"Hush, Grace. It's gonna be fine. Don't worry we are together in this." Julie tried to placate her friend. She didn't want to see her cry anymore.
"Mommy am awake!" Brandon yelled happily as he ran into the kitchen, meeting the two women in an embrace. "Why is Mommy Gee crying?" He couldn't help but ask after he noticed Grace wiping her tears away when he had walked in. He had gotten used to calling Grace Mommy Gee since in his whole babyhood Grace had also been like a mother to him. Every time when his mom, Julie wasn't around or probably unwell, Grace had been there to feed him, bathe him, clothe him, play with him and even rock him to sleep. And somehow he came to view her as his other mother apart from Julie.
"Ooh, she kind or had some tummy pains. Right Gee?" Julie immediately cooked up a lie and Grace nodded to it hurriedly.
"Sorry Mommy Gee, Did you eat something bad?" Brandon asked feeling so concerned walking to where Grace was seated to he could look up to her.
" I guess so sweerie. But am now fine. Don't worry." Grace answered as she tried to smile sweetly at him, while rubbing his cheeks playfully.
"Great. So let's take breakfast so that we can go shopping. Here, come on." Julie said as she carried Brandon to the dining table and put him in his seat, while Grace helped her carry the food.
"Yes! Pancakes and Mango juice for me." Brandon yelled happily.
"As always my son. I got you covered." Julie answered happily too as he served him.
"Brand, you are so addicted with pancakes. How about try out some egg toast today? It's yummy." Grace said as she took a bite after she served herself, while taking a seat beside him.
"Nope, I love pancakes because mommy makes them sweet." Brandon said praising Julie.
"Aw, thanks for the compliment honey." Julie answered while smiling goofily.
" Brand, are you trying to say I don't make my pancakes sweet?" Grace asked pretending to be hurt.
"No, I didn't say that. Okay then, you make sweet pancakes but mommy makes the sweetest." Brandon said while giggling.
"Really? Okay." Well what about pasta, who makes them sweetest? " Grace asked testing his honesty.
" Ha, it's you. But mommy ain't that bad too. " Brandon answered while giggling but defending Julie at the end.
" See? I am also best at something, and please your mom is so horrible at making pasta, so stop defending her." Grace said while chuckling at him.
" Come on Gee, don't be like that now. " Brandon answered while mimmicking how his mom always told Grace when she is trying to make her say yes to something. He couldn't help but laugh at how Julie and Grace had looked at him in shock then ended up laughing too.
"My goodness, Brand. You are such a mimick." Grace said while shaking her head in unbelief.
" Haha. Okay guys, let's stop talking and eat. We don't want to be late for shopping." Julie said while laughing.
"As you say ma'am." Grace chuckled and then they all concentrated on their meal. Before they know it, they were already done and were getting dressed so they could go into town.
Minutes later they were all done and Grace was picking the car keys while Julie and Brand waited for her.
"Come on Gee, hurry up." Julie called after her.
"Girl, you are definitely impatient this morning. I got it. Let's go." Grace said as she appeared on the hallway. Julie smirked at her comment and they all walked to the door. And just as she opened the door, she met with someone she wasn't expecting that morning and she just stood there, looking at him for some seconds, before she spoke up.
"Oh, hey. Uuhh.. Wasn't expecting to see you here." Julie told him as she scratched her head uncomfortably which made Grace to hold the door wide open so she could see who was the uninvited guest.
"Oh, hey Jason. Hi?" Grace greeted after seeing who it was.
"Uncle Jason!" Brandon also squealed happily as he went to hug him after he saw who it was at the door.
"Hey boy. How are you? Had missed you." Jason said happily as he embraced him back.
"Had missed you too." Brandon said happily as held his legs and put his head between them while laughing.
" Haha, okay boy. Let me say hi to mommy and Grace too." Jason said laughing, while pulling him out of his legs and Brandon couldn't stop giggling. He was exicted to see him since it had been a while since they say each other. Brandon had known Jason from the moment he learnt how to walk and speak properly. Since Jason had been a close friend to Julie and Grace, it had been automatic for him and Brandon to bond. Not only Jason but also Geff since he made visits oftenly and somehow they also bonded.
"Hey girls. Sorry I came unannounced. Was in town for some business meeting and I thought I should drop by." Jason told them apologetically.
"That's no problem. Just that we were actually going to town to do some shopping. Unless you'd want to join then you can always come in and wait up for us until we are back." Julie told him as she smiled.
