You feel like home to me

Bailey Jenk


Lucas Wright

@ Aoibhe

Setting her phone down rather harshly on her desk, Bailey let out a bit of an irritated sigh. Her brother was already sending her pictures of cats to adopt and she hadn't even gotten home yet! It felt like every year became worse and worse. If you're not careful Bailey, You'll never get a man!. Hey, I heard that the shelter has some cats you can adopt! Might as well start now! Ha! At least you can buy a cat's love.

Bailey pressed her fingers against the temple of her head. It wasn't like she could bail out of the holidays with her family. Even though they were annoying her to no end, they were still her family. Besides, what else would she do? Be alone? Yeah right...They would only get worse if she were to do that. But what could she do? Well, Bailey knew one thing for sure, showing up with a man would get them all to shut up, but it was not like she had one of those.

Her hands dropped down to her desk. It seemed like she was destined to be tormented another year by her family.

Lucas whistled as he walked down the corridor, saying hello to everybody as he went, before he popped his head in to his collegues's office. "Yo Bailey mind running over some stuff before this afternoon's meeting?" He asked as he walked in his eyes falling on her. "you good man, because you look burnt out" he said with a soft laugh, leaning back against her desk as he watched her.

Lucas had never been a huge fan of the holidays. His overbearing mother always insisted the entire family wear matching ugly sweaters and gather around the piano singing Carol's. However bad that sounded, he had his over achieving brothers to compete with too. This year he had just simply lied, claiming he had other plans for the holidays so he wouldn't have to go home, it simply wasn't worth the hassle. Instead he was just going to laze about at home with a couple of beers, as Christmas should be.

"Earth to Bailey, are you alright?" He repeated, chuckling as he realised he had caught her a little off guard.

@ BearGirl

@ Aoibhe

Bailey slowly looked up at Lucas as he walked into her office. She only caught bits of what he was saying to her. Something about the afternoon's meeting? Who could think about that when she was having a crisis! She couldn't tolerate another joke about buying a cats love and she only had a few days until - As she stared at Lucas, a realization suddenly came to her. Bailey didn't actually have to have a boyfriend in order to make her family shut up. She just needed them to think she had one. And it looked like the perfect opportunity just wanted into her office.

"Yes. Well, actually, no. I am not alright." Standing up from her desk, Bailey headed over to her office door, closing it before turning to Lucas. "I am glad that you came in here though, there is something that I want to talk to you about and then we can move onto.. well whatever you need help with" She said, looking up at Lucas. The last she heard, Lucas had no plans for the holidays and she was hoping that was still the case.

"What are you doing for Christmas this year Lucas?" Bailey asked him. Oh she hoped he was still bailing on his family.

Lucas watched her as she got up to close the door, laughing softly. "You are a strange Character Bailey jenk" he teased with a laugh, picking up a pen and twirling it between his fingers as he listened to Bailey rant aimlessly.

He laughed "that's what's so important Bailey? My Christmas agrnda?" He asked her raising an eyebrow as he placed the pen back down. "please don't tell me you're one of those Christmas geeks who takes pity on anybody who choooses to spend Christmas alone?" He asked her, cracking his knuckles. "For the record, I do not have any Christmas plans, but I made it that way. I am not to be pitiee" he clarified, standing up straighter as he looked around her office .

"Why is it that you're asking Bailey?" He questioned again, scratching at his temple.

@ BearGirl

@ Aoibhe

"I am not pitying you, I can assure you of that Lucas." Bailey said as she leaned against the door of her office. It was a bit of a defeated response to her situation, but she also did not want him to leave until Lucas completely heard her out. She lifted her head back up, looking Lucas straight in the eyes before she started to speak. "My family has been extremely harsh to me the last couple of years and I think I have finally found a solution to remedy this. I know you are the one who can help me."

Bailey hesitated for a moment. She knew he was going to think she had lost her mind. "Can you please come with me to see my family and pretend to be my boyfriend for Christmas?"

Lucas sat back against the desk listening to her, letting out a loud sigh. He was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable with the door closed as Bailey made out that he could help her with something. "Look Bailey, I'm sorry to hear about your situation, but I can't even stand spending the holidays with my own, why would I want to spend it with yours?" He asked with a weak laugh, as he stood up gathering the sheets he had brought to show her. He went to walk away, realising that she was blocking his path.

