Matters of the heart
"Mum, calm down….ok…yes….ok, I'll be straight over, bye". Lucy put the phone and stood still for a few moments, taking a few deep breaths. Lee looked across at Lucy, whose face was a combination of shock and concern. "Lucy, what's happened, is everything ok?" he asked. "No, it's my dad, he's been taken to hospital, they think he's had a heart attack". "Oh god…hang on, I'll get my car keys and drive you to the hospital". "Thanks Lee, I don't think I'm in a fit state to drive, my hands are shaking". They didn't talk much on the journey, although Lee was making a real effort to be sensitive and say comforting things. "I'm sure he will be ok you know, you're dad's far too stubborn to let something like a heart attack get the better of him". Lucy gave him a hard stare, but then couldn't help but smile. He was probably right, and doctors could do marvellous things these days. She had calmed down a little and had to compose herself before she saw her mum.
Lee, Lucy and her mum had been at the hospital for hours, enduring an anxious wait with only little snippets of information about what was happening being fed through by staff, half of which Lucy hadn't really taken in, being somewhat dazed by the whole situation. "Mrs Adams, Miss Adams?" Lucy's stomach turned over, the doctor had come through into the waiting room, presumably with news. "Look, do you want me to go, should this be family thing?" said Lee, not wanting to feel like he was intruding. "Mum, can he stay? Lucy asked her mum, who nodded. Noticing the fear on Lucy's face, he took hold of her hand and she tightened her grip. "It is good news, although we have confirmed your husband did have a heart attack we are confident that with the right treatment he will make a full recovery". Lucy turned to Lee and hugged him, and then her mum.
Lee and Lucy arrived home in the early hours of the morning, and both collapsed onto the sofa, both shattered, yet too awake after the journey across London coming back from the hospital to get to sleep. "Shall I get us both a drink?" said Lee. "Yes please, make mine a very large glass of wine, in fact, bring the bottle", answered Lucy. When he came back from the kitchen armed with a bottle of and two glasses, Lucy was quietly sobbing into her hands. Lee placed the drinks and glasses on the coffee table, sat down next to Lucy and tentatively put his arm around her. "It's ok, you know, he's going to get better", said Lee. "I know, it's just that it's been such an awful day and I'm so relieved now that we've had good news. I don't know how I would have coped if anything had happened to him. I know me and dad don't always get on that well but, he's still my dad, and"…. Lee just sat and listened, letting her talk, softly stroking her back to comfort her.
Lucy leaned forward and took large sip of her wine, then turned to look at Lee, moving closer to him. She kissed him on the cheek, "thanks for today Lee, being there for me, you've been so sweet and caring". She had seen such a different side to Lee today, and she liked it. It made her remember why she had started to develop feelings for him in recent months, although she had scarcely admitted these feelings to herself, and had certainly kept them hidden from Lee, at least until now. Lucy slowly took Lee's hand, her fingers intertwining with his. She whispered, "you know, what's happened today has made me think about things, about what's important". Lee looked down at her hand in his and then into her eyes nervously, not sure where she was going with this but feeling the atmosphere had changed between them. "It's made me realise that life's too short for worrying about what might happen in the future, too short for overthinking things. Sometimes it's better to let your heart rule your head". "What are you trying to say, Lucy", said Lee softly. "I don't know…I just"… Lucy didn't finish her sentence, instead bringing her lips to meet Lee's. Lucy's lips were soft and her kiss gentle at first, but as she brought her hands up to cup Lee's face, he responded, pulling her body towards him deepening their kiss…
The morning after
Lucy woke up before Lee, and she was lying snugly on his chest with his arm around her. Not wanting to move, or wake him just yet, she began to think about yesterday's events. It had been such a weird day, starting off so badly yet ending so wonderfully. She blushed as she remembered last night. How she had kissed him and he kissed her back, how things had got very heated very quickly, how they both ended up in her bed... She wasn't sure why he always joked about being bad in bed, as it certainly wasn't true…
She was awoken from her daydream by Lee stirring. "Morning Lucy", he said, and kissed the top of her head. "Are you ok, you look lost in thought"? Suddenly feeling shy, and glad he couldn't read her thoughts, she said, "I was just thinking about yesterday, and how things turned out. Isn't it ironic that dad inadvertently gave us the push we needed when he out of everyone is the least keen on the idea of us a couple". "Are we a couple then", Lee asked, smiling, then having a moment of doubt about how she felt, said, "I mean, is that what you want, you don't regret last night?" "Didn't last night show you that's what I want, why, you don't have any regrets do you? "Lucy, of course I want us to be a couple, believe me, I've never wanted anything more. Last night was the best thing that's ever happened to me. I was worried that you just needed to be with someone, given the day you'd had. I was concerned that you'd think I'd taken advantage of you". "Of course not, how could you think that, Lee". Lee answered, "I didn't think you could ever feel that way about me". Lee may have imagined him and Lucy together countless times, but he never dreamed it would actually happen, and now it had he had never been happier. "Well, I do", whispered Lucy.
Lucy kissed Lee's chest then moved so they were both lying on their sides, facing each other. "The truth is, I've had feelings for you for a while, and wanted to do something about it, but I was too scared". "Me too", said Lee , I mean, you're my landlady, and my best friend's sister, and you're way too good for me. Besides, I didn't want to lose you as a friend". Lee paused and smiled, "although I think it's safe to say that our friendship is effectively ruined after last night", paraphrasing an episode of Friends he had seen recently. Lucy giggled, then her face took on a more serious expression. "Did you mean what you said, you know, when we were?" "I seem to recall saying quite a few things", Lee answered, raising his eyebrow and grinning suggestively. Lucy turned pink, "you said I love you", did you mean it?" He may have said those words in a moment of passion, but he certainly meant them. "Yes, of course I meant it, I love you". Lucy smiled, "I love you too", she whispered, then began kissing him with renewed passion. Lee spoke between kisses, "so, did you have any plans for today?" "Well visiting time at the hospital isn't until this evening, so no, not really". "Good, 'coz I have a few of my own", said Lee, before moving his kisses down her jaw, neck and collarbone. Lucy smiled, and her breath now somewhat shaky, managed to speak, "why don't you tell me about them"….
At that point, Lucy made a mental note to let her heart rule her head more often…then all thoughts were forgotten.