"Ah, I am definitely not staying in this big mansion on my own for hours. So I guess I'll come with you guys." Jason said happily.
"Great. Let's go then. To my car." Grace said happily as she started walking towards her car.
"Yes! Uncle Jason is coming." Brandon squealed as he held Jason's hand and pulled him with him as they headed towards Grace's car. Julie then locked the door while sighing heavily at how Brandon always enjoyed Jason's company. She used to find it normal when they were just friends but now that it seemed they were dating and already having issues, it started feeling frustrating. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen if their relationship wasn't going to make it. It was definitely going to affect Brandon since he was already so used to Jason. At that moment as she saw them walking together happily, she couldn't help but feel a sweet twitch in her heart which made her smile. She really hoped that their relationship would make it. Hopefully Jason had come so they could talk over their misunderstanding. That was what mattered at that moment. Maybe she would actually take their relationship serious since Brandon was attached to Jason already. It would spare her a lot of stress of having to date someone new who Brandon didn't know and who knows, Brandon might even never like a new guy. She was now seeing the advantage of dating Jason and she was definitely not going to take it jokingly anymore. She at that moment decided she was going to be serious with him. So as they all entered the car she couldn't help but smile at her decision. And with that, they drove out heading to town for shopping.
~~~
"Jeez, Juls. This was supposed to be Brandon's shopping but you're almost making it yours." Grace complained as Julie tried on a dress she had picked in the boutique they had decided to visit. It had been hours of doing shopping and Julie had said they weren't gonna leave town before they went to that particular boutique to get a dress. It was a high class boutique, with classy expensive clothing, , that probably only the rich got their clothings there.
" Come on Gee. Don't be a joy kill. Besides you own this damn boutique. So let's just say am here to promote you." Julie said as she rolled her eyes at her while turning so Grace could help her zip up.
"Why? I truly appreciate that sweat heart." Grace answered sarcastically then added. " But really Juls, since when did you start buying ready made dresses. I mean I am the one who always design and make all your dresses and at home to be precise. So I honestly don't get why we are here in the first place. " Grace kept complaining as she helped her zip up. Ever since Grace had entered into the fashion industry, she had been the one making Julie's dresses and it had always the best dresses that most celebrities envied. That was how Grace's fashion and design company had managed to be well known and probably how the rich always ran for their designer clothing. So the boutique they were at that moment was one among the many boutiques that Grace owned.
"Ah, which apparently you are the one who designed and made this dress again. So the difference is still the same. Just that this one is at the boutique. So stop whining and compliment me. Don't I look spelindid in this dress?" Julie said while showcasing how the dress made her look like a goddess.
" Of course you must always look good in the work of my hands. Now let's get out of here. I am so exhausted. " Grace said proudly while smiling at how Julie looked exquisite in the dress.
"Damn honey. That dress is absolutely gorgeous on you." Jason said while peeping into the changing room.
"Oh? Well, I appreciate that coming from you darling. Just that currently you are peeping into the ladies changing room and it's unethical. Haha." Julie answered Jason as she smiled sweetly at him.
"Haha. I probably forgot that. Anyway I wanted to confirm if Brandon is here coz he left my side a while ago." Jason inquired hoping that Brandon had come to them when he had left Jason in the waiting room.
"What? No he isn't here. When did he leave your side?" Julie asked as panic already surged through her.
"It's been like 10 mins or so. He hasn't come back so I decided to confirm if he was here since he came this way." Jason answered worriedly.
"10 mins? Goodness, Jason really? He has probably wandered away on his own. Oh God." Julie said in an exasperated tone knowing how much Brandon loved wandering alone especially if he finds something interesting.
"Hey don't panic. He's probably somewhere inside this boutique. I would have been alerted if he went outside. Come on, let's go look for him." Grace told her calmly as she headed for the door where Jason was also already turning in a hurry so they could all go look for Brandon. Julie followed them hurriedly and she couldn't help but panic even though Grace had assured her that Brandon hadn't left the boutique. It was her only son that they were talking about and him getting lost was definitely something that was gonna make her panic.
"I think we should go different ways since this boutique is damn big. If anyone of us find him early, then give us a call." Jason said and both Julie and Grace nodded while they both headed to different direction. Hopefully Brandon hadn't truly left the boutique, otherwise it was gonna be the death of Julie.