And Boyfriend Makes Three ♡ One Year Spin-Off

8. Social Circles

Waking up to your phone blaring on your nightstand is unpleasant in and of itself but when you volunteer to get up with the baby so that your girlfriend can get some much needed rest, the sound is like someone hitting you on the head with a hammer...repeatedly. 

I groan, reaching over to grab it. "Hello" I murmur lazily. 

"Seriously big brother" Jenny replies snippily. "Remember when we were younger and we'd have to be up at six in the morning on Sundays for church?" I take the phone away from my ear and yell a choice expletive before composing myself and bringing the phone back to my ear. 

"Jen, I'm a grown man who can make the decision to bring his family to church or not. Since I just fell asleep at three in the morning I chose not to."

"That girl has you taking care of her child?" she scoffs. I fume, sitting up on my bed. Something my family would never understand is how I felt that Leah was like my own daughter. Had Jason not stepped up I probably would've adopted her and made things official but I would never do that to Jason. 

"Sis, Molly is my fiancee and Leah is her daughter. Thus-."

"Are you still keeping up this charade?" she snips. "Big brother it's just the two of us, you can admit that you just made up that little engagement to get them off your back. I mean, I'm getting married anyway so at least they'll have a chance at grandchildren since apparently your girlfriend only lets loser fuckboys knock her up."

"Nice language sis and don't talk about Jason like that or Molly for that matter. It was an accident-."

"And that makes it better? You know what our faith believes about premarital intercourse-."

"Oh lord please don't call it intercourse like we're in a high school health class Jen. Sex. It's not a curse word and you won't go to hell for saying it."

"Whatever. That girl of yours is nothing but a sinning slut which brings me to my point of this call."

"Oh?"I question, climbing out of bed and heading towards the living room to make coffee. There was no way I was going to get through today without caffeine now that my sister had given me a migraine. "You didn't just call me to judge all my life choices?"

"No. I wanted to extend an invitation to my wedding as well as offer you the role of best man" she says sweetly, turning up the charm which means that the blow she's about to deliver will be catastrophic. 

"And what's the catch?" I ask expectantly as the bedroom door opens and I hear Molly's adorable yawn. 

"She can't come" she says simply and my heart drops. "She's not family and I know you're enjoying playing house but we all know it won't last. I don't want her there or the kid."

I feel Molly's arms wrap around my waist and I sigh. "I'm sorry sis but I can't then" I reveal. "Either she's included or I'm out. Talk to you later." With that I hang up and turn to face my fiancee. "Morning beautiful."

Her eyebrows furrow. "Who was that?"

"My sister. She wants to sit there and preach all about acceptance and inclusion and forgiveness" I spew, sitting up on the counter. "She acts all holier than thou and I'm sick of it. No one in my family respects my decisions and they all think that this is just some phase-."

"Baby you're talking a little fast. Wanna slow down" Molly pleads, placing her hands on my knees as she stands between my legs. "What happened?"

I sigh, looking down at her. "My sister doesn't want you or Leah at her wedding."

She laughs, backing away from me as the coffee pot beeps. "That's what you're upset about? Honey that's barely a shocker. Your family only kinda tolerates me because they think that there's a two percent chance we'll actually get hitched and they'll get stuck with me. I know they hate me and I hate that they take it out on you-."

"I can take it" I interject. "What I can't take is my family being disrespectful towards you. I'm not going to act like it's okay by agreeing to go to that wedding either."

"Okay" she agrees, handing me a cup of coffee. "Then don't but don't give up on them yet. They are your family and I would hate to be the rift that comes between you."

I smile, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her closer. "You'd be worth it." She laughs, shaking her head. 

"You're cute but definitely a little crazy if you truly believe that" she argues, reaching up to peck my lips. "I love you" she murmurs as we pull apart. 

"I love you too" I agree, closing my lips over hers once again. The kiss deepens and I carefully place my mug onto the counter as I slide closer to the edge until I'm able to hop down and lean against the cabinets. 

"Mm" she hums, pushing back finally after a couple minutes. "I need to go check on Leah and we uh we need to stop" she giggles with her hands splayed out across my chest. 

"What's the harm in kissing?" I ask confusedly. She chuckles. 

"Oh honey" she says, running her fingers through my hair. "Kissing leads to dangerous places. Places we cannot go. Thus, I am going to check on Leah."

I sigh, releasing my grip on her and watching her walk away towards the bedroom. 

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"So, I was thinking" Molly says, looking up at me from her spot on the floor where she was currently helping Leah stack blocks. I glance down at her curiously. 

"Oh? What were you thinking about?" I inquire. She smiles, leaning back against the couch. 

"Well, your entire social circle including both friends and family dislike me so maybe we could invite your friends over and they'll see that I'm not that bad" she suggests. I weigh the idea in my head. It wasn't that it was a bad idea, it would just be a lot like when I met Molly's friends for the first time. I wasn't uncomfortable per say, it was just obvious that we had little in common. 

"I suppose we could" I agree cautiously. "It's just-."

"I'll be on my best behavior" she insists. "I won't make crude jokes and I'll wear modest clothes" she lists but I shake my head. Despite the fact that her making those changes to her personality would make the evening go smoother they were things that I loved about her. Our differences could tear us apart but each and every time they try we fight back because we love each other and know that our relationship is worth fighting for. 

"Molls if you aren't going to be yourself then there's really no point" I argue. "I think we should do it but not as characters we're trying to portray for acceptance. Okay?"

"Are you sure?" she asks worriedly, glancing back at Leah for a moment as she begins to crawl towards the entertainment center. She dashes after her and I chuckle as she scoops her up and places her on her lap. 

"I'm sure" I confirm. I loved Molly and if my friends couldn't like her for her then perhaps it was time for me to find new friends. Molly's friends were different than me but we still got along, it shouldn't be any different for my friends with Molly. Everything would work out. "But uh, what are we gonna do with Leah?" I ask confusedly. 

"Oh, Jase will take her" she says nonchalantly. "We'll do it next weekend since it is his weekend anyway."

"Alright" I agree. "I'll text everyone and let them know."

"Great" she beams back at me before looking down at Leah. "Mama's gonna make some new friends" she coos. I smile down at her, hoping that she was right and that this wasn't a terrible mistake.