One Wild Night

Chapter 955  Not A Rebound

The early morning sky over Heden was still cloaked in the soft blue of dawn when Tom's designated driver pulled the car to a stop in front of the house.

The journey from the airstrip to the house had been mostly quiet but filled with the anticipation of a surprise.

"Are you really sure it's a good idea to disturb them so early in the morning?" Tom asked, not making any move to get out of the car

"Both our parents are early risers. Don't worry. They will be happy to see us even if we show up at two in the morning," Lucas assured Tom as he opened the door.

While Tom and Lucas got the bags out of the car, Lucy led Amy to the doorstep and rang the doorbell, the chime resonating through the stillness of the morning.

It was only a moment before the door swung open, revealing Janet. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw them. "Lucy! Lucas!" she shrieked happily, her voice carrying through the house.

She was still in her robe, hair slightly disheveled, and her surprise was evident. "What are you both doing here? You didn't say you were coming!"

Before anyone could answer, she turned back towards the hallway and called out, "Andrew! Drew, come quickly; you won't believe who's at the door!" She called out, and Lucy laughed as she embraced her.

"Hey, Mom!" Lucas greeted with a grin as he joined them. His mother hugged him happily and led them into the house.

Footsteps sounded from somewhere deeper in the house, and Andrew soon appeared. His eyes lit up when he saw his children. "Lucy, Lucas!" he boomed, his voice as warm and steady as always. What a wonderful surprise!" He pulled them both into a bear hug, his laugh rich and full of joy.

"How are you doing, Tom?" Janet asked as she embraced Tom while Amy stood aside, smiling as she watched them all.

Janet's eyes wandered to Amy as they exchanged pleasantries, her brows knitting together in concentration. "You look familiar. Have we met before?"

Andrew chuckled, patting his wife's shoulder gently. "You're getting old, Jane. "Of course, you remember her. She's Lucy's secretary. She came by when we were visiting Lucy for the first time in Ludus, remember?" (Chapter 243)

"Oh, of course!" Janet's face lit up, a spark of recognition in her eyes. "I remember now. Amy, isn't it?" she asked hesitantly as she reached out to take Amy's hand.

Amy nodded, pleased that Janet remembered her name, "Yes, ma'am."

"Welcome to our home, Amy! It's so lovely to see you again. And thank you again for all your help last time. You've been such a support to our Lucy," Janet said as she embraced Amy.

"Thank you, ma'am. You have a lovely home," Amy said politely.

Lucy grinned, unable to keep the secret any longer. "Well, Amy is here with us," she said, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, "but not as my secretary this time."

Lucas rolled his eyes, gently nudging his sister. "Since when did you become so loose-tongued?" he admonished, though his smile belied his words.

Janet's eyes sparkled with curiosity, and she shared a knowing look with Andrew. "So, Lucas," she began slowly, "is Amy the girlfriend Lucy mentioned to us?"

Amy blushed, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks as all eyes turned towards her. She moved subtly to stand behind Lucas, but he reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Yes, Mom," he said, smiling down at Amy. Amy is my girlfriend."

Janet's face broke into a wide, ecstatic grin. "Oh, this is wonderful!" she exclaimed, pulling Amy into another hug. "Welcome to our home, dear! We're so happy to have you."

Andrew, still smiling, nodded towards the staircase. "Why don't you take your things to your rooms and then come for breakfast?" he suggested. "We have plenty to catch up on."

As they made their way up the stairs, Lucy took Tom's hand, leading him down the hallway to her bedroom. The room was exactly as he'd remembered it from their previous visit—filled with soft colors and pictures that chronicled Lucy's life. "It's nice to be back here," Tom said, taking in the familiar sights and smells that were uniquely Lucy.

Lucy smiled, pulling him close. "Yeah. It's always good to be home."

Meanwhile, Lucas led Amy to his bedroom at the end of the hallway. It was a neat, spacious room decorated with posters of bands and athletes and a bookshelf lined with his favorite novels.

Amy looked around, taking it all in, the room reflecting so much of the man she was falling for.

"Your Mom is so welcoming," Amy said, still slightly flushed from the attention.

"She is just delighted to see us happy," Lucas said, his voice warm. He couldn't resist teasing her a little, seeing the way her blush had deepened earlier. "You were so shy earlier. I thought you'd faint when she hugged you."

Amy laughed, shaking her head. "It's just… I've never had to meet a boyfriend's family. It's nice. I felt a little overwhelmed, but it was nice."

A gentle knock on the door interrupted them, and Janet peeked in. "Amy, sweetheart, do you have everything you need? Towels, toiletries?"

Amy smiled, touched by Janet's concern. "I'm fine, thank you. Everything's perfect."

"Alright. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask," Janet said with a bright smile before walking away, and Amy turned to Lucas with a grin.

"She likes you," Lucas said, and Amy rolled her eyes.

"I don't think it's about me. I feel your Mom is the type who would love whoever you bring home to her," Amy said easily.

"Yes, she is the easy-to-please type, but I know she likes you," Lucas insisted.

"If you say so. And I like her too," Amy said with a yawn.

"Why don't you go in to freshen up? After breakfast, we can take a little nap before going to see your Mom," Lucas suggested.

