So an idea came to me the other day. I was thinking of doing one final installment in this series. I was considering doing a sequel surrounding the wedding of Maya and Josh. The gang would all be coming back to celebrate this moment together. Who would be interested in reading that? Leave your thoughts and let me know what you think! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I am very thankful for all of my amazing readers!
Disclaimer: I do not own Girl Meets World or any of the characters
Chapter 11
"And that Char is how you make the perfect cup of coffee for mommy," Lucas explained. Charlotte just looked up at her father curiously.
"What's going on in here?" Riley asked, an eyebrow raised and her hands on her hips.
"I was just teaching Char how to make coffee," Lucas said as he rocked his daughter in his arms.
"Char?" Riley repeated.
"It's kind of my nickname for her," Lucas shrugged.
"I think it's adorable," Riley smiled as she walked over towards her two favorite people. She kissed Lucas and then kissed Charlotte's cheek.
"So what's on the agenda for today?" Lucas asked.
"Well we are having dinner tonight for all of our friends before they leave tomorrow," Riley said. Lucas noticed the sad look on her face and wrapped his free arm around her shoulders.
"It's going to be okay," Lucas promised. Riley looked up and smiled at her husband.
"I know," Riley nodded. "I'm just going to miss them."
"I think having Charlotte will make life exciting while they are all away," Lucas insisted.
"That's for sure," Riley laughed.
"So, do you have to cook this dinner?" Lucas asked.
"Not all of it," Riley shook her head. "Everyone is going to chip in."
"I think that sounds fair," Lucas said. He then handed her the cup of coffee. "Charlotte made this for you."
"You did?" Riley widened her eyes and looked down at the little girl in her husband's arms. She took a sip of the coffee and then let out a content sigh. "It's perfect."
"She learns fast," Lucas smirked. Riley laughed and the family of three enjoyed their morning together.
. .
"Do you have wine?" Maya asked.
"What?" Riley asked, raising a curious eyebrow.
"Well you have been out of the drinking game the last nine months. I wasn't sure if you made Lucas get rid of all the alcohol in the house," Maya explained. Riley continued to chop the vegetables and just laughed at her best friend. "That wasn't an answer!"
"Why do you need wine so desperately?" Riley asked.
"Josh brought up the baby subject today," Maya sighed as she dropped into the chair at the counter.
"I thought you wanted kids?" Riley asked, stopping her chopping to look at the blonde.
"I do," Maya nodded.
"Then what's the problem?" Riley asked, confused by her best friend's reaction.
"It's too soon," Maya said. "We aren't married yet. This is too much commitment for me at the moment. I need to take things one step at a time. Marriage is a huge deal for me. I need to get through that first before I can even start thinking of kids."
"Did you tell Josh that?" Riley asked.
"I may have mumbled the words Riley and wine before running out of the room," Maya winced.
"Peaches!" Riley widened her eyes.
"He took me by surprise," Maya defended herself.
"You should go talk to him before he thinks he did something wrong," Riley insisted.
"Where's Charlotte? She'll know what to do," Maya sighed.
"Unfortunately she's napping right now so she won't be much help in that department," Riley laughed.
"Well I guess I should follow your advice then," Maya shrugged and jumped off the chair.
"You'll feel better afterwards!" Riley promised as she called after her.
"Yeah yeah," Maya called back and waved her hand before walking out of the kitchen. Lucas was walking into the kitchen at the same time. "Your wife is mean," Maya grumbled and Lucas laughed.
"Why are you mean?" Lucas asked.
"Oh because I am making her go have a grown up conversation with her fiancée," Riley rolled her eyes and laughed.
"You are a terrible person then," Lucas smirked.
"What can I say?" Riley smirked.
"Do you need help with anything?" Lucas asked.
"Nope," Riley shook her head. "I am just putting together the salad. Vanessa is bring over a lasagna. Farkle and Smackle went to the store to get something for desert. Maya has dinner rolls cooling off over there."
"Sounds pretty easy to me," Lucas said.
"Well of course it does," Riley laughed. "You didn't have to do anything."
"I love you, isn't that enough?" Lucas asked, an eyebrow raised.
"Well played Friar," Riley smiled. Lucas wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she leaned back into his embrace.
"I love you," Lucas whispered. Riley felt a shiver run through her body and it still amazed her the effect her husband had on her. After thirteen years together, he still made her feel like a teenager in love.
