By the time Monday morning rolled around, Beca was truly read to have Emily's shrill giggles waking her up again. She had spent all of Sunday getting ahead on her current project, giving her leeway to call the boss Monday morning. The exchange was short. Luke Theo had been sitting at his desk at seven so he was able to listen to Beca's work. It needed to be run by the client before they laid it down, the meet with the client had been scheduled for Thursday morning.
Beca waited patiently at the breakfast bar, Ryan had texted around half past four, saying that they would arrive around eight. She had big plans for today. After Luke had graciously allowed her a day off, she'd called Emily's day care, letting them know that she'd not be in for the day, and got started on breakfast.
As expected, Ryan's SUV pulled into the complex at five minutes to eight, Beca watched from the window as Emily let herself out of the car, jumping excitedly from the side step and trip up the curb. Worry immediately surfaced but was quickly replaced by mirth as her daughter dusted herself off and followed her father up the steps. She stepped over to the front door, buzzing them into the building before they had the opportunity to press the intercom. She unlocked the door, hurrying back to the kitchen, plating up some of Emily's favourite cereal. The front door flew open just as Beca was replacing the milk carton in the fridge.
"Momma!" Beca kneeled and braced herself for the force of Emily's hug. She stumbled slightly as a Emily barrelled into her, almost choking her. "I missed you!"
"Aw, I missed you too, Em," Beca answered. She looked up to see Ryan standing expectantly by the living room. Beca removed her daughter's coat and hat, "Hop up and have some breakfast, honey. I'll hang these up and speak to daddy, k?"
"Yeah, but don't take too long. Daddy said he needs to be quick." Beca forced a smile and helped Emily up to the breakfast bar, she couldn't hold in the glare that was directed towards her ex-husband. She hung Emily's coat in the cupboard and her hat on the rack before following Ryan into the living room. She sat on the back of the couch, waiting for the man in front of her to say something.
"I'm getting married in April," Ryan said, Beca could feel him staring her down. She refused to be affected by this.
"Congratulations? I'm assuming you want Emily to be part of the ceremony then?"
Ryan rolled his eyes, "She's my daughter. Of course I do. Anita wants to get to know Emily before she becomes part of the family." Beca tried to hide the snort that threatened to break at his fiancé's name. "What's funny, Beca? I thought we could be mature about this."
Beca took a deep breath and looked towards the kitchen where Emily was happily singing between mouthfuls of cereal. "One. What did you tell her about Emily? Did you tell her that I was a bitch who was denying you access?"
"Bec…"
"No, Ryan. I am not finished." Beca had two years of bitterness that was trying to burst free, "Did she think that I'd miraculously had a change of heart because you told me that you're getting married and I want Emily to spend time with her other mommy so she doesn't feel left out?"
Ryan ran a hand through his hair, "I've already told Emily. So she will be spending more time with us. If I have to get lawyers involved, so be it."
Beca rolled her eyes, "Really? You're going to play that card? You ignored us for over a year, Ryan…"
"And that was a mistake. I know this now. I'm sorry Beca. I'm going to try now! I want Emily to be part of my life with Anita." He crossed his arms, waiting for an answer.
Beca couldn't hold the laugh that came out, "Anita? Are you being sincere? Because…. Does she understand… Never mind." Beca wasn't going to question whether the girl realised that her first name and Ryan's surname were hardly compatible. "You know what? If you make an effort with Emily, I mean actually make an effort, not just turn up once every month, I will personally bring her to LA for the wedding. I'm assuming you're still living there?"
Ryan nodded, "I'm sorry this happened, Beca."
"Don't tell me that. Tell your daughter," Beca stood and walked towards the kitchen. "Call her tomorrow night before eight." Ryan walked over to Emily and gave her a kiss on the cheek and let himself out. Beca locked the door after him and watched Emily take her bowl to the sink, managing to spill almost all of the milk dregs as she went. Beca smiled and grabbed some paper towel, "You've been home less than ten minutes and you've already messed up my floor!"
Emily grinned sheepishly, "Oops?"
Beca quickly wiped up the mess on the floor, she had to mop later anyway. "Alright Squirt! What is on today's agenda?"
Emily looked confused for a moment, "It's a school day, Momma."
Beca wiggled her eyebrows at her daughter, "It WAS a school day, until I decided that we were going to have a girls day today." Emily squealed loudly and clung to her mom's waist.
"Can we go and get coffee? And see Fat Amy? And Uncle Jesse?"
Beca grinned, coffee sounded like the perfect start. "I'm gonna tell Uncle Jesse that you called him a girl. Though I wouldn't mind stopping in at the Studio for a bit this afternoon. Come on, there's someone I'd like to introduce you to."
Emily bounded to the front door, replacing the hat that she'd discarded ten minutes before and struggling to tug her tiny pea-coat from the hanger. "Mom… Little help…"
Beca laughed, "Give it a few years, Squeak; the roles will be reversed." She quickly slipped the coat onto her daughter before putting her own on and opening the heavy door. "Come on, Em. We're going to take the bus."
