Beca was running late, only by a half an hour, but they were guaranteed to hit traffic now. The twenty minute drive to Chloe's was now sure to take an hour. Thankfully Jesse was already home so they could leave once she reached his house.
She pulled her car up in front of Jesse's house and got out. As she walked up the brick path she thought of Stacy. Her fellow Bella had studied architecture at Barden and Beca knew she would love Jesse's 1920's Mediterranean home. She would have to remember to take a picture of it and send it to her. She rang the doorbell. After a minute Jesse opened the door, "Don't you have a key?" He asked her.
Beca stood on tiptoes and kissed him, "Just because you forced me to take your key doesn't mean I have to use it." Jesse gave her an irritated look, Beca just smiled.
He walked into the living room to turn off the movie he had been watching, "You're late. I was afraid I had scared you off."
"Sorry I got stuck at work," she said sitting down on his couch.
"Hot client?" He asked sitting down next to her.
"No, not a client at all," explained Beca as Jesse kissed her neck. "There were some guys renting out one of our recording rooms, I peaked in to see if they needed any help and I got stuck."
Jesse began unbuttoning her top, "They weren't your clients but you were helping them? For free? Aren't you some famous producer, shouldn't you be charging a thousand dollars an hour to help people out?"
It took Beca a second to respond, Jesse had unbuttoned her top and was kissing her breasts, her brain temporarily didn't work. "Umm uh... We all help the newbies out for free. None of us would have gotten anywhere if we hadn't gotten help; it's kind of our thing." Jesse started on the button of her jeans. Becca swatted Jesse away and stood up to rebutton her shirt, if she let him continue they would never get there. Jesse frowned, "There will be plenty of time for that later," she said and then gave him a kiss.
Jesse stood up and adjusted his pants, playing with Beca had clearly turned him on. "Alright let's go. Your car or mine?"
"I don't care," Beca replied laughing at Jesse's inability to walk properly. He grabbed his keys off of the table and turned to give Beca a smile. "I'll go get my car," he said turning and walking towards the door. "Don't forget to use your key to lock up on your way out," he said with a wicked smile.
So much for not using his key Beca thought to herself.
Jesse laughed at Beca when she glared at him as she got into the car. "You are such a freak," he said causing her to glare again. "So where are we headed?
"Santa Monica. They are still in the same area, they just moved from that apartment into a house a little ways away," Beca said while buckling in. "You remember how to get to Santa Monica right?
It was Jesses turn to glare at Beca, "Of course I do."
Beca laughed at the look he gave her, "How am I supposed to know? You have been overseas for years." He steered the car towards the freeway and gave her a smile.
"So how often do you see them?" Jesse asked.
"Chloe and Ella? A couple of times a month. I try to watch Ella whenever Chloe and Tom want to go out. Its hard on them having both of their parents back east so I try to give them a break whenever I can."
"And the rest of the Bellas?" He asked.
"Well I saw everyone but Aubrey last weekend. They were all here for Ella's birthday."
"Really?" Jesse asked, "That sucks that I missed them."
She smiled. "Yeah we try and see each other as much as possible but it isn't always easy with everyone all over the place. Cynthia Rose is in New York, she writes music. She and Courtney got married last year." Jesse nodded his approval and Beca went on. "Amy spends most of her time in Atlanta, but part of the year she shows her dogs in Tasmania. Stacy is in Chicago working for an architecture firm, I was actually thinking we could send her a picture of your house, I think she would really love it." A smile spread across Jesses face, he loved that she had just said 'we could send her a picture' he figured that it was just a slip of the tongue but it still made him happy.
"Aubrey is still in Atlanta. She just had a baby which is why she couldn't make it to Ella's birthday. And you know about Lilly, she always brings you up so I know you are still close to Donald. What about you, when was the last time you saw any of the guys?"
Jesse drove the car down the highway and began to talk, "well I saw Benji and his girlfriend Irene last year. They came to visit me in London; they are actually planning to make a trip out here in the next month or so."
"How long have they been together," Beca asked.
"A couple of years I think. They met at a magic convention," he said raising his eyebrows. "She is really great; she teaches math at a college in Boston, Benji is still teaching music at the elementary school."
Beca smiled, it made her happy to hear that Benji was doing well.
"Unicycle got married last year, I think he is back in Florida, I couldn't make the wedding but I think the rest of the Trebles were there. I don't know, I guess besides Benji and Donald I don't really keep in close contact with any of the guys. I think Bumper still lives around here though."
"Yeah, he does, "Beca said sounding annoyed. "I run into him every once in a while, I really try to avoid him but he is like a tick, he clings to you sucking, and driving you insane." Jesse laughed, sounded like a perfect description of Bumper.
They drove in silence for a while. Then Beca spoke, "you should have a housewarming party. You have been out of the country for so long I bet a lot of people would like to see you."
"What, and invite the old gang?" Jesse asked with a smile.
"Yeah, them and your other friends. You did live in LA for a couple of years, I am sure some of your old friends would like to see you. Clare and Jason from SoundBox always ask about you, and I am sure your old friends from the LA branch of Cutting Edge would want to come."
Jesse thought about it, "we could do that, it might be fun."
They drove a little longer, Beca directed them into a neighborhood and had him park in front of a large white house. "Looks like they are doing well for themselves," Jesse said parking the car.
"Well Tom made partner last year, so I guess they are." Beca smiled at Jesse and took his hand.
They rang the doorbell and had to wait a second before they heard the yelling. Jesse looked at Beca quizzically, she just smiled. The door flung open and a little chubby redhead ran out and grabbed Becas legs.