"Alright," Amy said, and Lucas patted her shoulder before heading for the door. "I will leave you to it and meet you downstairs."

As Lucas made his way to the kitchen, he found his parents bustling about, setting the table and preparing breakfast. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, mingling with the scent of toast and eggs. "Need any help?" he asked, leaning against the doorway.

Janet looked up, still beaming. "I can't believe you're all here! It feels like a dream. Now I understand how Evelyn was so happy when everyone was around for  Lawrence's funeral," she said as she busied herself, setting the plates, and Lucas joined her.

After some time, she glanced up at Lucas. "Do you think it's fate?"

"What?" Lucas asked, wondering what she was asking about.

"That the first day you met Amy was the same day you broke up with Rachel?" She asked, and Lucas frowned, considering the thought.

"Was it the same day?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Yeah. You broke up with Rachel after Amy left. I might not be good with faces, but I'm good with dates," she said with a grin.

"Hmm. I never really thought of it that way," he admitted. "But now that you mention it, it does seem… coincidental."

"Symbolizing," Janet said with a nod.  "Maybe it's destiny."

"Maybe," Lucas agreed, a small smile playing on his lips at the thought.

Andrew, setting down a steaming pot of coffee, joined the conversation. "Do you really like her?" he asked thoughtfully.

Lucas didn't hesitate. "I wouldn't be with her or bring her here if I didn't. Amy makes me happy, Dad. I'm comfortable with being me when I'm with her."

Andrew nodded, satisfaction in his gaze. "Just make sure it's not a rebound, Lucas. We don't want you hurting her feelings, or yours for that matter."

Janet's eyes were soft as she looked at her son. "I don't think it's a rebound. I think it's more than that," she said quietly, her voice filled with motherly love.

Lucas looked at his father, seriousness in his eyes. "Mom is right. It's way more than that. I've thought about that a lot, Dad. At first, I thought it was a rebound. I didn't think it was possible that I could find myself drawn to anyone so soon after all of that drama. I really struggled with my feelings for Amy and tried to push them away, but they kept coming back. I know that she's not a rebound. She's… she's the real thing."

Janet smiled, her heart full. "Then we're happy for you, Lucas. And Amy is welcome here, anytime."

"Yes, we are. She's a beautiful girl, too," Andrew said, winking at Lucas, and they all laughed.

Soon, Amy came down, and Lucas left her with his parents and went in to freshen up. Amy joined Janet in preparing breakfast, and as they did, Janet asked Amy more questions about herself as she got to know her.

Breakfast was lively, filled with laughter and stories of Lucas and Lucy's childhood. Tom and Amy found themselves comfortably engaged in conversation with Janet and Andrew, both feeling more at home with each passing moment.

The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow over the room, making it feel like a scene from a long-cherished memory.

Amy and Lucy assisted Janet with cleaning up the dining and kitchen after breakfast, and Tom and Lucas joined Andrew in the garage as he worked on his car.

Seeing that as a good time to talk to both men, Tom took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts.

"I wanted to talk to you both about something important," Tom began, his voice serious. "It's about Lucy."

Andrew paused what he was doing when he heard the seriousness in Tom's voice, and so did Lucas.

"What about her? Is something wrong?" Lucas asked with concern.

"Did something happen?" Andrew asked at the same time, his face mirroring the same concern on Lucas's.

"No. Not at all. Everything is fine. Great even. It's just that I've been thinking about this for a long time, and I've made up my mind. I want to propose to her," Tom said, and Andrew exchanged a look with Lucas, who was now grinning.

"You want to propose to her?" Andrew asked, wondering if Tom didn't know how Lucy felt about marriage. Or did Lucy perhaps tell him she had changed her mind?

"Yes, Andrew. I love her more than anything and can't imagine my life without her. We've been together for a while now, and our families get along well, but I still want it to be official. I want her to be my wife officially. So, since you're both the important men in her life, I thought before I do anything, I should ask for your permission," Tom said while Lucas kept grinning.

Andrew studied Tom for a moment, his expression unreadable before a slow smile spread across his face. "You know, Tom, you've always been like a son to me," he said finally. "And I couldn't have asked for a better man for my daughter. If you believe Lucy is ready and this is what you both want, then you have my blessing. It would be an honor to have you as part of our family."

Lucas nodded, "Yeah. You have my blessings, too."

Even though Tom had expected that response, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders, his heart swelling with gratitude. "Thank you, Andrew. Thank you, Lucas. That means more to me than you know. I promise to care for Lucy and always be there for her."

Andrew clapped a hand on Tom's shoulder, his eyes bright with emotion. "I know you will, Tom. And I do not doubt that you and Lucy will have a wonderful life together. Now, let's go back inside."

"Do you plan to do it anytime soon? I want to be around to see it," Lucas said with a grin.

"I'm sure you will all be around. The Christmas party we are hosting will be the engagement party. She just doesn't know it yet," Tom said, and Lucas chuckled, amused by the fact that Tom and Lucy were thinking along the same lines.

He couldn't wait to see how they both planned to pull it off and who would succeed first. It would be so beautiful to behold.

"Oh, my Jane is going to be so happy," Andrew said with a grin, happy that they would be there to witness that milestone in Lucy's life.