IN A DECISION that was very un-Reagan like, Reagan did the unexpected and even took her own self by surprise on Christmas morning. She phoned Dave, and after a deep breath that she exhaled through her nose, she invited him to join her family for their Christmas dinner.

"Are you sure, Reags? Your parents won't care?" Dave had asked, sounding hopeful. The idea had come to Reagan after she'd realized that Dave would be without his family for the holiday, having decided not to fly home to Virginia. In his voice, she could already tell that her assumption that he'd be lonely was right.

"Not at all," she'd said. The truth was that Reagan had yet to ask Richard and Kimberly if Dave could attend dinner. She had not felt the need to, knowing that Richard loved Dave, and even though Kimberly had been snotty towards the idea of her eldest being in a relationship, she admittedly liked Dave and would very well not kick him out of her home.

She waited, of course, until she was helping set their meager little kitchen table later that night to announce Dave's impending arrival.

"Dave's coming," she said bluntly. Kimberly, who was across the table setting down glasses, looked up quickly with a snap of her head.

"You didn't mention inviting him," she replied tightly, her eyes flashing.

Reagan shrugged, hardly fearing her mother and her hostility. She had felt nothing but resentment towards Kimberly ever since she'd made the cynic comment in the kitchen the night of her first meeting with Dave.

"He's not with his own family. So why shouldn't he at least be with ours?" Reagan argued.

Everyone else warmed immediately to the idea and some of the Abners, namely Kate and Robbie, seemed truly excited that Dave was coming. Reagan felt content to see her siblings so happy. Not only a few days earlier had she condemned the thought of Dave being around her family, but now, she welcomed it.

Oddly enough, Reagan could not place her finger on what had caused her change of heart. She could not decide whether it was Dave's eagerness to get to know her family despite their neurotic tendencies, or her family's joy (minus Kimberly) over Dave's arrival in her life. Either way, it felt nice to not worry about Dave mingling with them. It was one less thing off of Reagan's already overflowing plate, at least.

"Dave's coming?" Kate said under her breath, zipping into the kitchen and catching Reagan by her elbow as she finished organizing the silverware. She was smiling.

"Yeah," Reagan smiled back. "Don't be crazy, though, please."

"I won't. But what about the other guy, Kurt? Didn't you say that he and Dave would probably hang out together for Christmas?"

"I thought they would. But Dave told me that Kurt's biting the bullet this year and going to his mom's. He was going to bring Dave, but I intervened."

When Reagan went upstairs to get changed, she bumped into Robbie who was coming out of the bathroom. Since she had told him that Dave would be coming to Christmas dinner, it appeared that a light had been switched on within her younger brother, shining outwardly through his smile.

"When's Dave getting here?" Robbie asked excitedly.

"Soon. But I'll tell you the same thing that I told Kate. Just be cool, okay? No scaring him off tonight."

"I'm not going to do that," Robbie said confidently, sticking out his chest. He paused, before his gaze swept towards the ground in what Reagan guessed was a fit of shyness. "I was thinking of growing my hair out like his. Would that be cool?"

Reagan felt a tickle of something familiar in her chest, something like pride and love, all tied into one. She stared into Robbie's eager face and smiled, deciding that even though Kimberly would have a mega-meltdown if he let his hair grow past his ears, she would lend her support.

"Yeah Rob, that would be really cool."

Pleased with her response, Robbie scampered down the stairs and joined the rest of the family. Reagan could still feel herself smiling as she ventured into her room, slipping into the outfit on her bed that she'd chosen earlier in the morning. Though she was no huge fan of dresses, feeling silly whenever she wore them, she'd selected a red, long-sleeved button-up dress that she'd found in the back of her closet.

The dress itself was dainty, with a scooped neckline and tight bodice. It was nothing like what Reagan normally wore and the dress's short hem might have ordinarily deterred her away from it, but she'd paired the ensemble with modest black tights. Only with the addition of those did she feel semi-okay in the dress, like she still could detect a piece of herself in the mirror behind her bedroom door.

She let down her hair and fluffed her bangs, trying to make them lie even across her forehead with her fingertips. Once she deemed herself agreeable enough to be seen, Reagan went back downstairs, nearly trembling with anticipation as she waited for the coming knock at the front door.

"Very pretty," Kate said sweetly as Reagan entered the living room. Reagan didn't think she measured up to Kate's black miniskirt and tight, long-sleeved green blouse, but the compliment was enough. It was simple too, and it didn't make her regret her outfit choice. In the corner of the room, RaeLynn and Kody were chasing the toy train that made loops around the base of the Christmas tree, squealing with delight.