"You're a lovely girl bails, I enjoy working with you but the relationship stops there okay, I mean what would be in this for me?" He asked, shaking his head at her softly. It seemed like such an outlandish request.

@ BearGirl

@ Aoibhe

"I would pay you." Bailey said as Lucas started to gather up his things to leave. "I would pay you a weeks work and all you would have to do is spend a few days with my family. I'll get us hotel rooms, and the flight tickets. You'll just have to be there and that is it. And after Christmas, we'll go home and I promise that I won't ask anything so ridiculous ever again. And you know I'll owe you big so if you ever needed help with work or something.

She looked up at him, desperation in her eyes. "Please Lucas. You are the only guy I know who doesn't have plans for the Holidays. I know it sounds crazy but I don't want to be ridiculed again this year and I can't skip Christmas with my family this year. What can I do to get you to agree?"

Lucas ran his hand through his hair uncomfortably. "I really don't know Bailey, it just doesn't sit with me well" he said, looking down at his shoes awkwardly as she continued to talk. He cleared his throat, looking back up at her, beginning to feel bad when he saw how desperate she looked.

"Okay, okay fine, I'll do it. But the hotel better be at least 4 stars, and I'm never doing this for you again" he told her sternly, shaking his head. He couldn't believe he had just agreed to do this. "And I want unlimited levels of beer, I am not doing this sober" he said, holding his hand out to her to agree.

@ BearGirl

@ Aoibhe
Immediately, a bright smile came over Bailey's face and she almost jumped for joy a little. This was going to be the best Christmas she has had in a long time! "Never again, I promise! If you come this Christmas, they'll leave me alone for at least a couple of years!" Reaching out, Bailey shook his hand. "And of course. I'll find us a great hotel and there are plenty of liquor stores at home. So you won't have to be sober."

Letting go of his hand, Bailey moved back to her desk, clearly in a much more cheerful mood than when he had came in. "I'll get the hotel room and the tickets now. What kind of beer do you like to drink? Oh - you know what, I'll just get a bunch of different kinds."

Lucas shook his head with a soft laugh as he watched how excited she was. ,"Okay okay calm down, it's just for a couple of days" he told her with a chuckle, letting go of her hand and placing some of the papers back down on the desk in front of her. "when you're done celebrating, take a look at those before this afternoon's meeting" he said with a laugh as he began to leave her office.

He headed down the hall running his hand through his hair, wondering what he had gotten himself in to. He had avoided going home to avoid his own family and now was volunteering tospend it with somebody else's who clearly were just as annoying as his own.

@ BearGirl

@ Aoibhe

After an hour or so, Bailey headed off to Lucas' desk. She smiled at him brightly as she placed the papers down on his desk. "I noted a few changes that I think you should make. It was already pretty much good to go so it was just some small edits." She told him before continuing on. "And everything has been scheduled and purchased. We will need to be at the airport on Thursday at 9. I will send you the details."

With that, she turned on her heels and headed back to her desk. Bailey had been quick to order everything they needed. She knew he would be less likely to bail if everything was already set up for them. Now she just needed to call her parents and let them know about the new addition.

Lucas chuckled at her as she spoke. She was like a Duracell bunny on speed, with words flying out of her mouth a mile a minute as if she were afraid if she took a breath he might sense weakness. He took the notes from her, still laughing. "okay Bailey thank you. I guess I'll have to get my bags packed then" be said, shaking his head as he once again began to think what could he possibly have gotten himself in to.

He shook his head as he watched her rurn on her heels and walk away quickly, and he knew exactly what he she was playing.she was being careful not to give him any time to turn her down. He watched as she reentered her office and picked up her phone. Smirking he picked up his own and switched to her line to see who she was talking to. Her face certainly didn't read that it was a work call.

@ BearGirl

"So, mom, I don't have a lot of time to talk but I do need to tell you something." Bailey said as she rubbed the back of her neck, she was a little nervous about lying to her family but it seemed like a better option than getting ridiculed.

"Oh sure honey, what is it?" Her mother asked.

