Lucas

Seeing my parents on the holidays always brings out a bit of a bittersweet feeling. I very much wanted to see them and spend this special time with them but, at the same time (and especially this year), whenever my job was mentioned it constituted a reason for tension to rise between us. 

On the 24th, when they asked how I was doing over some tea, I told them about Nicole. How I had met her, how we were dating and how strongly I felt about her. Luckily for me, both my mom and my dad were more than happy to get to meet her so soon. They were happy that I found someone.

Then, during Christmas dinner I decided to rip off the band aid and let them know about my recent change of plans for the future, told them all about my trip to the studios and how they were so interested in me and my vision and explained that I'd be moving to the US after the new year.

Obviously, that was when it all went south. 

"Okay, now I'm actually getting really nervous about meeting them." Nicole took a deep breath as she looked out the window, after I told her how it all went.

I picked her up from the airport and was currently driving us to my parent's house, located in St. Jude's. 

"Don't be." With my left hand on the wheel, I took my right hand to hers and squeezed her palm. "They really liked that I met someone and they seemed pretty excited to meet you."

With what I said, Nicole looked a bit more relaxed and at ease, and we carried on with the journey. 

"I noticed you're wearing my gift."

She had given me a watch and it was my new favorite accessory. It looked good and it is useful and every time I want to know the time I'm instantly reminded of Nicole. And that's always a good memory to have. 

"I loved it. Thank you so much again." Like a God given gift, the sign turned red and once I stopped the vehicle I tilted my head to the side to kiss her.

"I loved yours too." I smiled and once I spotted the bright green light on the corner of my eye, I started the car again and continued the ride home. "And I'm wearing it too, see?"

I offered Nicole a custom made silver necklace that I designed especially for her, with an inscription of her name. It was my last design for Gems of the Heath and it was the perfect gift for her.

I glanced at her and saw she had pulled the name tag out from under the red turtle neck sweater she had on, showing to me that she was in fact wearing it. "And I never plan on taking it off."

A few minutes after, I was parking the car on my parents' driveway and much to our surprise, we had a special greeting right before we walked inside the house.

"Nicole!" Little Lexi ran to the passenger's door and excitedly waited for Nicole to open the door and hug her tight, which she did in seconds. 

"Hi cutie! Did you have a good Christmas?"

"Yes! Did you?"

"I did. Did Santa left you nice gifts?"

"Yes. What did he give you?" Lexi's voice was always filled with joy and excitement and I couldn't help but always wish I could go back to being a child whenever I heard her speak.

"Lexi, don't bother Nicole. It's freezing out here, let's go inside and she'll tell us all about it."

"Okay, uncle Luc."

We walked inside my childhood home and as we reached the front door, we had my parents expecting us already.

"Hello!" They both said in unison, with smiles on their faces. 

"Hi! I'm so glad to meet you!"

"I'm Amelia, nice to meet you darling." My mother opened her arms and Nicole hugged her. My father was little less caring and chose to only stretch his hand out for a handshake. 

"I'm George, welcome to St. Jude's."

"Thank you, this is a lovely small town." Nicole shook his hand and flashed him one of those smiles of hers, that made it impossible for anyone not to like her. 

Melanie got up from the couch and hugged Nicole as well, she was also happy to have another familiar face around, plus they'd gotten pretty close.

"I have the kettle on and I prepared some cookies." My mom said with an inviting smile.

"Thank you." Nicole took off her coat and engaged on a conversation with my mom. "I gotta say, I've never been a big fan of tea but ever since I came to London, I can't let a day go by where I don't drink a cup!" 

My parents chuckled lightly at her comment and while everyone took their seat around the kitchen table, I went outside to bring her luggage inside before joining all my loved ones in the warm and cozy square sized kitchen.

My parents' house is small. Really small. 

Their kitchen is almost the size of a square sized box that was big enough to only fit in the sink, the dish washer machine, the fridge and a very small oven and stove, all neatly arranged next to each other in a very geometrical way. Looking at the kitchen was like looking at a Tetris game.

