Fixes

7

A/N: Would appreciate comments, Guys. It helps to keep us writers motivated to keep going! :-)

Also, check out my LQBTQ+ novel "Loving the Diamond" available for Amazon Kindle. Thanks!


Chloe flopped onto her bed on her stomach, legs dangling out over the end as she groaned softly. "I don't think I have a single tear left to cry," she stated. "My family is ridiculously sweet."

Beca chuckled from the window seat, where she was messing around with music arrangements on her laptop. She'd moved upstairs to let Chloe have some time alone with her siblings after she'd gotten back from dropping Tommy off and getting him settled. Now the musician had earphones draped around her neck and had shed her flannel to reveal the band t-shirt she was wearing underneath. Chloe thought it was both sexy and adorable. "I can believe that," the brunette said.

"I want to get a haircut, Becs," the vet said after a thoughtful moment.

Dark eyebrows lifted. "Like… now?"

"Yeah," Chloe nodded. "Now, before our double date tonight. I'm about three months overdue and I can't ever seem to find time for it. Want to come with? Get caffeinated?"

"Mmmm..." Beca set her gear aside and got up to amble over and flop on top of her girlfriend, forcing a little oof out of her.

"How much do you want to get taken off?"

"A few inches, I think," the vet said thoughtfully as Beca ran her fingers through the soft, red length.

"Hey, Chlo?"

"Mmmm?"

"Are you happy?"

Chloe smiled reflexively up at her. "Yeah, very, why?"

The brunette sighed softly. "Because I want you to be, and I want to make sure that you're getting what you need from... us. I know I'm still a little squirrelly and…"

"You love me, right?" the redhead interrupted quietly, holding their eye contact as she absently ran her fingertips along the neck of her lover's t-shirt.

Beca grinned. "A totally disgusting amount actually."

Chloe beamed back at her. "Then I'm happy and I totes have what I need."

"That's it?" the brunette asked, surprised.

"That's it," Chloe replied simply.

"You're still a total weirdo, Chlo," Beca joked.

"Maybe," the vet laughed. "But I'm YOUR weirdo."

Xx

"Wow..." Beca blinked and then swallowed as Chloe emerged from the hair salon, slipping her purse on over her head. "Babe."

"You don't like it?" the vet asked, eyebrows lifted.

"On the contrary," the musician replied. "Wow… Chloe… you look absolutely stunning."

Chloe had had several inches cut and her hair now fell in waves that barely brushed her shoulders. Somehow, it made her light blue eyes pop even more. She accepted a coffee from Beca with an almost sheepish grin and then tangled their fingers together. "Thanks, Becs. Want to take a walk with me? Do some shopping?"

The musician didn't have to be asked twice. They strolled along the street, stopping every now and again to look at clothes in store windows, and ducking into small boutiques for Chloe to oooh and aahh over accessories. Beca rolled her eyes affectionately when her lover found a little porcelain llama and couldn't resist buying it for her. The vet bounced on the balls of her sneakers and hugged it to her chest.

"You should call her Chloe," the brunette said.

Chloe's eyebrows lifted in question. "Why?"

"Because she's sweet and adorable and... oh my God... what have you turned me into, Doctor Beale?! Why am I being so mushy?!"

Chloe laughed and wrapped her arm around Beca's waist to guide her out of the store and back into the street. "I seem to have that effect on people named Beca. Besides, my llama's tiny. I should call her THAT instead."

"Shut UP, Dude! I'm not that small!" But the musician wrapped her arm around her girlfriend in return and grinned at her.

They turned a corner, almost bumping into a man walking in the opposite direction and Chloe stopped dead as she recognized him. "David, wow," she said softly, separating herself from Beca as she held up her hands in reflex.

"Chloe?" A smile rose to the man's face, and he swept the vet up into a bear hug that made her bones creak. "Holy shit! How long has it been?"

"Too long," Chloe laughed. "Put me down before you squash me to death." Her feet touched the ground and she looked at Beca then, who was just watching the goings on with an amused look on her face. "Beca, this is David Swan, a very old friend of mine from high school." She tangled her fingers with the musician and drew her closer. "David, this is Beca Mitchell, my girlfriend."

Thick dark eyebrows lifted. "Girlfriend, huh? Was I that bad in bed?!"

Beca looked down, flattening her lips and desperately fighting the urge to roll her eyes.

But Chloe didn't hold HER eye-roll back and gave him a little affectionate shove too for good measure. "Yeah, you have a tiny dick, Swan."

He chuckled then. "Sorry, it's really nice to meet you, Beca. Chloe and I were just friends, I swear. How long have you two been together?"

