Like Father, Like Son
September, 2023
Riley and Lucas got settled into their new apartment with the help of Zay and Vanessa, Maya and Farkle, and the Matthews family along with Lucas' parents and older sister. The 2023-2024 NBA Season was beginning in a month and Lucas was still tired from his early morning workout as he drank some of his protein shake. "Lucas man, I know your season begins soon and your training camp is in 3 weeks but damn man you need to relax." Josh told him placing down a box down near the couch.
"Well I wanna see you in my position! I got a baby boy on the way, Zay and I will be starting our careers soon and at any moment, Riley could be going into labor! Ya I'm calm man!" Lucas ranted to Josh as Josh placed his hands up surrendering.
"Look Lucas I'm just saying, just take it easy and not to place too much pressure on yourself you're gonna be a great father, and don't let the media influence how you play!" Josh spoke some wise words to the anxious NBA Player.
"Hey man we'll fine, we're gonna play great and let the game come to us, we're making our debut next month." Zay said walking in with a box full of Lucas' clothes.
"Did your schedule even come out yet?" Josh asked.
"Ya actually, we will start the first 3 games at home! First against the Brooklyn Nets, then we face the Dallas Mavericks, and then we get the Boston Celtics." Lucas listed memorizing the first 3 games of the year out of a total of 82 games in the NBA season.
"Ouuuuu Boston!" Maya walked in cringing just hearing the city of Boston mentioned.
"Why are you all sour for Maya?" Zay turned around and looked towards the Blonde Beauty.
"Well you two cowboys won't know since you two didn't grow up here. But let's just say Boston and New York have had a rivalry when it comes to sports especially the Yankees and the Red Sox!" Maya cringed mentioning the famous Boston Red Sox.
"Will you calm down Maya?! Besides the Knicks are projected to do very well this year! Kristaps Porzingis is now a 5-time All-Star, we went to the playoffs last year only to be eliminated by the Chicago Bulls in 6 games!" Lucas mentioned keeping an eye on the NBA landscape.
"Then how the hell did you get drafted so high up?" Maya asked.
"Because New York traded for a first round draft pick that was supposed to go the Philadelphia 76ers so basically I was a gift from Philly!" Lucas told everyone the story of how the Knicks got a very high draft pick.
"Don't mention THEM around me." Cory Matthews said despising the team he grew up with.
"Dad relax, they'll become great again!" A pregnant Riley said walking in with a pregnant Vanessa.
"There she is!" Lucas said so happy to see his beautiful wife as he kissed her.
"And how's the little man doing?" Lucas asked going to his knees and kissing Riley's belly holding their soon to be born son.
"He's doing good but he needs his father to relax!" Riley said kissing Lucas's forehead.
"I can't help it babe! I really wanna impress this year." Lucas said releasing his worries to Riley.
"Hey Riles, where's Farkle isn't he coming up with another box?" Maya asked wondering where her fiancée was.
"Ya about that, he's kinda having a tough time, he wasn't the strongest of all of us." Riley broke the news.
"I'll get him." Maya left to check up on her fiancée.
"Zay did you and Vanessa settle into your apartment?" Josh asked.
"Ya we moved in three days ago and now it's Lucas and Riley's turn to move in." Zay said helping his best friend.
"And we're very thankful Zay!" Riley thanked the recently engaged couple.
"By the way, just gonna put this out there, when we were in High School, of all of us, I thought it would be Farkle and Maya that would get married first! Guess I was wrong and now you two have a kid coming any day now!" Zay told the group.
"Life happens Zay, plans change and people grow at a different rate than others." Riley said as she held her womb excited to welcome her and Lucas' son into the world.
"Do you guys even have a name for him yet?" Vanessa asked wrapping her arms around her fiancée.
"We decided that Aaron John Matthews Friar will be his full name." Riley said still excited as Maya and Farkle re-entered the room was Farkle appeared to be tired from walking up the stairs and with a heavy box that Maya carried with ease.
"I don't know how you guys are able to do this! So many stairs! So many boxes!" Farkle complained as he was taking deep breaths.
