Chapter 21: Crowd pleaser
The one where Lucy takes Tim to a family gathering.
Lucy taped her foot anxiously, she continued to glare at Tim but he too wouldn't back down. She refused to be the one to, but her bag was starting to weight on her shoulders and her healed boots weren't made for standing around too much. She smirked, because Tim also had a droplet of sweat running down the side of his face, the leather jacket he wore on top of his white shirt making him burn up, under the 74ºF Californian sun.
"I'm not getting in that car of yours." Tim warned Lucy for the tenth time, crossing his arms above his chest.
"Yes, you are. It's my parents' house so I'm driving there." Lucy answered, hands on her waist, not willing to back down – not this time.
"I'm doing you a favour, Boot." He explained, remembering her that he was going to give her moral support.
"No." Lucy shifted her weight from her left leg to her right and crossed her arms. "A: This is you repaying me from saving you from that amazing date and B: I'm offering you someplace to spend Easter at, instead of all alone."
"Firstly, I was not on a date and secondly I don't celebrate Easter." Tim stated.
"Can you please tell me what's the problem with my car? It's brand new, you were there when I bought it." Lucy explained pointing to her brand-new yellow VW.
"That thing is not safe, and I didn't approve…." He started to explain pointing at the yellow monstrosity behind her.
"It has airbags and seatbelts so it's safe." She defended herself.
"Trust a woman to say a car is safe because it has the two more basic functions." Tim muttered under his breathe, rubbing his temples.
"Trust a guy to make such judgemental comments." Lucy cut him shortly, offering him an annoyed gaze.
"I wasn't judgmental, I was… well, I'm not gonna get myself in the deep end." Tim admitted and Lucy made her famous "I'm right" face. "But the car still won't do, it's too small, I'll be cramped inside."
"My parents live 15 minutes away; you can handle cramped." She told him, why did he have to be such a baby when it regarded small things.
"Then why not take my car?" Tim asked, not comprehending what her problem was. He was always the one driving them, why change now?
"Because then I'll have to listen to my mum say that it is really great, I managed to bring a date along but that I should always maintain my independence." She explained, knowing perfectly well that her mother would always find a tiny detail to implicate.
"You can always Uber back if you decide to ditch me." Tim said and stopped rising a mocking eyebrow. "So, I'm a date after all?"
"No! No! No!" Lucy rushed out, her cheeks becoming red quickly and Tim simply smirked in response. "You are merely backup support and to make my noisy neighbours and family focus on someone else rather than me."
"So, they will think I'm your date?" Tim asked teasingly.
"No. I'll make sure they know you are my annoying T.O. who treats me like shit…" She reassured him, she wanted to wipe that cocky smirk out of his face soo bad.
"Hey, I'm no Marry Poppins but I don't treat you that badly." He defended himself, he could always count on her to make him sound like a complete dirtbag.
"You made me tackle a guy who was almost completely naked, wearing a dirty diaper and covered in sweaty body hair." She explained to him exasperated, she was sure that T.O. Tim Bradford had some sort of Devil DNA on him.
"That's just your job, Boot."
"Still." Lucy shook her head, knowing that there was no point arguing with him about that. "While everyone is distracted by the new puppy." She said pointing at him. "My mother will still find something to give me grief for, so I would really enjoy she didn't have something extra to bug me about."
"You pay for coffee all next week." He bargained no way he was going to be caught inside that car without the possibility of getting something in return.
"No way." Lucy tapped her feet on the ground. She was not going to give him anything, he was the one repaying a favour.
"Yes way." Tim stated. "Or I'm out."
"I pay for coffee on Monday." She agreed, it was her time to pay for it anyway considering that Tim had been the one to do so for at least the past month.
"Coffee and Lunch." He offered, extending his hand for her to shake.
"Coffee and Donuts." Lucy counteroffered, grasping his hand with hers.
"Alright." Tim conceded, shacking her hand and Lucy jumped, pulling away and clapping her hands together happily. She had won another argument with Tim Bradford; she was getting good. "I just need to get something from my car." He explained as he turned her back to her and walked a few cars over to his truck, opening the back door and taking out two bottles of some fancy French wine and a bucket of flowers.
"Oh my god, Is Tim Bradford trying to impress my parents?" Lucy joked as she unlocked the doors to her car.
"Just so you know, parents do tend to love me." He informed her; it was true though. His Highschool sweetheart parents found him funny and respectful and Isabel's mom had thought him to be a lovely young man full of manners.