"About a month," the musician replied.

"Best month of my life," Chloe added with a beaming smile.

"You look happy, Chlobo," the man nodded. "You look... really good."

"You too, Davy."

Silence stretched between them then and Beca's eyebrows lifted. "We should go, Honey," she said.

Chloe nodded. "Right. Um... it was so great to see you, David."

"You too, Chloe. Seeya." And with a last smile over his shoulder, David continued on his way.

"What was that?" Beca asked. "I thought he said you two hadn't ever..."

"We didn't," the vet replied with a sad smile. She took her lover's hand to keep walking. "But I was always aware of how he felt about me."

"Ooohhh…" Beca murmured.

Xx

Maureen Beale was about the same height as Chloe but was two inches taller than Beca so the borrowed pants the musician was wearing were slightly too long. However, she solved the problem by also borrowing a pair of heels. She was wearing one of her own shirts and had accessorized with jewelry offered by Mo from her jewelry box.

Chloe was wearing dark skinny jeans and black heels with a flowing white shirt and a long gold pendant that dipped into her cleavage. Beca couldn't keep her hands off her. It was almost weird but every time the brunette looked at her girlfriend, she was hit with a wave of desire. She'd found Chloe desirable since the first moment she'd seen her, but there was something about her new haircut.

"Holy shit," Beca murmured as she put her hands on the vet's hips and pressed her forehead to the back of her neck. "You're SO hot."

"Jeez, Beca," the vet teased. "If I'd known cutting my hair would garner this reaction, I'd have done it sooner." She dabbed perfume on her wrists, neck and then playfully into her cleavage. "I'd better go see if Mel is ok. She looked a bit nervous earlier."

"She looked a bit green actually," Beca chuckled softly.

"Mmmmm... I'll be back."

Chloe ambled out of the bedroom, fixing her sleeves, and headed for her youngest sister's room. She tapped lightly on the door and waited for permission to enter. Melissa was standing by the window and was ready to go.

"Hey."

"Wow," Chloe said softly. "When did my baby sister grow up into this gorgeous woman?"

Mel was wearing a black strapless dress with heels. Her red hair was up in an intricate braid and a gold pendant was nestled at her throat. Her makeup, done by Beca, highlighted her light blue eyes and her lipstick, a shade darker than she normally wore, added a touch of maturity to her face.

"Beca helped me," the younger Beale said with a smile. "She's really cool, Chlo."

"Yeah, she really is," the vet beamed. She moved closer to her sister then and rubbed her upper arms. "How are you feeling? Nervous?"

"Yeah," Mel breathed, rubbing her slightly sweaty palms on her thighs. "I don't want to screw up or look stupid in front of Hailey."

Chloe nodded and then sat down on the bed. "Let me share some older sister wisdom with you?"

"Ok," the girl nodded.

"Try to relax... because I can guarantee she's having the same worries."

"Oh..." the younger Beale breathed.

"Just follow mine and Beca's lead. Everything's going to be great. I promise."

"Ok," Mel nodded again. They both looked at the door then as Beca knocked on the door jamb.

"Ready to go?" she asked with a smile. "Shouldn't keep a lady waiting."

"That's right," Chloe agreed. "C'mon, Kiddo."

They headed downstairs and, after some sage advice to Mel from Mo, headed out to pick Hailey up. Beca and Chloe sat in the back while Melissa carefully drove, and they waited as the younger Beale went to Hailey's front door, anxiously shifting from foot to foot as she rang the doorbell.

"This is kinda adorable," Beca said quietly as she leaned against her girlfriend. "Do you remember your first relationship?"

"Yeah, I do," Chloe chuckled. "But I'll tell you about it another day when we have more time."

"Ok," the brunette replied amiably.

Then Melissa and Hailey were getting into the car, looking over their shoulders at the two older women. "Hailey, this is my sister Chloe. And this..." She grinned impishly. "Is my sister-in-law, Beca."

Dark eyebrows shot up as Beca blinked, but Chloe just laughed softly. "Hi, Hailey, it's really great to meet you."

"Absolutely," Beca added as she recovered from Melissa's teasing. "Mel's told us a lot about you."

"You too," Hailey replied with a smile, her soft green eyes landing affectionately on her girlfriend. "She really loves you guys."

Mel cleared her throat and smiled. "They're ok," she allowed. "Meh."

The eldest Beale laughed again and rolled her eyes. "High praise indeed. Let's get going, Shrimple."

"Ok, Chlocifer."

