The English Tutor

Hope was going around making sure everything was set up for Thanksgiving dinner that would be starting in an hour. Her family would be meeting Josie as her girlfriend instead of the girl that tutors her. She had made sure everything went perfect since the morning, she needed every single Mikaelson in a good mood. Hope knew that happy Mikaelsons make events go by smoother. Happy Mikaelsons guaranteed less hostility. 

She had spoken with her Aunt Freya and of course, Freya assured her she would do everything in her power to be nice to Josie and not mention to her parents the whole 'walking in on them' accident, which, Hope was grateful for. She did not need her parents to know that. She didn't need anyone knowing that. 

Hope had talked with Keelin, who told her she would support Josie with the family. She would be on their side if things went south. Keelin was the only one that knew Josie was a single mother of twins. Hope wanted to tell her parents but she never seemed to find the right time. She had mentioned she took Josie on a date but after that, she simply told her parents everything was fine and if there were any changes she'd let them know. 

Hope was beginning to get nervous even worried Josie should have arrived forty minutes ago but the girl was nowhere to be found. She wasn't even answering her phone. Hope decided she would go check on her family and see how everyone was doing. 

"Where are you going?" Her father asked her. 

"To the Saltzman," Hope lied. She did not want to admit she was nervous about possibly getting stood up. "I wanted to check if they need help bringing anything over." 

"That not needed." Hope's mother told them as she walked over to sit with Klaus. "Caroline texted me, she said they are heading over in ten minutes and Lizzie's boyfriend is with them so he and Alaric are doing most of the carrying." 

Hope sigh in frustration and gave up. Maybe she got her hopes up too early and Josie really didn't want to be her girl or she misunderstood their relationship. Hope began to fumble with her nails. She didn't want to look at her parents or her aunts and uncles that were beginning to sit around her, she was afraid if she did she would cry. 

"I'm so sorry." Came the familiar voice from behind her. "It's not like me to be late. I forgot that on Thanksgiving the bus schedule changed so instead of my second bus passing every fifteen minutes it passed every forty. I am so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Mikaelson." Hope smiled at the rambling girl. Josie handed Hayley some yellow roses. Josie looked stunning to Hope. She was wearing a blue dress that had spaghetti straps, and some white converse. Hope knew the converse where due to traveling with the twins she had to be prepared to run. 

"It okay sweetie," Hayley told the girl. "The flowers are lovely by the way. I'm going to put these and water. When I return we can get dinner started. Caroline texted me they are here." 

Hope got closer to Josie and quietly whispered in Josie's ear. Josie let her know that the kids were with Lizzie. Lizzie had apparently picked her up at her second bus stop so she wouldn't have to walk and be later than she already was.

Hope introduced Josie to everyone. She met Marcel, Kol, Daviana, and Elijah for the first time. Hope answered any questions her aunts and uncles had about Josie and Josie would answer by herself the few times she managed to beat Hope to it. 

"So how'd you meet my dear niece?" The question came from Elijah. 

"I'm her English tutor," Josie answered honestly. As everyone got comfortable Josie's attention turned around to the people getting closer. She heard two little voices that she already knew were eager to hug her although they saw her less than thirty minutes ago. Josie had left the twins with Lizzie because she wanted the chance to meet Hope's family and give them a good impression before they could judge her. 

Not that she thought Hope's family would judge her, but since she became a teen mom she became accustomed to random people commenting on her life and judging her. She just wanted a good first impression, Josie never wanted anyone's parents to like her as much as she wanted Hope's parents to like her. 

"Mommy!" Elliots and Emerson yelled. Josie waited for them to be in arms reach to pull them into a hug. 

"Ope," said Emerson as he reached for Hope. 

Hope smiled and lifted Josie's son. Hope greeted everyone that had arrived and let them know that they were about to begin dinner.  Hope looked at her father and mother who she knew had questions. Her aunts and uncles had shock written all over their face clearly, her parents were better at hiding their emotions than her aunts and uncles. 

