I purposely drove the car slow while Alex was talking—well, more like ranting—about her life, her family, and everything in between. Sometimes it felt like I was her unofficial therapist, and honestly, I didn't mind. I knew from my memories of the show how much she tended to bottle things up, how sometimes all she needed was someone to listen. So, I listened. I nodded in the right places, threw in a supportive "yeah" or "that sucks" when needed, and let her vent. I hoped that by just being here, I could help her avoid the kind of meltdown she'd had in the show. Maybe music helped too, but for now, I was happy to be her sounding board.
Eventually, we pulled up to Mitchell and Cam's house. It was a modest two-story place on a quiet street—a classic LA home with a pale stucco exterior and a red-tiled roof. I remembered from the show that the upstairs was rented out, which explained the separate entrance and the extra mailbox by the door. The house had a cozy, lived-in vibe, with potted plants on the steps.
Alex rang the bell, and after a moment, Mitchell opened the door. He wore a crisp button-down and looked a little frazzled, but he managed a polite smile as he greeted us.
"Hey, Alex! Lucas! Glad you made it," he said, glancing at his watch. Alex already asked permission for me to babysit with her from Mitch before. "Sorry, we're in a bit of a rush tonight."
"Hi, Mitchell. Good to see you," I replied, giving him a friendly nod.
He smiled, but I could see he was distracted, already calling over his shoulder. "Cam, come on! Let's go!"
From somewhere inside, Cam's voice floated down, perfectly unhurried. "Two seconds!"
Mitchell turned back to us, arms crossed, and sighed theatrically. "I thought being with a man meant I wouldn't have to wait around like this. I feel cheated. I do."
I chuckled, and just then, Lily came into view, sprawled out on the living room floor with her dolls scattered around her. She looked up, spotted me, and immediately blushed, glancing at her dad for reassurance.
"Who's he, Dad?" she asked, her voice small but curious.
Before Mitchell could answer, Alex stepped in, crossing her arms protectively in front of me. "He's my boyfriend, Lily. You can call him big brother Lucas."
I had to laugh at the scene—Lily eyeing me with shy curiosity, Alex standing guard like I was some rare collectible. I crouched down and offered my hand. "Hey, Lily. Nice to meet you."
She looked down, cheeks pink, and shook my hand gently. "Hi," she mumbled, barely above a whisper.
Mitchell smiled at the interaction, then called out again, louder this time, "Cam, come down right now, you need to see this!" He whipped out his phone, apparently forgetting all about the dinner they were already late for.
Alex dug through her bag and pulled out a book. "Actually, I want to read you one of my favorite books," she told Lily. "It's called Little Women, and it's about four sisters who overcome poverty and the patriarchy—"
"Nope!" Lily interrupted, shaking her head with the confidence only a kid can muster. "Dolls." She thrust one into my hand. "This is Ashley. She's a wife."
Alex arched an eyebrow. "Well, I hope that's not the only thing that defines her. Does she have a career?"
Lily shook her head. "Nope. She shops."
I tried to hide my smile as Alex shot me a look, half amused, half exasperated.
Just then, Cam finally appeared at the top of the stairs, looking dapper but a little flustered. He spotted me immediately and put on his best theatrical voice. "And who might you be, young man?"
I stood up, offering my hand for a handshake. "Hi, Mr. Tucker. I'm Lucas. We met once before—you were my substitute teacher for a day. That class was honestly the most fun I've ever had in school."
Cam's face lit up, clearly pleased by the compliment. "Well, aren't you sweet! I do try to keep things interesting. Lily, did you hear that? Someone actually appreciated my teaching!"
Lily just hid her face behind her dolls, mortified by her dads' antics.
Cam noticed the guitar case slung over my shoulder and Alex's cello and grinned. "Oh, you two brought instruments! If we weren't running late, I'd insist on a jam session. Next time, you have to promise to let me join in. I play a mean keyboard, you know."
"I'd love that," I replied. "Maybe you can show me some of your moves. Alex brags about your skills". She only mentioned once how her uncle plays keyboard and I used that. She was glaring at me but I Ignored that like a champ.
Cam beamed, soaking up the praise. "Oh, stop. No, don't stop. Mitchell, did you hear that?."
Mitchell rolled his eyes. "How come it takes me five minutes to get ready, and you take forever?"
Cam placed a hand on his hip. "Oh, please. I could get ready in five minutes too if I dressed like—" He caught himself mid-jab, glancing at Mitchell's outfit.
Mitchell pointed, eyes wide. "You did it again!"
Cam didn't miss a beat. "Not changing."
I looked between them, realizing for the first time that they were wearing nearly identical outfits—matching blazers, pastel shirts, even similar shoes. Lily, meanwhile, looked like she wanted to disappear, arms over her head.
"Fasten your seatbelts," Cam announced with a wink. "It's going to be a crazy night."
Lily groaned, embarrassed. "It's gonna be a crazy night," she echoed, but Mitchell corrected her.
"No, honey. It's gonna be a bumpy night," he said, giving Cam a look.
Mitchell turned to us. "Remember, you can't have two dads and make that mistake."
"Bumpy night," Cam muttered, chastened.
Alex rolled her eyes. "Okay, so how often does this happen?"
"Too often," Mitchell sighed. "Men just don't have that many options."
Cam nodded, looking wistfully out the window. "I can't tell you the number of times I've walked by a women's boutique and thought, What I would do to have that many choices."
Alex deadpanned, "Don't ever say that again. I don't like any part of it."
I tried to keep a straight face, but inside I was dying. The dynamic in this house was something else. It was a real life sitcom and it was fun to be around this.
