"Harvey please take my oh so happy baby from me for a moment, will ya?" Leah asked as she immediately held Beau out in his direction.
She had come inside with Bentley by her side to get them both some more food, however, Beau clearly wasn't having the best time and was screaming at the top of his lungs.
"Apparently I'm the one who is supposed to be in charge of these two, while your darling brother and Brooks play a very 'serious' game of football with everyone else."
"Wait, I'm missing out?" Harvey peered past Leah to look out into the garden, and it was then he noticed his family already picking the teams and choosing who was going to be in first.
Harvey had been so caught up with Grace in the kitchen after their very intense conversation, that he'd completely forgotten it was that time of the evening.
"Don't you dare go too, Harvey Lawrence." Leah warned while reaching out for his cheek, to bring his attention back to her. "Come on, take him. I need to get food for Bentley before he starts crying too."
Giving in and taking the 5 month year old Beau from Leah's arms, Harvey couldn't help but chuckle at the frustrated state Leah had found herself in. It was funny because it didn't take much to get her this way, and Kian never bothered to check that she was okay because he knew it would pass quickly. She was the ultimate drama Queen, and also as Kian liked to put it 'a privileged Princess'. She knew what she wanted and always got it, and Kian was no exception in allowing that to happen.
"Aren't you the one who wanted another baby?" Harvey asked as he attempted to soothe his screaming nephew.
"Yes, I do, a girl and we're trying." Leah confirmed as she began piling food onto a plate for herself and Bentley. "But we both know there is a small chance of that actually happening with this family."
"El got girls. It's not impossible."
"Which is why I am convinced it's the Lawrence men who are to blame." Leah began before turning her attention to look at Grace. "Just beware, they are so full of charm but they're also huge pains in the arse too. They act like big kids, annoy the shit out of you, and then have the cheek to give you all boys, to say thank you for putting up with them."
"Thank you for that warning." Grace laughed, while looking from Leah to Harvey. She had only met this girl a few times but she was already amused by her whole mannerisms. Grace knew she was going to like her.
"You're the one who agreed to marry Kian, so you can't really complain." Harvey continued with a smirk across his face, purposely trying to push his sister-in-law's buttons.
"No, you're right, and he also gave me 3 beautiful baby boys, but I also deserve a gorgeous girl for all of my hard work."
Leah's comment caused Harvey to playfully roll his eyes at Grace causing her to laugh. It was clear that these back and forth remarks were nothing new for the pair.
"Yeah and he deserves about ten medals for putting up with your whining."
"You're such a shithead, Harvey. Do you realise that?"
Leah looked to Harvey like her own little brother. The pair had always been close because they were as mischievous as each other. Kian liked to claim that Leah had been a bad influence on his younger brother too, even though she never admitted to it. It was always them two who were causing the trouble and always them who were the last one's out drunk dancing at the Lawrence summer BBQs.
"A very loved shithead, that is." Harvey corrected with a priceless grin on his face. "...and also a shithead who should be out there getting on the best team, rather than being in here. Grace, can you take him?"
Passing Beau in Grace's direction, her mouth fell agape for a moment at the gesture. She looked over at Leah in panic, unsure how she would feel about some stranger taking her son. However, Leah looked completely unfazed and just smiled back in response.
"I hope you get on Kian's team and you lose then!" Leah called out as Harvey kissed Grace's cheek before heading into the garden.
"That's probably the same team as Brooks, so you just said you want your son to loose - damn!" Harvey shouted back and watched in amusement as the realisation fell across Leah's face.
"God, he's so annoying. I wish you all the luck because you'll need." Leah sighed as her attention was back on Grace who was glimpsing down at Beau.
Now that he had stopped crying at Harvey's apparent magic touch, he looked incredibly peaceful as he slept. Grace always appreciated moments like this with Brinley, as she was able to truly take in a real life miracle held in her arms. Babies were pretty incredible because although they would almost send you over the edge with their screaming and lack of sleep, they still made you love them more than anything in this whole world.