"I love you too," Riley whispered. She turned her head to the side and kissed Lucas. The spark between them was just as strong as ever and she knew that it was only going to grow over time.
. .
"Hey Farkle," Riley greeted as she walked into the nursery. Farkle turned around and smiled at his friend. "What are you doing in here?"
"Just spending some time with my goddaughter before we leave tomorrow," Farkle said.
"Oh yeah?" Riley smiled.
"She's going to be so big the next we see her," Farkle sighed as he looked down at the sleeping baby.
"She may be more fun. You will get to do more stuff with her and she won't be sleeping the whole time," Riley said.
"You promise to send us tons of pictures?" Farkle asked.
"Of course," Riley promised. "You know, you're going to be great at this whole fatherhood thing."
"What?" Farkle asked, a smile on his face.
"I've seen you with Charlotte since she was born. You have been amazing with her. When it's your own baby, you are going to be even better. You are going to be a natural," Riley explained.
"You have always been my biggest supporter," Farkle laughed.
"I could say the same thing about you," Riley nudged his shoulder.
"We have been through a lot together, haven't we?" Farkle asked.
"I believe so," Riley smiled. She noticed Charlotte start to stir and went to pick her up.
"Can I?" Farkle asked.
"Yeah of course," Riley nodded. She watched as Farkle lifted her daughter up and start a one-sided conversation with Charlotte. She knew that when he and Smackle were ready to be parents, they were going to be great at it. Farkle was born to be a dad in Riley's opinion.
. .
"I never thought I would say this but I sure am going to miss Texas," Maya said.
"Aw Peaches," Riley pouted her lips.
"That does not mean I want to move here!" Maya insisted.
"What?" Josh asked, turning to look at his fiancée.
"Riles has it in her mind that because I miss Texas, I want to move here and live with her," Maya explained.
"Oh yeah?" Josh laughed, looking at his niece.
"Hey!" Riley laughed. "You can't blame a girl for trying."
"Yeah," Lucas nodded. "We somehow managed to get Zay back here."
"I think Vanessa had a lot to do with that one," Farkle teased.
"What can I say? My charm worked," Vanessa teased her boyfriend when she saw how flustered he was getting.
"Okay you guys," Zay rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Aw! Our Zay is getting flustered," Maya laughed.
"I don't think I have ever seen that before," Smackle added.
"Charlotte is going to be walking by the next time we see her," Zay decided to change the subject.
"No she's not," Riley shook her head with a laugh.
"Yeah. We are all going to be together again for Maya and Josh's wedding," Lucas added.
"When is your wedding?" Vanessa asked the engaged couple.
"We are getting married in a little over two months," Maya smiled at her fiancée, who smiled in return. She then turned her attention back to Vanessa. "You're coming, right?"
"Oh," Vanessa widened her eyes. "I didn't know I was invited."
"Of course you are invited!" Maya exclaimed. "You are part of the group now."
"Really?" Vanessa smiled. Zay wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's waist and pulled her closer.
"Welcome to the family," Riley smiled at the Texas native.
. .
"We should take our desserts out onto the back porch," Lucas suggested.
"That sounds like a good idea," Farkle agreed.
Everyone worked to bring the desserts and coffee out onto the back porch. Riley went to the kitchen to make a bottle for Charlotte, this way she could be a part of the festives. Once she was satisfied with the bottle, she moved to get her daughter. She smiled at the little girl and lifted her into her arms. She loved her so much. Sometimes it surprised her how much she could love someone that fast. This little girl had taken her heart from the moment Riley rested her eyes on her. Charlotte was more than she could have ever hoped for in a daughter and she knew that was only going to make her prouder as time went on.
"You coming, Riles?" Maya asked her best friend, when she noticed Riley staring at the little girl intently.
"Yup," Riley nodded and followed her best friend outside.
"We can't get a view like this in the city. All these beautiful stars are a sight to see," Smackle commented.
"It's like the whole sky lights up and your worries just disappear," Josh agreed.
"I'm going to miss you guys," Riley sighed as she continued to feed her daughter.
"These goodbyes never get easier," Maya whispered.
"Remember when we were in high school at the worst thing for us was having to go home to get sleep?" Zay laughed.
"How many times did we end up all just crashing at Riley's though?" Farkle asked.
"More than Mr. Matthews wanted," Lucas smirked.
"I think it was just you that he didn't want there," Smackle pointed out.
"Yeah babe," Riley agreed. "He was always trying to make you sleep out in the living room or go home."
