Transcript #2

D: Good morning! Welcome back!

C: Glad to be back.

L: Well, I wouldn't say it like that. But still … here we are.

D: I've reviewed my notes from our last session. I must say, I'm not sure I heard everything correctly. But what I took away from it was that you, Lucifer, had a difficult childhood. And you, Chloe, are concerned that Lucifer is going to have a hard time becoming a step-father to Trixie after your marriage.

L: Step-father?

C: Yes. Step-father. You didn't think I was going to just drop Trixie off at my mother's forever, did you?

L To be honest, I never considered it.

C: And now you have it, Doctor Corden. He never considered it. How my daughter was going to become part of his life. How he was going to have to help me parent her through adolescence.

D: Lucifer, I think it's quite reasonable for Chloe to be concerned about the family dynamic after marriage. Becoming a step-father is a big step. How does that make you feel?

L: I don't know, actually.

C: And let's talk about this 'marriage.' I'm not even sure that I am his fiancée. You know, he never actually proposed to me.

D: Oh. That's interesting, isn't it? Yet, I see you're wearing a ring. Where did it come from?

C: Lucifer gave it to me. In circumstances I'd rather not go into here, if you don't mind.

D: But he did give you a ring. Without proposing. What did he say when he gave you the ring? Do you recall?

C: Of course I do. I was having a picnic with my father and he showed up. Completely unexpectedly, I might add. He put this ring on my finger and he told me that he loved me. It was the first time he'd ever said that. How could I forget?

L: Well, leaving out a few critical details, that's essentially correct. I gave her the ring and expressed my feelings. What more was needed?

D: Well, most women like to have a romantic proposal. You know, the man gets on one knee and asks for the woman's hand. I mean, if her father was there at the time, you might have wanted to ask for his blessing. That would be a more traditional approach …

L: Really? All that? You know, Doctor, there wasn't really any time for anything like that! (Looks at C.) You know it as well, Chloe. There wasn't time.

D: 'There wasn't time.' Hmm. As I recall, in our last session, Chloe expressed some concerns that, after your upcoming promotion, you wouldn't have time for her or Trixie. Now that I hear the story of your non-proposal, Lucifer, I begin to see where she might be coming from.

L: Completely different situation, Doctor. (Looks at C.) Tell her what happened to me right after I put the ring on your finger. (C. hesitates.) Go on, tell her.

C: Well, he died.

D: He died?

L: Indeed. Burst right into flame and died. (Pause.) But I got better, though.

D: Is this another metaphor? Because if it is, I'm not getting it.

C: (Sighs.) Well, yes and no. It's not a metaphor at all, but I guess that's how you need to see it. So, sure. Metaphor. (Pause.) (Looks at L.) But once everything was sorted, you might have made it official!

L: What, marriage?

C: Yes, marriage! You know I love you. But you assumed. A woman doesn't want to be a presumption. She wants to be asked.

L: It this necessary?

D: Sounds to me as if it's important to Chloe, Lucifer.

L: Very well then. (Gets down on one knee.) Chloe Decker, will you marry me? Will you do me the honor of becoming Chloe Morningstar? (Pause.) Or not Morningstar. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife … and we'll figure out the names after?

D: Chloe? What do you say?

C: (Pause.) I say I'm not sure.

L: Well, there you have it, Doctor. All that effort and for what? A big fat 'maybe'. Big help you are! Are you sure you have a degree in relationships?

D: Chloe, would you tell us why you're hesitating? You said you wanted Lucifer to ask you, and he did. How did that make you feel?

C: (Looks at L.) You know I love you. If it were just me, of course I would marry you—whatever that means under the circumstances. But it's not just me. And you haven't talked about your feelings about becoming a step-dad to Trixie. (Pause.) I can't just say 'yes' for me. I have to say 'yes' for Trixie, as well. And how can I say 'yes' for her if you're not ready to be her step-dad?

D: Lucifer, we seem to be right back where we were at the end of our last session. How do you feel about becoming a step-father to Trixie?

L:

C: This is the problem. (Sigh.) This is always going to be the problem. Any man who comes into my life has to deal with my teenage daughter. And who wants to do that?

L: I do, actually.

C: What?

L: I do. I want to deal with your teenage daughter. I want to be with you forever and take care of you. And Trixie. I want to take care of Trixie.

C: You've … never said that before. (Starts to cry.)

L: Well, you've never asked me before. About Trixie. You keep talking about being a father … step-father, really. And I don't know about that. But when you ask me about dealing with Trixie, that's a question I can answer. So I did.

C: (Still crying.) So you're saying it's my fault? I asked the wrong question? (Shakes her head.) Typical. Typical Lucifer.

L: Of course it's your fault. I can't help it if you don't know how to ask questions properly.

D: Let's move past the recriminations, please. Let's focus on what Lucifer said, not on how we got to it. Chloe, he said he would take care of Trixie. How does that make you feel?

C: Wonderful, actually. I feel wonderful. Like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders. (Looks at L.) So it was all about asking you the question in the right way?

L: I've always known it wasn't just you. But the way you and the Doctor keep putting it makes me uncertain. 'Step-father.' 'Step-dad.' I don't know that those terms mean. I've never been a Dad. My father was a fairly rotten Dad. So when you say I'm going to be a step-dad, I don't know what that means. I don't know if I can do it.

D: Does becoming a step-father scare you, Lucifer?

L: Nothing scares me, Doctor! Never say that I get scared. Ever! (Pauses.) But uncertain? Yes. A bit concerned? Yes. It's new territory and I have no guidebook. I'm not certain as to how I'll perform, and I always want to satisfy.

C: But Lucifer, nobody ever has a guidebook to being a parent! We all make it up as we go along. We all just try to do the best we can, knowing that we'll make some mistakes along the way.

L: Like my father did with me?

C: (Nods.) Like that. He made some mistakes. Maybe a lot of mistakes. But he still loved you, right?

L: Well, yes. He finally admitted it, at the end.

C: So that's what I really want to know. I know you love me, but will you love Trixie, too? Will you love and protect her, and try to raise her the best you can?

L: Of course. You have my word.

C: Then yes.

L: 'Yes,' what?

C: Then yes I will marry you. If we can even get married.

D: Well, isn't this a breakthrough! Although I'm not sure what you just alluded to, Chloe.

L: She's alluding to the fact that any marriage ceremony is going to be quite difficult to arrange.

C: (Nods.) Who's going to marry us?

D: Sounds like we have some differing expectations about the actual ceremony. But we can take that up in the next session. Right now, let's focus on the positive. Chloe, Lucifer asked you to marry him. Lucifer, she said yes. Chloe, Lucifer expressed his commitment to love and take care of Trixie after marriage. Lucifer, that commitment made Chloe really happy. You addressed a really big concern today, and you both worked it out. Together. Let's all remember how much progress we made today, and we'll talk about the marriage ceremony in the next session.

C: Sounds good, Doctor.

L: (Sighs.) Of course.

End of Transcript #2