"So we'll be having a visitor tonight, I hear," Richard said, joining his children in the living room. He fiddled with his tie, tightening it around his neck. Reagan would have normally rolled her eyes at the lot of them, dressing up when they were only having a regular family dinner, but she was somewhat glad that everyone looked nice for Dave's return to their home.

"Yes," Reagan said firmly. "His family is in Virginia. I didn't want him to be alone on Christmas."

"I think that was very nice of you, honey," Richard smiled. He put his arm around his daughter and kissed the crown of her head. "He's a nice young man. Talented, too. I've never heard anyone play like he does . . ."

The doorbell chimed before Richard could complete his sentence. Reagan looked up at him pleadingly.

"Let's not tell him that and embarrass him though, okay?"

As Reagan hurried by the open walkway of the kitchen in an effort to get the door, she heard Kimberly shout over her shoulder.

"Food's going on the table!"

"I know!" Reagan yelled back. She came to a skidded stop at the front door, smoothing her dress and inhaling deeply. The secret key, she had learned, was not to think too much into what was happening. It had been best to avoid thinking about Dave being there that night. Instead, Reagan had gone about her day normally, shuffling her fears to the back-burner of her mind so that she'd be properly prepared for the evening. No matter what, she'd stay calm. She wouldn't worry.

She would do Dave the favor of allowing him to get to know her family.

She opened the door, breaking into a smile when it swung fully open and she saw him standing there on the doorstep against the backdrop of night.

"Hi," Reagan said.

"Hi," Dave echoed. His eyes flitted past Reagan and scoped out the hall before he stepped inside, kissing her lips swiftly. She wished that she could have held him there longer, tying him up in her embrace as if they were the only two people in the house that night. That would have been a dream, having the house to themselves.

"I'm so glad you came," Reagan whispered, surprising herself with the amount of sincerity in her voice. She stood on the tips of her toes to hug him and was satisfied when he hugged her back tightly.

"You look so nice," Dave murmured. "I would have dressed better than this."

Reagan stole a quick once-over of Dave's clothes. He was in his standard pair of jeans, wearing a black shirt with an equally black, well-worn leather jacket over it. His hair was down, framing his face in its usual scraggly waves. Nonetheless, she saw nothing wrong with how he was dressed. What did catch her eye was the slim package in his hand, concealed in cheerful holiday wrapping paper.

"You look just fine. But what's that?" she said, pointing her chin in the direction of Dave's gift.

"It's Christmas, Reagan. Did you think I wasn't going to get you anything?"

Reagan had actually thought the exact opposite. A part of her had known that Dave would get her a present, which was why she'd been sure to get him something too. She hadn't done so with the intention of getting even with him, but because she really had wanted to get him something nice. She had only hoped that he would have saved his money and allowed her locket to serve as an early Christmas present.

"You shouldn't spend anything on me," she chided, taking his hand and linking their fingers.

"I didn't though," Dave said, smiling smugly. "I didn't spend a thing."

Dave and Reagan's pocket of privacy vanished as Kate bounded into the hallway where they stood, her smile radiant as she joined the duo. She gave a little exuberant wave of her hand.

"Hi Dave, it's good to see you again!" she greeted brightly, closing the distance between herself and Dave with a hug.

Kate's inclusive welcome was followed up by five similar other ones as the rest of the Abners said their hellos to Dave. Kody's eyes widened and he made an impatient noise, crying out the word 'truck' as he caught sight of his familiar playing friend. Richard nudged Kody into the kitchen, assuring him that he would be able to play with Dave all he wanted later on.

"Thanks for having me over tonight," Dave said politely as everyone settled in around the kitchen table. Kimberly's Christmas turkey was being cut up and served from person to person. "I really appreciate it."

"Of course Dave," Richard smiled, spearing a green bean off his plate and popping it into his mouth. "When Reagan told us that you wouldn't be spending the holiday with your family, well, we knew you ought to be here with us."

Dave flashed Reagan a small smile of appreciation and she felt him give her a slight poke beneath the table. Across from them, Kimberly smiled, but her smile was frigid as she placed pieces of turkey amongst the rest of her food.

"Hey Dave," Robbie called, ignoring his meal and looking ardently Dave's way. He'd been vying for his attention since Dave had walked into the living room. "After dinner, will you teach me how to play the drums?"