The sisters grinned at each other, then Melissa started the car to drive them to the restaurant. When they arrived, Mel and Hailey looked nervously at each other for a long moment but Beca just cleared her throat and tugged on Chloe's hand.

"Come on, Guys. Nothing to be worried about. Let's go in."

They all got out of the car and the younger girls preceded Beca and Chloe into the restaurant. Mel smiled at the hostess. "Hi, I have a reservation for four under Melissa Beale please."

"Sure! Follow me please," the woman replied. She grabbed some menus and led the women to a cozy booth. Beca and Chloe slid in on one side of the table, and Mel and Hailey on the other.

"Great choice of restaurant," Chloe said as she picked up a sweating pitcher of ice-water and poured them each a glass. "It's one of my favorites."

"Mine too," Hailey said a little shyly. "My parents took me here for my sixteenth birthday." She smiled a little. "Melissa told me you're a vet, Chloe? Do you like it?"

"I love it," the redhead immediately replied. "Training as a vet was the best decision I've ever made." She looked at Beca then and leaned in to kiss her softly. "Well, maybe the second best."

The musician melted, and she shook her head as a slight blush heated her cheeks. "You're such a mush ball, Dude."

"Gross," Mel teased, but then she froze as Hailey leaned close to her and cupping her jaw, kissed her too.

"You're the exact same type of mush ball as your sister, and you know it," the younger woman said as she eased back with a smile.

Beca pursed her lips, impressed. "A woman with a brass pair. I love it."

Melissa laughed softly and laced her fingers into her girlfriend's.

As their chuckles wound down, the musician looked over the cocktail menu. "So, any idea what college courses you want to take? Do you have any career aspirations, Hailey?"

"Actually," the girl said. "I... um... I want to be a vet."

Chloe's ears perked up. "Really? That's so cool. Tell me more!"

"Well," Hailey went on. "I really love animals. I always have. And taking care of them is something I've always wanted to do. I'd really appreciate some insight and advice, Chloe, if you have any?"

Beca gently elbowed her girlfriend. "Go on, Doctor Beale. You know you want to!"

"Welllllll..." the older Beale mused. "There's so much... Jeez. Well firstly, it's not an easy job. You need to be prepared to take the awful with the amazing… the bites with the licks, so to speak… and frankly, you can't really be afraid of anything. I handle everything from dogs to birds to snakes and large spiders." She pulled up her sleeves and held out her arms, turning her hands over and back. "You have to be prepared to get scars." She pointed out the small and larger white marks on her tanned skin. "But most of all, you have to be willing to do the hard things for the good of the animal. You have to be ready to stay up all night with them if they're in the ICU. And you have to be ok with euthanasia, if it's the best thing for them." Chloe felt Beca's hand on her thigh squeeze gently and she smiled sadly. "That's the hardest part of it for me."

"Euthanasia is?" Hailey asked.

"Yeah," Chloe nodded. "I know when I recommend the decision, it's the right thing to do but..." She frowned. "Every time I see the pentobarbital syringe..." She shook her head. "I just find it hard to deliberately take an animal's life, I guess."

"You have a soft heart, Chlo," Melissa said, Beca nodding her agreement. "I totally get why that'd be hard for you."

The redhead nodded too. "But the good news is, as an overall career, it's very rewarding and once you have experience under your belt, it's a job you can do anywhere."

Hailey nodded, obviously giving it some thought. Then she looked at Beca. "And Mel said you're a composer?"

"Yeah," the brunette replied. "I write music and songs for movies and TV shows." She rattled off her list and the girl's eyes widened.

"That's so cool. You're like famous!"

"Nah," Beca shrugged. "I suppose you could say I'm successful, but I'm not famous."

"She's also modest," Chloe said with a smile as their server came to take their drink orders.

"So," Beca said after a moment. "Where did you guys meet? School?"

"Actually no," Mel said, squeezing her girlfriend's hand. "We don't go to the same school. We met at a gymnastics competition. Hailey kicked my ass."

"Pshaww..." the girl laughed. "I didn't kick your ass, Babe. You came in like a fraction behind me."

"It was her eyes though," Mel added. "After I got over losing to her, I had to talk to her because her eyes were... are... amazing."

"Awww..." Hailey said with a smile. "It was that for me too. You Beales and your blue eyes."

"I know, right?" Beca sighed a little dreamily. "It was that for me too."

"Really?" Chloe asked. "What else?"

"Well... honestly, it was the whole package. You're kinda gorgeous, Chlo."

"Mmmm..." Hailey added as she gazed at Melissa. "You too. Mel."

The two Beale girls were blushing and Beca decided to let them off the hook by picking up her menu again. "I'm starving. How about we get an appetizer? What do you think?"

