When the parents came to pick up their very happy teens, Chloe arrived from the precinct. Lucifer was playing the piano, looking dark, raffish and untouchable. She just glanced over and greeted some of the parents she knew. Trixie was thrilled she had accomplished something so important to her and that was the paramount reason Chloe had allowed her to organize the party.
"I am so proud of you!" she said, embraced her kid and Trixie beamed.
The girl was sure she would be popular after this event. That had been her main concern. After the bullying in elementary school Trixie was so happy, she had been mainly accepted by the new class. She would never allow being pushed around anymore. Maze had helped her to stay her ground.
"Thanks mom! Everybody had a blast. What a way to end the year! I am really looking forward to class again!"
A sentence Chloe never dared to even think to hear. Her little girl finally belonged. And what about herself? She wasn't an outcast anymore. Palmetto was way in the past and part of it was her husband's doing. If he only wouldn't be so difficult sometimes! His Luciferness was something she cherished by now, but his physical appearance as King of Hell quailed her at the same time.
When the last family left, she went over to the piano.
Lucifer had waited patiently for her to approach. He acknowledged her, playing and singing "I Am in the Mood for Love" from Louis Armstrong and smiled hesitantly.
She sat beside him, quiet, waiting for him to finish, watching him with these profoundly amazing eyes which always made him feel safe. A glimpse of heaven. And he had been screwing it up. Again.
He reached for her hands, pressing his lips on her knuckles. Rubbing his stubble on her palms. An expression of regret and a peace offering. Big dark eyes drowned in hers.
"I am waiting." She caressed his hands, but her eyes didn't express anything.
"I may have exaggerated," he whispered, cautiously.
"You have and you made me feel really bad. I can't deal with this rollercoaster of emotions. I will make an additional effort to accept everything you are, but I need your help."
"I am going to be patient. I trust you." He wouldn't let go of her hands. "But you must know I would never hurt you physically. I will always protect you. No matter how I might look."
"I know that – here." The dark honey blonde signaled to her head before she put her hand on her stomach. "But down here it gets wobbly. It's difficult to digest." She managed a crooked smile. "I don't do it on purpose. It just gets the best of me."
"We have always been a good team, haven't we Detective?" He perked up. "Each of us just does what we always do, our part of the job. And we help each other, don't we?"
"Yes. Yes we do." The smile was genuine.
xxxxx
Six hours later they stood embracing each other in the center of the club joining the countdown for the New Year. The place was full of happy singles and young couples, kissing each other, celebrating, with high hopes and new resolutions. Chloe finally felt carefree. She lay her head on Lucifer's chest and it felt good. Everything was going to be well again.
When Chloe woke up on New Year's Day, it was almost noon. She heard busy noise from downstairs. The most favorite people in the world were fixing lunch apparently – and singing along. She stretched her body and it felt good. Even if it was a California king size bed, it was nice to have it for herself. Lucifer would snuggle up against her all night and she had less space to move.
New year, new start. She would make the most of it.
Agreed, she had had thought that in September, but maybe she was expecting too much from him. You can't teach an old dog new tricks. Maybe she had been too inflexible, too, and both had recently fought over dominance. Both had strong temper. Of course they would butt heads and that didn't mean they didn't like or love each other. She usually enjoyed the little verbal power struggle.
Chloe pushed the duvet and the bed sheets away and sat up, her dangling feet searching for the satin slippers that matched her Victoria Secret pajama. Lucifer had criticized it – what else? He obviously wanted the best for her, and he couldn't fathom her choices. He had even presented her a selection of fine silk nightwear during the last months, but she loved her old stuff and he hadn't dared to get rid of it. She was sure, he wanted to, but he had never removed the clothing of his overnight guests in the penthouse, either. Quite the opposite, he had them dry cleaned in case they would return for them. They never had.
She thought that had been very sweet and equally sad at the same time. It showed he cared about his one-night stands, about people, no matter what he said. But it also demonstrated that his lovers never understood that he did. Her mind went back some years ago, to the interrogation of his many penthouse visitors. He fulfilled their desires of the moment, and that had been all. It must have been quite disconcerting to be considered inconsequential. No wonder he was clingy and uber-generous now.
Slowly she stood up and went on the balcony. It was a nice start of the year, not too cold and sunny. Downstairs she heard the handling of pots, china and cutlery. Her stomach grumbled. It was definitely time to go to the kitchen.
"Good morning, love!" He called out as soon as she was descending the stairs.
Lucifer was standing in white linen pants, partially covered by a white apron around his hips, just like a fancy bar waiter, bare chested and his Devil wings out, but resting close behind his back.
He handed her a long drink glass filled with berries, blackberry mousse and dark chocolate sauce on top and a long silver spoon. "Try this!" He kissed her over the countertop of the island as if nothing were different.
Chloe had to swallow hard at first and focused on the sweet sin in her hands, trying to play her uneasiness down.
"Why did you serve it like that? It's nice, but rather unusual for a dessert."
"Oh, you see, I was going for a quote from Brecht's Mother Courage: He who wants to have breakfast with the Devil needs to have a long spoon." He smirked. "So, there it is."
"Okay."
"It's better than okay. Don't you think? Want some coffee?" He looked at her expectantly.
"Yes! Please!" She held up her empty mug and looked around. "Where's Trixie?"
"Oh, she will be back by five. Madison and her mother Stacey came by earlier. They liked the dessert, too."
"And they saw you looking like that?" Chloe narrowed her eyes.
"Well yes. It wasn't like we were expecting them, of course." He grinned and poured some foamed milk in her coffee.
"Of course." She stirred the Splenda and concentrated on her mug.
"Is there any problem? Don't tell me you are jealous?" He put his arms on the marble kitchen island and rested his face on his palms, looking into her eyes. Playful interest, Chloe thought, but maybe he deflected and referred to the elephant in the room. She blushed, he had her there.
"You are?" His smile brightened and he bumped a finger on her nose. "Worry not, the whole day is solely dedicated to us."
"It is?" She sounded surprised enough to encourage him to spill the beans.
"Well yes. I have already prepared most of lunch and partially dinner. We are having 'Ostiones a la Diabla' and 'Angels on Horseback' for lunch, followed by a mixed salad with bruschetta – you'll see why you'll need the strength – and for dinner something simple, just like you enjoy it: a savory potato-leek-soup and 'Poor Devil'-spaghetti. Remedy will come over at three and give us a professional anti-stress shiatsu massage and a gentle facial. I got two sneak peaks - one is the new Weaponizer and the other a cheesy chick flick you like to much. Probably Beatrice is back by then and we can invite her friend and her mother for dinner if you want. I could throw a porterhouse on the Weber and then we have the gorgonzola-soaked spaghetti as primo piatto."
"Come again?"
"Am I too fast?" He inclined his head slightly and took a sip of the lungo he had made for himself with the Pavoni. His eyes flashed as he put up a satisfied smirk. "You'll have two types of oysters for lunch and a salad before we are having phenomenal sex. Afterwards Remedy will ease your sore body and pamper your face and you have to put up with my movie before you and your daughter get a rewarding dinner and another movie more to your liking." His wings flared after he put the left pinky in her dessert and licked the cream off.
Chloe gulped. The wings were enormous and surrounded the whole island but she recapacitated fast, moved her face close to his and asked nearly equally frisky: "So you have planned to stay at home the first day of the year? I like it!"
Just a short chapter. Home office has taken up a lot of my time. I had never imagined that writing online exams and formatting material could keep somebody so busy. Usually I would garnish it more, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Maybe further ahead. Please keep safe and stay at home! All my best!
