Push to the Limit (the sixth book in the Glee series)

Chapter 22: Holly Jolly Christmas

"Where's Ryder?" asked Marley as she descended down the stairs sleepily. "Did he go back home?"

"No," Bree answered, not looking up from his designs. "He has everyone telling him where Julie is at all times and she left town already so he finally went out to get Brooke's present. You missed him by like fifteen minutes. He was very eager to take advantage of the time he has without having to run into Julie."

Marley laughed. "Sounds like Ryder to me. You want breakfast?"

"Oh no, I already had something," she assured her. "But if you feel like cooking for multiple people, you can make something for Stefan and Ben when they're up. I think we finally got them sleeping on the same schedule."

A smile on her face, Marley agreed, "Yes, I think we did." She sat down in front of Bree and said, "Taking advantage of the fact that neither of us has to go run off to work right now and we're alone to talk... I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Oh oh," said Bree, putting her pencil down and looking up at her. "It sounds serious already."

"Oh it's not," Marley assured her. "Well... Maybe a little... I'm just a little curious... How long do I have until I need to find my own place?"

"What?" Bree responded. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, you know..." Marley replied sheepishly. "Because the baby is coming."

Bree sighed. "The baby is coming, yes. But Marley, you've become family. You've been living with me for over a year, not to mention the financial help you've given me. And I love Ben. I don't want you to move out."

"But won't we be crowded?" Marley asked.

"No!" Bree exclaimed. "We have the spare room Ryder left and that'll be the baby's room. If you want, we can make the room a nursery and both babies can share it after our little girl gets used to being alone. But no matter what, I am not asking you to leave. I want you here and I need you here, ok?"

Marley nodded, looking away. "I never thought one day Bree Welsh would be pleading me to stay her roommate."

"House mate, technically," Bree chimed. "And I never thought I would be either but we're friends now, Marley. Good friends. Family. So you better get used to it."

Marley smiled and got up, ready to make her son and her friend's husband something to eat for breakfast when they woke up. This was her life now. This was her family. 

***

Marley looked out the window and then made her way to the dining room, where Stefan was finishing up the eggs she'd made for him and Bree was still working on her designs. With Ben still asleep upstairs, Marley was bored and staring outside in hopes of finding something to interest her. "It's getting really white out there."

"Whiter than Kitty's family reunions," Bree agreed without bothering to look up. "It's a good thing I didn't have any plans to go out tonight."

"What do you have there?" asked Marley curiously, taking a seat beside her. 

"When it snows I find that inspiration really hits me," Bree explained, showing her sketches to her, "so as soon as it started I came downstairs and started working."

Marley gasped. "You've been up since last night?"

"Yeah," Bree nodded. "I was going to sleep but then Ryder said he couldn't leave because Julie was in town and I looked out the window and saw snow starting to fall so I hurried to my sketchpad and... Here I am."

"Wow," Marley said, admiring the designs. "These are pretty."

"Evening gowns," said Bree in awe of her own drawings. "Kurt is great at making things that are offbeat and unique while I prefer to stick to classic looks and elegance so today I am making enough dresses for everyone I know to be able to get one. Not that they'll get them but... You know what I mean."