"Hey Chloe, hey Tom!" Beca stepped aside to let the two of them into the house, and Courtney squealed excitedly.
"Uncle Tom! Aunt Chloe!"
"Bec, you look hot", Chloe declared, catching Courtney in a hug and squeezing her tight.
"Thanks, Chlo".
"I want to meet him", Tom said seriously. "I mean it, Beca. Michael and I want to meet him".
"He told Michael?" Beca almost screeched, turning to Chloe.
Chloe shook her head. "He wants to tell Michael- they care about you, Bec. We all do. We don't want you getting hurt again".
"Thank you, Chloe, but I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself", Beca said firmly. "Rosie, Nat, out here please!"
Her older two children poked their heads into the kitchen, grinning when they saw their aunt and uncle.
"Hey Uncle Tom!" Rosie giggled, throwing her arms around him.
Tom lifted the seven year old and the five year old into his arms, hugging them tight. "Hey Rosie! Hey Nat!"
"Be good for Aunt Chloe and Uncle Tom", Beca warned them. "And no ice cream, you had enough already today. Chloe, please, no ice cream. They'll never go to sleep- and on that note, bed, girls. Actually in bed after your movie is finished, none of this sleeping on the couch business".
"Aunt Chloe, did you bring a movie for us to watch?" Rosie asked, and Chloe pulled a DVD out of her handbag.
"The Pacifier. I'm pretty sure you girls have never seen it". Chloe's eyes twinkled and Beca grinned, stretching up to kiss all three of her daughters.
"Be good, love you!"
"Love you!"
"Love you!"
"Have fun Mummy", Rosie grinned. "Love you!"
"Thanks for doing this", Beca said to Chloe and Tom.
"No worries, Bec". Tom grinned at her, and she smiled, pulling the door shut behind her.
"So, who wants ice cream?" she heard Chloe ask, and she rolled her eyes.
"Donald, where the hell are you?" Jesse whined, pacing the hallway.
"Is Uncle Donald running really late, Daddy?" Brody called from the lounge. All three boys had eaten and been bathed, and were waiting impatiently for their Uncle to come and watch The Lion King.
"Daddy's gonna kill Uncle Donald", Jesse complained. "Yes, Brody, he's running late".
"Daddy, can we start the movie?" Ben wanted to know. "Uncle Donald's really late".
"Yeah, sure, bud, start it. Daddy's really late because Uncle Donald's really late- you make sure you tell him that all night, alright? Make Uncle Donald feel bad that he made Daddy late for his movie".
Hearing a car pull up outside the house, Jesse rushed towards his boys, plopping kisses on the tops of their heads. "Uncle Donald's here! Boys, bedtime when the movie's over, and no more ice cream. Love you!"
"Love you".
"Love you".
"Love you Daddy, have fun!"
He met Donald at the door, scowling. "You're late. No ice cream for the kids, make sure they're in bed after the movie. I hope they give you crap all night".
"Thanks man. Have fun!"
Jesse pulled the door shut behind him, but not before he heard Donald call, "Who wants ice cream?"
(Jesse rolled his eyes and jumped into his car, he didn't have time for Donald's nonsense.)
Beca was nervously pacing up and down the cinema lobby, waiting impatiently. Jesse had told her eight, and it was already ten past. He was going to stand her up and she was going to be left standing there like an idiot.
(She had contemplated calling and texting him, but she didn't want to sound desperate.)
By the time eight fifteen rolled around, she was a nervous wreck and sighed heavily, heading towards the doors.
But not before a flustered Jesse Swanson burst through the door, panting heavily.
"Beca!" he called, rushing towards her. "Bec-caw!"
"Wow", she said under her breath, giving him an awkward half smile.
"I am so so sorry I'm late, were you waiting there long?" he didn't give her the chance to reply. "I got caught in traffic and got every single red light possible- of course, it wouldn't have happened if Donald had been on time like he freaking promised-"
"Who's Donald?" she asked casually.
Jesse clamped his jaw shut, knowing he'd gone too far with his ranting (something Katherine was always telling him off about- "Jesse, you need to learn how to take a breath and let other people have a turn at talking"). "Um… Donald's a friend of mine".
"Oh".
Jesse knew there was no time like the present to tell her. "Yeah, I was waiting for Donald because he's babysitting".
"You have a kid?" she tried to keep her voice steady, as her eyes widened in surprise.
"I have three kids, actually". Jesse looked at her, unable to read the expression on her face.
But after a moment, her confused expression turned into a grin bigger than anything Jesse had ever seen before. Her whole face lit up, her eyes sparkling.
"You look super nice, by the way", he added as an afterthought, wondering what was running through her pretty head.
"You have kids". Beca shook her head in what Jesse thought was amusement, before looking him in the eyes. "I have kids".
"You have kids?" Jesse's eyes bulged (he honestly hadn't pinned her as a mother- the girl was full of surprises).
"Yeah, I was worried…"
"Oh my God!" he laughed. "there I was, thinking that I had no chance to get a girl like you, because I'm a single father with three kids, and here you are, with kids of your own!" Jesse chuckled uncontrollably, and Beca gave him a genuine smile.
"I was worried you wouldn't go out with me if I told you I had children", she told him quietly.
"Hey, I approached you at the bar, didn't I?" he took her hand, leading her towards one of the lounges in the lobby. "I know you said you didn't like movies-"
(Obviously he was hoping that it had all been some kind of sick prank she was playing- the boy was passionate.)
"Sorry, I really don't". She shook her head slightly, and she saw his shoulders deflate.
"We could go out and eat or something?" he tried. "It doesn't have to be a movie today".
"Are you implying there'll be another date so we can go and see a movie?"
