The one thing Leafy didn't like about having a kid, was birthday parties.
Although she enjoyed talking to people she hated the parents in Grove's class and she hated making "small talk".
It always felt like the others judged her because they had never seen Grove's father, like they had some strange hatred for her because she was a "single mother"
She always felt uncomfortable, she was a lot younger than all the other parents and whenever the other father's spoke to her it always felt like they were leering at her.
Maybe that's why the mothers hated her...
Regardless, she attended them for Grove's sake, he was friends with kids and unfortunately for her Grove was very popular.
She groaned tiredly as the mother of the child's party Grove was going to texted her, reminding her once more to bring some extra sweets for the goodie bags.
"Do your own damn party prep next time bitch," she growled.
"What's up?" Firey asked from the living room.
"Just this mom asking to me to bring stuff to her kids party," she sighed.
"Weird, why isn't she doing it herself?" Firey asked confusedly.
"No idea, it doesn't even make sense these guys are rich," Leafy scoffed as she rolled her eyes.
Leafy told him about how she got no respect from the parents and how she was getting sick of being treated as lower than them, yet they didn't even know her.
"Well that sucks, why do you even go then?"
"I do it for Grove, I can't let my silly annoyances get in the way of his social life, I really hate them though ,"
"What if I went with you? Having someone there who you can talk to might help,"
Leafy thought for a moment as a smirk gradually formed on her face.
"Actually you should come, it might cause a bit of a stir if I showed up with a handsome guy, they'll flip once they find out we're married," she laughed.
"Oh, I'm handsome am I?" Firey grinned.
"Ah, hush up. Don't get big headed," she scolded jokingly.
"Hey, you said it not me," Firey said putting his hands up in mock defense.
And so a few hours later, Leafy, Firey and Grove pulled up in front of a house decorated for a child's party.
Grove hopped out of the car immediately, with Leafy and Firey walking behind.
After Grove knocked on the door, a small boy answered with a snooty looking middle-aged woman behind him, wearing far too much make-up for a kids birthday party.
"That's Rose, she's an absolute snot-faced bitch," Leafy hissed under her breath.
"Hello there Leafy, so glad you could make it!" Rose smiled as she shook her hand.
"It's so nice to be here! Thank you so much for inviting Grove," Leafy replied sweetly.
Firey couldn't comprehend how quickly Leafy could change her behaviour to match social situations, it was like a strange power she had that he would never master.
"And who is this," Rose asked, gesturing to Firey.
Leafy noticed how Rose stood up straight, puffed her chest slightly and fixed her hair while looking Firey up and down and she felt a sick sense of satisfaction and pride.
"This is Firey, he's my husband,"
Leafy relished the look of disappointment that appeared in Rose's eyes, sorry bitch he was taken.
"Oh, you never told us you had a husband," Rose said curiously.
"He's been away on business recently, we've been married for over five years we just haven't had time to properly spend time recently," Leafy explained.
"Five years? That means you got married rather young doesn't it?" Rose questioned.
"Engaged at nineteen, married by twenty doesn't sound too bad to me," Leafy smiled as she held Firey's hand.
"Some people think it sounds bad but I wouldn't have done it any other way," Firey added.
"How sweet, you're so lucky Leafy. Any who, come in and meet the others," Rose beckoned as she walked into the house.
...
Most people had a similar reaction to Rose but Leafy loved the attention, she found it fun to watch the other mothers indirectly flirt with Firey then awkwardly back off once they learned he was married.
There were whispers but Leafy had expected this, of course it would look strange that she just showed up with a good-looking man but she knew the truth and she just simply didn't care.
People were actually speaking to her and not just having her in the circle out of pity, people were taking an interest in her and she relished in it.
She didn't feel like she was being looked down on, the men weren't treating her like a piece of meat and no one was calling her a whore in secret.
They were actually being respectful.
...
Firey wasn't having the best time but Leafy seemed to enjoy chatting so he could grin and bare it.
He recognised the types of people around him, big, expensive jewellery, extremely nice "casual" clothes and clearly forced laughter. As soon as he walked into that room he knew one thing...
The majority of people in this room were lying pricks.
They flaunted their wealth, spoiled their kids and hardly spoke to their partners, these people weren't happy, they just thought they were, to Firey it was like a really bad soap opera.
Overall, he didn't do much talking, he didn't think anyone was interesting enough to talk with, he just felt second hand embarrassment from the horrible "flirting" he dealt with but Leafy and Grove made things better.
