Lucy wasn't so sure asking her parents to move to her apartment was such a good idea anymore.
She had come back from work to meet them, hosting Alicia and Jasmine, and she had been forced to join them in a conversation she had no interest in.
And almost as soon as she got out of the shower after Jasmine and Alicia left, her mother had asked her to join them for dinner. She had been forced to sit through her mother's endless chatters when all she wanted was to do was curl up on her bed with one of those books Harry had borrowed her until she slept off so she could count another day gone until Tom's return.
"It's been a while since we spent time together like this, just the three of us," Andrew said with a happy smile as he sat with Lucy after dinner while Janet went in to freshen up for the night.
"Yeah," Lucy said with a distracted smile as she picked up her phone to check if she had received any messages from Tom within the last five minutes since she last checked.
It occurred to her earlier at the office that she didn't have any pictures of Tom on her phone.
She had wanted to take a look at his picture but had been unable to find any. The only thing she had was the video of Tom and Anita, which Harry had recorded the last time.
How could they have been dating for some time now and even living together, yet it had never occurred to her to take pictures of him or with him?
She knew without a doubt that that wasn't the case for Tom since she had caught him taking photos of her on different occasions, the last one being during their date together after the spa session.
And there weren't that many pictures of Tom on the internet unless, of course, she wanted to watch the video of Alicia's interview just to see his face, Lucy thought with a sigh.
"Are you okay, darling?" Andrew asked with concern when he noticed the frown on her face.
"Yeah. Just a bit distracted," Lucy assured him without looking at him.
"You must miss Tom," Andrew said knowingly, and this time Lucy looked at him.
"Yeah. Much more than I thought I would," Lucy admitted, and Andrew smiled.
It was one thing to have moved out of his house, but it was another to not see him at all for an entire day. She wasn't even going to count talking to him or the FaceTime. None of those counted.
She had become so used to him that the longer she spent away from him, the more cranky she realised she was becoming, even if she was doing her best to not make it obvious.
"Tom is good to you, right?" Andrew asked, and Lucy nodded.
"He is very good to me. I think that is something I'm beginning to realize more and more since he is away," Lucy said softly.
"So, what is next for your relationship? What are your plans?" Janet asked as joined them.
"Janet," Andrew called in a warning tone before Lucy could respond, and Lucy was grateful for his interference because she had been at the verge of snapping at her mother.
The last thing she wanted to do was fight with her mother, but she was cranky enough to do so at the moment if her mother didn't drop the subject.
"What? Can't I ask her that?" Janet asked Andrew irritable before turning to Lucy.
"I told you we were going to talk more about it," Janet reminded her.
"I'm starting therapy tomorrow," Lucy said instead, even though she knew that wasn't what her mother wanted to know.
"Therapy? What for?"
"Oh, pumpkin! That is great!" Janet and Andrew said simultaneously, and Andrew turned to Janet.
"What do you mean what for?" he asked with a slight frown.
"What are you receiving therapy for, sweety? Did something happen with Tom?" Janet asked Lucy, ignoring her husband.
"Give me a moment alone with your mom," Andrew told Lucy, and she rose and walked into the bedroom, leaving her parents alone.
"What is wrong with you, Janet? Why would you ask her such a question when you know very well she never received therapy all these years?" Andrew asked, trying not to be mad at her.
"All these years she has been strongly opposed to receiving therapy and all of a sudden she is getting one. Don't you want to know what prompted it?" Janet asked, equally annoyed with her husband.
"Is that the most important thing right now? What is important is that she is receiving one, and you should be happy about it! And stop asking her what her next plan is! She is doing well enough already," Andrew snapped at her.
"I never said she wasn't doing well. Sonia and Bryan are expecting a baby and…."
"So what? So what if Sonia is pregnant? Lucy has to get pregnant too because Sonia is pregnant? Are you comparing her to Sonia now?" Andrew asked in annoyance, and Janet glared at him.
"Don't you dare try to make me feel stupid, Andrew! I care about Lucy every bit as much as you care about her and even more, so don't stand there and try to make me feel like I'm being unreasonable," she hissed at him.
"You are being unreasonable," Andrew said with a frown.
"What is wrong with you? Shouldn't you be happy enough with the fact that she has a man in her life now and is in a stable relationship?" He asked irritably.
"I am happy that she has a man in her life, but…."
"There are no buts, Janet. Lucy is an adult. Leave her alone to decide what she wants and at what pace she wants her relationship to go. Do not pressure her unnecessarily," Andrew warned before walking away to meet Lucy in her bedroom.
"Dad, you didn't have to," Lucy said softly since she had overheard all they said, but she didn't resist when her father embraced her.
"I had to. I know you must have a lot going on with you, and the last thing you need right now is to be pressured," Andrew said as they both sat on Lucy's bed.
"Lucas told you about our phone call, didn't he?" Lucy asked, and Andrew gave her a nod.
"Yeah. He was very worried about you and wanted me to make sure you were alright," Andrew said and Lucy sighed.
"I don't know what to do, dad. I have no idea what I'm doing," Lucy confessed.
ραпdαn૦νel "Therapy is a good start. I'm sure you will figure it all out," Andrew assured her and she sighed.
"No, fatherly advise?" She asked hopefully.
