Chapter Text
Kara pulls open the door to the hallway and immediately spots Lena standing outside the front door.
“What are you doing here?” she asks as she rushes forward to let Lena in, nearly pushing her cousin away to make space.
“I was hoping you have space for one extra person at the table. And I hated the event, so I left.” Lena steps inside so they can close the door and lets Kara take her coat to put it away. Kara has to do a double take when Lena pulls of her coat, reminding herself they are not in private and she can’t ogle Lena’s cleavage and form-fitting dress too conspicuously. Her girlfriend is very hot though and she will have to let her know as soon they have a moment without family watching them like hawks.
“We always have space for you. We can heat up some leftovers; you’re just in time for dessert,” Kara says, then she turns to her cousin. “This is Rowan. Rowan, this is Lena, my girlfriend.”
“Hi,” Rowan says meekly.
Lena tries to reply but Kara quickly pulls her through the hallway and into the living room. She doesn’t need her cousin to recover from their shock and ask Lena a million questions before she has put food in her girlfriend.
Kara does her very best to sneak Lena through the living room and into the kitchen before anyone spots them. It does not work.
Not only is the door to the kitchen blocked by someone checking in on dessert progress but as soon as the door opens, all eyes are on them. Kara freezes, gives everyone a sheepish smile and pivots her approach.
“Everyone, this is my girlfriend Lena,” she announces. “Lena, this is everyone.”
As expected, the entire family lifts one hand as if on autopilot and waves at Lena. Only Eliza gets up to give Lena a more personal greeting. As they meet, Kara cherishes the looks on her aunt’s face as realisation sets in that not only was Lena not made up. Kara’s girlfriend Lena is actually a world famous person.
Kara is not one to gloat but right now, she definitely is gloating. And not ashamed to admit it.
During her brief moment of distraction, Lena has been taken to the kitchen by Eliza. Trusting her mother, Kara makes herself useful by clearing some space at the table for Lena.
She makes everyone scoot over and asks her nice uncle to get one more chair from Rao knows where this man keeps all these chairs. Somehow another one is no problem either and Kara is almost convinced he has a Mary Poppins room somewhere with infinite chairs inside. He’s not showing up with some small foldable chair either, no, this is a proper dining room chair just like the rest of them.
Maybe her uncle should be her new life goals. A wife. Infinite chairs and a kind heart. Sounds perfect.
Kara’s daydream about her perfect life get interrupted by one of her older cousins whistling between their teeth.
“Wow, Kara, how did you manage to pull a Luthor?” he asks her, impressed.
“Where did you even meet her?” Another cousin asks, sounding equally impressed.
The question brings back fond and slightly awkward memories.
“We met at a conference. It was a work thing for both of us but neither of us enjoyed it much. We actually got to talking outside in the park where we’d hide away. The square outside the venue was overtaken by smokers the whole week and we coincidentally sought refuge under the same tree away from the smell.”
Kara distinctly remembers the lawn having been cut recently. The scent still in the air and the grass short and stubbly.
“I didn’t recognise who she was because the sun was in my eyes. But I offered her some space on my coat and she sat down. We got to chatting about the conference and by the time I recognised her, we were already getting along.”
She does not mention that she awkwardly asked Lena if she were Lena Luthor and nearly died on her own saliva when she forgot how to swallow. It was not her best moment and nearly chased Lena away. But Kara managed to make clear she was not an overinvested fan. Just momentarily awestruck because her boss would kill her if she ever found out Kara had had a casual chat with Lena Luthor, who was notoriously hard to book an interview with.
“That sounds like the perfect–” Kara’s uncle says, hesitating for a moment to look at his daughter– “McKenzie, what did you call it? Hook-up? Meeting-something?”
“Meet-cute, dad,” McKenzie corrects with a sigh but a sly smile appears on her lips when her dad isn’t watching anymore.
“Yes that. Meet-cute!”
Kara doesn’t get a chance to reply. The door to the kitchen opens and Eliza walks out, followed closely by Lena.
The entire conversation is forgotten and all eyes are on Lena as she walks in with her warm plate and fork. The two aunts and cousin that were working on dessert before Lena’s arrival, slip back into the kitchen when they get their bearings back. Kara can see Lena looking for a seat and gestures to the one next to her that just freed up. Lena’s shoulders are slightly tense and Kara can’t blame her. She never planned on Lena meeting her entire family in one go at Christmas Eve dinner.
But they will make do. And Lena is brilliant with polite and proper conversation. Maybe this is just ripping the bandaid off and will be better in the long run. At least now Lena has immediately met everyone.