Reagan's fork clattered down onto the glass edge of her plate and she immediately stopped chewing in order to stare wide-eyed at her brother. She could not believe what she was hearing.

"What?! Robbie, I've been trying to get you to let me teach you drums forever!" she cried.

"So have I," Richard said incredulously, turning to Robbie. "You told me you would rather learn how to ride a skateboard than play an instrument."

Robbie's face turned a blazing shade of red and Dave laughed quietly. Reagan could tell that Robbie was not the only embarrassed one seated at the table. The shyness in Dave's laugh was obvious as he stared down at the white linen under his plate.

"Yeah, but then I heard him play," Robbie protested, though this did nothing for the humiliated look on his face. Dave, being as kind as he was, swooped in to save Robbie from further chagrin in front of his family and newfound hero.

"I'll teach you a few things," he offered. "But you should probably let your dad and sister help out too. I don't want to get in trouble with them."

The duration of dinner flowed effortlessly, and Reagan was alright with remaining rather quiet while her family conversed with Dave. Kate asked him plenty about Virginia, talking about how she was interested in several colleges located there. Robbie, of course, drilled Dave with every question he could think of. Reagan knew that the thing Robbie had always craved most of all was an older brother, and she wondered if Dave was beginning to fulfill that forever empty role.

Richard kept up avidly with the discussion too, entertaining the table with old stories from his band days. Reagan found herself laughing often, and for once, she was genuinely happy to be seated around her family. And the fact that Dave happened to be there did not completely go over her head. Maybe what she really needed was Dave to be around if she were to ever truly cope with her crazy household.

The only person besides Reagan who resisted conversation was Kimberly. She watched them all chatter from her spot at the end of the table, feeding the twins and occasionally throwing a smile when someone looked at her. Reagan tried not to watch her mother too much, knowing it would only anger her to see her acting so strange. It wasn't fair that she had to be so cold, especially when Reagan was obviously trying to involve her mother in her little slice of happiness. As if Kimberly even deserved to be apart of anything good in her life . . .

"Drums!" Robbie shouted as he shoved his empty plate away and got out of his chair.

"Ah ah ah," Kimberly called, finally piping in and raising her finger. "I told you I wanted help with the dishes." Her eyes cast a long, hard stare around the table, resting with finality on Reagan. "Help from all of you would be nice."

Reagan dug her fingernails into the softness of her palms. If it had not been for Dave sitting right next to her, she might have lashed out at Kimberly in the moment. The way her mother looked at her, as if she were nothing more than a disobedient dog, gave Reagan a sudden head rush of rage.

"Robbie and I got it taken care of, Mom," Kate said helpfully, standing and collecting her plate. "Reagan and Dave probably have presents for each other. They can go off and exchange them."

Reagan shot her sister a thankful glance before looking back at Kimberly, the bitter taste of regret on her tongue. She was the only mother in the world who couldn't find the decency in her heart to be happy for her daughter.

"I want to be there for presents," Robbie whined.

"They're not your presents," Kate pointed out. "We already did presents as a family today. Let them be alone!"

"Actually," Reagan announced, pushing back her chair with a raking squeak. "We're going to go back to Dave's apartment. Kurt is probably there alone and in need of some company."

She looked at Dave, who gave her a discreet, questioning look. No doubt that he was wondering why she was suddenly so keen to escape her family, especially on Christmas. But Reagan felt that she'd had enough of being around her mother, even if it was the holidays. Suddenly, it did not matter anymore whether or not she and Dave were there. All she wanted was to be with him -- alone and away from Kimberly's judging eyes.

"But what about the drums?" Robbie demanded, sounding panicked.

"I'll be back," Dave told him, ruffling his hair. "Maybe I'll come earlier next time. That way we have all day to practice."

Reagan felt her hands shake as she lifted her and Dave's plates and put them in the sink. She could still feel Kimberly's gaze, trained on her back and silently reminding her of her initial warning.

The happiness she'd felt at the start of the night was spinning faster and faster out of reach. While she'd never had a panic attack, Reagan felt on the verge of one as she wiped her hands down her dress and stalked out of the kitchen. Dave followed behind her, talking to Robbie about starter tips for drum playing.

She blocked their sweet conversation out. Even it was not enough to simmer the pure, raw acrimony Reagan felt for Kimberly right then. It was the first time in her life that she'd thought the nastiest thing that she'd ever mentally said about her mother.

I hate you.