The table took the free space in the middle of all those electronic devices, and to this day I still wonder how during the holidays it can fit so many people, but when I get back from the room and look at the sight in front of me, I realize you can always make room for those you love, and I don't mean just in an old kitchen. 

"You seem to be having fun." I said, interrupting the giggles Nicole and my mom were sharing. There was a free space in between Lexi and Nicole and knowing all too well the little girl chose it deliberately, I took my seat where she wanted me to. 

"Your mom was just telling me about when you were a kid and used to fake sleep so you could see Santa."

That was when I found out Santa wasn't real. But that was a confession for a whole other time, whenever we didn't have a five year old around us.

With a change of topic my mom continued to talk to my girlfriend like she's known her her whole life and as if she was her new BFF. My sister glared at me with a hint of an eye roll; knowing my mom just like I did, she knew this was a game our mother liked to play.

I wasn't expecting that much of a show on my mom's side, she's usually pretty blunt, but my dad's keeping his poker face on the best that he can, remaining an enigma to Nicole. 

"Well the tea and the cookies were amazing but I promised this little one we'd be going to the store to buy her some sour candy."

Hearing my sister's word, Lexi's eyes lit up and my niece jumped from the chair to the ground and made her way to the front door after picking up her coat on the way. 

"We'll be right back." She added as she got up. 

"Perhaps you should join your sister, Lucas." My mom's words caught me by surprise, and my jaw clenched as I gave her a small, forced smile.

"Melanie's a grown woman, I think she can go to the store by herself."

"I agree. But it's getting dark outside and she's taking the little girl with her." Her wrinkled hand clung onto the pendent on her necklace. "I would feel safer if they had you by their side."

How convenient. 

I didn't have much of a choice here but to get up from my seat, grab my jacket and head out the door with my sister and niece. 

Nicole offered to come with us, but my mom obviously stopped her. 

"Nonsense. They'll be fine on their own, plus you must be tired from the long flight."

In all her innocence, Nicole shrugged and nodded in agreement. "I am a little tired, yes."

"I won't be long." Our eyes met as I was about to walk out the door, and with an apologetic look, I said goodbye, knowing all too well that the alone time of my parents with my girlfriend could only equal disaster. 

On the way to the store, Melanie and I talked about it and she agreed with me that we had to expect the worst when we'd come back to the house. And oh boy, was she right.

"What's going on?" I tried to keep my tone calm, but by the look in my father's eyes, I knew I was failing. 

"Oh, we're just getting the sofa ready for tonight."

My parents' living room sofa was a sofa bed, and let's just say that the bed part of the furniture was on display.

I was about to open my mouth to speak up when I felt Nicole's hand on my chest. "It's okay, Lucas. Your parents said they'd prefer if we didn't sleep in the same room together so they kindly offered me their room while they sleep on the couch."

"What?!" The shock filled question came from Melanie. 

"It's what's correct." My father said as he fluffed a pillow with his hands.

"It's what's correct in the nineteenth century!" Melanie didn't waste any time shooting back an answer but neither did my mother. Their personalities were very much alike and the reason why they often clashed. 

"Sweetie, it's that mindset that gave you a child."

Nicole's eyes looked like they could pop out of her head anytime soon as her eyebrows jumped to her hairline. 

I immediately turned to my sister to try to calm her down a little and refrain her from saying anything back. It just wasn't worth it. Nonetheless, Melanie looked like she could have smoke coming out of her ears and nostrils. 

I just thanked God Lexi was already upstairs in Melanie's room, where they were both sleeping in for this short stay, eating her candy and playing with the new toys she got for Christmas. 

The three of us made our way upstairs, walking by the dozens of picture frames - some large, some smaller - with pictures of me and my sister together during our childhood, snaps of our parents' wedding, individual pictures of me and Melanie that we took on picture day at school. Melanie went to see her daughter and Nicole and I went to my room.

