Jace decided to have a date night out of nowhere. We've been planning my baby shower and it's been hard since I get way more tired now than I used to.

I look down at my baby bump in my yellow sundress. I smile and then look over at Jace. He's sitting across from me. It's nothing too special, we're outside on our patio and it's around 5 pm. He's wearing khakis and a blue polo shirt. He has on a watch and he swooped his hair back which he knows I love. In all honesty, my husband is truly handsome.

"Baby you're beautiful." He says out of nowhere. I smile even more.

"And you're dashing." I reply to which he chuckles. Glory comes outside with our paninis. Lately I've been craving them and Glory and Xander take turns looking up different recipes and making them for me. They won't let me touch anything since they have an irrational fear of me getting electrocuted and hurting the baby.

"Thanks Glor." I smile widely and Glory just laughs at me.

"It's got a little kick to it. I tried spicy chicken this time but I used a recipe from a certain top tier chef." Glory cautions us. She walks away and then I see her watching us from the window, with a pair of binoculars on standby too.

"Your family is still a bunch of suckers for love huh?" I roll my eyes.

"Well I'm the baby in the family and they absolutely adore you. So they take every chance they get to gush over us." Jace grabs my hand and rubs his thumb over my knuckles. I take a deep breath and relax.

"Sorry, I just get a little nervous when I'm being watched still. This baby draws a lot of attention so I get more wandering eyes than normal." I admit.

"Is it the attention bothering you or is it what you think people are saying that bothers you?" Jace asks already seeing right through me.

"Alright, I'm allowed to be slightly self-conscious, for crying out loud my hormones are all over the place." I stick out my tongue at him.

"And let me guess that's my fault ?" Jace quips and I nod.

"Absofrickinglutely! I think moving in here has helped my pregnancy go a lot better. The old gang house has a lot of memories attached to it and the ones where I argued with Mom just flooded my brain the most." I switch the conversation, this is my attempt at us being more open in hopes of avoiding future misunderstandings.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I know the funeral is tomorrow and we already discussed it but I still think you should give a speech." He says like he knows something. He drinks his lemonade and I just look questionably at him.

"You know something I don't?" I ask and he just laughs.

"I always do." He smirks and I roll my eyes. I don't know why I bother with him sometimes.

"Anyways, how's Sean and Ella ?" I ask him.

"Well, you know Zo has been staying with Ella and her family while Sean is looking for a place. He's having trouble moving but I just think it's because he still has some feelings for Jade that he hasn't fully gotten over." My eyebrows shoot up.

"What do you mean? Does he still like Jade? Is he leading Ella on?" I fire questions at Jace who just sighs and shakes his head.

"No I mean, he just hasn't made his peace with everything. When he's upset over something it clouds his judgment and he has a shorter temper with things. So everything frustrates him easier and he becomes a huge drama king. He hasn't fully forgiven Jade for everything she's done to their daughter. He told me that sometimes he looks at Zo and he sees himself in her and he can't understand why Jade would ever want to hurt her especially if she says she loves him. Made him think she really didn't love him at all." Jace explains and I slowly nod.

"Yeah, she's literally Sean's carbon copy. I don't know how she didn't see his face and at least try to love Zo. I know I could never be like that. Maybe under it all, she was mad at Sean too. I mean who knows what was going on in her mind." I wonder aloud and bite into my beautifully prepared food.

"Are you okay with my family still being here ?" Jace asks abruptly and I raise an eyebrow.

"Slightly, I just know eventually we may have to find some type of solution because once the baby gets here he'll need his own room at some point. Not right away but as he gets older he will." I reason.

"Oh, they'll be out long before then. Mom and Dad are actually thinking of moving about 40 minutes away. Mom found a nice little 2 bedroom house with a huge garden space. It's technically 3 bedrooms but I already know Dad will make it office space." Jace reveals to me.

"Wow, that's amazing! I hope they get it. I know anything with a huge garden space is your mom's kryptonite." I get excited just thinking about the things Mama Norman can do with a garden. It's always arranged so beautifully.

"I think Glor will be staying with them. Xander, on the other hand, is being a lazy bum but I told him that we're not rushing him to get out. Though there is something I want to talk about. Would you be mad if I let Jasper stay here for a bit? It wouldn't be forever just until something turns up." Jace drops on me and I drink some water, deciding to choose my words carefully.

"You know I don't mind that, Xander can stay too. But this is the second time you brought up Sean, what's really going on?" I ask carefully and Jace sighs. Sensing a huge explanation, I start to eat my food. Jace follows suit and then takes a huge drink of water.

"Jade has been sending him letters. Apologies mainly but she keeps promising that she'll come back a better mother and girlfriend. They've been broken up since Zo turned 1 but apparently she just thinks they were on a break. Long story short, in a recent letter she mentioned that she was behind on car payments and to expect their car to be taken away soon. That happened yesterday. So he's trying to get another car but getting a car and an apartment at the same time isn't easy. This is also a busy season at work so he doesn't have much free time. He's trying to let her down gently but also not upset Ella at the same time. I know he wants to hurry and find a place but time is not on his side." Jace spills.

