Beca was sitting out on the veranda with her laptop on the table, watching her girls jump on the trampoline, when her phone lit up beside her. Taking off her headphones, she read the message, a small smile making its way onto her face.

Hey Beca its Jesse want to catch a movie sometime?

Beca frowned slightly. "That would work if I liked movies", she said out loud, getting ready to reply.

Can we do something else? We could relive my parents divorce. Or visit a gynaecologist.

(As a general rule, she didn't discuss gynaecologists with people she had just met- and definitely not boys. But Jesse was clearly an exception. If that didn't send him running, nothing would.)

What do you not like movies or something?

"This guy is passionate". Beca grinned, as she tapped out a reply.

Or something…

Jesse's eyes bulged. "Who doesn't like movies?" he gasped.

"Everyone likes movies", Dean said, as he stacked the Lego into a tower. "Movies are the best".

"I know, good boy". Jesse pressed the green call button and held it to his ear, waiting for the girl on the other end to pick up. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Jesse demanded down the phone, and Beca broke into a grin. "Who doesn't like movies?"

"They're fine; I just get bored and never make it to the end".

"I'm pretty sure a part of me just died. Like, literally shrivelled up and died", he told her bluntly. "The endings are the best part!"

"They're predictable! Like the guy gets the girl and that kid sees boy and Darth Vader is Luke's father".

"What, so you just happened to guess the biggest cinematic reveal in history?"

"Vader in German means father. His name is literally Darth Father", Beca said, equally as bluntly.

Jesse was appalled. "You need a movie education. You need a movication. And I'm gonna give it to you".

"You're not going to give up, are you?"

Jesse shook his head. "Nope. What do you think?"

Beca sighed, giving in. "when are you free?"

"How does Saturday at eight sound?"

"Um…" Beca thought for a moment, wondering who she could call to watch her girls (because as much as she knew Chloe loved them, she hardly found it fair to get the redhead to watch them two weekends in a row- Chloe had a life, Chloe had a boyfriend. Chloe had it all sorted out). "That sounds good".

"Would you like me to pick you up?"

"Thank you, but I'll meet you there", Beca said quickly. "The cinema in the town complex?"

"Sounds great". Jesse grinned. "Looking forward to seeing you again, Bec".

Beca blushed at the sound of her shortened name (Chloe and her friends called her Bec, but Luke had always called her Becky, a name that she hated). "Sounds good".

"Want me to text you the details?"

"Sure". Beca shrugged. "See you on Saturday".

"Prepare yourself for your movication, Beca Mitchell". Jesse grinned, before hanging up.

"Mummy, who was that on the phone?" Natalie wanted to know, sliding onto the chair beside her mother. Beca reached over to pull her middle child into her lap, kissing the top of her head.

"Just a friend of Mummy's, Nat".

"You look happy", Rosie said with a smile. "I like that".

"You know what, Ro? I am happy".

"Who was on the phone, Daddy?" Dean wanted to know, ditching his Lego and moving towards his father, draping his arms around his dad. "You've got a big smile".

"Just a friend, bud". Jesse ruffled Dean's hair, grinning. "Hey, what do you say about Uncle Donald coming over to play on Saturday night?"

"That sounds good". Dean grinned. "Can we watch The Lion King with Uncle Donald?"

"Uncle Donald loves The Lion King", Jesse said with a grin, squeezing Dean's shoulders. "Hey, want to call him with me?"

"Yep!"

Poking his head out the back door to check on the two other boys (Ben was sitting in a tree and Brody was kicking his feet on the swing set), he turned back to Dean. "Alright, let's call Donald". Dialling his friend's number, he held it out on speakerphone.

"Yo yo yo, its Donald", Donald said cheerfully

"Hi Uncle Donald!"

"My man Dean!" he said delightedly. "What's up man?"

"Can you come over on Saturday night? Can you come and watch The Lion King with us?"

"That sounds great man, why? Where's your old man off to?"

"Daddy's going to the movies".

"Is your daddy there?"

"Hey Donald", Jesse said, almost hearing the grin on his friend's face. "Would you be able to watch the boys for me? I'm going to the movies with a friend".

"Sure". Donald grinned. "Who's the friend?"

"Daddy's new friend", Dean piped up. "We don't know 'em".

"That's enough, bud. Go outside and see your brothers, alright? Tell Brody to get down from the tree and clean his room".

"Who is this friend, Swanson?" Donald demanded, once he heard the back door close.

"Her name is Beca, and she's just a friend".

"Just a friend my ass".

"Hey Beca!" Chloe said brightly. "No, Tom, its Bec- sorry. What's up?"

"Hey, I was just wondering, are you free on Saturday night?" she said in a rush.

"Sure I am- what's up?"

"I was just wondering if you were able to look after the girls. It's no problem if you're not, I can get Aubrey and Michael to watch them, or Stacie or Fat Amy or someone, I was just wondering because you're always telling me to give you first option-"

"Beca, you're rambling", Chloe said gently, laughing. "It's fine, I'll be there. Tom and I will both be there, we love the girls. What time?"

"I'm leaving at about seven thirty, so around then?"

"You've got a date, don't you?" Chloe's grin grew huge. "I knew it, you like this Jesse guy!"

"Which Jesse guy?" Tom said beside the redhead, and Chloe shushed him.

"Some guy she met the other night when I babysat".

"Ooh, does Michael know?"

"Michael does not know!" Bec squawked down the phone. "Tom! He does not know! And it's gonna stay like that! Chloe! Tell Tom that he's not gonna tell Michael!"

"It is Jesse!" Chloe squealed, and Beca winced at the girl's high pitched voice directly in her ear. "Don't worry, nothing's gonna get back to Aubrey, relax. But I want to meet him".

"Yeah, not gonna happen".

Chloe frowned. "Fine… but if there's more than this one date, Beca Mitchell, we're meeting him. Everyone's meeting him".