A/N: Time for a reunion between old friends! This will be a nice fluffy chapter before we begin checking back on the others.
ENJOY!
The girls were standing at the bottom of tan steps which were lined with beautiful ornate iron railings.
Jade checked the address on her phone from the text message Cat sent and looked at the brownstone before them.
"I thought they were in an apartment," Tori leaned over.
"So did I!" she shrugged.
The teens looked around and saw kids running around, playing. An elderly couple was going for a walk. Two ladies were having a conversation, one sitting in the open window on another brownstone while the other was looking up from the sidewalk. Both sides of the pavement were adorned with healthy green trees, which provided some much-needed shade on a hot day such as this. They imagined more people would be outside if it wasn't so heated. Majority sought relief in their homes, safe behind their awnings, fans and if fortunate, air conditioning.
Tori walked up the steps, her company behind her, when she rang the doorbell. Few seconds later, it opened revealing a bright-eyed Cat Valentine. She gasped loudly as she wrapped her arms around Tori. "YOU CAME! YOU'RE HERE!" The short woman didn't allow Jade to fully ascend the stairs, dragging Tori down a couple of steps, so she could hug both of her best friends. "JADE! OH, MY GOODNESS!" Jade and Tori couldn't help but get lost in the hug. The Three Musketeers together again.
Mia and Alice just looked at each other with amused expressions. The older teen had to remark that her mother was right all along. Friendships forged in Hollywood Arts can last a lifetime. Looking at their moms and their old friend, obviously their family was bigger than they thought, and that tree had deep roots.
"Beck? BECK! THEY'RE HERE, BABE!"
The woman was small, but she was sturdy as she handily pulled the taller ladies in with her. The teens shrugged and followed them in.
All four of the out-of-towners felt the blast from the A/C which was a godsend from the sweltering heat outside. The house was really nice, white walls with finely sculpted molding. There was a staircase that led to the next level. Given the stairs they needed to climb to get into the foyer and eventual living room; they must have a sizeable basement below. The foyer was sparse, just an umbrella stand, and a wooden rack for hanging coats or school bags, with a shelf below lined with rubber so you could put you wet shoes and boots during nasty weather.
The living room was decorated with big comfy furniture, this massive blue sofa in the middle, overlooking a big earth tone rug. This was the heart of the room. There was a tall old-fashioned chair situated by a tiny antique wooden table with a big overhanging lamp next to it. An ideal spot to read a book. That was even more appropriate since the chair was right beside the bookshelf, which was built into the walls. Jade took notice of that and figured this building must be quite old, given that brownstones were erected well over a century ago. And shelving like that was a style mostly seen in much older houses. You don't really see these in modern dwellings unless it was a custom job from the floor up and you asked for them.
Pictures hung on the wall, showing off their family as well as personal achievements. Both of their diplomas from Hollywood Arts were side by side by a white door, which Tori surmised must lead to the kitchen. She still had her sheep skin from school; it was likely buried among the boxes of old things. Jade moved so many times she figured she might have lost hers somewhere. She didn't value such things; that piece of paper paled in comparison to the times she spent there. Jade never remembered ever showing it to anyone really. It was never a thing. Jade would be quicker to show pictures or share stories from that time in her life. And looking around, she was grateful that so much of that old time followed her into her adult life. She was still close with Cat and have since reconnected with Rob and Andre. And Tori? Wow, have they come a long way compared to their younger selves. Jade was also indebted to her old instructor, Sikowitz more than ever before.
"Oh, hey guys!" came a familiar voice from the kitchen. Jade turned to see her old flame turned good friend.
"Beck!"
(Oh yeah, nearly forgot him.)
He went to hug her, causing the writer to stiffen. They exchanged brief pleasantries before switching gears and welcoming Tori. Beck took a peek behind his friend and acknowledged the girls.
"Wow, and we have...Alice?" the young girl nodded. "And... that must make you Mia." She just waved to the Canadian. "Sorry I didn't meet you at the door, but I was busy in here," he thumbed, indicating the kitchen.
Tori noticed the smell coming from behind the door.
"You cook?" she asked.
"Since when?" added Jade.
Beck shrugged with a grin. "Around when Cat was pregnant." She wandered over to him and nuzzled against his shirt. "See, she had these strange cravings, right?"
"Not that strange!" Cat protested.
He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, little red but pickles and ice cream is weird."
"That's okay," shrugged Tori. "I put pickles in my peanut butter sandwich."
Jade nudged her with a smirk. "Oh yeah? Peanut butter and jelly with pickles!"
Cat covered her mouth.
"Did either of you want an onion? You know, to snack on like an apple?"