"Can I?" Kol began to ask but stopped himself. "Scatch that. I'm going to ask because clearly, I'm not the only one that has the curiosity. The kids they are yours?" 

"Uncle Kol please-" Hope wasn't surprised her Uncle Kol was the one to ask. 

"Hope it's okay," Josie assured the Mikaelson teenager. "Yeah, they are. To make any other questions answered. My daughter's name is Elliot but everyone calls her Eli and my son's name is Emerson. They are twins and I was sixteen when I had them." 

"And you're okay with this Klaus?" Kol looked over at his brother. He was pretty sure his niece was too young to throw her life away for some girl who got knocked up so young. Seeing that his brother wasn't answering he looked over to his niece's mother. 

"We believe," Hayley began to speak but took a second to think of what exactly she wanted to say. "We believe that our daughter is very capable of choosing who she wants to be with. As her parents, we will always support her." 

"My wife is correct," Klaus spoke up. "We will always support her and we have known Josie for a couple of months and she has never given us a reason to distrust her. So welcome to the family Josie." 

The teenage girls smiled at the adults. That all they needed, the support from Hope's parents. Even then Hope was certain that with or without her parents' approval she would still date Josie. 

No one else dared to say anything and they began with Thanksgiving dinner. The whole table was filled with small talk, everyone having their own conversation with who they desired. To Josie's surprise, her kids left her. They decided to go sit by Caroline and Hayley who both told Josie to enjoy her dinner and they would feed the kids. 

The small talk died down and everyone was pulled into one conversation and the center of attention was brought to Josie. Questions were coming from everyone with occasionally MG, Lizzie, and Hope trying to get the conversation to go in another direction and always failing. The focus never failed to switch back to the teenage mother.

Hope paid attention to everything they were asking Josie. There were still things she didn't know about the girl. She knew that she still had a lot to learn but she wanted to do it the correct way when Josie was ready. Hope held Josie's hand under the table rubbing small circles on Josie's hand with her thumb, she wanted Josie to know she was there no matter what. 

"What did your parents say?" Hayley asked genuinely curious. 

Josie knows Hayley asked the question with complete sincerity. She did not mean to cause any harm she was just curious and Josie knows Lizzie and Hope also knew that because neither of them protested. "I wouldn't know. My parents uhh..." Josie wasn't sure how to answer. She wasn't sure if she should say the truth. 

"Oh my god! Your parents died. You poor child." said Daviana. Josie wanted to correct her but she did not. She rather Hope's family think she is an orphan due to her parents being dead than to her parents not wanting her.

The rest of the dinner went peaceful after that. No one else dared to ask Josie anything too personal. Hope was grateful,  she was tired of having to send her family death glares when they asked something inappropriate.  

Somewhere along the dinner Hope became upset. Josie decided to leave because Emerson had fallen asleep. Hope offered Josie her room for the night but Josie refused she said it would be better if she left so Hope could enjoy her family. Hope wanted to protest and tell Josie that she didn't want her to leave but she could tell by the look on Josie's face that she was uncomfortable and it would be better for them to see each other later. The one thing Hope did do was give Josie her leather jacket because the girl was cold and Hope did not want her to get sick.

Hope spent the rest of the night talking with Lizzie and MG while the adults talked. They talked about Lizzie and the plan for the future. Lizzie kept telling Hope that she had to look over Josie and the twins which Hope agreed. MG as well promised to be there for Josie and Hope. 

MG and Lizzie had had a talk separately when they found out about Lizzie having cancer. They laid in Lizzie's bed that night talking and sobbing most of the night but the one thing Lizzie made sure MG knew what that he had the right to move on and fall in love again. Also, that he would be making sure Hope and Josie did not fall apart, or if they did he would be there to pick them up when they were ready.

"Josette would have liked this." Lizzie pointed out as they made their way past the dessert table to the house.

"Like what?" Hope asked. 