"Date or not, you need a movication". He grinned, his dark eyes sparkling and Beca felt butterflies in her stomach (something she hadn't felt since she was a freshman in college, riding the highs of falling in love for the first time).
(What the hell was wrong with her, she didn't even know him!)
Jesse was shocked, hearing him so bluntly flirt with the tiny brunette.
"Dinner sounds nice", she agreed, and Jesse smiled at her.
As they walked to the selection of restaurants along the main drag, he felt his hand bump against hers, but she withdrew hers quickly, and he didn't push it.
"How many kids do you have?" he questioned, as they silently chose a Thai restaurant.
"Three", Beca said, sliding into the chair he pulled out for her (because Jesse was a gentleman). "Three girls. What about you?"
"I have three boys", Jesse said, taking the seat across from her. "Ben's eight, Dean's six and Brody's four. He's the youngest and according to Ben, Brody could get away with murder".
"Rosie's seven, Natalie's five and Courtney's three, she's the baby". Beca grinned at the mention of her children and Jesse smiled.
Jesse couldn't remember the last time he had had that nice of a night. Despite Beca's walls (that he was going to break through, he had made it his mission in life), she had a heart of gold and a smile that could light up the room. And just knowing that she had agreed to go on a date with him made his ever present grin even wider.
Beca didn't think she had ever had that much fun on a date. Sure, they hadn't done anything particularly impressive, but she had had a great time. She found herself biting back a grin (because she wasn't about to let an aca pella boy with a grin that made her laugh break her) for most of the night, and Jesse smiled right back at her.
"Can we do this again sometime?" Jesse wanted to know, as he walked her towards her car.
"I would really like that", Beca said sincerely, and he leant forward. Beca flinched slightly, turning his head, and his lips grazed her cheek, making colour flood both their faces.
"Goodnight, Jesse", Beca said quietly, and Jesse grinned.
"Good night, Bec".
"Look at that smile", Tom said from the couch, Chloe curled into his side, as Beca practically danced into the house. "I haven't seen a smile that big from you in a long time, Bec-ca. It's usually more of a sarcastic smirk. This Jesse guy must really be something".
Beca flopped on the couch opposite them, giggling like a little schoolgirl. "Chloe, you'll never guess what".
"What?"
"I said guess".
(The last time Chloe had had to play the guessing game with Beca, she was drunk off her face at a college party and had ended up heaving in the bushes while the redhead held her hair back. This time, however, Chloe knew that the circumstances were very very different.
"Does he have a dog?" Tom guessed (despite Beca's seemingly hard exterior, the tiny brunette was the biggest softie he knew). "I bet he's got a dog".
"No- I don't think he's got a dog. We're getting a dog".
"Yeah, you've been saying that since before Rosie was born, I'll believe it when I see it". Tom rolled his eyes, and Beca glared.
"Beca once dated a guy just because I liked his dog", Chloe said casually.
"Chloe!"
"What, you did!" she protested. "You told me that yourself!"
"Can you just guess?"
"Beca, what?" Chloe said, trying to weasel the information out of her friend. "What happened?"
"Did you guess?"
"Sweet Jesus, we'll be here all night", Tom said, sighing heavily. "He hasn't got a dog… um, he's getting a dog?"
"No, there is no dogs involved. Move on from the dogs, what is wrong with you?"
"Beca, we give up", Chloe said, speaking for the two of them. "Just tell us".
"He's got kids, Chloe".
"What?" Chloe's voice rose in volume and Tom clapped a hand over her mouth for fear of waking the kids. "He has kids?"
"He does". Beca nodded, chuckling. "Isn't that hilarious? He has three boys".
"Oh my God, Beca!" Chloe's eyes lit up, and Beca eyed her warily. "If you guys get married it'll be totally like the Brady Bunch!"
Instead of saying anything, Beca picked up a pillow and hit her repeatedly, Chloe giggling in protest and pulling away.
"Here's the story", Tom sang, and Beca groaned.
"Stop!"
"Of a lovely lady!" Chloe joined in, and Beca pointed to the front door.
"Get out of my house".
"Donald!" Jesse whisper screamed, trying not wake up his kids, coming through the house. "Benji, what the hell are you doing here?"
"They needed popcorn, I brought over popcorn".
"We did not run out of popcorn, that's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard".
"No, Brody asked if I could come and watch The Lion King. How am I supposed to say no to Brody? Besides, I'm his favourite uncle. I'm their favourite uncle, I am an awesome dude".
"You're not their favourite uncle". Donald smacked him across the chest with a cushion, before turning to Jesse. "How was your date, man?"
"Yeah, how was your date?" Benji questioned. "You look pretty happy".
"You'll never guess what?" Jesse grinned at them.
"You got laid already?"
"What?" Jesse's eyebrows rose up on his forehead and he glared at the two of them, Benji shrugging.
"What?" Donald repeated, sounding innocent.
"No". Jesse tossed a pillow at his friend, ignoring Benji's chuckling.
"Does she have a dog?" Benji guessed.
"Dude, n- actually, I don't know". Jesse frowned. "We never discussed animals".
"So, what?"
"Did I not say guess? Did you miss the memo? When I say guess you have to guess!"
"God, you're just like a child".
"I don't know".
"I give up".
"Beca has three kids". Jesse grinned so fast Donald honestly believed that his face would crack.
"Seriously?"
"Really?"
"She has three kids?"
"Holy shit it'll be just like the Brady Bunch!" Donald howled with laughter, and Jesse frowned.
"What?"
"It's inevitable", Benji said, nodding.
Jesse glared. "Get out of my house".
"Here's the story, of a man named Brady!" Donald sang, and Jesse pointed to the front door.
"Get out of my house".