(Chapter 12)
It hadn't been long since Luke started his journey to Pallet Town with Ash and Lucille. As they got into a town Pikachu decided to jump from Ash's shoulder on to Luke's.
"Traitor," Ash muttered rolling his eyes.
A chuckle came from Lucille.
"Maybe he wanted to give you two some privacy," Luke suggested.
"See," Lucille said to Ash.
Ash smiled at her, then leaned over planting a kiss on her lips.
"Could it wait until we make it to a Pokemon center," Luke asked then. He was trying to be mean or anything, it's just he really missed his wife. She was the one thing that occupied his mind now.
As soon as they got inside the Pokemon center, Ash and Lucille went one way, and Luke darted towards the phones. He sat down and started to dial his number quickly. He had to speak to Jessie.
It rang for a second and then she appeared on screen.
"Luke," she said smiling at him on the screen, "Um, honey, you called at an interesting time."
"Really," he asked her.
"Yeah, um… I'm waiting to find out if we're gonna have an offspring or not. See," she said holding up the pregnancy test on her hand.
"I guess it's a good thing you talked me into letting you stay," he replied.
"I guess so," she replied back, "Hang on just a minute. Time's up."
He watched as Jessie looked down at the box and then back up at him.
"Good thing I stayed," she said to him.
"You're pregnant," he asked her.
"According to this I am," she answered.
"I should be there with you," he told her, "We should be celebrating. I shouldn't be hundreds of miles from you."
"Luke, honey, listen to me," Jessie said, "If you come home right now, I won't be happy. This has been your dream for years and you probably won't have another chance to do something like this. Don't let a little thing like me being pregnant slow you down. I'll still be here when you get home, and trust me; I think you being gone will be wise to your health. Trust me on this one, you won't be missing anything, and besides, it's not like I want just one kid. You'll be around for the others."
"You sure," he asked her.
"Just as sure as I love you," she replied.
"Love you too," he replied smiling at her.
"Just come back to me in one piece," she said.
"I promise," he promised her.
"All right," she replied.
"I better go Leafeon looks ready to collapse," he told her.
"Okay," she said, "Take care of yourself out there, honey."
"Be careful, okay," he told her.
"I will be," she promised him, "Won't catch the house on fire, I promise."
"Good, don't let Meowth cook, okay," he said trying to keep her on the phone a little while longer.
"Are you kidding?" Jessie said, "It's his kittens I'm worried about."
Luke laughed.
"Now sweetie, I know you love me, but you can always call me back," she said, "Why don't you go and be a responsible trainer and care for your Pokemon? Why don't we call it practice for the inevitable?"
"All right, bye Jessie," he said.
"Goodbye," she told him and hung up.
He hung up as well and went to rest his Pokemon.
Later on that night, Luke was sitting inside the little food court inside the Pokemon center. A lot was going through his mind, but most of all he was just shocked that he was going to be a dad. He was only in his early twenties, and wasn't completely sure he was ready for such a big step.
He was leaning back in his seat letting the thoughts run through his head, as Lucille came and approached him.
"You look thoughtful," she said sitting down across from him.
"Really," he asked her.
"Yeah, you do," she replied, "What's up?"
"Jessie's pregnant," he told her.
"Oh wow. Congrats," said Lucille, "Do you wanna go back home? I mean I can always call my grandpa and tell him something came up."
"Jessie pretty much said I'm not allowed to come home yet," he replied.
"Oh," Lucille answered, "Well then you had better respect her wishes."
"I know," Luke said, "An angry Jessie isn't all that fun I'm sure you've realized."
"Yeah, I think you better stay awhile," Lucille said quickly, "A long while."
"Yeah," Luke agreed with a laugh.
"You realize this is the first time we've had a conversation without our significant others, right?" Lucille said to Luke.
"Odd, isn't it," he replied.
"Maybe a little awkward conversation wise," she admitted, "But other than that no."
"The awkward moments are trying to get a conversation between Jessie and Ash," said Luke.
"You aren't kidding there," Lucille agreed.
"I keep waiting for them to just get over it," Luke said.
"Not gonna happen," Lucille replied quickly, "I think Jessie's trying, but Ash, he won't budge. Kind of like my mom when she used to sleep with my dad."
"Huh," Luke asked surprised.
"What," Lucille asked, "It's true."
Luke began to laugh.
"That's why they got divorced," Lucille explained, "That and she was cheating on him."
"Lovely," Luke said, "Your poor father."
"He didn't need her anyway," said Lucille, "The only joy he got from her was me, or so he says."
"Then he's a lucky man," Luke said to her.
"Heh, thanks I think," said Lucille, noting that Luke was smiling at her, "So, what do you have in mind for the future, Luke? Like, are you just going to run your Pokemon ranch and be satisfied with that?"
"I don't know," Luke admitted.
"Well, I guess it can be good to play by ear," she replied.
"It's just I never expected to leave home," he said.
"You know what," said Lucille, "Me nether, but then I got into Pokemon Tech, dropped out, and now I'm working on taking over my grandpa's lab."
"Well congrats, I guess," Luke told her.
"I guess it's been for the better," she admitted, "I mean, I met Ash through it."
"Very true," he agreed.
"Dunno about him though," she went on saying, "Sometimes I think he has feelings for me and other days I think I'm just a way to kick the loneliness."
"You can't seriously think that," Luke said to her.
"Well, I will until he tells me how he really feels," she replied, "He just gets really preoccupied sometimes."
"He just wants to prove himself," he assured her.
"He's proven himself in heart and courage," Lucille fired back, "He doesn't need to be the best because he already is to me…"
"I know that," Luke said with a smile, "But does he?"
"Probably not," Lucille said with a sigh, "But I'm not going to tear him away from his goals and dreams."
"All right," Luke replied.
"Well, I'm going to turn in. Good night, Luke. Don't stay up worrying if you're gonna be a good dad or not," she said rising from the table, "Cause I know you will be."
"Thanks Lucille," he said to her.
She smiled and nodded before walking into the room with all the bed. She crawled in bed next to Ash, who was already asleep, and wrapped her arms around his waist. He turned towards her, slightly waking up and wrapped his arms around her. Before falling back to sleep, he gave her a soft kiss. Lucille soon nodded off next to him and dreaming on where their adventures might take them next.