Tori and Jade looked at each other and back to Cat with open mouths.
"Yeah!" the Latina exclaimed.
"What was up with that?" asked Jade.
Mia's face distorted in disgust alongside Alice's surprised expression.
"Anyway..." Beck continued. "When I realized I would be spending all day going around town picking up what she wanted, it was easier to just make her wacky cravings. So, I taught myself. I know right? Turns out I had a hidden talent all along!"
"So, on days he doesn't work he just takes over the meal preparations. Of course, his little helpers share the load."
"Which reminds me...I'm going to get them, alright?" he asked.
Cat squeezed his arm with a nod, and he retreated into the kitchen.
A minute later, the door opened, showing Beck standing like he was bolted to the floor. That was because each leg was held strongly by a couple of bashful nails.
"Guys..." Cat smiled widely. "I want you both to meet..." she turned around and each kid was hiding behind a Daddy leg. "Come on, don't be shy!" The redhead gently guided the girl with long brown hair in a pretty light green dress from Beck's right leg. "This is Penny."
"Hello!" Tori waved with a happy face.
The little bean couldn't look up to make eye contact and gave a small "hi" in response.
"And this one..." Beck grinned, stepping aside to present the other kid, this one wearing a yellow dress of similar style. "...is Ariana."
The girl with a sideways ponytail tugged at her father's shirt and he took a knee to hear what she wanted to whisper to him. Beck's face lit up and he laughed.
"She wants to know if Jade is a friendly witch."
The former goth made a twisted face, feeling embarrassed as the others in the room tried to stifle their chortles.
Tori squatted down to Ariana's level with a warm expression.
"I'll have you know that Jade here is very friendly!"
"Do you have any powers?" Penny queried, fiddling with her dress.
Jade kneeled down and made sure she met the twins, eye to eye.
"I do. I'm what they call...a conjurer...which is a fun way to say that I tell stories!" she finished with a flutter of her fingers. Very theatrical.
The girls looked at the pale woman with wide eyes.
"You DO?" smiled Ariana. "Could you tell us a story?"
"Yeah, story!" insisted Penny.
The parents looked down at their friend, turned horror writer, with concern.
Jade reached out and held a hand for each twin.
"Tell you what...give me some time to think of one and I will tell you, okay?"
They jumped excitedly that this mage wandered from the wilds to tell a story just for them.
"Okay, now let's go girls!" Beck said, placing loving hands on their little shoulders. "It's your lunch time. Let mommy talk to her friends."
Cat put her hands together, watching her family leave the room for the kitchen. Love and contentment were just written all over her face.
"Alright," the red head sighed. "You met my beautiful girls, now let me take a good look at yours!" Of course, Cat gravitated toward Alice first since they were of similar height. "Nobody has to tell me you are your mother's daughter. I feel like I'm looking through a magic mirror to the past!"
"It's nice to meet you," smiled Alice.
Cat looked up and lit up at the sight of Mia. "Oh, my God! I have not seen you since you were a baby! You've gotten so tall."
"You should see her boyfriend!" teased Jade.
Mia shot her a pained look.
"Oh, I'm sure!" Cat smiled, holding Mia's hand into hers like a doting auntie. "Robbie's boy, huh?" she asked, looking back at Tori who half smiled. "Small world."
"Could we...um...change the subject please?" Mia asked.
Alice and the adults looked at her with concern.
"I'm sorry, honey..." Tori said with a sad face, reaching to her. "I just forgot. Sorry."
"Do you have a bathroom?" Mia asked Cat.
"Sure, sweetie..." the redhead pointed between the kitchen door and the stairs to a small corridor. "At the end, stick to your right."
Mia nodded with a thank you and quickly left.
Cat covered her eyes with her hand.
"I am so sorry! I didn't mean to embarrass her."
"It's not that..." Alice explained. "They, uh..."
"They had their first fight," Tori finished, a hand on the girl's shoulder.
Beck emerged from the kitchen, taking one last glance at the two precious tykes munching away at the table.
"Whoa, what's all this talk about fighting?" he asked.
"Mia and her boyfriend," Tori huffed. "But keep it under your hat!" she warned to the man.
"No worries!" he smiled nervously before looking at Jade. "Been there."
Jade folded her arms, "And glad to be done that!"
"No arguments here," Beck smirked. "I think we both made the right call in the end."
The former goth looked at her girlfriend and sighed, any vindictiveness in her face vanishing. She had to admit that Beck was right. Tori glanced her way, making the woman shiver. Beck and Jade looked at one another then and they understood. They were a thing once, and now they are the happiest they had ever been by giving a ball of sunshine with brown eyes a chance. No regrets.