"How are you feeling then babe?" Leah asked as she leaned against the table with Bentley on her lap. She began picking at the food she had put on a plate, passing thing to him and then managing to eat two herself before he asked for more. "I bet it was super overwhelming with that lot out there."
"Yeah, it was a bit." Grace chuckled, as she glimpsed out to the garden where things were getting loud and rowdier as the game began. "Like, they're all so nice, I'm just not not used to that kind of thing."
"No close family? Or have you just got a small family?"
"Much smaller than this and also a bit complicated."
Grace didn't know why but she suddenly felt so drawn in to opening up to this woman. She barely knew anything about Leah but she gave off this vibe that she wouldn't judge anything that was said to her. From what Harvey had told her, Leah was a lot like Grace growing up. She was reckless and a huge party girl, and still was very fiery to this day. She had probably done some stupid things in her lifetime and been caught up in situations that were difficult, so Grace felt warmed by her.
"Complicated in what way?" Leah asked before pushing the chair out opposite her, as though to signal for Grace to sit down.
At first she was going to refuse as she had planned to go and join Harvey in the game. However, for some reason, this exchange seemed much more appealing to her right now. Therefore, Grace took the seat and took note of Bentley staring wide eyed at her. He was absolutely adorable with his huge brown eyes and innocent smile. Right now, he seemed like the least mischievous Lawrence of them all, even though he should have been going through his terrible twos. It made her miss Brinley.
"I have divorced parents and siblings from different dad's. My mum lives here, my dad lives in Ireland... I sometimes feel a bit torn between the two."
"Do you feel pressure to choose a side?" Leah asked and Grace wondered if that was something James had ever said out loud before. She knew it had always seemed harder for him as he didn't get on with Matt all that well.
"Not really, I just sometimes wish things were different. Seeing my friends with families still all together and also seeing this..." Grace swept her arm towards the garden. "...makes me crave that, you know? In some ways I wish my parents were still together. I kind of wish that we could all have get togethers like a normal family but that's obviously never going to happen."
"I understand that, you long for something you know you can't have, just because you see how good it is in someone else." Leah summed it up perfectly. "I learned to just appreciate this, rather than comparing. I see the Lawrences as my family, not just Kian's family that I married into. I know it's early days for you and Harvey but hopefully it'll happen and you'll appreciate the differences between yours and his family, rather than comparing them. There will be things you love more about your set up, no matter how dysfunctional and then things you'll probably love more about this one."
Leah seemed to have this whole thing figured out. Although she held that fiery personality that was back and forth with Harvey moments ago, she was able to bring that serious tone too. Grace was new to this whole relationship ordeal, she didn't know or understand how it all worked, especially when it came to the families too.
"So is your family a little, er... dysfunctional?" Grace found herself asking, without truly thinking it through. She didn't want to pry but she was curious.
"Oh babe, that's an understatement." Leah laughed, while wiping Bentley's now chocolate covered face.
"You don't have to talk about it, I understand..."
"No, I don't mind but I'm just giving out all of this advice when really, I've always had a fucked up relationship with families."
Although Grace would never have expected Harvey to start chatting about Leah's family with her, she had been curious at the way he talked about Leah and Kian as a family. Everything they did seemed to revolve around the Lawrences and not Leah's family. From what Grace could see, they never did anything with hers and it was then that it began to click.
"I was fostered for years." Leah replied, confirming the kind of scenario Grace had now been expecting and it broke her heart a little at how emotionless Leah was when saying it out loud. "I was passed between families so never really had a stable one. They were all fucked up really, so when I was 18 I left and just moved around, stayed with friends until I met Kian at 23."
"I'm sorry..." Grace trailed off, not knowing what to say and not wanting to say the wrong thing.
"No, it's fine. Kian was the most amazing thing to happen to me. I mean, he got me knocked up at 24 which wasn't really the plan... I could have killed him for that." Leah teased as she gave Bentley a squeeze. "But I don't regret it, at all. I got a family of my own and was welcomed into his. It's all I've ever wanted."
