"Come on, Professor! We're going to be late!"
Luke ushered Professor Layton out of his office the next morning, as they were heading to meet Lucy, Luke's cousin. She had specifically asked to meet them at a nearby café, as she didn't want to draw attention to them just yet, inviting him to Scotland Yard. As she put it over the phone, she didn't want "old goons making such a grand fuss over the great Professor Layton!"
"Now Luke." said Layton, fixing his top hat while simultaneously trying to run after Luke, "A gentleman never hurries others."
"Oh but Professor!" said Luke, a slight whine in his voice, "I haven't seen Lucy in ages!"
Luke walked ahead, a slight skip in his step. Layton walked a few inches behind him, placing his hands in his pockets and immediately taking them out again. A little less than a million thoughts were running through his mind as he followed Luke to the café. What if Alfendi was there? He wouldn't know how to react as they had been so distant for years. What if Alfendi didn't want to see him?
"Professor?" said a voice out of the blue, "Are you sure you're okay?"
It was Luke, who had stopped in front of him to take a good look at his face.
"Yes Luke." said Layton, "I'm fine."
"We can cancel, if you'd like?" said Luke, "You can call her on the phone here?"
He gestured to a nearby phone booth which stood in the middle of the street, the red paint illuminated in the light.
"N-no." said Layton, straightening his jacket, "Let's go and meet Lucy."
A few moments later, they turned a street corner and saw a cute little café perched in the middle of the road. The sign showed a smiling coffee mug and a few inches away stood a young girl with an orange cap and a green coat. Her white trousers clung to her skinny legs as she fiddled nervously with her orange hair. Layton breathed a sigh of relief to see that his son was not there, but his heart ached a little, as no matter how much their relationship was strained, he wished to see his son again for the first time in nine years.
"Lucy!" yelled Luke, sprinting down the street and crashing straight into his cousin.
"Oh little Luke!" she squealed, kneeling down and hugging him tightly, "You haven't grown a bit, lad and I love that!"
"Oh I've grown alright, Lucy!" said Luke, standing on his tiptoes, "I'm almost as tall as you are!"
"Ah you wish, lad!" scoffed Lucy, "I'm glad to see you're doing alright!"
Layton walked up and smiled at the pair of them together. If only Alfendi was here, their reunion may have gone something like this.
"And you're Professor Layton!" said Lucy, finally standing up and offering her hand proudly to Layton, "It's such a pleasure to finally meet the man who raised Alfendi!"
Layton smiled at her warmly and shook her hand.
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms Baker." said Layton, smiling at her, "And my, may I say that you and Luke both share your love of those hats that you wear!"
Lucy grinned.
"Well, I'm sure you're itching to meet your son, but I have to talk to you first." she said, earnestly, "I'm worried about him."
"Of course, Ms Baker." said Layton, "Shall we enter this delightful café?"
"Yes!" she said, "And Professor, please call me Lucy!"
She walked into the café, her arms wrapped around Luke's shoulder.
"So that's what it's like to be close knit." thought Layton, "If only Alfendi and I shared that special relationship as much as I do with Flora and Katrielle."
"Prof." said Lucy, as they sat down, "What would you like?"
"Prof?" grinned Luke, as he sat down next to his cousin, "That's new, isn't it Professor?"
"Indeed." smiled Layton.
"Oh by heck, I'm so sorry Professor." stammered Lucy, "Do forgive me, I call Alfendi that most of the time while we're in't office."
"You call my son that?" said Layton, "I'm sure you'll find he's an inspector."
"Ah yes I know." said Lucy, beckoning to the waiter nearby, "He mentioned the same thing when I called him Prof on my first day."
"What did he say, Lu?" asked Luke, scanning the menu.
"He said that you Professor," she said, nodding at Layton, "would probably not approve, since you were an actual Professor, aye?"
"Well yes." said Layton, wishing to meet his son more and more as time passed on.
"Funny that." said Luke, "They sound so similar in demeanour that one would probably say the same thing in that situation!"
Lucy grinned as the waiter came over to take their orders.
"I'll have a hot chocolate, please sir." she said, smiling, "Luke? Professor? What would you like? It's on me."
"Oh that's very kind of you, Ms Baker, but I simply must pay." said Layton.
Lucy smiled and blushed slightly.
"You match Alfendi so well." she said, a slight dreamy look in her eyes, "Well…when he's Placid most of the time."
"What do you mean, Placid-" began Layton.
"Oh I'll have the Victoria Sponge and ice cream sundae!" said Luke to the waiter, "Since you're paying, Lu!"
"Oh you cheeky so and so." grinned Lucy, "I see that you haven't lost your sweet tooth at all!"
"And I'll just have an Earl Grey tea myself, thank you." said Layton, handing the menu back to the waiter.
"I'll be back with your beverages shortly." said the waiter, gathering their menu's up and leaving.
"Earl Grey?" thought Lucy, "Interesting."