as Melinda took her coat. “And he drives like a maniac.”

Grandpa William shrugged and caught sight of Carol.

“Ah! Is this the famous Carol?” he held out his arms and Carol found herself embraced in a firm grandfatherly hug while Grandma Lian scrutinized her.

“We’ve heard a lot about you, Ms. Carol Danvers,” Grandma Lian said neutrally.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Ms. May,” Carol said and held out her hand.

Grandma Lian shook it with a confident grip that Carol returned. “We hear you work with Daisy, for Mr. Stark, and you are earning your graduate degree.”

Carol kept cool as she realized the questions were beginning, still in the entryway. “Yes ma'am. My specialization is aerodynamics and composite vehicles. I'm studying the way spacecraft shape affects flight needs, especially using adaptive materials."

“Adaptive materials?” Grandma Lian hummed.

Daisy jumped in. “So they can land on planets or moons with different atmospheres. It’s really cool, but let’s sit down for lunch first before we get too far into outer space.”

Grandma Lian was undeterred by the change in venue. The dining room arrangement worked out so Carol was next to her. Thankfully, Daisy was on Carol’s other side and could provide support and praise for Carol’s many accomplishments as the conversation continued.

The ultimate compliment was saved for dessert, however, as Carol served Grandma Lian her slice of pie with perfect table etiquette.

“Hmm,” Grandma Lian assessed Carol for final judgment, fork poised above her pie as her eyes narrowed. “So a master’s degree in engineering and a very impressive career with high ambitions. Polite and respectful of her elders. Smart and well-spoken. Daisy, why can’t you be more like your Carol?”

Daisy grinned. “I try every day, Grandma.”

Carol received the compliment with a gracious nod to Grandma Lian but had to hold in a laugh at Daisy’s reply. In truth, Daisy had helped Carol loosen up after growing up under the thumb of the intense Danvers family. Both girls had high expectations on them going in to university, but the difference in freedom and unconditional love that the Coulsons had provided Daisy that Carol didn’t have had been a revelation as their friendship grew. Now as a couple, they helped each other stay grounded, setting boundaries around their work time and parents’ pressure, so those high ambitions didn’t carry them off into a cloud of achievement anxieties.

The girls were assigned dish duty, clearing the plates and cleaning up in the kitchen as the Coulsons and Mays exchanged gifts and conversation in the living room.

“That went incredibly well,” Daisy informed Carol as they washed. “Grandma was intense today, but you impressed her. I honestly didn’t know that was possible.”

“She’s nice! In her way,” Carol conceded. “I’m good with grandmas; it’s my superpower.”

“She’s also not a bad connection to have,” Daisy hinted while rinsing off a serving dish.

“Hm?” Carol knew there was more to that comment.

Daisy pulled Carol in and said quietly, “She’s retired CIA. Still has a ton of networks in the industry.”

“Wait, she’s?” Carol pointed out to the living room.

“Yep.” Daisy popped the p.

“So, you’re in cybersecurity. You’re basically set for life, any job you want,” Carol deduced.

Daisy shrugged. “I haven’t needed it, but then, I also haven’t impressed her the way you have.” Daisy bumped Carol’s hip.

Carol rolled her eyes, but then had an idea. “Wouldn’t it be funny if we did?”

“Did what?” Daisy scrubbed at a patch of stuck-on food.

“Became, like, secret agents. I’d, I don’t know, design and fly drones or something, and you’d do all the hacking and coding. We’d be a great team.”

Daisy raised her dish-glove-clad hands into a Charlie’s Angels gun pose. “Agent Daisy Coulson and Agent Carol Danvers, reporting for duty.”

Carol laughed. “We’d be so good at it.”

“Yeah,” Daisy sighed, “but it’s nice being home like this. She wasn’t around a lot when my mom was growing up, and the worst part was, she couldn’t ever say why. Decades later, things would get declassified and she could tell us more or where all she’d been, but there are still things she can’t talk about. And only a few people even know that’s where she worked anyway. Especially back then, everyone just thought she worked for ‘the phone company,’ but that was just a code name.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Carol dried another plate and stacked it with the others. “Corporate life has its advantages.”

Daisy paused and turned off the water. “If you ever did want to sign up though, for real, I would too. If we were together, it would be easier, same clearance level and all that.”

