"You got it on in a bridal shop", Stacie said, the pride evident in her voice. "That is SO not what I pictured happening! A full on brawl, yes, but getting it on in the bridal shop? You're a girl after my own heart".
Beca wrinkled up her nose, because gross.
"We did not GET IT ON".
"So what happens now?" Fat Amy said eagerly.
"He's marrying Aubrey- this is why we were in the fucking bridal shop!"
"This just changes everything! You don't tell someone you love them, get it on in a bridal shop and continue with life like nothing happened! That's just not what happens!"
"Well apparently it's what happens in this shitstorm of a situation".
Stacie smacked Beca's shoulder. "Beca", she said firmly. "We said Operation Jeca is a thing. IT IS GOING TO BE A THING".
"Shut up", Beca hissed, tossing a glance down the hallway. Memphis had been asleep for a little over half an hour before the three of them opened a bottle of Boone's Farm, the little girl spending the entire afternoon feeling guilty. Jesse had offered for her to come back to his place to go for a swim with him, but she had clung to Beca's hand (and not at the promise of ice cream, either). Seeing the look of dejection in her father's eyes had wounded the little girl, and Beca hated it. She hated the way that she moped, knowing how much of a daddy's little girl she was.
"The worst part about all this is that I'm worried she's going to get hurt", Beca said quietly.
"She's not", Fat Amy said confidently. "I've got a plan".
"You kissed her? Are you fucking kidding me?" Donald smacked Jesse's chest as Jesse raked leaves out of the pool.
"What?" Jesse bellowed.
"We said dump her ass first, do you know what this'll do to Beca? God, for someone who knows her, you really have no clue. This is going to kill her!"
"You know what?" Benji waggled his finger at Jesse. "I'm not doing damage control".
"Yeah, he's picked up too much shit in his lifetime". Donald nodded at Benji.
"What?"
"ICCAs, freshman year", Benji recited. "You appeared and Beca yelled at you. Ultimately her fault, but she still ran and who had to do damage control? This guy. When you two split up. When she told you she was pregnant-"
"Alright, that's enough". Jesse cut him off, waving the pool net at him. He knew how often Benji had done (and still did) damage control, he was there.
"When are you gonna tell Beca that you knocked Aubrey up?" Benji question.
"Do you not know how to use protection?" Donald interrupted, and Benji snickered.
"What kind of question is that?"
"You knocked up Beca, and then you knocked up blondie! I mean Jesus Christ Jesse-"
"Okay!" Jesse threw his hands up into the air. "I've heard enough from you two!"
They were just getting started.
Once a month, the group of friends gathered for dinner, alternating between Beca's house, Jesse's house and going out. And that particular month, dinner happened to fall at Jesse's place, the weekend of the Fourth.
He had every intention to tell Beca about Aubrey's pregnancy. But the timing had never been right.
"Hello", Fat Amy called, barging in the door, Memphis on her heels.
"Hi Dad!"
"Hey MJ!" and Jesse swung her into his arms, hugging her tight. "How are you? Have you been good for Mum?"
"I'm always good for Mama", she laughed. "What's for dinner Daddy?"
"Uncle Benji's ordered us Chinese food".
She cheered. "Yay!"
Jesse laughed, setting her down so she could run off to harass her uncles (steering clear of Aubrey at the dining room table, he noted).
"Hello Beca", Aubrey said sweetly, and Beca bared her teeth.
"Hello Aubrey".
"Let's get you away from there". Stacie steered Beca towards the backyard, not seeing the look Donald was shooting her.
"Food's here!" Benji announced, and they ambled towards the dining room, taking the cartons and plastic containers of Chinese food and dumping them onto plates. Memphis scrambled onto her seat beside Donald, and cutlery and wooden chopsticks were passed around.
Once everyone was seated, conversation dulled as they concentrated on their dinner, Aubrey breaking the lull with her opinion.
"I just want to take the opportunity to thank you all for allowing me to join such a loving family", Aubrey tittered.
Beca nodded semi-politely while Donald just grunted in response, Memphis snickering a little at his reaction.
As they passed around fortune cookies and spring rolls, conversation danced between their plans for the rest of the summer (the wedding a footnote in their plans), speaking about Memphis's swimming lessons, the next year of dance lessons and the getaway they'd planned for the Labour Day weekend. They laughed and they joked, as they ignored the elephant that was the wedding they were all dreading.
"Well, I think it's about time Jesse and I reveal our news", Aubrey said dramatically, cutting off one of Fat Amy's stories from Tasmania they had heard a thousand times.
Jesse's heartbeat sped up and he smacked his knee on the underside of the table in his hurry to stand up. "Aubrey! no!"
"Jesse and I, well-"
"Beca, come with me". Benji grabbed Beca's hand. "Now!"
"We're having a baby".