"Receive therapy, and take every other thing one day at a time. Stop thinking too far ahead into the future. There are lots of uncertainties in life and there is only so much mistakes that you can avoid," Andrew said simply.
"What is marriage with mom like? I mean, I know you both bicker half the time, but I know you love each other. Don't you have fears?" Lucy asked, and Andrew smiled.
"We all have fears. What I fear most is life without your mother. I fear to think of her dying before me. But I wouldn't want to push her away just so I don't suffer the pain if such a thing ever happens. I don't know if that makes sense," Andrew said, and Lucy nodded.
"In a way it does. Shouldn't you go makeup with her? She is probably sulking right now," Lucy said, and Andrew snorted.
"Let her sulk. She has no problem with being harsh to others, but when the favor is returned she can't stand it," Andrew said and Lucy laughed softly, knowing that he would go to her soon enough as he always did.
"What do you want, darling? Would you prefer we put a bit of distance between us and Tom's parents?" Andrew asked, and Lucy shook her head.
"No, dad. I'm not going to break up with Tom. I'm working to see how I can make things work with him. He is doing his best so I should do mine too," Lucy said, and told her father about the notes she had received from Tom and even the breakfast Adolf brought to the office.
Andrew smiled, "Tom is a really good man. I hope things work out between you two," Andrew said as he rose.
"And even if it doesn't, you will always be my princess. So, do whatever you believe is best for you. Don't worry about your mother. She caught the grandma fever after Sonia's announcement. It will pass," he assured her before walking away to find his wife.
Alone in her bedroom now, Lucy quickly rearranged the bed and went out to let her parents know that they could go in for the night if they wanted.
Seeing that they were in the middle of a conversation she told them she was going outside for fresh air and walked out of the house with her phone.
She needed some time alone, and she didn't mind hiding out in her car to get it.
As she unlocked her car, her thoughts randomly drifted to Amy and she remembered that she was yet to check on Amy since the last time they both talked.
Although after hearing from Lucas about what Amy and Miley did, she was mad at them, but she couldn't just cut Amy off because of that.
Amy had been there for her when she needed someone, and for that she wouldn't count whatever Amy and Miley had done to Lucas against her.
Once she dialed Amy's line, she waited for some time before Amy received the call, "Lucy?" Amy called, sounding genuinely surprised to hear from her.
"Hello, Amy! It's been a while," Lucy greeted pleasantly, and Amy moved further away from the bedroom where Miley was trying to get some rest.
She had been throwing up all day and the doctor said it was a side effect of the new pain relief medicine she was taking.
"Yeah. How have you been?" Amy asked cautiously.
"Good. I've been good. How are you doing? How is your friend?" Lucy asked and Amy sighed.
"We are good. She is getting by daily. I'm sorry I haven't called you…."
"Oh, come on! I should be the one apologizing not you. You don't have to be sorry. I know you must have been busy," Lucy said dismissively.
Amy hesitated for a second, "I'm sorry to bring this up, but I really feel guilty about how things happened between your brother and us. Did he tell you what happened?" Amy asked, and Lucy sighed.
"Yes, he did."
"I'm very sorry, Lucy. I really didn't mean to hurt or upset him that way. I knew it was wrong of me to make such a request from him. I was just too selfish thinking and worrying about Miley to think about him. I'm really sorry," Amy said, and Lucy smiled.
"Amy?" Miley called from the doorway, and Amy spun around to look at her.
"Are you okay? Do you need me to get you something?" Amy asked with concern as she rushed to Miley's side.
"I should let you go now. I called to know how you were doing. My regards to Miley," Lucy said, before hanging up immediately.
"I'm fine. Was that Lucy?" Miley asked, and Amy nodded.
"Yeah…."
"Did she say how Lucas is doing?" She asked with concern.
"We agreed not to talk about him anymore, remember? Besides, you are in no condition to worry about him. Now that we have found someone suitable, why don't we inform your parents about your health? You are looking paler and getting weaker with each passing day," Amy said with a worried frown.
"Calm down, Amy. We will inform them soon enough but not just yet. Let's just get everything sorted out first. By this time next week you should have undergone the procedure, and after that I will introduce Malone to them as my fiancé and have a small wedding. I will let them know about my health after our honeymoon trip. That way if they decide to get me hospitalized I would have done all I want to do," Miley said weakly as she lowered herself on the couch.
"How do you know you would be healthy enough to do all of this when your health seems to be deteriorating so rapidly?" Amy asked as she sat down beside her.
"I will. Don't worry. Okay?" Miley promised, but looking at her, Amy doubted it.
"Your parents won't like this," Amy reminded her for what seemed like the thousandth time.
"I'm an adult. They don't have to like my decision to respect it," Miley said, and Amy sighed.
"Do you think they will accept Malone?" Amy asked, and Miley shrugged.
"I don't see any reason why not. Apart from the fact that Malone is a decent guy, he is only a well-paid sperm donor and a loving partner to dote on me in my final days on earth. He already signed the agreement to not come anywhere near you or the baby after my demise," Miley reminded her and Amy winced at that.
Her sixth sense told her she was making a mistake and things might not really work out as easily as Miley was saying it, but she couldn't take back her promise now.
She could only hope that whatever happened, Miley's parents would forgive her and that Miley would at least find peace and joy in her last days on earth.
Whatever happens afterward she would find a way to deal with it.
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