A new face after the race
Chapter 43
"Lucky?" Lulu asked her brother, who was busy fixing Emily's books and desk, because it was too high for Melissa or Lulu to reach. He was sitting there, now trying to alphabetize Emily's books, but for his wandering mind, it was too hard to concentrate on doing that. He kept putting authors with last name starting with the letter H, before G. He might as well give up.
"Lucky!" Lulu screamed louder, finally getting his attention.
He looked over at Lulu and looked at her, not really noticing her. Had he zoned out again? "Yeah?" He asked, not interested. He would have sighed if he hadn't kept it back.
"What should we do with Emily's stuffed animals?" Lulu asked, holding out a bear wearing suspenders. Emily's other stuffed animals were on the bed and Melissa was going through them, finding she liked every one, whether it be a bunny or a monkey. She had a smile on her face, the first he'd seen for a while. She was, at the moment, having Emily's monkey dance with her help.
Lucky held back a laugh, as to not make Melissa pull away from them and the fun she was having. He thought of what to do. They should stack them on Emily's window, but Emily had outgrown them and they just, sat all alone. Emily would, if she was here, give them to Melissa, so he would do the same.
"Well, we should stack them on Emily's window sill." Lucky said, and Melissa frowned a bit, sad again, and the monkey stopped dancing. "But Emily is a grown woman, and she was saying how she was going to give them away, but that would be just too difficult and complicated, so much is going on." Lucky stopped again and watched Melissa's eyes widen with hope. "So, if Emily was here, she'd have you two probably divide them, but I don't Lu, don't you think you have a big enough jungle?" Lucky asked, suggesting something anonymously, knowing his little sister would catch on. After all, she was a Spencer.
"Not really, but I don't think mom or dad would appreciate me bringing a couple more home, even though I treat them well." Lulu said, eventually catching Lucky's drift.
Melissa's face brightened again. "They're all mine?" She asked with disbelief, hugging the monkey close, smile on her face.
Lucky laughed this time. "Yeah, kiddo, they are." Lucky answered and Melissa grabbed a few more and hugged all of them.
Lucky appreciated the sight, being sure to tell Emily of it, when he delivered her dinner. "Lulu, why don't you help Melissa move all her new friends into her room while I call and order dinner?" Lucky suggested.
"Pizza, right? Cheese and pepperoni, nothing else, like that stuff you like, sausage?" Lulu asked. She still didn't like how he ordered his pizza, though she could always pick off the sausage.
"Yeah, Lu pizza cheese and pepperoni toppings only." Lucky reassured her.
"Go order! I and Melissa will be putting Emily's old animals in her room." Lulu persuaded him, and he left. He went to the phone, dialed the number, and ordered two pizzas. One pepperoni and cheese pizza for the youngsters upstairs and a sausage one for him, maybe Jason, and Emily to share.
He went up the stairs and stopped by Melissa's room. Even with their small arms, they had easily gotten all of Emily's stuffed animals from Emily's room to Melissa's in one trip. He was kind of impressed, he had to say.
They didn't notice him, and continued finding places for all of Melissa's new friends. He went to Emily's room and found solace in there. He was barely away from Emily for a couple of hours and he still missed her, as if he had been away from her from days on end.
He sat on the bed, and still smelled Emily's unique scent and she hadn't been in here for almost a week. He always loved cuddling with Emily on the bed, her safe and near, in his clutches, where she belonged. If he had his way, he'd never let go.
He loved the silence, yet he would rather hear Emily's voice. It's too bad he deleted all of her messages from the last time they talked. He'd like to play it, just to give him some part of Emily.
Speaking of his cell, it went off. Lucky searched his pockets and pulled it out. He flipped it open and said "Hello?" he forgot to look at the caller ID.
"Mr. Spencer, I presume?" A lady said on the other end.
"Yes, this is him." Lucky said, not sure who the lady was, but he must have given his number to her for a good reason.
"This is Susan Hollandsworth; you spoke to me about a special order." The lady reminded him.
Oh, yeah. Lucky thought. He remembered now. "Yes, I did, I remember now. How is it coming along?" He asked.
