Archive of Our Own

They say your wedding day was supposed to be the best day of your life. Promising yourself to your significant other. To love, care for, support, and be loyal to. For forever.

Jake stared into his reflection. Today was his wedding day. His big day.

His hands shook as he tried to do up his tie. He was nervous. But it was his wedding day. He practically had his vows memorized. He offered his reflection his wowing smile. What had caused girls, and boys, and a few others to grow weak in the knees. Yeah, he was getting married.

Jake stepped out of the bathroom. His father looked so proud of him. It was good to know he was happy. In a way this was a day for his parents too. Jake accepted the help in putting on his jacket, his father buttoning the suit for him.

“Are you ready?”

He smiled at his father, "Of course."

His father hummed, his brows raised in a pleased manner. "Wonderful."

Jake slipped on his shoes and tied them. He took another look in the mirror, the one in his hotel room was full length. He looked impeccable. Handsome. Perfect.

Exactly as he should on his wedding day.

His father brought him out to the car. Jake sat in the passenger seat, looking out at the passing buildings as they drove. He wondered what his friends would think. Him being married. Jake had been such a wild card, and now he was getting married.

Was it normal to be this nervous? Surely so. But Jake wouldn’t get cold feet. He wasn’t scared of commitment.

"Jacob."

Jake looked over. His father was staring at him as they were stopped at a red light. His father had dressed up extra nice for the wedding. His best man. His mother was waiting at the courthouse for them. His parents were proud of him, happy to give him away on his big day.

"Remember to smile."

Had he stopped? He must have been in his own head over everything. He showed his perfect teeth, his father humming in approval. The light turned green, butterflies filling Jake’s stomach.

A family friend got the door for Jake as they pulled up. He stepped out, his father quickly rounding the car to join him. The keys were passed to the friend, just father and son walking up the courthouse steps.

Guests waited inside. Not many. More would be at the reception. His future in-laws looked so pleased to see him. Jake smiled at them. His hands were shaking. He clasped them behind his back to stop the quake in his fingers.

"You look wonderful, Jacob,” his mother patted his cheek.

"Thank you, Mother," Jake kissed her cheek in response. His in-laws-to-be seemed impressed. He greeted them properly, squeezing his own hand once he was able to. He was nervous. He felt nauseous. But it was just nerves.

It was his wedding day after all.

They were brought into the courtroom. Jake stood in front of the judge, another family friend. His father stood nearby, supporting him without word or touch. His mother sat in a chair next to his future in-laws.

Jake stared down the room to the doors. They opened, his future bride stepping through. Her dress was beautiful. Her bouquet clutched in her hands. White flowers. White dress. White veil covering her face. Her brown hair flowed over her shoulders. Jake couldn’t see her all that well, but she was beautiful. Perfect.

He saw her fingers twitch as she practically glided down the aisle to him. She was nervous too.

They were quite the pair.

His bride stood next to him, the veil still hiding her face. She appeared to have a slight tremble in her shoulders. Jake could relate. He felt clammy. Sick perhaps?

It was just nerves.

The judge spoke, though Jake hardly registered the words. He heard himself saying his vows. Heard his bride saying hers. Did anyone object to their marriage? No, of course not. Jake and his bride were meant to be. Obviously.

Jake pulled his bride’s ring from his pocket. A family heirloom. The stone was nearly too much, but it served a purpose. Jake slid the ring on his bride’s finger. Shaking hand now holding another shaking hand.

His bride gave him his ring. Her head was ducked. Was Jake smiling? He tugged his lips up. Yes. Yes. He was happy.

Jake was instructed to lift the veil. He did. He looked into the eyes of his bride. She was beautiful. It was their wedding day. Her ruby red lips glistening. He was so hap—

He was terrified. He was seventeen. Who the fuck gets married at seventeen?! His bride, Chloe, was crying. She was hardly able to hold herself upright. She was miserable, small whimpers escaping her lips. Her eye makeup was somehow still intact. She was good at crying and preventing a mess.

They didn’t want to be here. They wanted school. Friends. Homework. Extracurricular activities.

Instead their parents had signed them over, forced them together. Both didn’t have a choice in the matter.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss."

Jake leaned in and quickly kissed her. Chaste. He didn’t want to invade her space. He had only met her one time before, she deserved the respect.

His parents would expect a child within a year. He didn’t even know her. He didn’t know her last name, and it didn’t matter. It was his last name now. They would return to school on Monday. Their friends would know. And they would lie, say they wanted it. Because that was what they had been told to do.

Jake took Chloe’s arm, the two of them walking back out to the car. They sat in the backseat, opposite sides. Jake finally broke, hot tears rolling down his face. Chloe curled up into a ball, not looking his way as she cried. No one bothered to care about what they wanted. They would have to pull it together before the reception, the family friends would hate to see them sad.

They say your wedding day was supposed to be the best day of your life.

Jake viewed it as a death sentence.

-

They weren’t back to the hotel until after dark. Yet another family friend keeping guard outside their room. To make sure they didn’t run.

The reception had been an event. Jake and Chloe deserved awards, they had acted so well. Pretended to be in love. They had smiled and laughed, shared quick kisses when it was requested of them. They had danced. Jake had practically been forced to climb under Chloe’s dress and remove the garter she had been forced to wear. He had kept his eyes closed the entire time. Chloe had appeared mortified. Guests had cheered for him when he returned with the garment in hand, Jake had held Chloe close during the next dance and apologized a hundred different times.

"Oh!"

Chloe turned, rushing across the room and hiding in a corner. She burst into tears again, holding herself. Jake looked, cringing at the sight of lingerie that had been set out on the bed. Did they expect her to wear that? Of course they did. It was disgusting.

Jake grabbed the sorry excuse for clothing and dropped it in a trash can. He made his way over to his suitcase, pulling out a pair of plaid pajama pants and an old t-shirt.

"Here," Jake set the clothes on the dresser. He sat in a chair and offered his wife a smile. "It’s not much, but it’s actually clothing.”

Chloe turned, staring at the items Jake had offered. She sniffed, clutching the items in her shaking hands. She lifted her dress a bit and kicked off the heels she had been wearing all day, threw the veil to the floor. With that she glided into the bathroom, clicking the door shut.

"Thank you."

Jake stared at the door, "You’re welcome."

He heard the shower turn on. Knowing she was preoccupied Jake busied himself with changing out of his suit. He piled the wedding clothes into a pile, kicking the things into a corner. He flinched at a knock to their room door. Jake answered, their guard eyeing him up and down.

"Where’s the missus?"

Jake hated that name for her, "Showering. What do you want?"

He was handed a suitcase, "This is for your lady. But if you want to dig around and find out what covers that fine ass on a day to day basis I won’t judge."

Jake slammed the door shut. That was disgusting. That man was likely twice their age. Jake set Chloe’s suitcase down on the dresser. Now she could wear her own pajamas if she wished.

Chloe shuffled out of the bathroom, her hair in a towel. Her face was clear of makeup, revealing that she had turned a bit red from crying. Her eyes were bloodshot.