"Yor here yor here!" screamed the little one. Beca was laughing, Jesse stood back and couldn't help but laugh too. Chloe appeared in the doorway shaking her head. She bent down and grabbed her daughter, "Get off Auntie Beca, go, just go," she said placing her daughter down in the house and shooing her away. "Beca," Chloe said smiling at her friend.
"Chloe," Beca said smiling back, "this is Jesse," she joked pretending to present him.
"Oh is that who this is?" Chloe said playing along. She turned to Jesse and gave him a hug, "It's so good to see, come in come it." They walked into the house, "Jesse please excuse the toys." They were everywhere, Barbies, blocks, stuffed animals, even a tricycle laid on its side in the middle of the carpet. Jesse couldn't help but laugh at the scene. Beca elbowed him which only made him laugh harder. Tom walked into the room.
"Hey man, good to see you again," Tom said giving Jesse a half hug. He looked at Beca, "you, where's my beer." Beca smiled and shrugged her shoulders, the look on her face told Tom that she had forgotten it. "Ahh, Beca you are worthless. Come on Jesse I've got some drinks out here," he said indicating for Jesse to follow him. Jesse looked at Beca, she smiled and dismissed him with a wave of her hand.
"So, anything new?" Chloe asked Beca while she chopped vegetables.
"I saw his house, it's beautiful." Beca told her friend, she stole one of the carrots Chloe had just chopped and bit it.
"And? You spent the night?" Chloe asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes," she answered rolling her eyes. "What's up munchkin?" She asked Ella as she picked her up.
"Whos dat boy?" Ella asked.
"Auntie Beca's boyfriend." Chloe told her daughter, Beca glared at her. Chloe glared right back, "and someday they are going to get married and have rotten little children just. like. you," she said poking her daughter in the tummy and making her laugh. Beca set her God daughter down and turned on her friend.
"Don't tell her things like that," Beca said irritated.
"Like what? That he is your boyfriend?" Chloe questions in an exasperated tone.
"Well yeah for starters. Its been like two days after years apart. We need time to become boyfriend and girlfriend."
"No you don't," Chloe said to her friend. "You have already spent two nights together and I am assuming you are planning on staying with him tonight too. And since it's the weekend you will probably be together the next few days. What are you if not boyfriend and girlfriend? Besides sex addicts."
Beca stole another carrot and ignored the sex addict jab, "well its not something we have talked about, I am just going to go with the flow."
"Why?" Chloe asked and hit Becas hand away as she tried to steal another carrot. "Just ask him."
"No." Beca said, as if her friend had suggested something completely ridiculous.
"Fine," Chloe smiled. "Ella baby go ask Mr. Jesse if he is Becas boyfriend." The three year old said okay and ran off before Beca could stop her.
"Oh my God! Why am I friends with you?" Beca hissed and threw her carrot at her friend.
Jesse and Tom were talking about the Dodgers current season when Ella ran up to them. She leaned into Jesses leg. "Mr. Jesse are you Aunt Becas boyfriend?" Jesse smiled at the little girl
"Well I'm not sure, what do you think," he asked her. Ella smiled excitedly, like all three year olds she loved to feel important, she was excite to have some input.
"Do you like her?" She asked.
"Yes, very much," Jesse told her.
"Okay. You think she is pwitty?"
"I think she is the most beautiful girl in the world, well after you of course," Jesse said making the three year old blush.
Ella thought hard about what to ask next, "do you kiss her?"
Jesse looked at Tom, the man just shook his head and laughed, clearly he would be no help. "Well, we kiss sometimes. But sometimes we like to just hang out with each other and watch movies."
Ella tapped her chubby cheek with a pudgy finger as if pondering some great dilemma. "Okay, I think you are her boyfriend," she said with a big smile on her face.
"Well that is great news," Jesse said, "thank you for helping me figure that out. You are a really big help Ella." Ella blushed again and ran off to tell her mom. Jesse laughed and looked over at Tom who was shaking his head.
"She is just like her mother, getting into everyone business."
Ella sat between Beca and Jesse during dinner. When it was time for bed she couldn't decide who she wanted to put her to sleep so she asked if they would both come. Jesse grabbed Beca's hand and they followed the little one up to her room. Jesse sat back and watched Beca help Ella get ready for bed. She had obviously done this many times before, she knew the routine.
He had been too caught up with work over the years to think much about kids. His sister had just had one but he hadn't had much of a chance to spend time with it. He knew he wanted one someday but the idea still freaked him out. But watching Beca with Ella made him think that it wouldn't be too bad of an experience if he had one with her, after all having aca-children with Beca was inevitable, right.
"Mr. Jesse," Ella called beckoning Jesse over to tuck her in. When he got close she asked, "Mr. Jesse are you going to marry Aunt Beca?" Jesse laughed; he looked at Beca who had turned fifty shades of red. He knew she was having a rough night, between Ella and Chloe Beca just couldn't catch a break. So he leaned down and whispered into Ella's ear sparing Beca from hearing what he had to say. When he pulled back Ella nodded. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and said he was so glad to have met her and that he couldn't wait to play with her again. He stood up and gave Beca a peck on the cheek and slipped out of Ella's room.
Beca bent down to kiss her Goddaughter goodnight. Ella was too tired to have her aunt read her a story; she snuggled into her bed and closed her eyes. Beca got up and went to turn off the light. Just before she did curiosity got the best of her, "Ella baby what did Jesse whisper to you?"
Ella rolled over and opened her eyes, "that it's a secret and you are just gonna have to wait to see."