Every Day [Bechloe Fan Fiction]

29) The One Where There's Peer Pressure

That night, the dinner table was the most crowded one Beca had been at in years. Aubrey sat on one side, with the baby in a highchair on the end of the table to her left and Claire to her right and Charlie next to Claire. Jesse sat on the other end beside Charlie. Then on the other side sat Beca, opposite Aubrey and Claire, and Fat Amy opposite Charlie.

The table wasn't very large so it was a little crowded, but everyone was happy enough. The room was filled with happy chatter about Fat Amy's spontaneous trip to LA and what they had all been up to.

At least, that was what they were trying to talk about. This was made harder by Brooklyn's constant screaming because he didn't want to eat dinner and the twins' yelling over everyone to have their own conversation. Aubrey apologied profusely for the mess that was dinner time as she tried to regain some control. 

"Come on, Brook, eat your dinner," she cooed desperately, putting a spoon to his mouth. "Come on, open up for Mommy..."

Just then a pea flew across the table and hit Aubrey right in the back of the head. She spun around, almost sending pureed vegetables across the room, glaring at the two guiltily looking twins.

"He did it!"

"She did it!"

They yelled, each pointing at the other.

Aubrey looked up at Jesse for confirmation, but he simply shrugged. This did not help Aubrey's mood.

"Alright." She snapped. "Now, I don't care who did it, as long as both of you be quiet and eat your dinner like civilized human beings. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Mommy..." came the meek replies.

Aubrey let out a sigh of relief, letting her head drop in her hands for a moment.

This didn't last long as her peace was quickly interrupted from a loud sniggering from across the table. Aubrey's heads snapped back up, her gaze settling on the twins.

They both looked horrified, shaking their heads violently.

"It wasn't me!" They both chanted, sticking their bottom lips out.

Just before Aubrey could really explode, a voice piped up from the other side of the table.

"It was me," Beca admitted, still hiding a smile. "I'm sorry. I just remember dinners like this so well."

For a minute it looked like Aubrey was about to tell Beca off too. Then she caught the eye of her calm, collected husband from across the room. He was smiling quietly to himself, letting the scene wash over him. Talking a deep breath, Aubrey followed his lead - as usual.

"Does it ever get any better?" She asked half jokingly.

"Nope," Beca shrugged. "They just learn more words to say and find more food to throw."

Aubrey let out a defeated groan, her head back in her hands. But this time it was different; this time she was smiling.

The children let out happy giggles at their funny mommy, before finishing the rest of their meal in peace - except for baby Brooklyn, who couldn't care less what his mommy was doing and just wanted to get down.

Once the twins had gone off to play again, Aubrey finally got to work finding out the answers to all her questions regarding 'new Beca Mitchell'. Fat Amy was used as her main source of information, seeing as she was the only one who had been to Beca's home. Beca was bypassed completely - not reliable enough in Aubrey's eyes.

"Why did she come back?"

"Because Bloe!"

"What's her daughter like?"

"Adorable."

"Why does she cry all the time?"

"She's broken."

"How did you find her?"

"I have my ways."

This went on for ten minutes before Jesse jumped in, putting a stop to the constant questions at last.

"Girls, she's right here, you know!" He cried, shooting Beca a supportive wink. Beca smiled back, relieved that the questions about her had finally stopped.

"Alright," Fat Amy said. "Then it's my turn for a question." She turned to Beca, who knew immediately what was coming. "Beca, what happened with Chloe today?"

So Beca retold the whole sorry tale. As she did so, she was reminded of Chloe's face. Not the old one that Beca loved, that was so full of life and love. But Chloe's new one, that was full of exhaustion and pain. It broke Beca's heart. Just like she had broken Chloe's.

"So not well then," Fat Amy admitted once Beca had finished.

"But not as bad as it could have been!" Aubrey added brightly, smiling supportively at Beca.

"What?" Beca cried, shocked.

"She's right, Becs," Jesse admitted. "Chloe hates your guts, you're lucky she didn't throw a shoe at you or something."

Beca dropped her head down hard on the table, covering her ears with her hands and groaning.

"Nice one, Jesse," Fat Amy rolled her eyes.

"But she didn't!" Jesse quickly backtracked. "That's good at least! There's hope there, right?"

"Hope?" Beca groaned. "I'm never gonna see her again."

There was outcry around the table. Fat Amy demanded to know why, frustrated that her efforts to get Beca back here seemed to have been wasted. Beca looked at her sadly.

"She shut me out, she doesn't wanna see me. I can't make her talk to me," she pointed out. "Besides, I don't know if I even want to see her. I've got my answer now. I just want to go home."

"Beca, you can't leave," Jesse said. "You've barely been back."

"Yeah, it's been great seeing you. And the kids love you," Aubrey agreed, reaching across the table to grab Beca's arm. Beca couldn't leave. Aubrey knew this was important to Chloe - even if it did hurt.

"Give it a few more days," Fat Amy begged.

Beca shook her head, once again feeling tearful. She knew they didn't understand. They didn't understand how much this hurt, how much pain she was in. How could they?

"No," she said softly. "I need to go home now."

"Wait until tomorrow," Fat Amy protested desperately. Aubrey's face lit up and she grabbed Fat Amy's arm excitedly.

"You should wait," she said. "Some of the Bellas are going out to the bar tonight, to celebrate old times. I'm sure everyone would love to see you!"

Fat Amy almost burst with excitement and quickly began begging Beca to come. Beca shook her head, afraid Chloe would be there. She pointed this out to Aubrey, who immediately shook her head.

"She hardly ever comes out anymore," Aubrey explained. "She'll probably stay home working. But everyone else will be there, I'm sure. Cynthia Rose is even coming down especially."

Beca chewed her lip, unsure. Then she caught Jesse's eye across the table. He shot her a supportive smile, leaning forwards towards her.

"You wanted to apologise to everyone," he said gently. "This could be a really great way to do it."

Beca let out a defeated groan, rolling her eyes.

"I guess it's time for a reunion then..."