Jens pov
After picking up Veronica from another day of school, I took her with me to the grocery store.
"Okay babe, I'm buying your lunches for school right now so pick some snacks that you want added in your lunch bag" I tell her as I pick out her lunches.
"Mama I wanna get these cookies so I can share with Miss Leah. She eats the same ones we always get!"
"Yeah? Go get them then" I tell her. She gets happy and grabs four packages of them. I start to laugh and places my hands on my hips. "Okay not that much. Just get two packages. We'll get more when you run out" I said. "Okay" she says and puts two of them back.
I get my phone out and take a picture of the cookies and sent it to Leah saying "Ver was thinking of you"
"She's the sweetest!!❤️"
I didn't reply but I did smile. Then I just continued to shop for food.
After shopping we went home. I unloaded all the groceries and cleaned up the kitchen while Veronica did her homework. I also started up dinner a couple hours after. Vanessa's coming over for an hour just to hang out so she's joining us for dinner too.
Once she got here I called Ver down for dinner.
"Auntie Nessa!" She gasps and runs up to Vanessa. "Hi my gorgeous little baby" she says and hugs her tight. I laugh and placed out plates on the table next to where all the food was ready.
We all sat at the table and started to eat.
"How's things going with Leah?" Vanessa asks me since we barely have time to catch up this week.
"Miss Leah and I are sharing snacks at school" Veronica says in a sassy way.
"Okay babe she was talking to me, Miss wanna share snacks with your favorite teacher." I tease her. She gives me this cute laugh. "Go eat your food" I tell her. So she listens and eats while me and Vanessa continue to have our own conversation.
"How was the club?" She asks me.
"It was fun. That was almost a whole week ago but she didn't drink which bothered me because she'd never drink whenever we went out as a couple. She wanted me to be safe and now she's doing it again. Because I know she likes to get wild time to time." I said.
"She knows you have a kid who she also loves. She wants everything to be fine.."
"Aww" I hummed. I smile a bit and scrunch my nose while looking down and playing with my food.
"I don't wanna fall for her again" I said softly. "Are you?" She asks. "I mean..if I had the chance to..I'd act on it but I won't."
"Just because of her issue with having a kid?" She asks.
"Yeah but I mean she loves Ver! She's being so friendly with me but I can't just be her friend. I'm so damn attracted to her.."
"That's no good"
"I knooow" I groan. "She had us still as her wallpaper on her phone and it made my heart flutter a bit. But I made her change it"
"She still cares about you I bet. She just wants to care about you in a friendly way. She wants you to be in her life still even though it can't be the way you want it to be." She says.
"Well I don't mind us hanging out a lot. It's fun"
"Just don't get your feelings hurt.. Again"
"I know" I said.
I know that Leah would still find me attractive though. She broke up with me but that doesn't mean she stopped finding me attractive. She's still attracted to me til this day I bet. I wish I could just help her with her little issue with having a kid. I feel like she's making it more of a big deal than she should. Hopefully having Veronica and I around her more would help. I remember she didn't even try and meet my daughter when she didn't know it's Veronica. Now she's all about her.
-
Leahs pov
"Miss Leeeeah!!" Veronica happily announces as she comes in my classroom. Everyone heard and everyone in her class already knows we have a bond. I have a bond with everyone of my kids but you know..Veronica is my favorite.
Jennifer walks in too and I see her holding my Starbucks drink.
"Hi lovely" I said to Veronica as she gives me a perfect little hug while I'm sitting at my desk. "Good morning. Mommy brought you croissant also" she says. I look at Jen whose kind of smiling and shaking her head but she looks super tired. Still gorgeous but tired.
"Thanks girl" I said as she hands me my drink and pulls out the croissant from her purse.
"Sorry it's not a venti today. I'm saving money but-"
"You don't have to get me Starbucks everyday! Especially getting me a croissant also? You're so sweet but if you're tryna save money don't buy me anything" I giggle.
Jen just presses her lips and looks down at her daughter.
"Show her what you have in your lunch bag" she says to her. Veronica pulls out the cookie me and her love. I gasp and smile at her. "We can share at lunch time" she happily says. "Yay!" I said.
"I gotta get going. See you tomorrow!" Jen says.
"Whose picking her up today?"
"Vanessa because I have a meeting so I won't be home till 6 sadly" she says.
"Oh okay! Then I'll see you tomorrow" I said. She says bye to both of us then leaves. Veronica goes to her cubby and puts her stuff there, then she sits at her table and talks to her friends till it was time for class to start.
"Bomb ass croissant" I texted Jennifer.
"Lol you're welcome"
The fact that she spends her money on me just to bring me food and a drink. Do I deserve her? No. But I'm lucky. I just wish our situation wasn't in the way. I still like her but getting back with her seems to be getting out of the question. It's better to hang out with her as a friend. It's been fun and we're both enjoying it.
-
It's almost the end of the day. It's lunch time and all the kids are outside playing and eating at the lunch and playground area.
Then I got a random call from Jennifer.
"Hello?" I said. "Hey! Leah I'm sorry I'm bothering. Hope you're not teaching right now"
"No I'm at lunch. Why?" I ask as I'm walking back to my empty classroom from the faculty room.
"Vanessa had a last minute emergency and my mom left town this morning. Are you busy after school?" She asks. I hear the worry in her voice because she obviously wants to make sure someone takes care of Veronica.
"No I'm free. I can stay till 6 if you need me to"
"No! That's too long. Can you just take her home with you and I'll pick her up after work??"
"Oh- yeah of course. Even better haha"
She sighs through the phone. "Ugh thank you so much!! I owe you!!"
