"I think it's time to tell JJ the truth," Dave told Aaron and Clare.
Dave sat in a chair in his friends living room and it was over eight months later since Aaron and Clare had gone back from their honeymoon.
Clare and Aaron had found a nice old place that needed a little fixing up, but it was certainly big enough for any children they happened to have, so Aaron had the foundation inspected as well as the rest of the house and then bought it outright.
Aaron had given Dave a tour of the house once the decorating was complete, except some of the rooms were still empty and furniture, and Dave thought that Clare had done a good job of decorating the house choosing paint or wallpaper for the rooms. The house was going to be a very comfortable place to live for his old friend Aaron and his mate Clare, as well as any children. In fact, Clare was pregnant now over seven months along, so it wouldn't be long before she gave birth to the baby boy she was carrying and Aaron for one couldn't wait.
In fact, Aaron was a ecstatic to finally be having children of his own, and Dave couldn't blame him. He hoped to get to that stage with JJ in the next year or two, but he'd see as the first step was to let his mate in on his secret. Only she is accepted would he have those children he so desperately wanted.
Dave couldn't blame his friend for his happiness at all, as he had always known that Aaron wanted a family, but then, so did he. Really, that was any immortals desire to meet their mate and have children by them so it wasn't at all unusual.
"Well, you certainly gotten close over the last few months," Clare said. "I've seen you two interact enough times to know that much at least, so yes, it probably is."
"Let's just hope it doesn't backfire on you," Aaron said. "I know how hard it was to get Clare to accept that I was immortal, even after I offered her a demonstration that I wasn't lying and I'm sure JJ is the same, as she's a modern girl born in a modern time."
"Yeah, I know most people don't believe the supernatural exists in this modern age," Dave agreed sighing gustily. "That's my worst fear and that is she'll call me a crackpot and break up with me telling me she never wants to see me again."
"While that's a possibility, I don't think JJ would do that to you," Clare said. "We've known each other for a long time and while at the same time you're right, JJ is a very modern girl just like I am. However, we are also alike in a lot of ways, as for one thing, we're both romantics at heart. I know JJ loves you, Dave, as I've seen a certain look in her eyes when you weren't paying attention that tells me that she does."
"She might love me, but that doesn't mean she'll believe in something as out there as in mortality, though," Dave said. "Still, I would like to propose, but..."
"You have to tell her about immortality first," Aaron finished Dave's sentence.
"Yes, it wouldn't be fair for her to accept my proposal without her knowing that I am immortal, especially if we want children as we've been using a condom whenever we make love because that's the smart thing to do if you don't want out of wedlock kids. Even if a woman is on birth control it's just safer."
"Also, you wouldn't age and JJ would, so she'd eventually noticed that you're not exactly normal, even if you kept using a condom whenever you had sex," said Clare.
"Exactly which is why any immortal who meets their mate needs to tell them the truth before they start having unprotected sex, but it's always a rather risky proposition as some people don't react well to the news that you aren't exactly normal by today's standards," Dave agreed.
"You're mate though, is supposed to accept any odd traits about you though," Aaron put in. "I know it doesn't always work out like that but it's supposed to."
"It mostly does," Dave agreed. "I can't help but worry that JJ will reject me, but she still needs to be told."
"I'll help you in anyway I can," Clare told Dave. "I know I didn't accept immortality existed at first, not until after that idiot Ricky nearly strangled me, but JJ has known me for a long time and knows I would never feed her a line."
"Which will only help her accept that immortality as well, so thanks in advance for your help Clare, I appreciate it," Dave told Aaron's mate.
"No thanks necessary. It not only will it be great to have my best girlfriend with me for centuries to come so long as she accepts immortality that is, I want to see JJ just as happy as I am with Aaron," Clare said. "I offered to help before Aaron and I went on our honeymoon and I stand by that offer."
"And you already know I'll help, since we've been friends for centuries, and I know you've been looking for your mate even longer than I have," Aaron told Dave who nodded.
"Thank you, both. Hopefully, our explanations will go well," Dave said.