Chloe approached her bag, opening it and rummaging through. She let out a frustrated huff, slamming her fist down on the dresser.

"They took out my pajamas."

"You can still wear mine, I don’t mind."

Chloe zipped up the bag and turned to Jake, "Your father is paying for this hotel, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then order room service, I want chicken nuggets. I don’t know what they tried feeding us earlier but it was disgusting."

Jake found the menu. She had a point. They could at least try and fuck over their parents on their wedding night. Jake felt his eyes widen as he watched Chloe grab a wine bottle from the mini fridge and begin drinking straight from the bottle. No glass.

Their guard glared at Jake as he accepted the room service trays. Chloe and him sat on opposite sides of the bed and munched on their late night snacks. Jake had grabbed a beer from the fridge, the two of them silent as they indulged.

"Are we…"

Jake looked up at her, finding Chloe clutching her wine bottle in a white knuckle grip.

"…Sex."

Jake nearly choked on his macaroni. He had slept with people he had known less than her. Drunken parties tended to lead to hooking up with strangers. But he couldn’t do that to her. He didn’t want to do that to her. This wasn’t a party. This was torture. A business transaction. A farce.

"It’ll be a cold day in hell before I’ll sleep with someone I was forced to marry."

"They’ll want me to have a kid, we’ll have to do it eventually."

"We can lie and say we’re trying. It’s not like they’ll watch us to prove it."

Chloe nodded, tears rolling down her face, "Thanks."

They cleaned up their dishes, empty bottles of alcohol were gathered up. Jake grabbed a spare blanket from the closet and took a pillow from the bed. He settled on the couch in their room, Chloe staring at him from her spot on the bed. She had taken off the towel on her head, currently brushing out her hair.

"You don’t have to—I can sleep on the couch—"

"I’m already here."

Chloe hung her head, setting her brush down on a nightstand. She tucked herself under the blankets on the bed, her back towards him.

"Thanks."

They turned on the television so they could have some background noise. A bit of light in their darkness of a union.

Jake didn’t know her. Didn’t love her. But he would do what he could to make this shamble a bit tolerable for her.

-

Going to school felt weird. Did his classmates know? If they did…did they know it was a lie? Jake…he hadn’t ever felt so powerless. Chloe didn’t have it much better.

"Hey man."

Jake turned his shoulder, Rich grinning up at him. Fuck. He wasn’t ready, he—

He had told himself last Friday evening, that he would finally make shit official with Rich on Monday. And then marriage had been thrown on him. Rich couldn’t be his boyfriend. Not when he had a wife. It wasn’t fair to Rich or Chloe.

"Hey," Jake nodded his head in acknowledgment. He needed to rip the bandaid off. "Can we talk?"

Rich followed him into the library. Jake didn’t make eye contact as he explained what he could. He was a married man now, legally bound to someone else. He showed a photo of the wedding that he had been sent. Their fictional romance looked real enough in the photo, but Jake could see his own discomfort in the image. Could see the red tinge of Chloe’s eyes hiding beneath her practiced smile. They had both mourned their loss of childhood, they still were mourning.

"You’re fucking kidding, right?" Rich sounded so dumbfounded. "Y-You’re a kid still."

Jake shook his head. He knew it sounded crazy. “Underage marriage is still legal here with parental consent. My parents signed the documents on my behalf.”

“Why the fuck would you even agree to that?! I—” Rich held himself. “I thought we—”

“It’s not my choice. But…I had to. I’m sorry.”

Rich backed up, “Just stay away from me. Don’t talk to me. I—” He looked close to crying. “Fuck you, Jake.”

Jake didn’t chase after him. There went his best friend. He hadn’t had…steady. In a long time. And now he had lost it. It wasn’t like he could keep being legally married a secret. Especially with Chloe transferring to his school. Their parents wanted them to spend all their time together. In their eyes constant interaction would make them get over their distaste for marriage. As if it would make them suddenly fall for each other. Chloe would be starting in a few days. Only rubbing salt in the wound of Jake and his pathetic breakup. It wasn’t her fault.

Jake drifted through the day. The rumor mill did its job, spreading the news of his marriage. People looked on in shock. Jake just tried to act normal. Because if he didn’t people would be hurt. Rich would be hurt. And he wouldn’t hurt him anymore.

It was no secret that Jake’s family was…powerful. Jake had been hoping to escape before he could be roped into the shady bullshit. Now? He wasn’t sure if he could run and keep those he cared for safe.

Jake made his way home after archery practice. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could stand the staring. Even the coach looked at him weirdly. He had to act like all was fine. Like he wasn’t scared. Like his situation was perfectly okay. Like he wanted to be married to the girl he hardly knew.

“Welcome home, Jacob,” his mother greeted. “The Valentines are here to join us and make sure Chloe is settled in.”

Jake stopped in his tracks, “Settled in? Mother, what does that mean?”

His mother looked bored, “She’s your wife, Jacob. She will live with you, sleep with you, please you, like a good wife.” Oh god this was much worse. “Go get cleaned up. We want photos of our first family dinner.”

Jake silently retreated into his room. He tossed his backpack to the floor, face planting on his bed. He couldn’t even try to pretend to be sick. Everyone would know. He was sick of the act and it hadn’t even been a week.

“Fucking tell me about it.”

Jake flinched, scrambling back up. Chloe was standing out on his balcony, looking out as the sun began to set. Jake couldn’t see her face, but she looked pretty. Her dress was green, flowers adorning the fabric and flowing with the light breeze. Jake stepped out to join her, finding she had a weed pen between her fingers. Jake sighed, leaning against the railing with her.

She passed the pen to him, “I asked for my own room. They laughed at me. Your house is nice.”

Jake had only ever smoked joints, he didn’t quite understand how the pen worked. So he just held it while Chloe picked at her nails.

“Thanks. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“We can switch, it’s only fair.” Chloe hummed, taking back her pen. Vapor escaped her nostrils on the exhale. Jake hadn’t known of her nose ring until now. She must have kept it out during their other two meetings.

“How fucked is it that we’re doing this?” Jake asked, staring out at the property. “Discussing sleeping arrangements. This is so fucked. We’re fucked! This is crazy!”

Chloe ducked her head, a wet sniff emerging from her. Fuck. He hadn’t meant to make her cry.

“I want to go home!”

She sounded so scared. Jake knew how she felt. He cried next to her, two kids wallowing in their misery.

“All my classmates think I’m a slut!” Chloe blubbered, pocketing her pen in her dress. “They think I got knocked up and I had to marry you! My best friend wouldn’t even look at me today! And now I’ll just vanish! I can’t even explain myself!”

Jake wiped at his face, “Fuck! I’m sorry.”

“Me too.”

They both moved to a bench, Chloe examining his arm with his archery glove. He didn’t have time to explain, he had spent too long crying. Jake got up, making his way inside. He got changed, dressing in nice clothes for dinner. When he emerged from the bathroom Chloe had her makeup touched up. She really did look beautiful. It was a shame. He didn’t have any reason to dislike her.