Beck revealed that he had been cooking nonstop since this morning in anticipation of their arrival. Rather than making a traditional meal, he just whipped up a spread of finger foods from cookies to bruschetta, with sliced baguettes to eat it with as well as little grilled cheese sliders and sliced apricots wrapped in bacon. This was rounded off with various cheeses and crackers, plus a vegetable tray with a creamy spinach dip.
His former classmates gawked at him in disbelief.
"Dude!" Jade shouted. "When I knew you, you thought fries covered in cheese and gravy was the pinnacle of cuisine."
"Excuse me!" Beck smirked. "That is poutine, show some respect."
Cat moaned with delight; her eyes shut.
"That was my favorite thing while I was pregnant, FYI!"
"With this boy making sure you never starve; how do you stay so tiny?" asked Tori.
Jade leaned in, "You exercise?"
She bit her lip as she turned as red as her hair and quickly looked at her husband, who was as frozen as a statue, holding his cheddar and cracker in mid-bite. Truthfully, when those two got together, they were insatiable. It was practically a nightly activity when they got their own place. Which ultimately resulted in the twins. Deciding that they didn't want to be outnumbered, Beck and Cat made the shared decision to close the baby making business while they were ahead. Since the girls were delivered through cesarean, Cat in a moment of lucidity requested that the doctor tie her tubes while they were in there and they did. She was given a regional anesthetic, which was a powerful painkiller, numbing her lower half but keeping her pretty conscious. Otherwise, she couldn't authorize such a big decision. It was a pretty quick procedure as Cat was already open down there and recovery was without incident.
Inspired by her selfless act, Beck went down to the clinic to get himself taken care of. He found out that a vasectomy doesn't quite numb you the way Cat's procedure did. But the temporary pain was worth it to see her face. They had their family and once it was evident that the girls were perfectly healthy, they knew that there was no need to improve upon perfection. Penny and Ariana were their little angels on earth, and they would love them always.
Now that there was no risk of getting pregnant again, the two were able to maintain their physical relations after the bassinets left the bedroom. Fun fact: Cat is the more dominant one in bed, believe it or not. Beck had never been aggressive in that department but when those two clicked, the beast had awakened inside of the redhead. She was far from large, but she was always in charge!
The school principal remembered their daughters were in the room, so she tapped Jade on the leg.
"I'm sure she goes for runs, you know, after they were born?"
Jade picked up on her meaning and briskly nodded in agreement. "Yep, that's right."
Mia could see right through the subterfuge.
"I'm sure she also works out upstairs," she quietly whispered to Alice.
The pale girl leaned to whisper back, "Yeah she probably has one of those treadmills."
The tan girl facepalmed at how green her partner in crime was.
The rest of the day went on. Alice joined in with the girls drawing and they were impressed by how good she was. Next thing she knew, they were throwing out requests. Ariana wanted Alice to draw Olaf from Frozen and Penny had asked for a griffin. The teen had to Google what a griffin was to remind her of the different pieces of animal it represented.
Over in the living room, Jade and Beck were talking.
"So, what happened to the apartment?" she asked.
"It was okay when the girls were babies but as they grew, and Cat needed more space for her business...it just wouldn't do anymore. So, this older couple moved out of here to go to Arizona and when they saw we were a young family, they were more than happy to let it go for a decent price. But we couldn't move in until this past March because we had to wait for our lease to be up."
"Guess that worked out," Jade shrugged. "Who wants the bullshit of trying to move in the winter?"
He nodded.
"True. As we got the girls and all of our things situated, we had to address a few issues like some wiring and a leaky pipe downstairs. But we lucked out that this brownstone was renovated in the 70's, so it has air conditioning. Just needed some repair. But it's so worth it. Installing central air in one of these is ridiculously expensive! My neighbor got estimates and holy shit. So, on really hot days we invite them over to beat the heat for the afternoon and their kids play with ours, it's nice."
Jade smiled, "That's great that it's a nice area with good neighbors. How are the schools?"
"We've got our eyes on an elementary school in walking distance. They're having an open house this fall and hopefully next year they will be going there."
She playfully nudged him, causing an automatic grin.
"Sounds like you and Cat have it all figured out. I'm...actually happy for you guys. She looks so blissful. And those girls are just the cutest little nuggets!"
"Thank you."
They decided to take their conversation out of the hall into the living room and saw Mia sitting on the couch, looking rather down. Beck and Jade exchanged knowing looks and understood what they had to do. Each adult occupied a space on the couch, surrounding the teenager as she unwisely chose to sit in the middle.