"Sure, but so you know my dad doesn't really drink and my mom is allergic to peonies." Lucy informed, giving him a sad pity smile.
"Really?" He asked, completely shocked.
"No but I just enjoy teasing you." Lucy informed, doing a mental dance-party. 2-0!
"You know one day, I'm gonna follow up on one of my promises and actually punish you." He threatened, as he waited by the other side of the car, for her to get in.
"No, you're not." Lucy opened her car door and got in, if Tim believed he would have the guts to ever do so, he would have pushed the topic but they both knew he was just talk shit.
Lucy pulled her childhood house keys from her bag and watched from the side of her eye as Tim adjusted his white button up and offered him a cheeky grin.
"Are you nervous?" She asked teasingly as she pushed open the door to her parents typical California Bungalow house.
"No, of course not." He reassured her, maybe he was a little nervous, but he did want to cause a good impression. After all the first time he met the Chens, Lucy was not in the best conditions.
"Ohm, Tim Bradford is nervous." Lucy teased him softly, as she closed the door behind them.
"I'm not nervous but by the way you talk I was led to think your parents see me as some kind of monster who is making your life a living hell." He explained, of course that Lucy's little pep talk had only worsened his nervousness and made him analyse and plan every move.
"My dad is actually capable of asking you to be a little harder on me, so that I quit." She answered, as she led him through an ample hallway, passing the two bedrooms the house had and the guest bathroom. It wasn't a big house, but it did fell quiet homey and Tim could tell that Lucy had transported the same vibe to her apartment.
"Really? I thought your dad was slightly scared of me!?" He rose an eyebrow at Lucy who scuffed, her dad would face a tiger if that meant he could get her to quit the LAPD.
"He's intimidated but he'll get over it the second he sees you out of uniform. You lose at least 60% of the threatening factor." She joked. When she had first saw Tim dressed in civilian clothes, she had been a little shocked, she was expecting a bad boy look but he was actually …almost preppy.
"I'm very threatening, thank you very much." He defended himself.
"I beg to differ…" Lucy started to say, as she dropped her jacket and purse in the dining rooms chairs.
"Lucy, oh so good to see you dear." Lucy was engulfed in a hug from a Woman in her early 60's, who was surprisingly like her.
"Auntie Li Mei, how are you?" Lucy asked softly and Tim watched as she widened her eyes as the woman held her tighter.
"I'm good honey, I see you still got this awful thing on your neck." Her auntie said, pulling Lucy's hair behind her shoulder and Lucy rolled her eyes lightly. He began to understand where all her rebellious nature originated from. "And is this lovely young man your boyfriend?"
"No, Aunt Mei. Tim works with me and he came along because he would spend Easter alone." Lucy explained softly, pulling at her aunt's good Samaritan nature.
"Oh, I see." The older woman smiled at him, her eyes analysing him from top to bottom. "Pleasure to meet you, dear."
"Thank you, you too." He answered politely, shacking the woman's hand.
"I must go get some extra plates form the closet, everyone is outside. Go mingle." Aunt Mei said as she exited the room and waved them off.
"You met Aunt Mei. Fair warning, she will make sure everyone knows who you are and share everything she knows about you to anyone with ears." Lucy explained to him, laughing slightly as she took his jacket from his hands and put it with her things.
"Sounds like an interesting character." He said in a teasing way and Lucy nodded her head in mock agreement.
"Well…she is definitely more reliable than our data base when it comes to gossip." Lucy informed Tim as she opened the door to the kitchen, and he grinned slightly.
"Hey Ma." Lucy greeted the woman that wore a flower printed maxi dress. The lady looked up from the dough she was rolling to look at her daughter and Tim could see that they shared the same eyes.
"Lucy, you are late." Lucy's mom stated and Lucy looked up at Tim with a smirk. When her parents had visited her at the hospital, he had said her mom didn't seem that bad, she was determined to prove him wrong.
"I know mom." Lucy said, walking over to the older woman and kissing her cheek. "This is Tim, you remember him!?"
"Pleasure Ma'am." Tim said nodding at the woman, whose eyes raked over him in an analysing way that made him feel both judged and offended, guess that was a family habit.
"This is your T.O., right?" Lucy's mom asked as she finally offered him a reserved smile.
"Yes, Ma." Lucy answered as she greeted the two other women in the kitchen, who Tim deducted were Lucy's aunts.
"I see." She directed her attention back on the dough and Tim swallowed dryly, he was really doing a fantastic job in the impressing department.