The rings on their fingers felt so foreign. Jake offered her his arm, the two of them walking down to the dining room together. They played their act. Smiling and acting happy for their in-laws. Photos were taken of them. Chloe kissed him after being encouraged to by her parents. Jake felt numb.

“So wonderful, our first family dinner,” Jake’s mother beamed. “Chloe, the rest of your things will be delivered tomorrow. And with homecoming this weekend I feel that you two should go shopping tomorrow instead of attending school.”

“Your first event with your friends since your wedding, we don’t want them to feel that you forgot about them with your eagerness to get married,” Chloe’s mother added.

Eagerness. Sure, that was the word. It made it sound like the whole thing had been their idea. Jake struggled to keep his mouth shut. He wanted to kick and scream. Throw things. Express something real.

Jake found it easier to get through the night once they had wine on the table. Chloe was quiet, her eyes turning red throughout the meal. No one noticed their less than sober states. Too caught up in their perfect fictitious arrangement.

After dark they were finally released from the table. Jake and Chloe took turns showering and getting ready for bed. It was odd, seeing Chloe’s things in his space. Her hairbrush on the vanity. Her toothbrush next to his. Makeup cases in his cabinets. Her soaps along with his in the shower.

He didn’t want it to be his new normal. But he wouldn’t let that be Chloe’s fault.

Jake settled on the floor, staring up at the dark. Chloe was quiet from her spot. This sucked.

“What…what did they do to convince you?” Jake asked, breaking the silence. “To get you to not kick and scream while they signed you over.”

Chloe was quiet still, a long silence.

“College. They agreed to let me attend in France. I turned in my application the other day. We’ll get a break from each other while I’m in school. You?”

“My father threatened to hurt my best friend. So we need to stay together until we graduate college? That’s not too bad, right?”

“They’ll force a kid on us by then.”

“I’m not fucking you.”

“They froze my eggs. They’ll do the same thing to you with sperm, hire a surrogate, make sure that we can’t escape. No sex required.”

“Fuck.”

Was this how his life was going? How? He was supposed to worry about his grades not being a good husband!

“And to think a week ago I was thinking about homecoming dress colors!” Chloe groaned.

“We…we can give the kid up for adoption. People do that all the time. Or co-parent. Divorce happens. They won’t force us to be parents while we’re still in high school, that’s shameful.”

“We’re fucking doomed.”

Jake sighed, staring up at the dark ceiling. She was right. There was no escape for them.

They were doomed.

-

“Chloe?” Jake felt so ill. He was scared. How the fuck had he made it home?

He had mentioned divorce to his father one time and then he gets fucking jumped?! His mother was out of town on vacation, she couldn’t scold him for looking like such a mess. His father was still at the country club. It was just Jake and Chloe in the house.

“Chloe?”

He fell to his knees, pain setting in. He wished Rich was there. Rich didn’t talk to him anymore. He had lost his best friend.

“Jake?! Oh my god! What happened?!” Chloe rushed into the room, pulling him to his feet. His new best friend.

“I suggested a divorce.”

Chloe brought him up to their bathroom, grabbing a rag to wipe at his bloodied face. She looked pissed.

“Why the fuck would you mention that?! You know we can’t! I need to go to college, Jake!”

Jake winced, “Because we’re fucking miserable, Chlo. Neither of us can get a date as it is.”

Chloe sighed, sitting down with her back against the tub wall. Jake followed, less than gracefully landing on his ass. The harsh lighting left nothing to hide. They were broken. No longer real people, just dolls playing dress up for their parents.

“Why would I want a date? I’ve got my dumbass of a husband waiting up for me at home,” Chloe wiped at a cut on his arm.

Jake let his eyes close. He felt so useless. Why couldn’t he get this right? He wanted his old life back.

It was pathetic. He had a beautiful wife. He had been accepted into Harvard. He was a success in every sense.

“Fuck,” Chloe tossed the rag at the sink, landing in the bowl. She rested her head against his shoulder. “Thank you for caring about my happiness.”

“I was being selfish.”

Chloe hummed, squeezing his hand, “Either way, thank you.” She moved to sit in front of him, brushing his hair out of his face. “This sucks. Y’know, in another world…I think I would have actually fallen for you. I wish we had been given a chance.”

They never spoke of it. But they were a good couple. They only ever spoke of how they wanted out one day. But Jake would be lying if he said he didn’t think Chloe was quite possibly the perfect person for him. She was bitchy, she didn’t let him be an asshole, but she knew what his life was like. They connected. They were two fucked up puzzle pieces that fit together to make a beautiful picture.

He wanted to love her the way his parents viewed their relationship. But…it felt wrong. He couldn’t fall in love with her. She was his closest companion, and he cared for her, but he was scared to even look at her sometimes.

“You’re so pretty it makes me sick sometimes,” Jake whispered.

Chloe laughed, a broken noise. Her eyes welled up. He was good at making her cry.

“You can’t say that,” Chloe whimpered. “We…I don’t want them to be right. We don’t—we’ve been stuck together for nearly a year. I—”

“I’m sorry.”

Chloe reached for his hand, her thumb brushing over a bruise. They fell quiet. Chloe silently bandaged a few cuts, but not much could be done. He was fine, he would never be injured in a major way. This was a warning. A scare tactic. How dare Jake want to find real love, his father had already found him a bride.

But Chloe deserved her dreams too. So he could tolerate it. For her.

“I cheated on you when you were visiting your parents,” Jake confessed. It had been eating at him for a while now. She deserved honesty.

“We’re married, not involved,” Chloe shrugged. She didn’t seem upset.

“It was with a guy.”

“Jake, honey, I’ve seen you stare at guys a lot. It’s okay.”

Jake blinked at her, his head throbbing. Why wasn’t she mad? He was a disgrace. He—

“Besides, I’ve cheated on you too,” Chloe hummed. “Do you remember Brooke?”

Jake nodded. She had been so nice in their few meetings. Wait—

“You cheated on me with Brooke?”

Chloe shrugged, “We’re both shitty people. And we’re both not straight.”

Jake continued his slide to the floor. He missed when life had been normal. He wanted that. Not…whatever the fuck they had going on now.

“We should go to pride in France before you go to school,” Jake stated. “Say we’re going on a late honeymoon or something so our parents don’t bother us. We can mutually cheat on each other, get two hotel rooms. And my parents will be paying. We can get wine drunk.”

“I do like wine,” Chloe chuckled. “That sounds nice. Good summer plan. I’ll mention it to your mother when she comes back, she loves it when I talk about planning things with you. She’s convinced I’m infatuated. She asks me if I’m pregnant all the time.”

“Joke’s on her, I don’t even look at your boobs.”

Chloe laughed, stumbling to her feet. “Your loss, I’m hot as fuck.” She helped him off the floor, handing him his bathrobe. She walked out of the room so he could shower.

Jake stood under the hot water, his body wincing against the heat. He ignored the pain. He had been beaten by his father’s employees, this was nothing.

He rationalized that he did love Chloe. Just not in the way people would expect him to love his wife.

“Do you want anything from downstairs?” Chloe asked when he emerged from the bathroom. “Crackers? Water?”