"Your childhood bedroom is adorable." She said excitedly as she looked around and analysed all the little details about the room. 

"Nic, I'm so sorry." Was all I managed to say back to her. 

"It's okay, Lucas. Their home, their rules."

"Well, their rules are stupid!" She curled her lips upwards into a small smile, wrapped her arms around me and I instantly wrapped mine around her.

"It's just two nights."

Despite her best attempt at trying to make me see her side, I couldn't and remained angry at my parents for 1) treating me like I'm sixteen years old and 2) doing it all behind my back. 

But I knew it. I fucking knew that my mom's little talk about going to the store with Mel and Lexi was pure and utter bullshit. 

Hours later, after we all had dinner and helped mom and dad with the dishes, everyone was in their respective rooms asleep. Except me. 

This whole situation was bothering me more than it should, and it wasn't just because I missed Nicole and wanted to sleep by her side.

L: Are you sleeping? X

N: Nope.

Of course she wasn't. It wasn't even ten thirty yet.

L: I'm coming over.

I got up from the bed and quietly walked to my parents' room - where Nicole was at -, turned the knob softly to avoid making any excessive noise that could wake anyone up, and blue met brown as my eyes found hers.

"Are you sure about this?" 

Instead of answering her question I sat next to her, on the edge of the bed, and cupped her face with my hands before bringing her lips to mine. 

"Did they interrogate you?"

"Um... Not really." Thank God she doesn't want to be an actress, cause the woman standing in front of me couldn't lie to save her own life.

I threw her a questioning look and a knowing smile and she gave in instantly. 

"Okay, they asked me a few questions. It was nothing too serious or anything, just why I came to London, what I did for a living, why did I want to be a writer... pretty normal stuff, if you'd ask me."

Her shoulders raised and fell in a shrug, but I still felt like that wasn't all.

"What else?"

"Jesus, now you're the one interrogating me!" She tried to giggle her way out of this conversation and although I found it adorable and could listen to her little giggles and watch her cheeks grow two sizes and turn slightly pink as she laughed all day long, I couldn't let this go by without knowing exactly what they said to her.

"That's because I know how they can be, how they are."

"Well, you know how they aren't too happy that you're moving to America with me? They talked to me about that."

I knew it.

"Spill it out."

"They basically thought that that was my plan all long. In your father's words, I planned on "seducing Lucas out of his home, where he belongs.""

"Unbelievable. You know that's not how I feel, don't you?"

"Yes, of course. Come on, we've talked about this. But I think maybe you should talk to them."

"No, they would never understand."

The modern world wasn't home for my parents, and as the stubborn couple they'd always been, they refused to adjust to the times and the new eras as years went by, and were permanently stuck in the sixties. Their mindset had never changed as they were unable to accept the fact that things around them have changed, and that always added to put a strain in our relationship. Same went for Melanie. 

"I defended myself. I told them that I loved you and that I wanted what was best for you and that going to America right now, was what's best for you. I tried to make them see things a little differently. Right now they might really hate me, but you're their son... you should really have a heart to heart with them."

My parents are good people. They mean well. But they were responsible for destroying any spark of hope I had left to become an illustrator and designer for children's movies by never believing in me or supporting me regarding that dream of mine.

Truth is it shouldn't be a surprise to me that they'd react the way they did once I told them the exciting news of me pursuing my dream, but it did. Deep down, it surprised me. And that hurt a lot.

"It'll be pointless to-"

"For me?" She asked in a whisper, looking up at me through her thick eyelashes, and with a pout.

I sighed deeply and flashed her a smile. "For you."

After all, I was a sucker for Nicole.

* * * 

Author's Note: 

Hey everyone! I'm sorry I didn't show you their first Christmas or the moment they opened their gifts but you'll like it more when you read their very first Christmas together 😏

On another note, we reached 2k reads, I've been getting a lot of messages and comments letting me know how much you're enjoying reading TMG and all I wanna say is - THANK YOU! ❤❤❤

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Xoxo, Mars