JeffMads Modern AU | Year 1 {Complete}

Spring Break pt. 1

"You can't marry him! Tiffany married him yesterday!" Anna threw down her Barbies in zealous rage.

Mary screeched at her sister instead of remaining civil. 

I looked over at Lucy who sighed. "I'm going to kill them." She looked over the top of her book. 

I chuckled at the monstrosity that was the Payne sisters. 

Dolley came down the stairs, holding two mugs of steaming hot chocolate. "I can't believe you can resist their terrors." She shook her head in disbelief as she handed a mug to me. 

"I think your sisters are... charming." I smiled at her. 

"Not more charming than me, I hope."

"Of course not." 

She pecked my forehead before sitting down, criss-cross applesauce next to me. We were on babysitting duty for the night while her parents went on date-night. They offered to get a babysitter so we could do our own thing, but I'd caught a minor cold, so staying inside in the giant house was ideal.

"Mary, let's not scream. Say your feelings to her."

"Dolley is a poopy-head. That's my feelings." 

"Hey!" Dolley tried to look offended, but she couldn't and was soon overcome with laughter. 

The rest of the evening was spent wrestling with her three little sisters, watching Frozen, and then, finally, tucking them into bed. That left the rest of the night for us.

"So..." Dolley swayed back and forth on her heels. "What'd you want to do?" 

I shrugged my shoulders. It had been almost a year since I had been in their gigantic house.

"Well, we can finally stop pretending to be together." She forced laughter.

"Yeah." 

"We can... no. I don't know what we should do." She shrugged her shoulders, reaching up to pull out her ponytail. "Want to call your boyfriend?" 

I instantly grew hot, knowing how red I got.

She giggled. "Oh, you thought I didn't know? You text him constantly... I know he's your boyfriend. There's four hearts by his name." She cocked an eyebrow, smoothing her wild hair. 

I couldn't resist a smile.

"Go talk to your boyfriend, lover boy. I'm gonna watch Teen Titans Go--the original." 

I mouthed a "thank you" before running off, holding onto my phone for dear life. 

When I reached the guest bedroom I was staying in, I called him. 

He picked up almost instantly.

"Hey, Jem, what's up?" 

He said it so casually, god, I melted. 

"Hello. I miss you." How lame was I being? 

"Miss you too. What's going on there?" 

"Not much. We're on babysitting duty, but the kids are asleep now." 

"Man, babysitting on break? That sucks. Wish you were here with me, having all sorts of fun." 

I laughed. "Who says supervising snotty toddlers isn't fun?" 

"Uh... only the whole entire universe." 

"Yeah," I chuckled, "you're right. God, you're always right." 

"Mmm and for once you're right."

"So," I said, changing the subject, "what's up with you?" 

"Well, I snuck off to the bathroom when I got your call. I was out listening to this jazz band at dinner, but you're far more important." 

"Once again, don't do anything stupid on that boat." 

"What is it with you and me doing stupid stuff on my cruise?" 

"You are the kind of guy that should never be on a boat." 

"And why's that?" I heard him smile from the bathroom on a boat on the ocean.

"Reasons." 

"Thomas." A deep male voice.

"Uh... one second. Yes, father?" Thomas' voice became muffled.

"Martha is waiting for you." 

"Tell her I'll be out there in a minute." 

I kept silent. 

"This is not how you treat your future wife, Thomas. Show a little respect. Be the man I raised you to be."

Everything in me froze.

"Yes, father. Just let me wash my hands." 

There were fading footsteps. 

"Okay, sorry, I have to go. I love you, James. I miss you and I can't wait to see you again." 

"I love you too." It was dry.

He hung up.

I don't think he knew that I heard. Future wife? What? The? Actual? Fuck? 

I crumpled onto the bed, processing what just happened. 

Wife. 

Maybe I heard wrong.

That had to be it.

There was no way. 

Maybe it was just a funny inside joke that I didn't understand. 

But, his dad sounded so serious.

I probably heard wrong.

I wasn't even supposed to hear that. 

I'd ask him about it in person. If I even remembered. See? If it slipped my mind by Sunday, then obviously it wasn't anything serious. 

I held on to that hope. That dumb hope. 

It was all a misunderstanding. That was it. Plain and simple.

A misheard word.

//hhhhh this short and IM SORRY. But, yeah, anyways... theories? I'm curious....//