“Divorce papers?”

“Ha ha. You’re funny. I’ll get you some water.”

They now split their bed. A barrier of extra pillows gave them their own space. They both didn’t like sleeping on the floor, this was the compromise. Jake thanked Chloe for the water when she returned, his body aching from his warning beating. He was exhausted.

When the day eventually came for them to divorce they would have to do so silently. But that wasn’t exactly a difficult thing. Jake could keep a secret.

And if his parents disowned him for it? At least he would be out of school by then.

-

“I’m ready to be out of here,” Chloe stated, her voice slightly crackled over their phone call. “I’ll admit it, I miss our bed.”

Jake looked over, finding Chloe’s side of the bed undisturbed, “Yeah? I managed to switch it out for two twins.”

“Fuck off, Dillinger!”

Jake laughed, getting up to walk around the room. He stepped outside to the balcony, seating himself on the bench. “My mother is talking about throwing a bash to celebrate your return. She’s a bit upset that I’m insisting we move out once you’re back.”

“You mean she wants us to keep theoretically fucking in her house? I want separate rooms again!”

“You hurt me Chloe, I thought you liked sharing a bed with me.”

“You snore sometimes.”

Jake rolled his eyes. He let Chloe talk about her finals. He had finished school a bit earlier than her, but he was happy to have his diploma and be done. Jake had already gone on a few house tours, and he found one that he hoped Chloe would like. When she came back he would let her do a tour as well, and if she didn’t like it they would keep looking together. They wanted to be properly settled into their own home before going about their divorce. They intended to share a home for at least a few years after splitting, they needed their own space inside the home.

“My mother is also insisting that I start thinking about baby names,” Jake sighed. “She thinks our focus should solely be on children now that school is out of the way. She’s going to ask you about baby names too.”

“I don’t…pregnancy is genuinely my worst fear,” Chloe groaned. “I don’t think I could ever do that to my body.”

She had expressed this in the past, Jake knew. “She’s still going to insist we get down and dirty. We need a baby name that sounds like we are actually thinking about it.”

“Charlotte. I’ve always liked that name. It can be our made up baby name.”

“Charlotte it is.”

“What if we tell your mother that I’ve spent the past six years pegging you?”

Jake laughed, sliding back a bit in his seat, “Do you want them to give me the money to buy us a house or not? No pegging allowed, fictional or not.”

“Lame.”

“I’ll be at the airport to pick you up on Monday,” Jake was still smiling over the thought of his mother being told Chloe was pegging him. She would have a heart attack, surely.

“Right. Monday. I can’t believe I’m graduating. My friends and I are going on a hiking trip to celebrate afterwards. I’ll send photos when I get back.”

“Okay.”

“Are you getting tired?” Chloe teased him.

“Dude, it’s the middle of the night over here.”

“Oh. Right. Sorry, I’ll let you go to bed. Sweet dreams.”

“G’night, bitch,” Jake hummed, ending the call. He made his way back inside and went to bed. He was exhausted.

They were so close to freedom. College degrees. Soon they would have their own home. Jake was in the process of job searching. They were on the cusp of independence.

He attended a few interviews over the next few days. If he could get a job it would be an excuse to stay out of the house and not have his parents encouraging him to sleep with Chloe once she was home.

It was…disturbing. How much they wanted to know of his sex life.

“Hello Mother,” Jake greeted her as he walked in. He intended to go for a run before dinner. Time out of the house was nice.

“Jacob sit down,” His mother pointed to a couch.

What? Had he done something wrong? Jake sat. His confusion grew as his father walked in, Chloe’s parents at his side. What were they doing here? Chloe wasn’t set to come home until Monday.

Chloe’s mother looked…off. As did her father. Why were they visiting? Was it a birthday?

“Jacob, Chloe was in an accident,” his mother stated.

Jake blinked. What did that mean? Were they testing him? Seeing if he would act like he cared?

“She went out hiking with some friends after graduation yesterday,” his father explained. “There was a mudslide. Authorities are still searching for a body, but she’s gone.”

Jake twitched, “You’re fucking with me.”

Chloe’s mother actually shed a tear, “We are to gather her things for her. Her roommate said she had taken her ring off so it wouldn’t get dirty. We fly out tomorrow.”

They…they weren’t lying to him. Chloe, she…

“Excuse me,” Jake fled from the room. He shut himself in his bedroom, why was it so hard to breathe? He fell to his knees, sobbing into his palms. How could this…

They had been so close! Freedom had been in their grasp! Their plans! The years of patience!

And she was just…gone.

They would find her body, surely. She…she couldn’t just be gone. They were supposed to make it out of their hellish lives.

Jake wouldn’t know what to do without her.

He didn’t leave his room. He stayed inside, locked up with no interaction. For once his parents left him alone. His refusal to socialize was likely the biggest selling point he had ever made in making the relationship seem real.

Jake blinked, staring up at the ceiling. He had gotten what he wanted in the end, right? He was free.

Being free was pointless if Chloe couldn’t be there with him to bask in it.

He lost track of time, the days locked away. Eventually hunger pulled him out of his dwelling. He showered, made himself look presentable. He sat alone in the dining room and finally put food into his system. He had to keep going. Chloe would hate him if he didn’t try to thrive in his freedom. She would call him a dumbass and roll her eyes at him.

He wanted her to be there. An eye roll would be nice.

“Oh good, you’re actually up,” his father looked bored with him. “Don’t take too long, we need to get moving.”

“Why?”

“To see your wife.”

She was okay?! Why wouldn’t they have said something sooner?! Jake hurried to get his shoes on, following his father out to the car. They usually didn’t speak, but today the silence felt almost painful. Why not say something sooner? Did they like torturing him that much?

They were brought into a private room in the hospital. Jake just needed to see her, to know she was okay. That was all. He couldn’t believe they had found—

“That’s not Chloe,” Jake stated the obvious. A random woman with brown hair was asleep in the hospital bed. His skin crawled at the sight of Chloe’s wedding ring resting on her finger. His father didn’t seem disturbed.

“That isn’t Chloe,” Jake repeated himself.

“Of course it isn’t,” his father snapped at him. “She’s gone, Jacob.”

“You said we were going to see her!”

“What’s left of her,” his father clarified. “Until we say so, you will refer to this woman as Chloe. She will be your wife.”

“What?! Father, that’s insane!”

“Nine months is all we ask,” his father shrugged. “Until the baby arrives, play pretend.”

Jake felt himself tense up, “Baby?”

His father gestured to the sleeping woman, “We hired this young woman. She is carrying your baby. She will carry the child while in a vegetative state, and we will tell everyone that Chloe died during childbirth. We have a baby that is yours and hers, this young woman gets a lovely paycheck, and she doesn’t speak a word.”

“That’s horrible!”

“It was Chloe’s wish that she carry the baby, understand?”

Jake felt sick. This was wrong. So very wrong. He wasn’t ready to be a parent. This woman didn’t deserve to be tortured like this! Nine months of her life—gone!

“Do Chloe’s parents know—”

“It was their idea. Yes.”