"These are for you Ma'am." Tim explained offering her the flowers, returning her attention towards him. Lucy smirked and mouthed "Ma'am" above her head. "Your house is very lovely." Tim complimented as Lucy rounded the rest of the isle and came to stand by his side again.
"Oh, thank you." The woman thanked almost surprised and Tim concluded he had won some points, that she really didn't want to give. "The peonies are gorgeous; I'll plant it with the rest of the flowers in the backyard."
"Is dad by the grill?" Lucy asked her mother as she stole a few fires from the bowl by the kitchen isle end.
"Yes, and so are the Millers and The Johnsons'. That's for latter not for now." Her mother scolded, and Lucy nodded with a roll of her eyes, pulling Tim so he would follow her through the glass doors that lead them towards the garden. "Oh Lucy, we need to talk."
"Of course, we do Mom." Lucy answered as she closed the patio doors. "Super Nice ugh?"
"You said it, not me." Tim whispered to her and Lucy laughed, it was not that her mom was mean but her over analysing tendencies did cause people to be put off by her, especially Lucy.
"Lucy." A crowd of cheers made himself heard and Tim looked to see the remaining people on the backyard. Tim could clearly see that some of those people were related to Lucy, maybe some cousins and their kids but there were also a couple younger folks like them that looked nothing related to Lucy: The Millers and the Johnsons.
"Hey everyone." Lucy greeted with a soft smile but continue to drag Tim to where a couple of older looking guys stood, surrounding the grill. "Hey dad."
"Luce." Lucy's dad smiled softly at his daughter as she planted a kiss on his cheek. "Don't you look lovely."
"Oh, thank you." She smiled at him and nodded at the other guys. "This is Tim, my T.O."
"Oh yes. Hello." Lucy's dad nodded at him and he nodded back in greeting. "We have met before, how are you doing?"
"Good thank you Sir. Brought a couple bottles of wine." Tim said, showing him the box, he was holding.
"How very nice. Luce can set them on the table." Her father said and Lucy nodded removing the box from his hand, walking slightly away from him and to a table filled with appetizers. "You seem like a beer guy, there's some in the cooler. Serve yourself."
"Thank you." Tim nodded as the older man returned his attention from the Grill and to his companions. Lucy laughed at his face, apparently, he was expecting it to have been a much awkward conversation and grabbed his elbow. Offering him his beer and keeping on for her.
"Come on, there's some people Ii want you to meet." She explained, dragging him away from her dad.
"Some good ones, I hope." He whispered almost in a wish and Lucy laughed loudly.
"Definitely." Lucy whispered back, leaning slightly further into him. Unaware to the looks her cousins threw at them. They reached 3 couples, between his age and Lucy's, who greeted them cheerfully… well they greeted Lucy cheerfully.
"Luce." A girl in her early thirties with black hair greeted them, a smile from ear to ear.
"Look who the cat dragged in." A guy with dark skin joked, ruffling Lucy's hair.
"Very funny." She shrugged off with a laugh and offering everyone a casual wave. "Hey guys this is my Training Officer Tim." She introduced.
"Hey, so you are the guy watching over our Luce, here!?" The black aired woman asked leaning against the tan guy with light brown hair to her left.
"No, even better are you the guy who can tell us all her embarrassing stories from the job?" He joked, wrapping the arms around the woman, Tim deduced by the weeding rings was his wife.
"Yes, to both but I only share if you share." Tim sipped his beer smirking slightly at Lucy's annoyed look.
"You got it dude." The other tanned skin, light haired guy agreed, clearly twins -the similarities too big to be anything else.
"Great you guys are all buddied up now?" Lucy asked crossing her arms above her chest and everyone laughed at her pouting face.
"Oh, don't be jealous now Chen." Tim warned her playfully, remembering her of what she had said to him when she had met his sister. She smacked him good humour in the arm, taking the opportunity to introduce everyone.
"You are looking soo good." The Strawberry blond women, he now knew was named Amanda, said and Tim tried not to look at his Rookie's legs. Of course, he had noticed how good Lucy's legs looked in her flowy black leather shorts and her healed booties only made them look longer but he didn't want everyone to know. "Do you have anything to do with it?"
"He does make me run an awful lot." Lucy explained and Tim shook his head, always taking every opportunity to complain.
"But it has good outcome." He defended himself, and Lucy refrain from answering because it was true. Ever since she joined LAPD her body had become more toned and she was pleased with it
"Maybe I should join LAPD if you are my Officer." Amanda flirted with Tim, soo badly that both him and Lucy laughed.