"You don't owe me anything." I said. Then Veronica walks in my classroom alone.
"Speaking of the cutie.." I pause. "Here you go miss Leah" she says and hands me half of her cookie. "You don't want the whole thing?" I ask her. "No it's too big for me to finish. We can share" she says. I giggle and I hear Jen laugh also. "You hear this?" I ask Jennifer. "Yes oh my.." she says.
"Guess what? Your mom said you can go with me after school and we can go eat and get ice cream" I said. "Leah!" Jennifer exclaims and I laugh. "No ice cream. Just eat" she tells me through the phone. "I'm going with you after school?" She asks. Usually it's bad for an adult whose not the parent to just tell a kid that they're taking her home after school, so I gave my phone to Veronica just to clarify with her that her mom specifically confirmed that I can take her home.
"Yay!!" She says to her mom through the phone.
"Okaaay love you too" She says happily to her mom. Then quickly gives me back the phone. "Tomorrow I'll go to the office and update Veronica's emergency contact list and put you down. If that's okay" jen says.
"Yeah that's fine. Usually it's not since I'm a teacher but we can talk to them" I said. "Okay great. Well thank you sooo much again Leah. Seriously"
"Of course" I said. We said our goodbyes and hung up. I do owe her for watching my dog.
"So I can see Biscuit today??" Veronica asks. "Yes you can!" I said. She gasps and jumps happily. I can not contain her cuteness. She has a great combination. She's pretty for her age, personality is the sweetest just like her mom and she's really just the happiest kid.
After school and waiting for every parent to pick up their kid, it's just me and Veronica in my classroom. She helped me tidy up the place before we left.
"Ready?" I ask her. "Yup" shes said. So we left. I drove us to this taco place close to my house.
We get out of my car and walked inside. She was holding my hand because she felt kind of shy from the area but comfortable with me.
"Your mom sent me what you'd like on your tacos, hoe many do you want?" I ask her. "2!" "Okay that's what I thought" I tell her. "Do they have kids meal?" She asks.
"They have a kids combo which your mom suggested to me so I'll just get that for you. And did you want orange juice, iced tea or fruit punch?" I ask her. "Iced tea please" She says politely. "Mmkay"
I ordered our food which didn't take too long for them to make. Then we went back to my place.
I opened up my front door and she screams. I widen my eyes and see her run in my house towards biscuits gate.
I giggled then closed the door.
"Can I take her out please?" She asks. "Of course" I said and helped her lift her out above the gate. She smiles a lot and starts playing with her. I had to take a little video and send it to Jennifer. Then I went to the kitchen and placed out our food on the table.
"Are u sure you don't want a kid?" She bravely texts me.
"Lmao ur funny" I replied.
"Okay let's eat first. You can have her sit on your lap while we eat. I just don't want it to get messy" I tell her. She listens and goes to the table with Biscuit and starts to eat.
"She wants food too" Veronica tells me. I stop eating and get out of my chair to get the dog food. I hear Veronica gasp as I hear Biscuits collar jingling towards me since she jumped off of Veronica.
"She can eat this" I said. "Aww she's wagging her tail a lot" Veronica says. I smile and walk back to the table and sat across from her.
"Is it good?" I ask her. "Yeah! I think we had this taco before. I dunno" she shrugs. "Yeah your mom told me what to get you so I'm pretty sure you have haha"
"Is mommy at work?"
"Yes. She has a meeting"
"Ohhh"
We continue to eat and I kind of watched her time to time seeing her look around my place as if she's trying to get used to the area.
It feels normal having her here at my house. I see her everyday and treat her like mine. I'm just honored that Jen asked me for help. Of course I'd watch Veronica for her.
-
Jens pov
I'm on my way to Leahs house. I didn't even need her address because I remember how to get there.
When I got there, Leah opens the door and I give her a smile. "That was quick!" She says. "Was it?" I giggle. She lets me in and I don't see my daughter at all.
"Where's the little trouble maker?"
"She's hiding" Leah says as she closes the door. I hear a bark so I followed it and found them both hiding behind the couch. "Aw man Biscuit! Why'd you bark?!" Veronica asks. I laughed. Veronica gives me a hug and I carry her in my arms and attack her with many kisses causing her to laugh and push my face away.
"So cute" Leah says. "Haha thank you so much again! Seriously."
"No problem. I owed you. And anyways..Any opportunity I can take to spend time with her I'll accept" she says.
My smile fades a little and I look down at Biscuit. My other favorite.
"Yet we're still broken up huh?" I mutter. "Heh...what?" Leah asks.
I suck the insides of my mouth and looked at her again. "I just wanna know where we are here" I said and put Veronica down to let her play with Biscuit. "Well I do know we're friends" she says.
"Yikes"
"Jennifer what-"
"I really would love it if you'd explain what issue it is you have with not wanting a kid. You love Veronica. That's perfect for us. But you just want to stay as friends which is pretty hard for me and I don't know how you're handling it.."
"It's not something I'd like to talk about. I've already let out to you what's happened in my life. About my parents and family is something already hard enough to explain to someone and you're the only one who truly understood so-"
"Exactly. And I can understand your kid issue then too if you'd just tell me Leah"
"I can't"
I sigh and shake my head.
"okay..say goodbye to Miss Leah" I tell Veronica.
"Can we take the puppy?!"
"No baby" I said. "Awww" she whines.
We make our way to the door as Leah follows behind.
"Thanks again" I tell her with less enthusiasm. "You're welcome"she says. Then we left.
I've been thinking even more and I know for my own benefit that I can't only be her friend. I'm trying so hard but here and there I'll cross a line just to see how she'd react. I'd fight just to have her back.