Jake took off his wedding ring and pressed it into his father’s hands, “You’re disgusting! I’m done!”

“You aren’t done, you’re an expecting father.”

Jake pinched the bridge of his nose, “What do you want from me? You took my childhood. You made me marry a stranger. I’ve been loyal to a woman I didn’t know for nearly six years! And now what?! I raise a baby that neither of us wanted?!”

“You would have a child eventually either way, this is just speeding up the process. We had to act fast, before word could break of Chloe’s passing. Now people think she’s here. She can die once the baby is born.”

“Fuck you!”

Jake stormed out, leaving the hospital and marching down the street. His grasp on reality was slipping. Nothing felt real anymore. He was angry. He was miserable. He missed his best friend. Had he really lost one again?

If he was going to be forced to be a parent…he would be honored to have Chloe’s baby.

And he would make sure his child never had to go through what they had.

-

Jake stood guard, watching his daughter run around the playground. She was a brilliant girl. Jake was trying to make sure she didn’t end up as stressed as he had been in school. He was working on checking his ego. It wasn’t always easy, but he was trying.

He was free. Kind of. Charlotte was both his key to independence and the chain keeping him grounded. He had insisted his parents have no contact with the baby. They had insisted that they deserved to spend time with her, if not for them she wouldn’t exist after all.

When Charlotte started school a new system had been implemented. Two nights a week she would spend the night with her grandparents. Jake spent his time reversing the brainwashing and guilt tripping and lies they filled her with. Yes, his daughter could wear pants if she wanted. Yeah, he let her color her hair when she wanted. She was allowed to be whoever she wanted.

Jake was fairly sure he was winning the battle in terms of parenting. Char always seemed relieved when he came to pick her up. She figured out the game her grandparents played. She knew that Jake was the one who really cared about her.

Char had a gift for dancing. Jake watched her play with a handful of kids. Char the teacher, the others her students. He had enrolled her in lessons, an excuse to keep her out of his parent’s grasp a bit more.

He didn’t have his daughter in a million different activities like his parents had done to him. He let her choose what she wanted, they honed the talents she discovered on her own.

She was doing horribly at violin, the activity his parents had insisted she pick up. Jake never had her practice at home. She didn’t want to, he didn’t make her.

Another parent sat on the other side of the bench he was on. He ignored her, playing on his phone while keeping an eye on his daughter. It looked like the kids were playing tag now, running around the playground equipment while laughing and screaming.

“Which one is yours?”

Jake looked up from his phone. The parent next to him seemed shy, hiding behind her hair and hood. Jake didn’t really…socialize. He had partners over when Char wasn’t home, but nothing was ever serious. Other parents of the dancers tried to talk to him, but he didn't let things go anywhere.

One dead wife ruined all hopes for a real romance in his life. He wished it wasn’t true, but it was.

“Uh, right there,” Jake pointed to Char. “Brown hair, purple jacket.”

The other parent squinted, “She looks like you.”

“More like her mother. Which one is yours?”

The parent hesitated, “I…”

Wait, was this bitch not a parent? Fuck. Did he fight her? She hadn’t actually done anything yet but—

“Jake.”

And she knew his name. Fuck. Had his parents hired this bitch? Jake got up.

“Stay away from me—”

She grabbed his hand and stopped him. He pulled himself free as she tugged her hood down.

“Jake, please.”

Jake opened his mouth to yell at her, his voice catching. That…that was Chloe. Blonde Chloe, but Chloe. What? Had he officially cracked?

“Jake?”

“Holy fuck I’m dead,” Jake finally said something. “I’m dead. Fuck.”

Blonde Chloe pulled him back to the bench, “You aren’t dead. It’s me.”

“You aren’t blonde.”

“It’s a wig, dumbass,” blonde Chloe smacked his shoulder. “And I could have just changed my hair color.”

“You died.”

“I faked my death. Didn’t plan on it originally, falling off a cliff hurts. But then…it happened.”

Jake just shook his head, “No. No. We had a funeral. I…I had to raise a baby. You’re dead.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t come back sooner, I needed to make sure Chloe Dillinger died.”

Jake looked over at her, “You’re Chloe?”

“Not legally anymore, but I’m still the bitch you were forced to marry.”

Jake felt like crying, “Can I hug you?”

Chloe pulled him in, the two of them squeezing each other tight. Holy fuck. He had missed her. She was really there. Nearly nine years.

Jake wiped at his eyes when they pulled apart. Chloe kept one hand laced in his. She wasn’t exactly dry eyed herself. She looked out at the playground equipment, her eyes locked on Char.

“So…she’s ours?”

Jake nodded, “Yeah. What do we do? Are you here to stay? Just to tell me you aren’t dead? What’s the game plan here?”

Chloe squeezed the hand she was holding, “I’m here. I got in contact with Brooke again, she’s letting me stay with her until I can find my own place. I…I want to be a good mom to her, but…she can’t know. If your parents find out, hell, if anyone finds out I’ll be arrested.”

“Stay with us,” Jake was practically begging. “We have room. You can be an old friend from college. We can figure it out.”

“I…I’m her mom.”

“All the more reason to stay. Let her get to know you. If she just thinks you’re a friend…we can ease her into reality when she’s older. I don’t just have women in my life, Chlo. She’ll know you’re important.”

Chloe pressed her lips into a line, “I’ll need to think about it.”

“It was our plan, wasn’t it? Live together? Co-parent if needed? Chloe, I…” Jake felt so weak. Having her back, even in this capacity alone, stress was washing off. “I need you.”

“Who are you?”

Both of them startled, Chloe ripping her hand away from him. Jake turned, finding Char standing in front of them. Chloe tucked her hair behind one ear, staring wide eyed at their daughter.

“Um. I’m your dad’s friend from school. Charlotte Valentine. It’s nice to meet you.”

Char blinked, “Oh, my name is Charlotte too.” Chloe raised her brows at him quickly. “But my dad doesn’t have any friends.”

“Ouch, Char. You wound me,” Jake tried to keep things casual. “Chlo—Charlotte has been traveling. We were just catching up. Are you okay? Hurt?”

Char pointed to her watch, cartoon characters adorning the wrist strap. “It’s almost dinner time. I always go to Grandmother’s house on Thursday.”

Shit. Right. Jake got to his feet, turning to Chloe. “We should get dinner. Keep talking. You have a new phone number, I should—” Jake passed Chloe his phone. He watched her type in the digits, send herself a text. He was handed his phone back and Chloe got up.

“Yeah, we should get dinner,” Chloe squeezed his arm quickly. “I’ll text you.” She turned to their daughter. “It was nice to meet you, Char.”

“You too Ms. Valentine!”

Jake had never been more eager to drop Char off. He wished her well as she walked up the steps of his childhood home, taking off once she was inside. He went home, pacing his house. Chloe was alive. She…she was okay. She wanted to be Char’s mom. That…that was good. Great.

She looked fucking fantastic. Was that rude of him to think? She did. Jake looked like he was thirty and aging fast. Chloe was beautiful. He had always thought so.

