Lucas pov

"I see you let your father talk you into moving back huh?" Pappy Joe says when I get out of the truck. I give him a small smile and sit with him on the rocking chairs he had outside. I pull out the horse Penny gave me and just stare at it. "I see you met the little one?" I look up at Pappy Joe and say "what did you say?"

He chuckles and says "Riley's little girl. I gave her that horse and a couple of others for Christmas last year." I still looked confused and he smiles and says "does she still love horses?" I shake my head and say "you've met Penny? How?" He sits up and says "boy you don't hear to well do you? I told you last Christmas Riley came down with her and Sara to visit since her parents went on a cruise."

"How did I not know this?" I ask getting up. He starts rocking again and says "aw hell boy you ain't been down to visit ever since you been back. Acting just like your father thinking you to good to spend time with me now that you becomin some fancy lawyer." I rub my neck and look at him. "I'm sorry pappy joe. I have no excuse for never coming over to visit."

He waves me off and I look in the window behind him. "Pappy Joe why do those boxes have mama's name on them?" He turns around and says "that's cause they're hers. Your father dropped them a couple years ago. Or should I say that little girlfriend of yours did. She dropped them at the door with no note and sped off like she couldn't get away from here quick enough.

I frown and go inside and look at them. "You can open them you know. I suppose they belong to you anyway. He says from outside the window. I open the first box and smile at the picture of Sara and I with my mom. It was one of the pictures Riley took of us when she got her new camera. I flip through some more pictures and see the apron my mom made me when Maya and I had our muffin business in school. I chuckle at the memory of the last time I wore it.

"Lucas Lukey." Riley sings aiming her camera at me. "Bean I'm trying to concentrate and you are distracting me. I say chuckling knowing she was pouting. She walks up to me and dips her finger in the batter and grimaces. "What? To much sugar? I've been following the recipe."

I go to toss it and she steps in front of me. "Don't throw it away we can fix it." She says. I give her a look and she smiles putting her arms around my neck. "Riley you made a face I don't think I can come back from that." She giggles and says "aww you big baby please?" She flashes me her puppy dog eyes and I sigh. She smiles and takes the bowl and tells me to get a new one.

"you know Riley bean you're lucky I love you or I wouldn't have given in so quickly." I say grabbing the bowl. She gasps and I turn around looking at her. She had tears in her eyes and I say "what's the matter what happened?" "You don't even know what you said do you?" She says smiling at me. I look at her confused and say "no I don't what I say?" She walks up and smears the cake batter on my face and says "you said I love you."

My eyes widen and I drop the bowl I was holding. "I'm sorry it just slipped out." She frowns and says "so you didn't mean it?" I cup her cheeks and say "I do I just wanted to say it when I actually remembered saying it to you." She kisses me and says "I kinda like this way better." I smile and say why? "Because I happen to love you too."

I smile and pull the apron out and a letter falls out from it. I look up at Pappy Joe but he wasn't there anymore. I see it has my name on it so I open it.

Dear Lucas,

I feel kinda silly doing this but if I don't tell you then I might never get the nerve to say it. I love you and I probably always will but I know that not all love stories are like my parents and you had to go and live your life the way you want to. I won't hold you back just know that no matter what I'll always believe in you. But that's not why I'm writing to you. The day you left nearly broke my heart and I didn't know if I would have survived without you. Maybe I got to dependent on our love for each other or you but, I just wanted you to know I came to see you because I'm pregnant. But you don't have to turn your life around and come back because I don't want you to resent me or our little one. I just want you to know that you can be in their lives even if you aren't apart of my life.

Love always

Riley

I look read the letter two more times and the only thing I can see is the words "I'm pregnant." I toss the stuff back in the box and jump in my truck and drive off with only one destination in mind.

Riley pov

"A little to the left. No a little to the right okay right there. Wait I think it should be over there." Maya says pointing above the fireplace. Farkle and Josh look at her and both groan. "Ferret I think it's fine where it is." Josh says rubbing his arm. Maya smirks and says "are you sure about that?" He looks at it and sighs "Farkle she's right the banner would look better over there."