The unspoken end of that thought hung in the air unspoken between them: And maybe we wouldn’t end up divorced like they did.

“Thanks, but I like our life,” Carol concluded. “It’s just something fun to think about. In another universe, you know?”

“Oh yeah, totally.” Daisy turned the water back on and started rinsing glasses. “We’d be so badass.”

Grandpa William came in just in time to hear her swear. “Dah! Language! What would your grandmother say,” he teased with a wink.

“If you’re not telling, I won’t,” Daisy returned. Carol could tell this was a game they played between them at Grandma Lian’s expense.

Carol focused on drying the glasses, trying to remember her grandparents. She’d been so young when most of them passed, one before she was born and the others before she’d graduated high school. Tragically young themselves, accidents and violence and illness taking them one by one. She wondered if any of them would be accepting of her now. It wasn’t likely, she had to admit to herself.

“I’ve been sent to tell you it’s photo time,” Grandpa William continued.

“Oh,” Carol looked at the few remaining dishes. They were down to the end now. “I’ll finish up here. You go ahead.”

Daisy turned off the water and took off the gloves. “Unh uh, you are getting in these too. House rules.”

“It is required,” Grandpa Wiliam confirmed.

Carol gave in and followed them into the living room. Phil had set up his phone on a tripod and was adjusting it using Melinda as a model for lighting.

“Maybe by the tree?” Phil suggested.

As they decided, Grandma Lian gestured to Daisy. “I have a gift for you. In my purse. Come with me.”

Grandpa William engaged Carol in conversation, preventing her from following Daisy out of habit. Carol tried to peek around the corner, but it was no use. The entryway was at the wrong angle from here for Carol to see where Grandma Lian’s purse hung with their coats by the door.

Daisy returned after a few minutes, blushing and pleased, but Carol didn’t have a chance to ask her about it as Santa hats were plopped onto their heads and everyone lined up for the traditional photo. Carol did insist on taking a few of just the five of them without her, and some of just Phil and Melinda and Melinda and her parents.

“And you two!” Phil urged, switching places with Carol. She placed an arm around Daisy as they stood by the tree and Daisy smiled up at her and then pecked a quick kiss to her cheek.

“I couldn’t resist,” Daisy said simply. “Okay, we’re ready now.”

“Good, looks good,” Phil said from behind the camera. “Ready, 1, 2, 3.” He took a few, counting each time, and repositioning them as his amateur photographer muse led.

“Those are going to turn out very nice,” Grandpa William remarked to Melinda, who agreed. Carol thrilled at the clear approval from all fronts. The Santa hats came off and, eventually, the grandparents went home before the roads got icy again and the sun got too low.

“I think it’s time for movies,” Daisy declared as they waved the grandparents’ car away from the front stoop.

Phil made his way back up the front walk from helping his in-laws to their car. “Yeah, we haven’t done Charlie Brown Christmas yet.”

They divided and conquered: Daisy and Carol would get the movie ready to go, and Phil and Melinda would get movie snacks from the kitchen.

“It’s a tradition,” Daisy explained. “After the grandparents leave, we sometimes need time to, uh, decompress. This year was actually pretty peaceful though.”

“Still, Peanuts at Christmas is a must,” Carol replied.

“Hey,” Daisy turned away from the TV menu to Carol. “I didn’t even think to ask. What are some of your traditions? Maybe we can do them here?”

Carol thought for a moment, picking at the corner of her flannel. “Well, when my brother is home we usually play a board game. He subscribes to all the game websites for the new ones and a lot of them have complicated rules, so usually it ends up being my mom and I left at the table doing a puzzle of a little village or mountains or something.”

“Hmm.” Daisy flung open one of the cabinets near the TV in a game-show-esque reveal. “Like this?”

Three packed shelves of games and puzzles awaited.

“We haven’t played these in ages, so nothing new here, but if you want, we can play one of these first and then watch Charlie and the gang after dinner?”

Carol scrunched her brow. “But you were so excited for your tradition.”

“We’ll still do it later.” Daisy waved her off as her parents reentered the room. “We’ve been doing our traditions all day. It’s time for us to share one of yours.” She gestured to the shelves like she was displaying the prizes as a game show host.

Carol looked to Phil and Melinda, who confirmed.