"I'm standing right here." Carlson explained and the group laughed as she waved him off.
"Oh, come one, I've seen you look at Lola's kindergarten teacher." Amanda joked. "Lola's teacher as a good pair, if you know what I mean." She demonstrated and everyone laughed harder.
"I haven't noticed." Carlson defended and his wife elbowed him lightly making the entire group laugh.
"Yeah right."
"Amanda and Carlson have been married for 6 years now but they have been like this since high school." Lucy whispered to Tim, leaning further into him almost so his arm was wrapped behind her for support.
"Have you all been friends for a long time?" He asked and watched as she smiled, memories rushing through her mind.
"The twins, Amanda, Hayden and I are neighbours and we went to high school together. Penelope and Roger came after college."
"They seem like a good bunch." Tim admitted and Lucy simply nodded her head in agreement.
"Hey Lucy sing something from us while we wait for the rest of the food." Someone said from across the patio, regaining the rest of Lucy's friend's attention who cheered in support.
"Oh no." Lucy blushed bright red, especially when Tim turned his admired gaze towards her. He knew she had a good voice from the times she sang along to the radio but not to the point people expected her to sing alone. "I can't."
"You are not going to disappoint our guests." Lucy's mother told her from her place by the kitchen doors, she more than warned than simply said.
"I-I…" Lucy stuttered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear in a clear show of nervousness.
"You don't have to." Tim remembered her as she handed him her beer.
"I don't have much of a choice really and I don't wish to get a raging headache from all the nagging." Lucy answered for only him to hear, smiling softly and her eyes told him how much she appreciated his support. "Hey Hayden, back me up with the piano?"
"Sure." Hayden, who was married to Roger, nodded his head and followed Lucy as she headed towards the big glass windows that opened to the Chen's living room. As she pulled the curtains and the windows completely back Tim could see the old Baby Gran Yamaha piano, which looked well loved. "You be gentle with us; it's been a while." Everyone laughed and shook their heads as the two friends debated over what song to sing. Finally deciding on one, Hayden sat facing the keyboard and Lucy the audience.
Lucy cleared her throat as Hayden played the first tunes, she looked up and her eyes met Tim's who offered her a reassuring nod and she smiled, closing her eyes and allowing the tune to take over:
"You're fighting me off like a firefighter
So tell me why you still get burned
You say you're not, but you're still a liar
'Cause I'm the one that you run to first
Every time, yeah, why do you try to deny it
When you show up every night and tell me that you want me
But it's complicated, so complicated
When it hurts, but it hurts so good
Do you take it? Do you break it off?
When it hurts, but it hurts so good
Can you say it, can you say it?
Your love is like, na na na na na na na
Your love is like, na na na na na na na
It hurts so good, na na na na na na na
Your love is like, na na na na na na na
It hurts so good
Every time that I swear it's over
It makes you want me even more
You pull away and I come in closer
And all we ever stay is torn
Baby, I don't know why I try to deny it
When you show up every night I tell you that I want you
But it's complicated, so complicated
When it hurts, but it hurts so good
Do you take it? Do you break it off?
When it hurts, but it hurts so good
Can you say it, can you say it?
Your love is like, na na na na na na na
Your love is like, na na na na na na na
It hurts so good, na na na na na na na
Your love is like, na na na na na na na
It hurts so good
Wide awake through the daylight
Will you hold me like we're running a yellow light?
Reach for you with my hands tied
Are we dancing like we're burning in paradise?
When it hurts, but it hurts so good
Do you take it? Do you break it off?
When it hurts, but it hurts so good
Can you say it, can you say it?
Your love is like, na na na na na na na
Your love is like, na na na na na na na
It hurts so good, na na na na na na na
Your love is like, na na na na na na na
It hurts so good."
"Caught you off guard, didn't it lover boy?" Amanda asked leaning slightly toward him to whisper in his ear, a knowing smirk in her face.
"I didn't know Lucy could sing this …well." He said surprised as Lucy reached the last verse of the song. Eyes closed, completely embraced in the music and to Tim she never looked so beautiful.
"You are a goner." Amanda said smugly.
"Oh no it's not like that." Tim heard himself but his voice didn't sound one little bit convincing.
"Sure, it isn't but if you want my opinion: She is totally smitten too." Amanda toll him, offering him a light squeeze on the shoulder.