"Onion rings," Chloe and Melissa said together and then fist-bumped each other with matching grins.

Beca tilted her head. "How about something a little healthier than onion rings?"

The redheads looked disappointed for a moment and then Melissa looked at the options. "How about the spinach dip? Spinach is healthy, right?"

Beca looked back dubiously at her. "Hmmm... ok, I'll approve," she joked.

The older Beale nodded. "Good choice. Good for you, Hailey?"

"Perfect," the girl replied, as the server set their drinks on the table.

"Thanks, we'll take the spinach dip and onion rings appetizers too," Chloe said, then squirmed as Beca poked her side. "What? We never actually said an absolute no to the onion rings." She rubbed her side and took a sip of her cocktail, studiously ignoring the side-eyed glare her girlfriend was sending her way, but she finally gave in and sighed. "Sorry, Becs."

*cough* "Whipped." *cough*. Beca and Chloe glared at Melissa, who held up her hands and sniggered. "Tell me I'm wrong."

Light blue eyes rolled. "Screw you, Shrimple."

"Back at you, Chlocifer!"

Beca and Hailey just looked at each other and sighed.

Xx

As their dinner plates were being cleared away by their server, during a lull in the conversation, Chloe watched as Hailey and Mel smiled at each other and laced their fingers together. "How are you doing," she asked softly. "Are you enjoying being yourselves as a couple?"

"I was really nervous about this, but it's been amazing," Hailey said softly. "Thanks, Bechloe, for doing this for us."

Beca leaned closer. "Sorry… what did you call us?"

"Bechloe," Melissa repeated with a little laugh. "I coined it earlier as your ship name."

"I see," the brunette said thoughtfully. "Sooooo… does that make you two Melley? Or Halissa?"

Chloe sniggered behind her cocktail glass. "Both of those sounds like awful medical conditions."

Her sister sighed. "Of COURSE you had to go there."

Beca put her hand on her lover's thigh. "I kinda like Halissa."

"Bechloe is cooler," Hailey said. "But Halissa is definitely better than Melley."

"Guys, why are we even talking about this?" Mel stated. "It's not like anyone is going to actually use it."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Beca teased. "Especially when I tell Jack and Mark."

The younger Beale looked horrified for a moment. "You wouldn't!"

"She totes would," Chloe commented as she picked the cherry out of her drink and bit it off its stalk.

"Popping your cherry, Chlo?" Melissa shot at her.

But the vet just winked. "Oh no, that was YEARS ago, Baby Girl," she said. "Almost longer ago than you've been alive."

"Seriously?" Mel asked, suddenly interested. "Spill, Sis! You were sixteen when you lost your virginity?"

"Pssh," Chloe scoffed. "You don't want to hear about that."

"We do!" the younger Beale exclaimed.

"Uh… pretty sure you don't. It was with a guy. And it kinda sucked anyway." The vet shrugged. "Dessert anyone?"

The younger girls let the subject go as they looked at the dessert menu to check out their options.

"Chloe?" Beca said softly. "Is that something you don't want to talk about?"

The vet looked at her lover and leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Not with Mel… not yet. I don't want her to have any expectations one way or another. I just want her to have her own experience."

"You're an amazing sister, Chloe," the musician smiled. "Your siblings are so lucky to have you."

"Lemon meringue pie!" Hailey exclaimed. "My favorite! Want to share with me, Mel?"

"Whatever you want to do, Babe," Melissa replied with a smile.

Chloe perused the menu and then looked at Beca before leaning close to whisper in her ear. "I think I'd rather have you for dessert," she said. "I could get some chocolate ice-cream and hot fudge sauce to lick off your body? Make a BecaSundae?"

"That could get very sticky," the musician replied, eyes half-lidded. She leaned in and kissed her lover deeply, then eased back, popping her bottom lip sensually. "Sounds amazing."

As they parted, they realized that the two younger girls were staring at them, eyes wide. "You do THAT in public?" Mel asked, finally blinking.

"No… not usually," Beca replied with a blush as she caught her breath. "Sorry… I got a little carried away."

"Lucky me," Chloe grinned, ears a little pink.

Everyone leaned back in their seat and took a sip of their drink simultaneously.

Hailey cleared her throat then. "So… dessert?"

Xx

"Tonight was a lot of fun," Beca said quietly into the dimness, eyes closed as Chloe's fingertips trailed up and down her bare back.

The redhead chuckled softly. "You mean the dinner… or the dessert?"