"I think he's warmed up to me," Lucas said.
"Well I would hope so. You did marry his daughter and are the father of his granddaughter," Zay said.
"You guys sound like you had a blast growing up," Vanessa commented, admiring the bond between this group of friends.
"We did," Zay nodded.
"But the fun part of growing up is that we get to make new memories together," Riley smiled at her friends.
"And I think we are off to a great start," Maya insisted as she gestured to Charlotte. Riley and Lucas smiled down at their little girl and then shared a look with each other. Charlotte's birth was just the beginning for their friend group. They knew that they had years of memories to still come.
. .
"Good morning," Lucas whispered the next morning. He saw Riley's eyes continue to flutter open and closed before she moved closer to rest her head on his chest.
"Good morning," Riley mumbled and then felt Lucas kiss her forehead.
"How did you sleep?" Lucas asked.
"Restless. Between Charlotte waking up and remembering that our friends are leaving, I had a hard time sleep," Riley explained.
"It's going to be okay," Lucas promised.
"I know," Riley nodded and then let out a yawn.
"Looks like you could use more sleep," Lucas smirked.
"Maybe I will take a nap when everyone leaves today," Riley agreed.
"Maybe I will join you," Lucas smiled at his wife.
"That would be very welcomed," Riley whispered.
"I guess we should get up and get the day started, huh?" Lucas asked.
"Five more minutes?" Riley asked.
"I can do that," Lucas nodded.
About ten minutes later, the new parents got up and got ready for their day. Riley was slow moving around that day. She was hoping that if she moved slowly, then maybe her friends would not have to go. She knew that was silly but she really wanted them to stay. She watched as Lucas went to go get a pot of coffee ready for everyone. She grabbed her necklace from the jewelry case but stopped when she saw the picture next to it. It was a group picture of the six of them. It was from Riley and Lucas's wedding. They were all huddled close and making silly faces at the camera. She brushed a tear away and knew that they would all be together soon enough.
. .
"I guess this is it," Riley sighed. They were all out on the front porch and Lucas was getting ready to drive them all to the airport. Vanessa was going to drive half of them because there was just not enough room in Lucas's truck for all of them. The group of friends had just said goodbye to Charlotte and Riley held the baby monitor while her little girl slept inside.
"We will all be together soon enough," Farkle insisted.
"Your wedding, right?" Lucas gestured at the engaged couple.
"Right," Josh nodded.
Everyone started to exchange hugs with Riley and then made their way to the separate cars. Riley tried her hardest to not cry but it was getting harder with each hug. Zay made her laugh with the promise to be back before she knew it. Smackle hugged her close and told her how lucky Charlotte was to have her as a mom. Farkle held her tight and promised that he was always a phone call away for whatever she needed. Josh kissed her cheek and told his niece just how proud of her he really was. Maya was the hardest goodbye. The two best friends held each other close and let the tears run down their face.
"You take care of my goddaughter," Maya insisted with watery eyes.
"You take care of my uncle," Riley returned as she brushed a tear away.
"I'm going to miss you Riles," Maya whispered.
"I'm going to miss you too, Peaches. I will be back and standing behind you for that beautiful wedding of yours," Riley promised.
"I should get going," Maya gestured to the car where everyone was already loaded up and waiting for the blonde.
"Be safe," Riley nodded. She watched as the blonde rushed off and then the two cars pulled out of her driveway. Everything was going to be okay.
. .
"Hey," Lucas greeted as he walked into the master bedroom an hour later. Riley looked up from her book and saw Lucas walking in with Charlotte in his arms.
"Hey. I didn't hear you come in," Riley smiled before tossing the book onto her nightstand.
"I tried to be quiet because I wasn't sure if Charlotte was still asleep," Lucas explained.
"She was but I guess not anymore," Riley laughed.
"I went to check on her and saw her start to stir. Lucky timing?" Lucas raised an eyebrow at his wife as she moved to sit on the bed with her.
"It would appear so," Riley smiled at her husband.
"How are you holding up?" Lucas asked.
"Sad but okay," Riley nodded.
"At least we have each other, right?" Lucas asked.
"Always," Riley nodded.
"So what now?" Lucas asked.
"How about we just lay here for a while? As a family," Riley smiled at her husband.
"Sounds perfect to me," Lucas agreed. He shifted closer to his wife. Riley rested her head on his shoulder and kissed the top of Charlotte's head. There was nothing better than this feeling.