"I've got a bad feeling about this!" the teenager huffed with folded arms.
Meanwhile, Cat and Tori sat in the kitchen having their own chit chat.
"How is Cat's Closet doing?" Tori asked with a sigh after sipping her tea.
The redhead rested her face on her hand with a smile.
"It's been work," she chuckled. "Luckily I'm able to work around his schedule and like I said earlier, he shoulders stuff around the house when he's here when I need to focus or just get some rest."
Tori smiled, her tongue gliding against the bottom of her top teeth. Hearing Cat and Beck talk about how much they help each other's dream reminded her of the old days with Sam. He had the store, she had school, and they were both fresh parents. But through trial and error they managed to find the right routine to handle all of it. Having a child is a great joy, but a lot of work.
The same can be said for starting your own homespun business or getting your big break in acting and having a steady TV gig. A new medical show focusing on EMT's started filming in New York and they hired Beck at once based on his presence, but he proved to hold his own against veterans such as Lorraine Bracco, who played his boss on the show who constantly give him and his partner (played by Donald Faison) an earful for recklessly driving to get to emergencies faster.
"So... you and Jade?" grinned Cat. "I don't think any of us had that on our bingo card!"
"A year ago, I would've said you were out of your mind" Tori agreed.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, me and Ryan had a fight. Of course, you know! The whole WORLD knows it!"
Mia started to get up but they both gently guided her back down. She grumbled with a scowl.
"I've seen that face before," Beck joked.
Jade sneered at him.
"Watch it, Oliver before I knock you all the way back to the great with north!"
"Don't tell me..." Mia sighed. "You two used to be a thing."
The grown-ups locked eyes, blushed and looked away.
The teen covered her eyes, cackling like a maniac.
"Laugh it up, beanpole!" Jade smirked. "But yeah, this guy and me went out once."
Beck held up three fingers, confusing Mia.
"Okay, maybe we broke up a few times..." she added. "The point is, we were about you and Ryan's age."
She started having flashbacks of awkward powwows with her mom about dating and boys and sex.
(I guess it could be worse. Rather talk about this junk with someone BESIDES mom!)
"So, nothing with either of you or my mom back in the olden days?"
Jade leaned in with a scary smile.
"The what?"
"I meant...back in the day?" Mia course corrected.
"No," Beck sighed. "We only really hung out as friends."
Mia threw up her hands.
"So, what? Mom didn't date at all in high school?"
"No, no, she did," Beck explained. "Nobody steady though."
Jade used to refer to Tori's flames as "the villain of the week." But she kept that to herself.
"What was it like?" Tori asked. "I mean...you've been friends with Beck for years. I know you fell in love but how did you cross that...threshold?"
"He carried me!" she matter-of-factly replied.
Tori shut her eyes in frustration.
"Sex! I'm talking about sex, Cat!"
The shorter woman blushed.
"But I'm married and what about Jade?"
The Latina moaned as she set her head on the table. Cat just burst into full on belly laughing. Tori lifted her head in bemusement. The redhead needed a minute to collect herself and wiped a tear before explaining herself.
"Sorry, Tori!" she giggled. "Sometimes I like to mess with people and turn on the airhead."
Cat was much smarter than people perceived her. She just played it up because she wanted friends and maybe even a boyfriend, and she was worried a girl who was outspoken would have a hard time. Jade was such a girl, but most people feared her. Cat didn't want such an approach. She would rather win people over. That was why she gravitated toward Tori from the very beginning. Like it or not, the songbird was a people pleaser through and through. While others would take advantage of her kindness, Cat rewarded her with compassion and friendship. And the two were inseparable and the redhead was pivotal in getting Jade to warm up to the Latina.
And look where they are now.
"You mean, how did we go from friends to..." Cat failed at suppressing a chuckle. "...lovers?"
Tori sighed, embarrassed at bringing up this topic.
"Yes, that."
"Well...the mechanics are different..."
"No shit!" Tori huffed.
"I wasn't done," Cat said holding up her finger. "It was gradual. We tried different things in the early days. What? Did you think we went straight to third base?! Girl, that only happens in the movies."
Tori sipped more of her tea, which was losing its heat, but she didn't care.
"There was making out and touching and getting more into it. We did some stuff where only tops came off. We worked our way to the bedroom, you see."
The tan woman looked away, realizing that they have tried these sorts of things already. So, why does it still feel like they have to cross the Pacific Ocean in a dingy to get there? Cat frowned and put her hand on her friend's.
"Tori...I'm sorry that I don't know what it takes to please a woman...besides myself that is...but what I've learned is that whoever your partner is, you need to talk."