"Yeah man, make sure you tap that before anyone beats you to it." Carson told him, laughing when he shocked slightly on his beer.
"Yeah Lucy." Everyone cheered as the duo played the last note, her eyes flushing open and her cheeks turning red. It didn't help that Tim was looking at her soo intensively that made her feel like he was going to devour her.
"Thank you, thank you. Donations are accepted. "Hayden joked, removing everyone's attention from Lucy, allowing her to approach Tim slowly who was watching her every move attentively.
"Now that was a surprise, Boot." Tim admitted softly, his hand resting on her forearm, rubbing small circles in her exposed skin almost unconsciously.
"I do try to amaze you every day, Sir." She smiled shyly, trying to advert the conversation from her singing to no vain.
"I didn't know you can sing." Tim told her softly, and she grinned shyly remembering that he hadn't witness that little situation at the American Idols audition. thanking god that she had managed to call them and explain the situation and that they would delete her tape.
"I haven't sung in a long time, it used to be a hobby but I'm a little rusty…" She explained, rambling nervously.
"It was perfect." Tim cut her short, looking deeply at her and Lucy blushed. Tim wasn't one to spit out lies so if he said it was because he meant it. She smiled proudly, his compliments always weighing more than anyone else's.
"You do know how to make a girl blush." She answered him and that was her way of thanking him.
"Come on everyone to the table." Lucy's mother called, her eyes fixated on her daughter and her guest of honour, interrupting their conversation from going any further. "Let's eat." She adverted her gaze and conducted everyone to the table, but Lucy knew that a lecture was on her way.
Lunch was a busy affair with too many people crowded around the long table, Lucy's left leg almost on top of his that Tim was forced to eat with only his left arm because his right one was resting on the bench behind Lucy. Even though it was the best Easter Lunch he had had in a long time, the conversation flowed easily, everyone was polite and the food delicious. Of course, he wasn't complexly blind, and he did not miss the looks Lucy's mom threw at her daughter and him.
"Lucy would you help me carry the plates in and bring the deserts out?" Lucy's mother asked her politely and Lucy nodded, finishing her glass of red wine.
"yes mum."
"Want me to help?" Tim asked her when he helped her get out from her seat.
"I think this is my moms excuse for talking to me…" Lucy whispered in his ear, the look her mother threw her was clear.
"Oh." Tim muttered, realising what she meant.
"Yeah, thank you though." Lucy clapped him on the back and took their plates of the table, fallowing her mother into the kitchen. Her mother was busy pulling out the desserts from the fridge and Lucy salivated over the chocolate cake, her favourite. "This looks ama…"
"I don't like it." Her mother told her as she closed the fridge door and turned to face her.
"You don't like the cake?" Lucy asked trying to lighten up the situation, she knew her mother wasn't talking about the cake.
"Tim." Her mother stated simply, and Lucy rubbed her forehead, the day her mother liked who Lucy liked, hell would have frozen over.
"Tim is my T.O. and my friends, you don't have to like it- I do."
"He seems like a nice man, Lucy." Her mother explained, facing her completely. Her tone leaving no room for playfulness. "I'm sure he is a good colleague but no more than that."
"What?" Lucy asked, shaking her head in confusion, widening her eyes.
"I'm not blind." Her mother stated simply, decorating the apple pie with whipped cream on top.
"Clearly you are a medium." Lucy mocked; she was aware she wasn't the better person at hiding her feeling, but it also wasn't her mothers' job to dictate her fate.
"I'm serious. I see how you look at him and how he looks at you, no matter how much you think you like him it won't end well."
"And why not, captain obvious?" Lucy asked defensively, crossing her arms. She was tired of people trying to control how she lived her freaking life.
"Well, he's a cop…" She began to explain.
"I'm a cop too." Lucy stated, no matter how much her parents hated that small fact that was not going to change.
"Exactly and how would that work out when one of you doesn't come home? When you are heartbroken? when he gets himself shot to death, you told me he has been harmed 5 times. What happens when he leaves you heartbroken, alone, alone with children to pick up the pieces?" Her mother spitted out. She wasn't asking questions Lucy had never thought of before, because she had. She didn't know what she would do if she lost him, or he her but she wouldn't let the fear stop her from living the life she wanted. And if that was with Tim by her side so it was.
"He's my friend, that's all." Lucy denied out loud, eve though she had already conformed to the feelings she had for her T.O.
"I wasn't born yesterday Lucy. Besides he has lived a lot of things before you even came along, another wife…" Her mother began to explain, and she wondered if her attitude towards Tim really was caused by the fact that he was a cop or because Lucy trusted him more than she trusted her own mother.