He practically jumped when his phone lit up with a text. Chloe had found a dinner location for them. A bar. Busy enough to not draw attention, quiet enough that they could hear each other. Perfect.

Jake changed, less dad mode more reuniting with wife/best friend mode. He was chomping at the bit. He wanted to talk to her. Find out why she had been gone so goddamn long. Learn about the accident. Everything.

Chloe had removed the wig for dinner. Her hair had an ombre now. It suited her. They tucked themselves into a corner. Hiding away from the rest of the bar.

And they talked. Chloe went through her last nine years. Jake listened, his eyes never leaving her. She hadn’t come back to make sure they were free. Chloe Dillinger was dead, they were both free from their curse of a marriage. Chloe had worked, remade herself from the ground up in legal terms. She made Charlotte Valentine, and slowly brought herself home. She hadn’t known of Char until Brooke had told her. It was her final push to reach out. She had always planned on it, but having a daughter made her move faster.

“You’re looking at me weird,” Chloe laughed. “I know, I’m selfish.”

“I missed you,” Jake stated. “I don’t…the rest of it doesn’t matter. We’re free. And you…you’re okay.”

“You really named her Charlotte?”

Jake nodded, “I almost named her Chloe, be thankful.”

Chloe raised her brows at him, “Yeah. Thank you for not giving her those shoes to fill. I…” she reached across the table and held his hand. “I missed you too. I…you look good. I’m glad you’re taking care of yourself.”

Jake squeezed her fingers, “You too. Uh, you look…good too.”

“Do you think she’ll see me as a mom? If I live with you?”

“Eventually. And we can tell her once she’s older. She knows how shitty my parents are. I…I want you with us, Chlo. But if you don’t want that I understand. We fought so hard to be free.”

“Being with you was never the problem,” Chloe said. “It was the forced marriage. They could have tried having us court each other and it would have been a hell of a lot better. But they signed us away, encouraged you to violate me, ruined our high school years.” She looked up, blinking rapidly for a moment before returning her eyes to him. “I meant it. When I said I wish we had been given a chance. And maybe I’m insane for it, but now that we have it? I want to take it. Am I crazy for that? I probably am.”

“I…it feels redundant. If we work out? Doesn’t that make them right?”

“No. They’re assholes. This is a choice, not me being forced into a wedding dress at seventeen. But if you don’t want that I understand. I still want to be Char’s mom.”

Jake fell quiet, staring at the hand wrapped in his. This was his chance. He had wanted to love Chloe for years. And now? He could. It was their choice. Maybe it was crazy, but he wanted it.

“Charlotte Valentine, would you like to go out with me?”

Chloe laughed, “Yeah, I think I would.”

He felt giddy, the two of them finishing dinner together. He convinced Chloe to at least try staying with him and Char. They went back to Brooke’s place and packed up her things, moving her into the guest room. This had been their dream. One house, their own space. No marriage.

It was dark now. The two of them fell back against the couch. It felt…natural. Just them. They knew each other like books.

“Nice house,” Chloe said, glancing around the room.

“Thanks.”

They turned on a movie to have background noise. It felt good to have her back in his life. Even if they didn’t work out, having her back…it would be worth it.

“Jake?”

He turned his head, finding she had moved closer. He felt like a teenager again, seeing his first ever pretty girl. It was terrifying.

“Can I…” her eyes flicked to his mouth and back to his eyes in a blink. Right. They were actually trying the romance thing. They had kissed before, but it hadn’t ever been real.

“Yeah,” Jake assured her, sitting up properly so it was easier.

Chloe ran a hand through her hair, “Is it bad that I’m scared?”

“As long as you don’t punch me you’ll be okay.”

Chloe let out a huff. She scooted closer, maneuvering her arms around his neck. Jake placed his hands on her back, confirming with her that it was okay. He didn’t want to fuck this up. Neither did she.

She leaned in, their noses brushing against each other.

“You’re sure?”

“Chlo. Please.”

She flicked his shoulder, moving one hand to cup his cheek. He lightly bonked their foreheads together, earning a chuckle from her. Okay, now they could—

His phone blared out. Chloe let out a strangled sound, falling back against the couch cushions. Jake reached for the phone, finding Char’s name on the screen. He hadn’t given her the phone, that had been his parents. But it was useful for getting in contact when she was with them. She usually didn’t call. He answered.

“Char?”

“Dad? They brought me to a party. They promised no parties!”

Fuck. Jake got up, running for his keys, “Turn your location on. I’ll come get you. They had one rule to follow, goddamnit. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. It’s just loud. People keep staring at me.”

Because his parents were practically running the drug trade, “Turn your location on. Do you want to stay on the phone?”

Charlotte moved to a different room, background noise growing faint, “No. I’ll be okay. I’ll wait in the front room.”

Jake pulled his shoes on, “Okay, I’ll be there soon. Call back if you want.”

“‘Kay. Love you.”

“Love you too Char.”

He put his phone away, Chloe staring at him from the couch. She seemed scared.

“Is she…”

“She’s fine,” Jake assured. “My parents were told not to bring her to parties unless I approved it first. I’m going to get her, parents be damned. Do you want to come?”

Chloe shook her head, “No. If anyone recognizes me we’re fucked. I need to get my wig back on if she’s coming home.”

“Okay. I’ll be back soon,” his phone beeped to confirm Char had turned her location on. He moved to the door, pivoting back before stepping out. “Chlo?”

She looked to him, “Yeah?”

He didn’t really have anything planned to say. Part of him had hoped she would come with. “You still owe me a kiss when I get back.”

She flipped him off, “Go get our daughter, dumbass.”

Fuck, he had missed her. Jake went out to his car, pulling up Char’s location and heading towards her. The party was packed, a valet waiting to take his keys. Jake was still fairly well known in his parent's society, a hard glare made the staff member back off.

Char hurried out to meet him, the pair going back to the car. Jake made sure she was buckled into her seat, eyeing up the dress his parents had forced her to wear. She hated dresses.

“Jacob!”

His mom was clicking over. Jake shut Char inside the car so she was out of sight. He turned on his heel and glared at his mother.

“Darling, we have her tonight and tomorrow, that’s the deal.”

“The deal doesn’t mean shit if you take her places without asking first, Mother!” Jake snapped. “Not your monkey, not your circus!”

“Come with, you’re underdressed but our friends will understand.”

“Fuck you, no.”

“Jacob—”

“Goodnight Mother. I will drop off Char next week and you can try again. Tell Father I say ‘kiss my ass’ why don’t you?”

Jake rounded back to the driver’s seat, driving back towards home. Char was quiet, her eyes tired from what he could tell in the passing streetlights. It was late for her to be up.

“Bedtime kiddo,” Jake parked the car in their garage.

He fell back as Char went inside, making sure the doors were locked. He found Char staring at Chloe, still in the dress.

“Oi, child!” Jake pushed her towards her room. “Didn’t I teach you that it’s rude to stare?”

“Why isn’t she at her own house?”

“Charlotte Bella Dillinger! Go the fuck to bed!”

Char hurried off to her room. He waited for the click of the door before facing Chloe.