Mitchell held out his arms, looking at Cam. "All right. One of us has to change. We look like twin toddlers at church."
Cam looked down at his outfit, then back up with a sigh. "Yeah, tell me about it. And the place we're going is supposed to be super hip."
Mitchell frowned. "And come on. I don't have that many outfits. My clothes take up exactly one-quarter of the closet!"
"That's not fair," Cam argued. "My clothes are bigger than yours."
Mitchell huffed. "All right. I hate to play this card, but I was dressed first."
"Oh, that is silly," Cam countered.
Then, with a gleam in his eye, he turned to Lily. "Lily, it's time to play Who Wore It Best?"
Lily didn't even look up, just groaned and tried to hide in her arms. "No. I'm not doing this again. I can't."
They looked at me but I immediately ignored that and pointed at Alex.
Cam groaned, defeated. "Fine. Alex?"
Alex looked between the two men, clearly trying not to laugh. "Uh… I don't know. Boys' clothes aren't really my thing."
"Really?" Cam and Mitchell said in unison, incredulous.
She was dressed in jeans and a checkered shirt but she was still rocking that outfit and looking cute as a button. I just hugged her to comfort her.
Cam threw his arms up. "Fine. I'll change."
Mitchell shot Cam a triumphant look, practically glowing with victory, while Cam huffed and disappeared upstairs, muttering about "fashion injustice" and "closet tyranny." Alex shook her head, rolling her eyes at the drama, and I just grinned, feeling like I'd scored front-row seats to a live sitcom. I actually did.
With the dads finally heading out, Alex and I settled onto the couch, ready for our babysitting adventure. Or at least, we tried to. Lily had other plans. The second Alex sat beside me, Lily launched herself between us, clutching an armful of dolls.
"Lucas, look! This one's Ashley, and she's a princess. And this is Bella—she's a doctor," Lily announced, shoving the dolls in my face and ignoring Alex completely.
Alex tried to get in on the action. "Hey, Lily, want to read a story together?"
Lily didn't even glance her way. "Nope. Lucas and I are busy. You can read it alone if you want," she said, her tone all business.
I shot Alex an apologetic look, but she just smirked and mouthed, "Your problem now."
At that moment, Cam came back—still in the same outfit. Mitchell followed, now wearing a long coat over his clothes, clearly trying to hide that he'd just changed into the very suit he'd sworn off earlier.
"Cam, I thought you were going to change?" Mitchell asked, arching an eyebrow.
Cam shrugged, grabbing his bag. "I decided this outfit brings out my eyes. Besides, we're late!"
Mitchell rolled his eyes, then spotted a can of soda on the counter. "Here, Cam. Have a drink before we go."
Cam reached for it. I watched, barely containing my laughter. Cam popped the top, and soda exploded everywhere, drenching his shirt and tie. I knew this was happening and didn't stop it because I loved it.
"Mitchell!" Cam shrieked, holding the dripping can away from him.
Mitchell tried to look innocent, but he was fighting a smile. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Cam. Must've been shaken up in the fridge."
Cam glared, then stormed back upstairs, muttering about "sabotage" and "revenge." Mitchell just shrugged, gave us a wink, and said, "We'll be back by ten!" Eventually Cam came back changing into a different outfit to which I said to help his mood "This looks better on you".
"Thanks Lucas" Cam said smilingly but he was still suspiciousky looking at Mitchell.
"Have fun!" Alex called after them, and I added, "Drive safe! And maybe… don't wear soda this time?"
Cam's voice floated down the stairs, "Not funny, Alex!"
Soon, the house was quiet except for Lily's running commentary on her dolls' dramatic lives. Alex and I tried to practice our songs, but every time I picked up my guitar, Lily clapped and cheered like I was a rockstar.
"You're so good, Lucas! Can you play the Frozen song?" she begged.
"Anything for my number one fan," I said, strumming the opening chords to the Disney song." Lily squealed and started singing along, off-key but with total confidence.
Alex tried to join in, but Lily shot her a look. "Lucas is my boyfriend now. You can be his friend."
Alex's jaw dropped. "Excuse me? I don't think so!"
I laughed, trying to keep the peace. "Sorry, Lily, but I'm Alex's boyfriend. That's just how it is."
Lily pouted, arms crossed. "But I like you better."
I knelt down to her level, keeping my voice gentle. "That's sweet, Lily, but you're still a kid. Maybe when you're older, okay? For now, we can be really good friends, and I'll always play music for you."
She considered this, then nodded solemnly. "Fine. But Alex, you better not mess this up. You'll never get someone like him again."
Alex looked at me, half amused, half exasperated. "Thanks for the warning, Lily. I'll do my best."
We spent the next hour playing music, singing silly songs, and even letting Lily conduct us like a tiny orchestra. She finally wore herself out and fell asleep on the couch, clutching her favorite doll.
Alex and I sat quietly for a moment, just enjoying the peace. Then she leaned over and kissed me, slow and sweet. One thing led to another, and soon we were making out, tangled up on the couch, lost in our own little world.
That's when the front door opened and Mitchell and Cam tiptoed in, trying not to wake Lily. They stopped dead in their tracks when they saw us.
Mitchell grinned, raising his eyebrows. "Well, well, well. Should we come back in ten minutes?"
Cam gasped, then burst out laughing. "Oh, young love! Just remember, kiddos—use protection!"
Alex groaned, hiding her face in my shoulder, while I just laughed, shaking my head.
Mitchell said, saving us from embarrassment. "And thanks for watching Lily!"
I drove Alex back at her home before going to my own home and that night ended there.
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