"It's crazy how the world works sometimes, isn't it?"
"It really is." Leah agreed. "So, what's your story with your daughter then? Are you still in touch with the dad?"
While Grace usually felt incredibly uncomfortable answering this question, in fear of people's reactions, she didn't feel that way in front of Leah. It was incredibly refreshing.
"No, he screwed me over. It was only a one night stand but when he found out I was pregnant, he wanted nothing to do with it." Grace began as all the memories of that time came flooding back.
"What an arse." Leah remarked, feeling a little sorry for the 22-year old sat in front of her. She was able to read through Grace's facade because they were very similar. She put on a loud front, like she enjoyed being the center of attention but in reality, she was incredibly vulnerable on the inside. "It's good you have your family around you then to help out, plus, this family will be more than happy to take Brinley in as their own. You won't ever have to worry about finding a babysitter ever again!"
Grace couldn't help but chuckle at that comment because she had seen that with James' children however, she was still unsure whether it would apply the same with hers.
"Even though she's not Harvey's?"
"Are you worried about that?" Leah asked, instantly picking up on her concern.
"I mean..."
"You are, aren't you? Are you worried they won't accept Brinley or you? Or both?"
Grace was hoping not to make her concerns so obvious. She wasn't usually one to feel so insecure but she had many coming into this relationship. It was a big deal and she didn't want it to go wrong.
"I was just worried because of the situation... with Harvey and Lottie, it all happened so quickly. I understand that they're probably a bit apprehensive about this because Harvey was with her for 9 years... she was part of the family."
"Right okay..." Leah began, her tone of voice sounding serious. Lifting Bentley off her lap, she placed him on the floor to allow him to explore while she truly got out whatever she wanted to say. "...I won't try and butter it up to make you feel better, that's Harvey's job. I'm going to be brutal and honest because that's just me, but I also think you need to hear it too..."
Although Leah sounded firm and that worried Grace a little, she did sense the warmness she was giving off too. She was doing this for a reason. She was doing it to help Grace. Whereas Harvey obviously didn't want her to feel any discomfort over the whole Lottie situation, so had dealt with it very gently, Leah was about to handle it in a way that was like ripping off a plaster.
"Of course Lottie was a huge part of this family, 9 years isn't like a quick fling. The Lawrences loved her, obviously, she is an angel and they were sad that it all ended. Heck, they probably do still miss seeing her face at things like this. But, they also just want Harvey to be happy and it's so clear that you give him that. He's got a new light to him. He felt so under pressure before and you could sense that. They see that lively, annoying him back and they'll love and accept you for being the reason for that. You don't need to worry about not being apart of this family, being here today is definitely confirmation that you already are."
Leah's words caused an array of emotions in Grace, all of which she didn't know how to handle. She was grateful to hear the honest truth. She knew it would be hard to hear, as it would for any new girlfriend feeling the need to fill the shoes of an ex. However, she now realised that she didn't need to do that. She was playing her own part and would be accepted by them for that alone.
"Thank you, so so much for that. I needed it. It was constantly on my mind." Grace muttered, trying to mask her emotion in case she did start to cry.
"Hey, you're welcome." Leah beamed as she leaned off her chair so she could give Grace a hug. "That boy thinks a lot of you. He may be a little shit most of the time but I'm sure you know he's also super sensitive in a relationship. Just be honest with him whenever you feel like that. He'll just want you to be happy and comfortable."
"Yeah, I know... I really need to be. I'm just not quite used to this whole thing and I've always been super shit at opening up."
"Trust me girl, we are one person. It's easier to keep it in but feels so much better to just let it out."
...
I wanted to add this at the end because I came across it on youtube when making a trailer and though this video matched the part in this chapter where it said that Harvey and Leah are the ones drunk dancing at the Lawrence BBQ. This is Harvey in this situation to a T hahahah!!
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