Phil approached the cabinet and pulled out a puzzle with a lake and cabin scene. “Funny you should mention it, but we got this at the same place that you two now have vouchers for. What do you say?”

“Sounds perfect. It’s beautiful.” Carol instinctively reached out a hand and traced a finger around the artwork on the box.

“Ooh, a little dusty.” Daisy laughed as a path formed where Carol’s finger had been. “All the more reason to break it out of the box.”

Conversation flowed as they assembled the puzzle. It wasn’t exceptionally large or hard, and with four of them at work, they managed to finish it in a few hours, just in time for a dinner of leftovers from lunch.

The sun had long past set and the tree lights came on with an automatic timer by the time they were done and ready for the movie.

“Wait.” Daisy stopped them as they headed to the living room again. “It’s cozy pajama time.”

Changing allowed Daisy an opportunity to clean up her room a bit a well before inviting Carol to see it. Photos of high school were still scattered around, but there were a few from college, and two with Carol as part of Daisy’s friend group.

“Ha, your birthday at the restaurant with the karaoke bar.” Carol pointed to one. “I remember that. God, I’m so glad I stayed for summer term with you. You know, I only took that internship on campus because I knew you were going to be there.”

Daisy grinned. “Do you remember what I sang?”

“No, just that you were really good. Like, objectively good.” Carol tilted her head in thought. “Huh. Okay now it’s going to bug me, what was it?”

Daisy hopped back and grabbed a hairbrush for a mic. She sang the chorus of “All for You” by Janet Jackson and shook her hips.

“Ahh yeah, I remember now.” Carol danced along until they were laughing too hard to continue.

“I… uh, may have had a crush on you too,” Daisy admitted.

“Are you saying you were singing that song at me while all I could think about was how talented you were and how I didn’t deserve you for a whole summer?”

Daisy batted her lashes coyly. “Maybe I was. But you figured it out when we drove back for Christmas. You needed a ride, and I was more than happy to volunteer. I practically begged you to let me drive you.”

Carol took the hairbrush and set it down before entwining Daisy’s fingers with her own. “Okay, yes, I’m slow to pick up on things.”

Daisy laughed. “No, no. That’s not what I meant.”

Carol slipped her other hand around Daisy’s waist and they began to sway despite not having any music playing. “It’s funny; it was the drive back to college that Christmas that finally gave me the courage to ask you to be my girlfriend, and now here we are.”

“Here we are.” Daisy’s voice was low and smooth. She moved in to kiss Carol, but they were interrupted as Phil’s voice sounded from down the hall.

“Uh, I thought we were going to watch a movie. Anyone ready?”

“Coming!” Melinda called from somewhere else.

“We better go before they come looking for us,” Daisy warned.

“Thanks for showing me all of this though.” Carol looked around Daisy’s room. Posters of bands, string lights, multiple rows of martial arts medals, and a few trophies lined the walls.

“Uh, ignore that.” Daisy threw a blanket over a hunk of metal.

“Okay, now I have to know,” Carol insisted as stopped in the bedroom doorway.

“Did you ever see that show Robot Wars? Or like, Big Hero 6?”

Carol blinked. “Are you telling me that’s your battle bot under there?”

“Ehhh, the remains of its corpse?” Daisy slowly removed the blanket to reveal a tangled chunk of metal and wires. “I tried to start an underground battle club at my school. It didn’t go well. But! It did get us a real robotics team. With less violence.”

They laughed, and Carol said, “Of course.” Not simply of course the official club would be more academic than fighting, but of course Daisy would have been the ringleader. Of course she would have had the brains and the guts to run something like a robot fight club. Of course she wouldn’t have the heart to get rid of it after so long and it’d still be sitting here in her childhood bedroom like a well-loved stuffie or a doll on a shelf.

They settled in on the couch with Daisy’s parents to watch Charlie Brown Christmas and the sequels, and Melinda passed around a plate of cookies. Daisy made sure they all had pillows and blankets and were comfortable as Phil hit play.

The ache of Carol’s Christmas Eve, only 24 hours earlier, faded for a moment with the overflowing joy of this Christmas Day. It was nothing fancy, just sharing meals and gifts and family photos and spending time together in their ordinary suburban home, in a simple historic neighborhood lined with warm lamps welcoming all who came there. But by the magic of Christmas, they had found each other and an enduring love that shined brightly through the dark.

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