"Farkle buddy, you could've just used the elevator." Lucas told his longtime friend as Farkle did a front flip onto the couch and fell asleep.
"Ya we might as well take a break. What does everyone say we order in for Pizza?" Cory suggested seeing how tired Farkle was.
"That's perfect! Thanks Daddy!" Riley agreed as she sat down in a chair beside the couch.
"I'll just finish unpacking." A determined Lucas said as he began to open the boxes with a box cutter as Zay and Josh helped him to get settled in.
Eventually a Pizza delivery guy from Pizza Hut arrived to the newly renovated apartment as Cory paid for lunch. Everyone ate together as May woke up her genius fiancée. As everyone sat together and ate together. After the whole moving in process was finished, everyone was exhausted and their energy spent until Lucas got an email from his agent.
Dear Lucas,
I hope you and your wife are getting settled into your new apartment, I got some great news for you. Media day is in two weeks and that means Knicks management needs you and the whole team at Madison Square Garden to for a photo shoot, making preparations for opening night next month and each player will have the press talk to them in a scrum. Also there is a kid that wants to meet you as part of our partnership with the "Make A Wish" foundation. That will be next week. Get ready Lucas, the NBA Season is coming! Hope to hear from you soon and I'll see you next week.
Sincerely,
Troy Wilkerson
"Well, I know I'm gonna be busy for the next little bit." Lucas said as he placed his phone down taking a bite out of his Cheese Pizza.
"Why is that hun?" Riley asked her husband.
"Zay did you get an email from your agent as well?" Lucas asked Zay across the table.
"Yup. We got work to do now." Zay said realizing their dream is starting to become a reality.
"What's going on guys?" Vanessa asked the two Knicks Rookies.
"We have to be at Madison Square Garden in two weeks for Media Day and I have to meet a little kid as part of my partnership with Make-A-Wish." Lucas proudly announced moving onto the crust of his pizza.
"And so it begins Zay and Ranger Rick are beginning their careers!" Maya mocked the two Texans.
"I'm proud of you two, you've all come a long way. You guys always stay together ok?" Topanga said as she took a hold of her husband's hand supporting her son in law and his best friend.
"This changes nothing with everyone in this room." Lucas vowed knowing how close everyone is.
"And can I get an autograph Lucas?" 14-Year Old Auggie Matthews asked.
"Ya sure Aug! No problem man!" Lucas agreed.
"Is this the life you wanted for your family?" Cory asked Lucas as Lucas turned to Riley and looked at her deeply trying to imagine their future together with their son Aaron being ready to come into the world any day now.
"Ya, this is the start, and I'm very happy and thankful that she is my wife." Lucas told Cory as he laced his right hand with Riley's left hand as he kissed her hand and went back into gazing deeply into her eyes.
"Riley, are you ready to take this step into being a mother?" Cory asked his daughter.
"It's gonna be hard dad, but with everyone here in my life, we'll manage." Riley answered her father.
"We're always gonna be friends no matter what." Farkle said keeping the friendship strong.
"We will Farkle! Nothing between us will change except our families growing and progressing forward in our lives and our careers." Riley told Farkle assuring him their friendship will remain strong.
"Hello kids!" Shawn and Katy walked in together with their 8-year old son: John.
"Hi guys!" Everyone greeted.
"SHAWNIE!" Cory ran up to his life long friend and hugged him.
"Glad to see these things never change." Topanga told the kids as Katy and John walked past the two best friends.
"Is that how Uncle Cory treats Dad?" John asked his mother and Aunt Topanga.
"Ya, it's always been like that." Topanga answered the youngster as Katy placed a container filled with cupcakes onto the table.
"Well, the Bromance is real." Riley told John.
"Topanga, how close are these two?" Lucas' father: James asked as he and his wife: Sandra looked on.
"Oh please they love each other more than Cory loves me!" Topanga said as everyone looked at her.