"Yes," the musician stated as she let herself relax bonelessly on her lover. Her body was still tingling but along with that sensation, a comfortable lethargy swept over her. "I think I drank too much."

"You didn't drink THAT much," Chloe replied with a frown. "Just a couple of cocktails, right?"

"Five," Beca stated. "I drank five cocktails, Chlo."

"Ha! I wasn't paying attention," the vet replied.

"Oh… and thanks for paying for dinner, Babe. I'll get the next one."

"Welcome," the redhead smiled. "Thanks for coming down here with me. I know it wasn't for long but... it was really nice just relaxing with everyone."

"It was," the musician agreed as she cupped her lover's breast and caressed gently.

Chloe sighed softly and closed her eyes. "We're not moving too fast, are we, Becs?"

The caresses stopped and Beca propped herself up on one elbow to gaze down at her lover. Her face was impassive, but her heart was clenching in her chest. "Are you having… second thoughts about us?"

"That... just it," Chloe said slowly. "I'm not. At all. In fact, I want to move forward with you but, having only been together almost five weeks, it might be way too soon to ask."

"Fuck, Chlo, you're not... like... proposing or something, are you?" Beca asked, eyes wide.

The redhead laughed softly. "Well, I can see from your reaction that THAT wouldn't be the right thing to do." She kissed the smaller woman's forehead. "But no, I wasn't going to propose. I WAS, however, going to ask you something else."

"Go ahead," Beca nodded.

"I... um... I hate sleeping without you. Can we... um... can we trade nights at each other's places so we can sleep together?"

"How about five nights together and two of space?" Beca suggested. "I sometimes need..."

"You don't have to explain," Chloe said gently. "Time alone is healthy too. Plus, when I'm working nights, I'll probably stay at mine so I can sleep during the day."

"Cool. We'll get into a rhythm," the musician smiled. "I'll clear half a drawer for you and an inch of space in my closet too."

"Generous," Chloe stated seriously. "We should probably ask Bella's permission too. She'll also be splitting her nights between two places."

The brunette laughed and shook her head. "She loves you more than she does me. She'll be thrilled." she tilted her head then. "I just realized something. You're a vet and a total animal lover... who has no pets. What's THAT about?"

"I know," Chloe said ruefully. "I wanted to get a dog but... my hours aren't exactly conducive to having one."

"Then," Beca said as she softly kissed her lover. "We'll just have to share Bella."

"We're going to have kids together some day too though, right?" the redhead asked nervously.

The musician was quiet for a long moment. Chloe got even more nervous as she waited for an answer. "I think... when we're both ready, Dr. Beale, we're going to move in together and get married and have kids."

A held breath whooshed out of the vet. "You really see that future for us?" she asked, pressing their foreheads together.

"I can't see the future, Chlo," Beca smiled as she caught the tear that spilled from her lover's eye on her thumb. "But it's what I daydream about." She chuckled then. "Wow, I can't believe I just admitted that. Told you I drank too much."

"I love you," Chloe whispered, voice stolen. "And I can't wait to have those things with you."

"We're gonna make it, Chlo."

"God, I really, really hope so."

Xx

Chloe bit her lip and gazed out the window as Tom pulled his truck out of the driveway and headed toward the airport.

"Are you sad, Chloe?" Jack asked. He was nestled in his eldest sister's lap and was holding her hand against his chest.

"A little, Buddy," the older Beale replied with a deep swallow. "I'm going to miss you all."

"Then just come home."

Beca smiled. To a seven-year-old brain, that made perfect sense.

Chloe swallowed again, tears welling in her eyes. "I can't, JackSparrow," she replied. "My life with Beca and my job are in Los Angeles."

"Do you love them more than me and Mark?" Jack's bottom lip quivered.

"Of course not," the vet replied softly. "But, when kids grow up, they have to make their own life. To have their own family. I want that with Beca in Los Angeles, Jackie. I love Mom and Dad… and all our brothers and sisters but I'm a grown up."

"I know," the little boy sighed. "And I like Beca. She's pretty and she's nice to us."

Beca pretended not to hear but a smile spread across her lips as she looked out the opposite window.

"She's all of those things and much more," Chloe told him. "And I promise, during summer break next year, you and Mark… and Melissa if she wants to… can come and stay with us in Los Angeles for a week. We'll have a lot of fun, ok?"

"Ok," Jack nodded, then snuggled closer to his sister. "Love you, Chloe."

"Ditto, Baby boy."

Later, after tearful hugs at security with Mo and Tom, Beca and Chloe made their way to their gate and took seats, their bags on the floor between their feet. Beca didn't say anything, but instead, held her lover's hand and let her just…

Be.