Leafy sat right next to him, clutching his arm and saying really nice things about him, he felt really proud of himself and slightly superior to the other guys there, he saw them looking at Leafy and although he wanted to box their teeth in, Leafy held onto him, he was hers and hers alone.
He also found Grove really entertaining, he was babbling to everyone, running around everywhere and overall just being a fun guy and everyone wanted to sit with him.
He came up to Firey and asked him to juggle and in return he would give him cake.
Firey did it, impressing all the kids who thought it was so cool that someone could just juggle, even Leafy applauded him as he sat back down, cake in hand.
After a while, Firey noticed that Leafy had become quiet and began observing more than talking, he thought it was strange but decided not to brinh it up.
...
"Thank you for coming you two, you were both absolutely wonderful," Rose called as Leafy and Firey walked to the car.
"Leafy, don't forget brunch is in Pebble's house next week!"
"Sure,"
Leafy strapped Grove in then got into the driver's street, slamming the door as she did so.
They drive in silence for a while, Firey occasionally glanced over at Leafy, her knuckles were white as they gripped the steering wheel and she had a scowl on her face.
"You alright Leafy, you seem... tense," Firey said uncertainly.
"I just find it stupid how everyone was actually nice to me today," she said simply.
"I thought that's what you wanted though?" Firey questioned slightly confused.
"Yeah, it is but I wanted them to respect me, the only reason anyone gave me any decency today was because of you," she snapped.
"What do you mean?" Firey asked genuinely not understanding.
"They only respected me because I had you AKA my husband, now that I'm no longer single, I'm normal," she complained.
"But respect is respect, it's better than it was isn't it?" Firey wondered.
"No, it isn't. I want them to respect me and I want them to see the hard work I do, I don't want respect just because I have someone else with me, it isn't real then," Leafy sighed.
"I've raised Grove by myself, I've worked so hard since you left to make sure he could have a good life, I accomplish more in a day than some of those women do in a year," she began.
"I've gotten promotion after promotion at work, I've been doing my best to teach Grove how to be kind and respectful, I've worked so hard and I've done it by myself,"
"I just want them to see how hard I try to do this right, I don't want people whispering about me, I don't want pity, I just want respect,"
Firey said nothing, looking at her sadly waiting for her to continue.
"They know nothing about you and yet somehow you've gotten for respect, it... hurts," she went on.
"It just makes me question everything I do, I want to be someone Grove can look up to, I want to know that I'm doing a good job," tears began to form in Leafy's eyes and her voice began to break.
"I-I just need to know if I'm a good mother, because right now I don't feel like one," she said as she succumbed to the emotions and cried.
Firey felt bad, he wanted to help her but he had never been very good at comforting people.
"I don't know what I'm doing, Firey, I don't..." the sentence stopped midway as the words just got caught in her throat.
Firey placed a hand on her shoulder, it was all he could do in that moment but he hated seeing her like this, she was such a happy person, tears just didn't look right on her.
For a moment there was silence until a tired voice from the back of the car said,
"I think you're good, mama"
Leafy lifted her head up, her eyes glistening with tears, caught slightly off guard but still with a sad look her face.
"You're the best mama in the world," Grove yawned.
Leafy put a hand over her mouth to stop the sobs but a flood of tears ran down her cheeks.
Firey watched her silently, something he hadn't thought was possible.
Leafy took a deep breath and composed herself, wiping her eyes and loosening her muscles.
Firey turned around to look at Grove but he saw that he was fast asleep in his car seat, the sight of his lolling head made Firey chuckle quietly, as he turned back he kissed Leafy on the cheek and in return he got a teary smile.
Nothing more was said after that and they soon arrived back home, after getting out the car Leafy picked Grove up and carried him in her arms up to the apartment.
As they stood in the elevator, she leaned against Firey tiredly.
Firey looked in the mirror of the elevator taken aback by the reflection of himself, Leafy and Grove.
They were close, the sight was strange, something he hadn't known he would ever see but it felt weirdly right, they looked like...
Well, they looked like a family, a safe, comfortable family.
He was transfixed by the sight, he didn't realise they were at their floor until Leafy walked out to open the door.
Leafy walked in and gently sat on the couch, still with Grove in her arms and she rested her head against the top of his, wordless and quiet.
"You gonna go to bed?" Firey whispered.
Leafy didn't look at him, her attention was set on the little boy in her arms.
"Five minutes," she whispered in response.
Firey nodded as he sat down beside her and placed an arm around her, Leafy turned her head and looked him in the eyes.
"Five minutes,"
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I wanted wholesome but suffering wholesome.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
XOXO
LeafCake