"Talk?" asked Tori.
"Yeah, dummy! You can only do things out of the blue for so long, like a saucy grope or a massage. But sex is...complex. You both need to open up, ask questions, find out what you're into."
Cat turned Tori's face to make eye contact.
"I won't lie. Your conversation won't be easy, especially since both of you are new to this. That's a lot of ground to cover, sure. But it will be worth it in the end because that woman out there...loves you."
"And I love her," Tori smiled with watery eyes.
Cat leaned over and the two pressed foreheads together.
"I'm glad we did this," the redhead sighed.
"And why did you two fight so much?" asked Mia.
The exes silently regarded the other, thinking the right way to word this.
"I was a stupid, jealous bitch!" Jade said.
"I mean...your words," he shrugged.
Jade reached over Mia to slap him on the arm.
"Beck was pretty popular...and from certain angles...kind of handsome."
He gave a sarcastic grimace.
"Any girl...except, ironically his future wife, would walk up to him and I would..."
"Lose your shit?" the tan girl suggested.
Beck snorted and tried his best to hold back any more yucks.
"I wasn't...the nicest, let's just say. Sound familiar?"
Mia's memories wandered back to that less than stellar night when she verbally threatened some girls in a window before chucking a soda at them. She had already regretted her immediate words and actions leading up to the fight, but seeing this young couple years later look back on those times with regret, Mia felt even worse.
"I mean...it worked out for us in the end," Beck swooped in. "Right, Jade?"
She nodded before adding, "But you won't know what you or Ryan could be unless you get out of your own way!"
The girl rubbed her hands whilst licking her lips. This was a lot to think about.
"And to his credit," Jade continued. "Beck never gave me a reason to be jealous. He's a loyal canuck."
"Cat wouldn't have married me if I wasn't," he confirmed.
Jade took Mia's shoulders and was prepared to drop her a real truth.
"Jealousy...was my problem. Because I didn't think I was good enough, or someone else would interest him. I've been struggling with loving myself for a long time. Now, I am in the best relationship I've ever been in."
"I'm telling my mom you said that!"
The author messed up her hair, making her laugh.
"Go ahead, kiddo! She already knows."
Beck stood up to stretch his legs.
"In conclusion, Mia...if this Ryan guy is as good as I've heard, give him a chance."
Jade put her arm around her adoptive daughter as she nodded. She prayed that their talk got through to Mia.
"And so, the great, big bear who wasn't so grouchy after all, told the rabbit that he was sorry for chasing him."
Jade was on her knees telling the twins the tale she made up during the visit just in time for bed. They curled up on the comfy chair, entranced into the storytelling. Beck and Cat watched from the wings, thinking this was so adorable. Tori lightly stroked Jade's hair as she wrapped things up.
"To make up for that, bear invited rabbit to his cave where there was lots of food, and they could stay good and warm for the long, long winter. Rabbit said he would like that very much and he was glad that they had met. Because now, he had a new best friend."
Ariana yawned and snuggled against her sister, but Penny's eyes were already shut.
"In the bear's dark and cozy cave, the two enemies turned friends were safe and happy. They slept from the first little snowflake until the first tweets of the birds who flew back home. Rabbit thought before shutting his little eyes that bears were pretty smart. Sleeping through it was the best idea he had ever heard. Winters were hard to find food. And there were predators who just as hungry..."
The former goth softly poked their little tummies, making them mildly shift.
"But rabbit knew he was safe and sound as he slept beside his friend. Because you dare to wake a sleeping bear. The end."
Jade pressed her lips together when it was clear the girls were knocked out. Tori held her heart as each of the parents took a kid and quietly snuck up the stairs to take them to bed. When they were out of sight, Tori kissed Jade on the cheek.
"What was that?" the pale woman asked.
"No reason..." Tori sighed with a heart that was fluttering in her ribs like a bird tired of its cage. "I just love you so much."
Jade hugged her and gave a long kiss on Tori's neck, which triggered the goosebumps right on cue.
"We should be going..."
"Jade, look" Tori whispered, pointing to the couch.
Mia and Alice were sleeping against each other's backs on the sofa. Apparently, Jade's bedtime story inflected all of the kids! Jade had to admit they did look cute in their own right, complete with a line of drool from Alice mouth.
"We should wake them up," Jade sighed. "We'll need to get back."
"Just a little bit longer, babe."
Tori held her girlfriend close while they admired their own amazing girls. Jade leaned her head on Tori's shoulder with a smile.
(This is some family you fashioned for yourself, West!)
(I know, isn't it perfect?)