"It's true but I'm ok with it." Topanga told everyone
"It's always been like this for as long as I can remember!" Josh pointed out knowing his brother's relationship with his best friend: Shawn Hunter.
"Can you two let go of each other now?!" Riley asked her father and her Uncle as they followed her request and separated themselves.
"Glad to see you two haven't changed!" Topanga told her husband and his best friend.
"What can I say honey we love each other!" Cory answered.
"No kidding!" Everyone in the room said together.
"Ok I'm gonna get back to work so thanks for lunch Mr. Matthews!" Lucas dismissed himself placing the paper plate in the garbage as he resumed unpacking in the master bedroom.
"Babe! Just remember we need to get the baby's room done soon." Riley called over to her husband holding her womb thinking about a special priority.
"I'm gonna help get some of the stuff set up." Zay volunteered as he was excused along with Farkle and Auggie.
"I still can't believe that Huckleberry and Zay are in the NBA!" Maya said to Riley and Vanessa.
"I guess Vanessa and I need to be ready for some of the high life knowing those two." Riley said wondering what their lives will be like in the future considering the Lucas and Zay have bright futures in the NBA.
"So you guys think you two can snag me a Lucas Friar and Zay Babineaux jersey?" Maya asked coming up with a scheme.
"And exactly what are you gonna do with them?" Vanessa asked knowing that tone in Maya's voice getting quieter as Maya leaned closer to them.
"I just need them to autograph them and hang them up on my wall at school pretty much saying yeah I know those two and even have photos of us during our prom and high school graduation!" Maya told them the plan.
"Oh ya! I forgot that you're starting out as an Art Teacher now!" Vanessa exclaimed remembering some of Maya's recent success in landing a job as a middle school Art Teacher.
"And Riley here is taking a break from acting to be a mom!" Maya remembered as Riley had been a part of a few plays and played as an extra on a few movies.
"Hey dad!" Riley called to her father.
"Yes darling?" Cory answered his daughter.
"Thanks for letting me like him." Riley thanked he father remembering how her and Lucas met and what happened when she found out about his troubled past as her father did not tell her but allowed Lucas to tell her when Zay came to John Quincy Adams Middle School back in 2015. She now sees the change in him and the reason he started to change for the better was because of her. Riley realized this as she hugged and kissed her father on his cheek for allowing Riley to feel whatever was natural when she met Lucas.
"Your welcome honey." Cory hugged his daughter and kiss her forehead knowing she is in good hands now. His baby girl has now grown up and on her own with the love of her life and starting a family of their own now.
The rest of the day Vanessa and Riley hung out on the couch not doing too much work as Riley was 8 months pregnant while Vanessa was two months pregnant. Their lives have changed realizing they are facing the world now and their lives are changing at unprecedented rate. Maya and Farkle are getting married in December, Vanessa and Zay have agreed they will get married just a few days after Maya and Farkle and Riley would have her son: Aaron in her arms by then. The girl has now become a woman and that woman is soon going to be a mother. The boy she met was once troubled but with this girl in his life, he changed for the better, slayed the demons of his past, fought for the girl he loves, protected her and she is now his wife. Lucas and Riley have been married for almost 2 years and now ready to introduce their soon to be born son into the world. Soon the world will meet Aaron John Matthews Friar.
Author's Note: Alright ladies and gentlemen there is the first chapter in the Prequel of Like Father, Like Son. For now, I'm just gonna set up what happens in the lives of Riley, Lucas, Zay, Vanessa, Maya, and Farkle before Aaron becomes our main focus for this story. You will see how Lucas and Zay perform in their careers and the prequel stuff will be about 4 chapters nothing more. Thanks to everyone who read Girl Meets Emergency and I hope you will enjoy this new story. By the way I will be away for a few days since I'm gonna be working some pretty long hours so I'll do my best to get this next chapter out as soon as I can. Please review, fav, and follow the story to keep up to date and send your suggestions. By the way I am still looking for the names of Zay's and Vanessa's two children they will have two boys. So please in the review if you guys could send your suggestions on their names would be awesome too. Have a great day guys and be safe! :)