Olives
Half an hour later as the potatoes were ready, the tea was steeping Beca walked into the kitchen having obviously just woken from a quick nap. She pulled herself onto a barstool and looked up as Jesse poured her a cup of mint tea.
"Thank you but I'd..." she started just as Jesse turned from the oven with a bowl a potato in it moving the softened butter closer to the bowl. Beca didn't acknowledge any of this she just started putting butter on her potato.
Jesse was busying himself at the kitchen counter while Dane and Sarah watched quietly from the kitchen table. This was just weird. Their parents were totally not acting like themselves. Jesse should be bouncing in his shoes and mom should be yelling or snarky or something. This quiet thing was just plain weird.
"Umm, Jesse?" Beca started but didn't finish that sentence as Jesse turned from the counter and put a bowl of feta stuffed olives in front of her. Beca didn't acknowledge him for that either just started eating the food.
Just as the silence was about to become too much for them they heard a sniff come from the island where their mom was eating. Then another sniff. As they watched a tear started to roll down Beca's cheek. Now was the time to freak out. Mom did NOT cry. Like ever. Jesse did not say a word at this either. Just reached over the refrigerator for a box of tissues, tore off the lid, and handed Beca a tissue. Then he again reached the top of the refrigerator and taking down two more boxes walked to the table, handed them to the kids saying "keep this with you at all times for the next seven months".
Sarah did some quick calculations in her head. Seven months? "So May dad?" she asked.
"I think so honey. Somewhere between your and Dane's birthdays." Jesse answered. Then prepared for the explosion.
"You unmitigated asshole! May?! That's it. No more sex on your birthday, EVER!" Beca launched herself from the barstool, grabbed the olives and tissues and marched out the door.
"She doesn't realize she said that, did she dad?" Dane asked. Not really wanting this up close look at his parents' lives.
"No, she'll realize sooner or later. How about you pretend you were deaf?" Jesse answered. Dane was easy. Jesse understood what went on in his son's mind having once been a teenage boy. Jesse watched as Dane took his tissues and walked into the living room.
Sarah, on the other hand... Sarah was leaned back in her chair looking at Jesse with a way too mature look on her face. "So, we're all three your birthday presents? Really?"