"It might be best if we give JJ any explanations here in the privacy of our home," Clare said. "If that's OK with you that is."
"It's a great idea actually, as I definitely don't want to tell her in some restaurant as that's not private enough not even in a private room," Dave said gratefully. "I don't want to be interrupted, even if that's only by a waiter coming to see if we need anything."
"Which is why it's better if you tell JJ here in the privacy of our home," Aaron agreed with Clare's idea of telling JJ here in the house that he had bought since he expected plenty of children with Clare.
"I'll bring dinner for all of us as that's only fair, since you're allowing me to use your home to reveal my secret to JJ," Dave said. "I'll get it from somewhere fancier then JJ and I usually go since I'll be bringing it here and JJ and I aren't actually going to that type of restaurant."
"That sounds good to me," Aaron said, squeezing Clare's hand to get her to agree with Dave's idea without her protesting and offering to cook.
"You don't need to do that Dave, but thanks," Clare told Dave instead what she had really been going to say.
"Its the least I can do, since you're going offer me a venue to tell JJ about immortality," Dave said once he had seen that Clare wasn't going to protest about him bringing all of them dinner. "This is certainly more private than some private room at a restaurant, though I suppose we could use my apartment that I got a year lease on, as I'm hoping to buy a house soon, but we'll see how it goes."
"Which is definitely the smart thing to do if you don't want to spend the money until you know whether JJ accepts that you're just a little different than your normal man," Clare said. "I'll extend the invitation to her for Saturday since neither of us will have to work on the weekend."
"That sounds good," Dave agreed, as he took a sip of his beer that had been poured into a glass instead of him drinking it directly out of the bottle.
"Here's hoping she takes the news well," Aaron told Dave saluting his friend with his glass of whiskey.
"Here's to hoping," Dave agreed, as he clicked glasses with Aaron, except his was just beer since his friends didn't have any scotch. Clare, of course, couldn't drink because she was pregnant, but she did have some tea in a cup that was sitting on the coffee table in front of her.
~~~Aaron and Clare~~~
"I'm kind of surprised to be invited for dinner considering you and Aaron haven't been married all that long," JJ told Clare once the invitation was extended.
"We've been married for over nine months now," Clare pointed out.
"Yes, but you and Aaron are still in what is known as the honeymoon stage of your relationship, so to invite me and Dave over for meal is kind of a surprise," JJ said.
"What can I say? I haven't seen much of you in the last few months, because I know you were trying to respect Aaron's and my need for privacy since we are newly married," Clare said. "We get plenty of private time, so Aaron and I decided to invite you and Dave over for a meal. It's only for a couple of hours and gives us a chance to catch up ever since the two of us went shopping when I found out, I was pregnant with my son."
"So are you cooking?" JJ asked and Clare shook her head.
"Dave is bringing dinner, as he offered and Aaron and I weren't about to turn him down," said Clare
"So you offered the venue while Dave is bringing dinner," JJ said seem to be working something out in her head. "Is Dave going to propose so you offered to host dinner instead of him, taking me to a restaurant, one fancier than I normally frequent, while he brought the food?" JJ wondered.
"I know nothing," Clare said.
"So you've probably been sworn to secrecy," JJ said.
"Why can't it just be dinner with your friends and your boyfriend with no ulterior motives," Clare asked JJ not telling her friend that she was pretty close to the truth but only if JJ accepted that immortality was real.
"Because Dave is bringing dinner instead of you and Aaron getting dinner from some restaurant or you cooking," JJ said. "To me that says that this was his idea and that it is for something major. The only really big event I can think of right off the top of my head is if Dave is going to propose and you offered your new home as a venue for that proposal."
"I can neither confirm or deny you'll just have to be patient," Clare told JJ refusing to say another word.
JJ fell silent pretty sure that she was correct and what she had told Clare, but knowing that she wouldn't get anything else out of her friend, as she could be as stubborn as the day was long and knew how to keep a secret.
