April 15th.

"Mom, I want you to be cool."

"Psh!  Michael, I'm always cool!"

Michael had finally official asked Ariel to be his girlfriend and they were all going out to eat with her and her family.

"I'm nice, she just better not break my baby's heart."

Michael smiles and says, "Thanks mom."

"Love you!"

"I love you too."

Jessica was holding Grayson on her hip facing his brother.

He starts giggling and reaching for him.

"Come here, little dude." Michael takes him and Grayson rocks his body back and forth with excitement.

"Look at that smile!  You love your big brother, don't you?" Jessica baby talks to him.

Grayson looked at Jessica and his bottom lip quivered.

He reaches for her and bursts into tears.

"Oh what's the matter?  Huh?  You were fine!" She takes him from Michael and he immediately stops crying.

"He's such a mama's boy!" Michael laughs as he looks at Grayson who was all smiles.

"Yes he is." She smiles and kisses his head.

***

They arrive at the restaurant and Samuel carries in Grayson in his car seat.

"He's fed and changed, so I'm hoping he'll be okay while we're here.  I'm so nervous!"

"Why?" James laughs.

"I hate meeting parents that have kids you boys age.  I always feel like they judge me because I'm so young to have kids this old."

"Mom, fuck what they they!"

"Samuel!"

"I'm sorry, but really!  What's it there business for?  You're a great mom and you always have been!  That's all that matters."

"Thanks, baby." She smiles softly.

***

They were seated, and Ariel and her family arrived shortly after.

"Stand up, Michael!" Sam nudges his arm.

"Hey!" Michael stands up and awkwardly waves.

"Oh nice one!" Sam makes fun of him.

"Samuel leave him alone!"

Her parents greet Jessica, and and Ariel's mom's eyes widen.

"Wow!  I wasn't expecting someone so young!" She laughs.

"When Ariel mentioned that Michael had two older brothers that were about to graduate high school, I thought that you would be much older!"

"Oh yeah.. Haha.. No.." Jessica chuckles awkwardly and looks down.

They take their seat and Samuel whispers to Jessica, "I don't like her!"

"Stop it!" Jessica whisperers. 

Sam sighs and doesn't say another word.

Grayson was in the highchair next to Jessica and Ariel's mother, Amanda said, "I didn't know you had a baby!"

"I told you, mom!" Ariel says.

"I didn't know!  He's very cute.  What's his name?"

"Grayson." Jessica smiles as she lightly finger brushes his hair.

"Oh how cute!

Tim and I wanted another one after our youngest, but it never happened.. Oh well.." She sighs.

Jessica nods then looks to Ariel and says, "I've heard a lot about you, Ariel.  It's nice meeting all of you."

"Nice meeting you too, Mrs. Shepard." She smiles sweetly.

"Our condolences to you and your boys, Mrs. Shepard." Tim says.

"Thank you.. And call me Jessica!" She smiles.

They go on talking and eating their meal, everything was going well, until Amanda started asking questions.

Michael and Ariel left their families and went off to the front to be by themselves.

"Jessica, I hope you don't mind me asking, but.. How old were you when you had your boys?"

Jessica's face turned bright red and James says, "That's a pretty personal question to ask someone you've only just met, Ms. Amanda."

"No, it's okay.. Uhm.. I was fifteen when I had them."

"Fifteen!  Wow, well I hope you don't let your kids run around and make the same mistakes you did!" She laughs.

"Amanda!" Tim looks at her sternly.

"Well Tim we need to know these things!  I'm not gonna let her son impregnate our little girl."

"Watch it!  My mother and my father raised us to respect women.  My little brother is a good boy, and he wouldn't do that!" Sam defends his family.

Jessica felt attacked and verbally shut down.

"Jessica, I am so sorry.  Please don't mind her." Tim tells her.

Jessica looks down and nods as she bounces Grayson on her lap.

"Come on, we should go." James stands up and grabs the baby's things.

"Jessica, I'm sorry, she's a drunk.  Seriously." Tim stands up.

Jessica looks up at him and huffs.

"Hm!  Well maybe I don't want my son around someone like that.  Ariel might be the same way as her mother."

They walk out and Tim sighs.

"I've had it with you!"

Jessica walks over to Michael and Ariel with tears in her eyes and says, "Baby we have to go.  Nice meeting you, Ariel." She smiles softly.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Michael asks as they walk to the car.

"That Amanda is an asshole, that's what it is!" Samuel says taking the baby from Jessica to put him in his car seat.

"It's fine, just drop it!"

"No mom, that was uncalled for!"

"Whatever." She nods.

"What happened?!" Michael asks again.

"She's not sure if she wants her daughter dating you because mom got pregnant at fifteen."

"What?"

"That's not what she said."

"Oh she was worse than that, mom!  She's rude and she's a drunk!"

"...I'm sorry boys.. I'm sorry if I embarrass you because I was a teen mom.  You can be raised with the best parents and these things just happen.. It's not like my mom told me to have sex with your father the first year of high school!  I'm sorry!" Jessica cries.

"Mom stop it!  We're not ashamed of you.  Just because you were young, that doesn't mean anything!  I'm glad you had us that young."

"You are?"

"Yes!  Because of that, we got to spend more time with dad, and we'll get to spend more time with you." James touches her arm.

Jessica wipes her eyes and Sam says, "Don't let that ass wipe make you feel any less of yourself!

You are the most amazing person in this world, mom!"

Jessica sniffles and smiles softly.

"Thank you.."

"No problem.  Let's go home." James starts the car and drives home.

***

Two days later.

The kids were at school and Grayson was napping when Jessica heard the doorbell ring.

She walked over and opened the door.

"Tim?  What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to apologize for the other day."

"It's fine, don't worry about it."

"No, it's not fine!  This isn't the first time she's done this. 

My wife and I are in the middle of a "Secretly" messy divorce."

"Oh.. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be.  I'm happy to be getting away from her.  The kids don't know yet, but I'm sure they won't be bothered."

"Oh..." She nods and looks down.

"Jessica, I know this is way off but uh... Well, would you want to have dinner one night?  Just you and I?"

"What?!" Her eyes widen.

"I'm sorry, is that not okay?"

"No it's not okay!  I just lost my husband a year ago, your wife--"

"Soon to be ex wife!" He smiles.

"Whatever!  She insulted me and embarrassed me in front of my boys!  And your daughter is dating my son!  And you want to go out with me?!"

"Yes." He nods.

"Heh!  You're way to old for me." She looks up at him.m with an attitude.

"Age is just a number!" He chuckles.

"Get the hell out of here!" She yells.

Jessica slams the door and leans back on it.

"Michael, you are not allowed to date that girl and bring crazy into this family!"

***

This was super random, but I need small things before the big things happen. 😂😏