"I noticed security always gets increased at his job around this time. Anyways, that sucks. I gotta start talking to him more. I don't mind him staying here and if your parents really do move out then we'll have space for him and Zo. She still can't sleep through a full night by herself so we won't have to worry about a bed for her." My words hang in the air for a little bit allowing us both a chance to reflect on things silently. We both continue eating and finish our drinks.

"How come something is always happening? It's like none of us can catch a break." I mutter not really expecting Jace to respond.

"Well, the devil has to work ten times as hard to distract us from all the good things God puts in our life." Jace answers and I just huff.

"He do be working hard though." Jace smiles and I instantly laugh.

" you're such a clown Jace. Can't believe I married you sometimes." I speak after my laughter dies down.

"I can't either. Come on, Owen invited Sean and I out for some basketball and beer later. I need you to tell me if the fit looks good or not." Jace eagerly shoots up. That is just like him to get excited over basketball.

"You don't even like beer like that," I comment and he grunts disapprovingly.

"Right but this is a new spot. Owen swears it makes a difference. So I'm going to find out." Jace smiles deviously.

"You're such an alcoholic I swear! Don't drive if you're going to be drinking." I scold him although he hasn't done anything yet worth scolding him for.

"Hey, all of our dads will be there! Someone is bound to stay sober. Not me and my dad but someone."

"My dad and I." I correct him.

"I'm literally about to get drunk and you're correcting me. Tsk tsk tsk"

"Come here so I can slap fire out of you."

"No, ma'am. I am sorry love. I can't let you do that. Come let's go pick out my clothes." Jace rushes inside the house and races to our bedroom. I just follow slowly at my own pace. I haven't developed a waddle yet and I don't plan on getting it any time soon. I've been told if I move too fast, a waddle develops faster. I'm not convinced that's true but I'm not 100% convinced it's false.

"Aww look at da penguin." I hear Jace cooing.

"Rude! I do not waddle !" I yell at him, instantly offended. He steps out in the hallway to showcase his outfit with a confident smirk on.

"Awww you LOOK LIKE TRASH!" I yell at him and his face drops making me laugh. " Ouch, don't make me laugh. Oooo this baby is in a weird spot." I rub my stomach to try to get him to move but that absolutely never works.

"Let me try!" Jace races over and kneels in front of my stomach, "Hey there bub, you're making mommy a little uncomfy and I need her to be happy or else you won't come out happy." Jace starts blabbering on to the baby however he uses one hand to gently press down on the spot I was rubbing and surprisingly the baby moves.

"Screw you." I spit at him and he chuckles.

"Of course, that's Daddy's job." He smiles deviously. I just pat his cheek and roll my eyes.

"You wish, thanks though. This fit is atrocious by the way."

"As you've already mentioned. I'm going to ignore you because I know you're lying."

"Hmm am I though?"

"Yes, for some reason you hate to admit when I look good. Calling me ugly all the time. How about you go fix your eyebrows, oh wait YOU CAN'T!" Jace slams the door in my face. He's such a kid. I open the door and stomp through.

"Leave my eyebrows alone! They are FINE! Now give me a kiss goodnight." I demand and he sticks out his tongue at me. We immediately laugh and he places a tender kiss on my forehead.

"Don't wait up for me. I'm going to want to watch movies if you do."

"Alright, it looks like we'll be watching Pocahontas tonight."

"Take a nap at least please," Jace begs and I nod. He places a chaste kiss on my lips and then leaves to go out. I head back downstairs intent on cleaning up our mess outside to hear the sink running.

" Calm down, I got it girl. Xander and I cleaned up for y'all. Don't worry, he'll be with them tonight so no one will get too hammered." Glory reassures me.

"Thank goodness. And thank you for tonight. It was nice to sit and talk to him. I've been so busy with the funeral and the baby shower."

"S'all good love. This is the least I can do. I'm not sure if Jace told you but my parents and I will be out of your hair soon. I think Xander is staying to help out with the baby." Glory explains as she starts towel drying our dishes.

" I hope you know, I love having you guys around and I would never kick you out of your house."

" Aw we know. We just think it's long overdue for you guys to have a house to yourselves. Living in a 'squad' house must have been suffocating." Glory makes a disgusted face. I chuckle at her expression.

"I don't complain since I couldn't afford a place of my own but yeah it was pretty bad."

" Only guys would want to do something like that and not see a problem with staying that way. What's going to happen to the house anyways ?"

"Oh Maeve and Owen are staying there with their kids. Jack and Kira are staying. They're going to be splitting the house. All their schedules align so that there is always at least two of them home at all times so they think it's best to just keep living together. I suppose Sean will be moving here soon which means Ella and Liz will be dropping by."

" Aw man, those are my girls. I almost don't want to leave now."

"You have a key just come over whenever."

"True but I can't stay. My single heart can't take it all."

" Girl bye."

"Seriously though, got any single friends?" Glory wiggles her eyebrow making me snort which causes the both of us to giggle uncontrollably.

—————— Author's NOTE ————-
Heya, listen I'm horrible. Throw tomatoes at me in the comments. I'm updating this at work lol. Tell me honest thoughts! I feel like I'm hitting a wall as far as where to go next but it's really just me being scared of audience reactions. I just want y'all to love it and be happy reading this 🥲