Emily buzzed along the footpath, dragging her Mom towards the bus stop. Her excitement bursting out in sporadic songs. Beca found herself joining in more often than not, earning her more than a few odd glances, and the occasional chuckle from a passer by.
The bus to the city finally arrived, once seated, Emily commandeered her mother's phone and one earbud before beginning a surprisingly in key rendition of Taylor Swift's "We are never getting back together". Beca rolled her eyes and chuckled, joining in, much to the amusement of the other passengers. The half hour ride comprised of mostly Emily singing jovially and trying to convince the older man beside them to join in.
Finally they got off at their stop, Emily saying "See you later!" to everyone. She turned to her mother once they were safely on the street, "Where to now, Momma?"
Beca ducked down to Emily's level, "Are you ready to try the best brownie you've ever tasted in your tiny little life?"
"Better than Nana Mitchell's?" she asked, sceptically.
Beca winked at her, tucking a tiny curl back into Em's beanie, "You just wait, small fry. Chloe makes the best brownies that I've ever tasted… And I'm old!"
"Good thing I left room at breakfast," Emily countered.
Beca stood up and took Emily's hand, leading her down the street toward the coffee house that she now frequented. The door swung open with a soft chime from the bells attached to the handle. Beca's ears pricked to the sound of a soprano singing one of her songs behind the counter. She looked down at Emily, who wiggled her tiny eyebrows. This kid watches far too much tv. She thought, making her way towards the counter. She planted her hands on the counter and lifted herself up trying to find the owner of the voice. Much to her surprise, she found Chloe dancing around behind the kitchen wall, a set of headphones plugged into a device in her back pocket. She looked surprisingly happy for someone who was unstacking a dishwasher. Beca couldn't help the second glance at the back of Chloe's jeans. The view was spectacular.
"Morning Beca!"
Beca slipped, dropping back to the floor and grinned sheepishly at Stacie who was smirking at her from behind the counter. She could hear Emily giggling treacherously beside her.
"Stacie! How's it going?"
"Perfect. Much like this little thing here!" Stacie said grinning at Emily.
Emily smirked, and held out her hand, "I'm Emily. I'm sorry for my Mom, she's so uncool."
Stacie laughed and reached over, shaking Emily's hand, "It's ok, Emily. Most Mom's are. What are you girls up to today?"
"Well, Mom says we're getting brownies, so I'm assuming that she'll also have a vanilla latte and I'll have a hot chocolate, please. She's paying," Emily said, a huge grin plastered across her tiny face.
Stacie raised an eyebrow at Beca who rolled her eyes, "You heard the midget. I'm paying. Make that two latte's and tell Chloe she has a visitor."
"Two lattes, two brownies and a hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, because you are just adorable," Stacie rambled as she rung up the total. Emily beamed at Stacie, giving her a thumbs up. Stacie pushed the change back to Beca, who dropped it in the tip jar with a wink. She nudged Emily towards an empty booth near the front window. Normally she'd be a little more discreet with her presence, but since she made it clear that Emily was not to be targeted by the paps, they had managed to keep their distance.
Emily slipped into the booth across from her mother, resting her little elbows on the table, "So…. Who's Chloe?"
Beca tried to hold back the smirk that was threatening to cross her face. Emily removed her hat and placed it on the table, staring her mother down. Beca jumped slightly as another voice spoke from beside her, "That would be me. You must be Emily."
Emily's eyes widened, she held out her hand and shook Chloe's, before leaning over to her mother.
"She's so pretty," Emily's smirk grew slightly, matching her mothers.
Chloe slid into the booth beside Beca, switching her gaze between mother and daughter. "That is a ridiculous resemblance, Becs. She's gorgeous."
"I get that a lot," Emily said, rolling her eyes. Chloe giggled into her hand as Stacie placed the drinks onto the table. "Thanks Stacie!"
"You are so welcome," Stacie answered, pushing the hot chocolate across, "I even stashed an extra cookie on your saucer."
Emily held up her hand for a high five, "I like this woman."
Stacie returned the high five and delivered the two sweets to the table, "Have fun girls."
"Bye Stacie! Thanks for the cookies!"
"Remind me to leave her here when she's hyped up on sugar," Beca directed at Chloe. Chloe let out a laugh and turned to Emily who was tapping her on the shoulder.
"So apparently I'm getting a new Mommy. What's that about?"
Beca's cheeks tinted pink, she quickly patted Chloe on the back trying to relieve the coughing fit that may have been caused by choking on her coffee. Beca's gaze landed on Emily who was wearing an innocent smile as she chewed on one of Stacie's cookies. Beca shook her head at Emily, who was struggling to keep her smirk in check as Chloe's coughing eased.
"Emily, you know very well that it is your father getting married. To a woman named Anita, of all things."
Chloe looked at Beca with a pleading look, "Don't do this to me Becs… Anita? Really?"
"She's a bitch," Emily huffed.
"Emily Mitchell!"
Emily grinned up at her mom, "Just speaking the truth."