"That your mom remembered and made her favorite. Candied yams with marshmallows," Lizzie explained there was a hint of sadness in her voice. "Neither of us ever like it but Jo she would eat the whole thing if we let her." Both of the girls chuckled. 

"Who got some if you said yall don't like it?" MG questioned, he didn't remember seeing anyone grab some. 

"Josie," Hope answered. "She seemed to really like them. I even gave her some to take home." 

The three teenagers made their way to Hope's room. As much as they loved the holiday with parents and family. Lizzie was exhausted and wanted to watch some TV. Before Lizzie laid down on Hope's bed she grabbed her phone that MG had brought up an hour ago to charge. Lizzie checked her notifications and was shocked to see eight missed calls for Josie and one voice mail. 

"Everything okay babe?" MG asked the blonde. 

"I don't know Josie called me multiple times and left a voicemail." Lizzie unlocked her phone quickly and played the voicemail on speaker for all of them to hear. 

"Hey Lizzie," Came Josie's voice from the phone speaker. "You have been the best friend I could ask for. You have been there for me since the day we met and for that, I will always be grateful. Well, enough of me crying and being soft. I had an altercation with my landlord because my rent was late. He ran a check on me and he found out I am a runaway and he called my social worker. I have to leave, I cant let Elliot and Emerson be in the system. I'm going to disappear and I will be back I don't know when but I promise I will be back. Take care of Hope for me will you? Bye Lizzie I hope we meet again." 

The three teenagers rushed downstairs. MG and Lizzie made their way to Hope's car and Hope rushed over to find her Aunt Freya. Hope knew that in this situation Freya would be the only one that could help them. 

    When they arrived outside of Josie's place Hope rushed out of her car and into Josie's apartment. She knew it was a long shot to find Josie since the voicemail had been left more than an hour ago, but to her surprise, Josie was there. Hope noticed the other woman in the room. She was a redhead and next to her the woman was a man. 

"Josie," Hope said getting the attention of the panicked girl. 

"Hope, you're here."  Josie was praying to every god out there the Hope played along with what she was about to do. One thing that always worked to Josie's advantage was her social worker never rarely checked her hospital records.

"Josie we gotta go. Your foster parents have been worried sick." The social worker told the teenager. 

Hope watched anxiously. She felt powerless. Hope watched as the woman made her way out of the apartment and Hope followed her and Josie. Hope stood there next to MG, Lizzie, and her Aunt Freya. 

Hope was shocked when Josie got closer to her. "Hope take them please." She whispered. Hope did what she was told and took ahold of Emerson and Elliot. "Be good for mama okay. I love you." Josie placed a kiss on each other kids' forehead.

"Wait, Josie-" 

"I'm sorry." Josie cut off Hope. "Your kids were amazing today they behaved like angels." Hope did not correct Josie. When they locked eyes she could see the desperation in Josie's eyes almost as if she was willing to go to the ends of the earth to sell this lie. Hope knew wherever Josie was going it had to be horrible for her not to want to take her kids. 

"Aunt Freya, do something," Hope muttered. 

The teenagers watched anxiously as the lawyer talked with the social workers. Josie took this time to hug Lizzie and MG. She did not have high hopes for Freya being able to help her. When Freya approached them they all gave her their full attention. 

"Josie, I know you don't wanna hear this." Freya had to admit to herself she was not the biggest fan of Josie since she walked in on her and Hope, but right now as she saw how hard Josie worked and how hard she was trying to get her kids to stay with Hope she knew Josie was a good girl. Who sadly had just had a bad life so far. "I need you to go with Miss Sage. She going to take you to your last foster home apparently they're still willing to take you in despite the fact that you ran away." Freya's heart broke a little when she saw the tears that rushed down Josie's face.  "I am going to talk to one of my close friends who's a judge and I will try my hardest to get him to sign you over to us okay? So can you just hold on for me just a couple of days and we will go for you?" 

Josie gave Freya a nod. She said her goodbyes and left with Sage.