"Well I have a boyfriend and - "

Immediately, her mother interrupted. "OH THANK THE HEAVENS! It is about time!" She let out a relaxed laugh. "I was seriously beginning to worry that you would be alone. Oh dear, I am sorry but I started to think that your brothers were right about everything. I really didn't want you turning out like our neighbor Susan. You know, she has five cats now and -"

Bailey put her face in her hands, letting out a long sigh. "Mom. Stop."

"Well, I was just saying sweetie. You know I worry about you." She responded.

"That wasn't even the whole thing I wanted to tell you... I was calling to ask if he could come to Christmas this year. I know it's kind of last minute but- "

"Oh nonsense!" The mother said, interrupting her again. "Of course he can come to Christmas! Oh the whole family will just be thrilled! We will all want to meet him and - oh it's your father! Bill! Bill! Little Bailey is bringing a boy home! Can you believe it?! A BOY"

Lucas placed the phone back down on the hook as he sat there, he had heard enough. He held his face in his hands as he sat at the desk, wondering what he had gotten himself in to. However bad his mother was, it seemed like Bailey's family seemed very invested in her love life, so unfortunately apparently his now too. He groaned softly as he leaned back in the chair, although a small smirk washed across his lips. He waited until he saw her hang up the phone. He picked up his wallet in to his hand and slowly made his way over to her office knocking on the door.

He popped his head inside before walking in, taking in a deep breath as he ran his hand through his hair. "Look Bailey, I've been thinking for a few minutes now and I just really don't think this is going to go well.. I think it best if we stick to our original Christmas plans" he said to her, his to and face so serious he knew she couldn't tell he was having her on.

@ BearGirl

@ Aoibhe

Bailey's head snapped up as Lucas started to back out of Christmas. Her heart dropped hard in her chest and panic was quick to set in her. "No no no no no no. Lucas, you can't I-I was literally just on the phone with my mom. I told her that you were coming. They expect you to be there now. I bought the tickets and the hotel rooms and the beer already." Bailey started to talk faster as she felt her chest tightening up. What was she going to do now? Tell them she broke up? Damn that was even worse than having gone alone!

"Please Lucas. Please, everything is already set up. What do you want?" Bailey asked him, desperation seeping through her voice.

Lucas did everything he could to stay straight faced as he watched her slowly spiral. "I'm really sorry bailey, I'll pay you back for everything it just feels like far too preassure" he said, leaving out a deep sigh and running his hands over his face to conceal his face. Before long he couldn't keep it in any longer and began to laugh gently, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Bailey Bailey.. calm down I'm only kidding" he told her with a laugh, feeling slightly bad that she literally seemed close to tears.

"I'm sorry, I heard you on the phone to your mother I just wanted yo mess with you" he commented with a laugh.

@ BearGirl

@ Aoibhe

As Lucas revealed his little prank, Bailey was completely quiet. She felt a sense of relief wash over her, but it was quickly followed by a wave of anger. Why would he even joke about that? Bailey thought it was clear she was pretty stressed out about this already! Though she couldn't really get angry at Lucas as she still needed him to go and didn't want this trip to become uncomfortable. Almost as if in defeat, Bailey just dropped her head into her hands and let out a sigh. "Okay... Was there anything else you needed Lucas?"

Lucas glanced her over as she dropped her head in to her hands. "No that was it.. and uh thanks for looking over my notes" he said awkwardly heading towards the door. He paused a few times, trying to summon up the right words to say. "I didn't mean to cause any offense Bailey, I was only messing with you, really.." he said, running a hand through his hair as he looked around her office. He really didn't get how going home for the holidays could be stressing her out so much.

@ BearGirl

@ Aoibhe

Bailey rubbed her face before dropping her hands onto her desk. She lifted her head up, looking over at Lucas and giving him a gentle smile. Even though she kinda wanted to rip his head off at the moment. "I know you were just trying to joke around Lucas. I am sorry if I made you feel badly." She folded her hands together for a moment before her eyes dropped down to her screen. "Please do not worry about it. I will be okay."

Bailey brought her hands to her keyboard and started to type a few things out before clearing her throat. "I actually have some things to take care of. We can talk in a little bit if you still want to? Otherwise we can just forget about the whole thing!"