"One. Be nice. Two. Don't Swear. And three, stop teasing Chloe. You're supposed to be an angel."
Emily rolled her eyes, "You've never had a problem using me as a wingman before."
Beca's face was burning with embarrassment. Chloe was giggling quietly beside her, "Wingman, eh?"
"I have no idea what she's talking about, for the record."
Chloe speared a piece of the brownie with her fork, "Don't stress it, Becs. She's cute." Beca quickly knocked Chloe's fork out of the way, stealing the dessert. Chloe gave Beca a glare, "Hey! That was rude!"
"Stole it fair and square, Chlo-bear. Deal with it," Beca said with a wink.
Chloe stuck her tongue out and turned to Emily, "Besides meeting the witchy new step mom, how was your weekend?"
Emily shrugged, she wasn't used to grown-ups addressing her directly. "It was ok. I missed Mommy."
"Well, if it helps she missed you too. She was moping around here for days!"
Emily giggled and patted Beca's hand, "Well, at least now she's not moping, right Chloe?"
Chloe nodded and turned to Beca, "You do look a lot happier today, Becs."
"I feel a lot happier," she answered with a grin. She noticed that Emily was nearly finished her dessert and her hot chocolate so she turned back to Chloe, "So what are you doing for the rest of the day?"
"How do you know I'm not working?"
Beca raised an eyebrow, "You were singing before. You don't sing while you work. Speaking of, why was I not told about that voice of yours?"
Chloe blushed, she hadn't realised that Beca had heard her. Truth be told, she hadn't sung much since she'd left college. "It never came up. It's not important."
Beca rolled her eyes, she'd mentioned to Chloe the day before that she'd had an idea for a new album, but not once in the discussion had Chloe mentioned any musical talent. "Chloe, when an important music producer slash DJ…" Emily started cackling across the table, "Shoosh midget! As I was saying, you had every opportunity to tell me yesterday."
"It's ok, Chloe. Mom doesn't tell people that she sings either."
Chloe turned to her friend, she'd always wondered whether Beca could sing. "Is that so?"
"We aren't talking about me right now. Chloe. I could hear the training in your voice, you've sung professionally." Chloe flipped off Stacie who'd laughed loudly from behind the counter. "Oh, Stacie knows? Maybe she should be here filling me in…"
Chloe sighed and finished the coffee that Beca had bought her, surely Beca wouldn't laugh. She was proud of her achievements, but they seemed so uncool next to Beca's. "I was in a group in college. The Barden Bella's…"
"Was it… It wasn't, like, a Spice Girls cover band or anything was it?" Beca asked. Stacie's laugh rang out, louder this time. Beca smirked at Chloe, who was looking slightly embarrassed.
"No? But we were National Collegiate A Cappella Champions two years in a row?"
Chloe watched Beca's features contort, first from the smirk, then to a mildly confused frown, followed by what may have been shock, and ending in a short burst of laughter that was quickly stifled. "I'm so sorry. I… That's a thing now, isn't it? So I'm guessing there are youtube clips out there?"
Chloe's face flushed, "Yes. And since you're so interested, I was captain for the two years that we won. So don't poke fun."
Beca held up her hands in surrender, she'd known that the Barden Bella's were an A Cappella group. She'd actually followed their progress a few years ago when they were dominating the competition under the guidance of… Beca's thought train derailed epically. She looked at Chloe, then at Emily, who was scooping half melted marshmallows from her drink, then over to Stacie, who was chatting with a curly haired barista that Beca hadn't met. She'd first seen the Barden Bella's perform in Atlanta when she'd been visiting her father, she'd been enraptured by the red-haired captain of the team to the point where she'd written an album intended for her voice. The red-haired captain whose name had finally come back and smacked her in the face and slipped out of her mouth, "Chloe Beale."
Chloe raised an eyebrow, curious as to how Beca had learned her surname, "Yeah?"
"You're Chloe Fricken Beale?" she hissed. Chloe looked up at Stacie who was watching with an amused expression.
"Just Chloe Beale, who is slightly unnerve at your current behaviour," Chloe said, casting an amused glance at Emily. Emily rolled her eyes.
Beca finally snapped out of her nostalgia, "Sorry… I watched you guys perform back in Atlanta years ago… What are you doing this afternoon?"
"Uh… No plans?"
"Is Chloe coming with us, Mommy?"
Beca grinned at Chloe's bemused expression, "Come with us?"
Chloe looked over at Stacie who was giving her twin thumbs up, but quickly pretended to be wiping the bench when Beca looked over. "Emily? Would you mind if I tagged along with you and your mom?"
Beca smiled at Emily, who beamed up at Chloe. Could this girl get any more perfect? No one she'd ever dated had factored Emily into things… Wait… Dated? Shit Beca, get it together.
"Please come, Chloe!" Emily said, bouncing in her seat, "You can sing with us in the cab!"
"Well, since you're ok with me tagging along to your girls day, I'll come."
Beca high fived her daughter and grinned at Chloe, "Let's go then."