"I'll be there at 6 o'clock on Saturday on the dot," was all JJ said, and Clare nodded looking relieved that her friend wasn't going to question her farther.
"You won't regret it," was all Clare said, changing the subject.
~~~Aaron and Clare~~~
JJ arrived with Dave carrying a pie that she had picked up at the grocery store. She had been taught never to come empty-handed when somebody invited you over for a meal. It was considered good manners to bring something like flowers or dessert when someone invited you over for a meal, particularly a dinner meal and JJ was nothing if not polite. Dave meanwhile, had bought dinner that he had stopped to get after picking up JJ from a fancy Spanish place.
"Thank you for the pie JJ," Clare said as she took it from her friend. "This will be perfect for dessert."
"I hope everyone likes it, as it's blueberry," JJ said.
"I love blueberry pie," Dave said and Clare nodded in complete agreement.
"Who doesn't?" Clare agreed. "I'm sure Aaron will love it too."
"I'm sure he will," Dave agreed.
"Good," JJ said relieved that her gift had been so well received.
"I decided on Spanish," Dave said as he presented the food to Clare. "JJ said that you love Spanish food and I know Aaron does too."
"I love Spanish too, so it was a good choice," JJ said as Dave carried the bags of food into the kitchen with JJ helping because there were a lot of them since there were four people for the dinner party
"You can just place it there on the counter and I'll serve," Clare said.
"I'll help," JJ said.
"You're a guest you don't need to," Clare told her friend.
"I want to," JJ said firmly and Clare gave in knowing how stubborn JJ could be.
"The table is already set Dave if you would like to go join Aaron in the dining room," said Clare. "JJ and I will bring the food out once we put it on to plates."
"I'll tell Aaron you'll be right out with the food in a few minutes," Dave said, as he left knowing he would only be in the way.
The two women put the food onto plates and each carried two of them out to the dining room.
"There's plenty left if anybody wants seconds," Clare said, as she put Aaron's plate in front of him while JJ did the same for Dave.
"Well, doesn't this look great," Aaron said, as he looked at what was on his plate that Clare had put in front of him. "I love Spanish food," Aaron added, recognizing a lot of the food on his plate.
"So does everybody else, which is why I chose it for dinner tonight," Dave said.
Everybody begin eating enjoying their food talking casually as they ate. It wasn't more than a few minutes before everyone had to clean their plates, and Clare offered to get anyone seconds or there was also a blueberry pie if they'd rather have dessert."
No, I don't want seconds I'm stuffed," JJ said patting her full stomach. "A piece of that blueberry pie is also going to have to wait until I digest dinner a little. Dinner really was very good, Dave, so we'll have to eat there again sometime, since I know the food is so good."
"I'll be happy to take you there and we can eat in the restaurant if you want," Dave offered. "Of course,takeout would also be good if that's what you prefer."
"We'll talk about it later," JJ said. "While dinner was excellent it was the company that made it special and considering you two haven't been married that long..."
"Whether we've been married long or not, we still need to spend time with friends," Aaron told JJ firmly. "At least once every few weeks as we don't need to get so caught up in each other that we ignore our friends or family."
"Aaron is absolutely right," Clare agreed. "We can't ignore our friends, just because we get caught up in each other. Now, why doesn't everyone just go into the living room, as I'll clean up the kitchen later."
JJ didn't say a word of protest and headed to the den with Dave following.
"They're right you know," Dave told JJ as he sat down beside her. "Aaron and Clare can't forget about their friends, just because they're newlyweds. They've been married long enough now that nights like this are good occasionally."
"They haven't been married long," JJ tried to explain her thing on the matter.
"They've been married nearly a year," Dave said, "and it's only a few hours of good friends and good company."
JJ had to acknowledge that silently.
"You're so compassionate and kind and that's two of the multitude of reasons I love you," Dave told her as he kissed her cheek.
JJ blushed at Dave's sincere words.
Clare and Aaron came in to the living room just then, with more drinks for everyone on a serving tray and Clare passed him out before taking her own seat.
~~~Aaron and Clare~~~