“I’m so sorry.”

“She gets the dumbass genes from you.”

“Bitchy attitude is all you, Chlo.”

“Did you really make her initials CBD?”

Jake felt a record scratch in his brain. Oh fuck. Did he do that? He hadn’t ever realized…

“You weren’t there, I had to name her,” Jake shrugged. “Be back in a minute.”

He shuffled over to Char’s room. She was tucked into bed, her eyes already pulling her into dreamland. He ruffled her hair before shutting her in. She was fine. Home safe.

When he made it back into the living space Chloe was seated on the counter. The blonde looked a bit odd, but not bad. Jake walked over, brushing the hair off her shoulder.

“I’m guessing you’ll be sick of this wig within a week.”

“I’ve been a fake blonde for nine years, no I won’t.”

Jake grinned at her, “Whatever you say Chlo—”

She pulled him closer, holding his face in her hands. They were back to this. Cool.

“You’re very annoying,” Chloe stated, her thumb brushing over his cheek. “You’re lucky I care about you.”

“You’re lucky I like blondes—”

Chloe pulled him in, their lips finally catching. They had kissed before. Their fake ones were always quick and fleeting. A respect measure.

This was real. Jake hummed, his fingers drumming along her sides. She pushed herself off the counter and into his arms, one hand burying into his hair. Holy fuck. It was a balancing act, moving one hand to pull off the wig while still holding her up in his arms. He managed it, dropping the wig to the floor and nearly dropping her in the process.

“This is dangerous,” Chloe wiggled to the floor again. She was back with him in seconds, her lips fitting over his like a puzzle piece.

He was so doomed.

-

“Dad? Can I come in?”

Chloe practically vaulted out of bed, pulling her hair up and rushing into the bathroom. Jake got up, tossing her the blonde wig before she shut the door. This was getting a bit annoying. Acting all secretive in their own home. Jake opened his bedroom door, Char rocking on her heels.

“What’s up? You’re up early.”

Char crossed her arms over her chest, “Charlotte isn’t in her room.”

“She’s a grown woman, kiddo. Want breakfast?”

Char let him lead her out to the kitchen. He started pancakes, Char setting plates out. Chloe crept out, trying to sneak down the hall to her own room. Jake arched a brow at her, eyeing his shirt she had hastily pulled on. Were they really doing this? They were in their thirties. Jake could date.

Dating Chloe was…really nice. He was getting her involved in Char’s life, they were starting to feel like an actual family unit. He wanted to tell Char everything. But she was a bit young. He didn’t know if she would keep things quiet with his parents or not.

In another life Jake and Chloe could have been high school sweethearts. But having any form of a real relationship was nice. Even just friendship would have been okay.

But the sex was pretty great.

“Can confirm, my phone isn’t in my car,” Chloe walked up dressed in her own clothes. She sat next to Char at the table. “Have either of you seen it?”

“It’s on the coffee table,” Char pointed.

Chloe got up, “Thank you!”

Chloe moved around to snag a coffee mug, Jake watching their daughter stare at her. She did this a lot. It was a bit confusing. Char usually wasn’t that rude, even for an eight year old. Chloe returned to her seat with her phone and coffee, Jake plating up breakfast for them.

“Did you ever know my mom, Charlotte?” Char asked.

Jake nearly tripped. He caught himself, delivering plates to the girls and taking his own seat.

“I…yeah,” Chloe nodded. “Why?”

Char shrugged, “You have the same last name. Before she married Dad her last name was Valentine.”

“Oh.”

Char looked around the room, “We used to have pictures of her. Dad, where did they go?”

Jake had put them away to keep Char from connecting the dots too soon, “I’m cleaning the frames.”

Smooth recovery, Dillinger. Fantastic work.

After breakfast Jake took Char to her dance camp. He didn’t exactly love that she had to go during his days off, but he worked from home half the time anyway. He had plenty of summer left to spend with her before school started again.

Chloe was gone when he returned home. Her car not in the driveway. He busied himself, catching up on laundry for the house. It was kind of nice. Turning on a movie to watch while he folded clothes.

He was a bit of a sucker for the small domestic shit.

“Hey,” Chloe greeted him as she walked back in.

Jake turned to return the greeting, finding she had changed her actual hair. The ombré was fresh, the ends much lighter than before.

“We can just tell Char I got my hair done, scrambling to put a wig on just because you like playing with my hair isn’t worth it.”

Jake put his laundry basket aside, walking over to play with her hair, it looked nice. Pretty.

“I want to tell her,” Jake said, brushing his fingers through Chloe’s hair. “The whole housemates thing sounds stupid even to her.”

“It hasn’t even been a month yet, I don’t want to get her hopes up. If we tell her that we’re together and I’m her mom? What if we split? It’ll hurt her.”

“She’s tough. Chlo, this is torture. I want us to be an actual family.”

“How about we just go slow. We tell her that we’re…it still feels weird to say, but we’re dating. That…I won’t have to hide if she comes waking us up in the morning.”

It was a start. Jake nodded, agreeing to the compromise. Chloe pressed a kiss to his cheek, picking up her piles of folded laundry before gliding into her room.

He still had mornings where he was convinced that Chloe was dead. He would get up and move along, because what else could he do? And then she would be in the kitchen. It startled him.

But she was there. They were okay.

Jake went about putting his own things away before settling in to get some work done. He had fallen a bit behind since being swept up in Chloe’s return to his life. Helping her get settled, the two of them working out how to attempt parenting together, it was a lot.

He wasn’t able to focus for long. He got up when he heard the doorbell, Chloe having moved into the kitchen to start dinner for them. Jake opened the door to find his mother on the other side.

“Mother!” Jake stepped out and shut the door behind him so Chloe couldn’t be seen. “You know you aren’t welcome here!”

“There’s a car in your driveway, who does it belong to?” His mother asked.

“I have a friend staying with us for a bit, is that a problem? It isn’t your business.”

She narrowed her gaze, “What friend? Charlotte mentioned a college friend, but you never brought any of those people around. Is that woman still here? Jacob, she’s mooching off of you.”

“Y’know, Mother, it’s been nice to have someone help with bills,” Jake was trying to avoid shouting. “I don’t take your dirty money, as a reminder.”

“We send you money as a gift, Jacob—”

“You and I both know it isn’t earned,” Jake hissed. “And since you won’t take it back, it goes straight into Char’s college fund.”

“Jacob, we already agreed to pay that, you’re not utilizing an asset. Why are you so stubborn? You’re a grown man now.”

“Maybe because you made me hate my childhood? Or maybe because you married me off at seventeen?”

“You loved Chloe—”

“Yeah, as a friend! We didn’t have a choice!” Jake rubbed his eyes and took a step back. “Just…get out of here. Please. I’m sick of arguing with you over this. Don’t come back.”

Jake didn’t let her respond. He stepped back inside and locked the door. He went around the front room and closed the curtains, making sure she couldn’t look in. Jake ran a hand through his hair as he walked into the kitchen to take care of their dishes from earlier.

