“Really?” Shane can’t believe it.

“Yep, guess your little lunches together while you were in New York won her over.”

Shane lifts herself up so that her lips can meet Harper’s. She pulls her girlfriend into a passionate kiss. As her hands begin to play with Harper’s nipples Harper breaks the kiss.

“Mmm mm, we can’t. We’ve gotta get ready.” Harper says giving Shane a sly smile.

Shane puts her head down in defeat, “Come on, just a quickie.”

“Nope, you missed your chance. You should’ve fucked me during the parade.” Harper laughs.

Shane gives her a playful scowl.

Thanksgiving is fun but feels slightly rushed and hectic for both girls. Neither one admits it until they are curled up in Shane’s bed at the end of the night. They conclude that they were so used to settling in at one place and enjoying the festivities just vegging out. Splitting things up in compromise was great and made everyone happy, but it made the girls feel a little split too. Each found themselves wondering what they were missing out on. But in the end they missed out on nothing but Harper’s friends napping during their after dinner movie. While prior to their arrival on the Westside they missed Angelica’s hour long crying jag, which left all the ladies a little shaken. They decide that if next year they are still a loving happy couple that they should host the festivities and bring all of their friends together.

***

Christmas preparation is in full swing and for Shane’s close knit family of friends it’s bitter sweet. They are happy she’s so blissed out and in love and spending the holiday with Harper back East. But at the same time they can’t all help but be a little jealous in their own ways.

Bette is going to miss their ritual of having hot chocolate by the tree exchanging gifts on Christmas Eve. And Alice, well she’s bitter about missing their long standing Christmas morning waffle breakfast date. As Alice so eloquently put it when Shane broke the news, “That blows!” Shane suggested that maybe Dana could fill in this one time, but Alice would not hear of it.

Harper has it much easier since she’s never in LA for the holiday. Her ritual is trying to see as many of her friends as possible in the weeks leading up to Christmas. And every year it becomes increasingly more difficult with everyone’s hectic lives. The only solution for her this year is to have a party and see everyone at once. She includes all of Shane’s nearest and dearest as well wondering what it will be like when their friends collide.