"Look, I appreciate the advice, I do mom but there's nothing between me and tim." Lucy explained and stopped her mother when she was about to interrupt. "And even if there was, it isn't your damn business."
"Lucy."
"No, you don't get to decide how I live my life. I've made that pretty clear." Lucy said grabbing the chocolate cake and the fruit salad bowl. "you don't get to tell me what I should do work wise or in my personal life, if I chose to be with Tim than I'll be with him and not you, dad , the president or the pope get to tell me otherwise."
Lucy pushed through the big glass windows and exited into the fresh air, breathing it in and engraving her mothers shocked expression on her mind forever. She noticed her dad exchange a few words and a handshake with Tim and move to speak with other people, she frowned and wondered why her parents insisted in meddling with her life. She was nearly 29 years old for fucks sake.
"So, what did my dad want?" Lucy asked him as she sat herself next to him and filled her glass with wine, taking a big sip.
"Thank me." He explained, looking at her closely.
"Thank you?" She asked surprised as she watched her dad gaze at her and quickly advert his eyes, pretending to be in deep conversation with Mr. Miller.
"Yeah for saving you back in December." He clarified and watched her realise what he meant, he was aware that Lucy had avoided talking to her parents a lot about the incident, but her dad was clearly worried about his daughter, even if he didn't need to.
"Oh…" Lucy muttered, looking down at her hands.
"Don't worry told him you saved yourself." He rested his hand on her back and rubbed her back softly. He let Lucy's dad know that his daughter could save herself but that he would be there to help her and that definitely earned him some good points. He made sure she knew that too; he would always be there if she needed his help.
"well, I did have a little help." And she did know that.
"Don't worry, you got your stubbornness from him because he then proceeded to thank me for keeping an eye out for you in the streets." He told her and she laughed.
"Oh I see, he clearly doesn't know who keeps out an eye on who." She elbowed him lightly, her way of telling him that she too had his back if needed.
"Uhm uhm…and your mother?" He asked her and watched her tense up.
"You don't even want to know." Lucy told him, sipping a little more of her wine to hide the redness in her cheeks as she remembered she told her mother she would be with Tim is she wanted.
"So, am I in dangerous waters with your mother?" He asked tentatively, knowing perfectly well that Mrs Chen didn't like him much, her furtive glances at Tim were a clear tell sign.
"Let's put it this way: you are the big bad wolf and I'm little Red Riding Hood." Lucy explained to him, trying not to hurt his feelings completely but also not lying.
"That bad, ugh?" He asked, also taking a big sip of his beer.
"Don't worry that this Hood, filled sweet old gramma with a belly full of rocks and snuggled the wolf." She explained and he nodded, comprehending that she had his back in there.
"I see." Tim laughed. "So technically I only got your support and your dads."
"I'm sorry it is hard not being the parent's favourite." She patted him in the back mockingly, glad that he hadn't take her mother attitude personality.
"I need to up my game." He informed her, pulling up his sleeves and training his boy scout smile, causing Lucy to laugh.
"With my mother the best game you play is the avoiding one." She laughed, remembering how she had managed to spook all the boyfriends she didn't like.
"Does that mean we're not coming next year? I did enjoy the food." He told her.
"Definitely not, we're working our asses off that day." Lucy laughed and Tim followed, clinking their glasses together and returning to the conversation Lucy's friends were having. They weren't showing up for Easter lunch next year but (un)fortunately Tim would spend a lot of holidays with the Chens and many Sunday Lunches trying to impress Lucy's mother, but it was worth it.
Here it is guys, chapter 21! I hope that the fact it is an extra long one makes up for my delay. What did you guys think? I was completely done yesterday, and I ended up falling asleep and not finishing the chapter.
Music is Astrid S: Hurts so good (live from studio)!
Next one is out Sunday, before the Rookie airs, it's called: for warmth purposes. Thank you soo much for all the support and the feedback. Like I said before I'm not English and I speak : Portuguese, English, German, French and Spanish so a lot of the times I confuse the languages in my head, I try to spell check every chapter but because I write on the day it does make it difficult. Please forgive me.
Nevertheless, thank you! Happy Easter if you celebrate and stay safe.
-XO.
P.S. I know I made Lucy's mother a little (a lot) rude, but I do think she represses Lucy. She isn't evil and Lucy clearly loves her and she Lucy. They just need to find their middle ground.