“New rule, check the peephole before answering. My mother has the gall to come here now.”

Chloe sighed, continuing to mix whatever she had in her bowl, “Great. Just who I wanted to start showing up. Maybe staying here was a bad idea, I can find a house—”

Jake grabbed her arm gently, “Chlo, please. I want you here.”

Chloe glanced down at her bowl, “I didn’t…I never realized that coming back would be so difficult. I mean…originally it was just supposed to be me telling you I’m alive and then leaving…but Char…” she pushed the bowl away and pivoted to face him. “I missed eight years.

Jake hung his head, “I…If you really want to leave, I would never force you to stay here.”

Chloe let out a huff, wiping at her eyes, “Fuck! Why is this so difficult?! I don’t…I don’t want to leave. But your mom needs to fuck off.”

Jake hummed in agreement. They finished up dinner together before setting things into the oven to keep warm. Chloe pulled a hood over her head to be on the safe side, but she agreed to come with to pick Char up. They hadn’t done much in terms of…leisurely activities when they had been married. They bitched and complained about things, they went to the dumb social events their parents made them go to, they attended school together, but they hadn’t ever…gone on a date. Their friendship was forged of spite, they had to get along or drown in the process. Being friends was how they survived the torture of being legally bound to one another. They got along just fine, always had.

Now Jake was excited to just…go for a drive with her. No legalities, nothing formal, just two people who liked each other driving around for the hell of it.

“You’re staring at me weird again,” Chloe commented on him, the two of them parked and waiting for Char.

“Sorry, I saw a pretty girl and couldn’t help it.”

Chloe leaned across the car to kiss him, “You’re a fucking dumbass.”

He grinned against her lips, “I know.”

Chloe fell back into her seat, just in time for Char to clamor in. They brought her home, the child not noticing Chloe’s hair with it hiding under her hood. Jake held the door for the girls, Char running to get changed while Chloe set up plates for them.

Was it pathetic of him to want the simpleness that this was. Him. Chloe. Their kid. It was very stereotypical nuclear family of him to want, but…it was nice.

Chloe took off her hoodie, brushing her hair out of her face while she grabbed water glasses for them. Jake served up dinner, Char walking back from her room when she heard the noise.

“Hey, Dad, I found—”

Jake heard a crash and turned on his heel. Char had dropped a picture frame, glass scattered across the floor. Fuck.

“Char, don’t move. I’ll get the vacuum,” Jake went running for the closet. “Chl—Charlotte, can you make sure she doesn’t get cut—” Char started crying and it just made him move faster. “Fuck.”

Jake grabbed the broom and the vacuum, intending to sweep up the larger pieces before sucking up the small bits. As he swept he watched Chloe hold Char in her arms, inspecting her for cuts.

“Hey, you’re okay,” Chloe assured, checking over their child for injury again. “No cuts. What’s wrong?”

Jake hadn’t seen Char distraught like this in a while. She was usually so calm. He grabbed the remains of the frame and set them on the counter before sucking up the remaining tiny shards of glass.

“Y-you’re her!” Char sobbed, hiding her face against Chloe’s shoulder.

Chloe continued comforting her while Jake put things away and threw out the glass. What the hell had even happened?

“I’m who?”

Char didn’t remove her head, but she pointed off towards where Jake had put the broken frame. Chloe walked over, picking up the frame to examine. Jake walked over to join, both of them going rigid.

Char had found a photo of them. Summer after their freshman year of college. Some dumb party his parents had forced them to attend. Chloe had made a joke about the host to try and lighten the mood. The photo perfectly captured them laughing about it. Perfect for making them actually look happy together.

Char knew it was Chloe. Her hair was a dead giveaway when she had a direct comparison in her hand.

“Char, I—” Jake didn’t know what to say.

Char looked up, “You told me Mom died!” She was angry now, glaring at Chloe while still clinging to her. “Where were you?! Why didn’t you tell me!”

They spent hours talking her down. There was no hiding things from her anymore. It wasn’t exactly easy, trying to explain arranged marriage and consent to an eight year old. Explaining how horrible they had felt. Jake didn’t want to scare her, but he wanted to be honest.

“Char,” Chloe caught her attention. “You cannot tell your grandparents about me. I want to spend time with you and your dad, but if they know that I’m here? They’ll make us get married again. And I…I can’t do that again.”

“Why are you here if you don’t love him?” Char was still wiping tears from her eyes, her face flushed from the crying and anger.

“I…I do love your dad,” Chloe assured, brushing a hand through their daughter’s hair. “Just…not that kind of love. I love your dad like you love your friends.”

“We’re trying out the other kind of love,” Jake added. “But we aren’t going to rush it. And if it works out…” Jake shrugged. “Then that’s okay.”

Char blinked a few times, “Will you get married again? That’s what people do when they love each other, grandmother said so.”

“No.” They both shut the idea down fast.

“Your grandmother doesn’t know what love is,” Chloe grumbled. “She’s the reason why we were forced together. That and my parents.”

They finally ate dinner, everything was cold but Jake didn’t care. He was fairly sure Char understood. She looked happy, beaming at Chloe. Maybe having her mom meant more to her than she had let on over the years. She used to ask questions, but she never expressed a desire to have a mom. But if this made her happy? Jake couldn’t exactly be upset by it.

“Okay kiddo, it is way past bedtime,” Jake glanced at the clock. “Get moving.”

Char groaned, slumping out of her chair. She began to slink off towards her room, but pivoted around before she made it out of the kitchen. She ran for Chloe, throwing her arms around her.

“I love you Mom,” Char stated, squeezing Chloe.

Chloe blinked, Jake watching her internally panic for a moment. She broke out of the shock, hugging their daughter back.

“I love you too, Char,” Chloe pressed a kiss into her hair.

Char ran off to go to bed. Jake couldn’t help but grin, cleaning up while Chloe stared deep into the wood grain of the table. Jake had to pull her from her chair, Chloe gripping his arm tight.

“She said she loves me.”

“Duh. You’re her mom.”

They settled down in the living room, Chloe curled up next to him. They were quiet for a while, Chloe still taking in the new official mom status.

“Hey,” Jake brushed his hand against her arm.

Chloe looked to him, the two sharing a small smile. Jake felt nerves hit his system. He was scared. But…

“I was wondering if Charlotte Valentine was interested in becoming Char’s legal guardian,” Jake said, tracing patterns into Chloe’s skin.

Chloe’s smile turned wobbly, “I…I would love that.”

He pulled her into his arms. They squeezed each other in the embrace. Jake beamed against Chloe, pressing kisses into the crook of her neck.

“I love you,” Jake whispered.

He cringed, mentally beating himself. They weren’t ready for that yet. Why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut?!

“I…I’m not there yet,” Chloe was honest. “But…we’ll get there. Maybe.”

Jake hummed, “Okay.”

They would never marry again, even if they did properly fall in love. Chloe didn’t want it, neither did he. What was important was that he had her in his life. Romantic or not, he would rather have her than not.

They say your wedding day was supposed to be the best day of your life.

Jake wanted to argue that the day you find your family was the real best day.