Maya starts laughing and winks at me as I shake my head at her. I walk to the backyard and see Sara walking with a box in her hand. "Wow trying to be the favorite aunt with Penny are we?" She doesn't say anything and I seen the look. "Let's go inside and talk." I tell her leading her to my room. She puts the box down and lays back on my bed. "Sara what's is this?" I say looking at her. She sits up and says "it's from Lucas for Penny."

I gasps and say "he's not coming is he?" She shakes her head and looks down. I sit on the bed next to her and she grabs my hand. "I'm sorry Riley I'll go break the news to her." I grip her hand and say "no this is something I need to do." She nods her head and grabs something out of her purse. "Here this was attached to the box when I received it. I take the envelope and seen it had my name on it.

Riley,

Im sorry I couldn't stick around and be there for Penny's birthday but something.. more like an opportunity came up and I just couldn't pass it up. Thank you for thinking of me and letting her invite me. I hope she likes my gift and tell her happy birthday for me please.

Luke

I see the tears drop on the paper and I wipe my eyes. I get up and see her laughing as Auggie gallops around the backyard as a horse. I laugh and turn back to Sara. "How.." "Riles are you in here?" Maya says knocking on my door. I wipe my eyes and say "yeah just a sec peaches. I'm changing." She laughs and says "Riley honey I've seen your body before remember I was there when Penny was born?"

Sara starts laughing and I grimace and say "gross Maya really gross!" She opens the door and says "liar you aren't changing. What's in the box?" I move in front of it and say "what box?" "Riles?" She moves me out the way and sees Penny's name on it. "Is this from Lucas?" I sigh and nod my head.

She sits on the bed and says "I didn't know you invited him today?" I look at her and say "Farkle didn't tell you when he dropped Penny off at the bakery?" She fumes and stands walking to the door and shouts "Farkle minkus get your genius butt in here right now!" Farkle walks in holding his hands up and staring at us with wide eyes. "I didn't do it." He says shaking his head.

Maya walks over to him and flicks him in the arm. "Ow Maya why?" Farkle says rubbing his arm. "Because I love you and you're my husband plus you didn't tell me that Riley let Penny invite Lucas to the party." He glares at me and I say "hey I thought you told her you tell her everything anyways. He sighs and says "well I didn't want Riley to know I thought it was a mistake and that Lucas was just going to disappoint her in the end."

I gasps and say "well I guess you got your wish Farkle because that's exactly what he did. Now I have to go out there and tell my sweet little daughter that the guy she has grown to love isn't coming but her uncle Farkle knew that he would disappoint you and kept it to himself." "Riley.." he starts to say but I walk out the room.

I get to the backyard and see Penny dancing with Zay and smackle. I smile and walk up saying "what's going on here?" Penny giggles and says "uncle Zay and aunt izzy are teaching me the bunny hop. Do you think they have a horse hop mommy?" I bend down and say "I don't think they do but I'm sure you and your uncle Zay can make one up." She jumps up and down and grabs Zay and tells him about it.

"Penny come here a second please." She comes back over and I sit with her on the swings. "Are you having a good time at your party shiny Penny?" She laughs and says "I am uncle Auggie said his present was he would give me pony rides on his back since grandpa didn't get me a real one." I laugh and look at her. "Mommy is human Luke coming?"

I sigh and take a shaky breath and say "that's what I wanted to talk to you about sweetie." She stares at me and says "he's still coming mommy. He said we will meet again." I smile at her and say "well sometimes people say things but they can mean in the future and not right away. Like how you see pops and granny every once in awhile that is how it may be with Lucas."

She shakes her head and says "no mommy he's coming I know it." I stare at her and say "how can you possibly think that?" She smiles and says "because he's right there." She jumps off the swing and yells running to him. "Human Luke!"

Sometimes I have an idea of how I want a chapter to go I'll write it down and when I finally look at what I've written a whole chapter comes out instead so hope you enjoy.