"Quite well, it has been finished and will be sent tomorrow. We should have it in a few days. Could you come pick it up within that time?" The lady suggested, using a question.
"I can thank you. I will see you in a few days." Lucky told the woman, mentally placing a reminder. This was not something he could forget, very important.
"See you then. Good day." The lady said and hung up.
Lucky sat back down, happier. This special order would change his world forever, and tie Emily forever to him. She wouldn't lose him, and he wouldn't lose her, not if he had anything to say of it.
A knock downstairs announced the delivery of the pizzas. He got up from the comforting bed, traces of Emily, and went down the stairs, opened the door, and paid for the pizzas. He put them on the kitchen table, and got out plates and napkins. Melissa's and Lulu's running feet bouncing off the stairs, as he did.
"Pizza!" Lulu screamed, scrambling for the slices. She put three huge pieces on her plate, grabbed a chair and started gobbling it down.
Melissa looked at Lulu in shock. Sure she had seen Lulu like this, they've been friends long enough, but still, this was a new experience. She mutely looked away, put a slice of pizza and grabbed a napkin; much neater than her friend.
Lucky laughed. "Geese, Lu. Don't you want something to drink before you choke?" Lucky laughed again. He got up and got some water from the faucet, placing it before her.
He also got Melissa one and sat down to eat himself. A few minutes later, Jason came home after a long day of work. Melissa looked up from her plate, unlike Lu, was on her fourth piece, and went to meet Jason.
"Daddy!" She called, happy to see him.
Jason smiled at his daughter and gave her a hug. "Hey Melissa. What's that I smell?" He asked his stomach rumbling.
"Lucky ordered pizza, he said it was a reward for helping him clean Emily's room." Melissa explained.
"It's clean then?" He asked, leading her back to the kitchen, so he could get some dinner himself. He usually wasn't one for pizza, but he was hungry, and a few times a year couldn't hurt.
"Yeah, Lucky gave me permission to take all Emily's stuffed animals. She has this cool monkey! You can take him on his arms and make him dance!" Melissa said as he sat in the chair near Lucky and took a piece of sausage. Lucky had some good tastes, he had to say.
"Really? Can he be a ballerina?" Jason asked, finally seeing his daughter happy in some time.
"No, but I'm working on it." Melissa said, determined to make Emily's bear a ballerina.
Dinner went on. Lulu continued stuffing her face, gulping down six pieces before Melissa took the last one. They all talked and enjoyed each other's company, before Lucky had to leave to deliver Emily's dinner. He wrapped a piece of pizza in a napkin, taking all the grease away, just as Emily would, and put it in a bag.
Lulu was spending the night at the penthouse, so he didn't have to take her home. He drove to the hospital, hiding the food, as to not get caught, and entered Emily's room.
She was still asleep, peaceful looking. It'd probably be better for him and Emily that she sleeps, but he needed to know she ate. She could easily break the deal.
He decided on how to wake her, but found one only appealing way. He kissed her soundly on the lips, and pulled away, to find two bright, brown eyes. She was still tired, visibly so, but surprised. "There's another of your appealing ways." She complained, closing her eyes, wanting to sleep more.
"Yeah, I thought throwing water on you would get me in trouble." Lucky joked. Emily reached out and elbowed him in the gut. "Ouch! Hey watch it." He exclaimed dramatically.
Emily smiled and snuggled into the pillow more, satisfactory. Lucky goaded her with the food. "You want your dinner or not?" He asked, but received no answer, Emily would rather sleep.
He nuzzled Emily's neck, but only received was an elbow colliding with his jaw. He saw the doll clutched and grabbed that. Emily leaped up in surprise. "Hey, give me that!" She ordered.
"Not until you eat." Lucky held out the meal. He was obviously messing with her, and getting bruises because of it.
"The only way I'm eating that is if I have company." Emily said stubbornly.
"What am I called?" Lucky asked, insulted.
"A jerk that walks around the hospital, harassing injured vulnerable women patients." Emily told him.
"Hey, you're not that vulnerable if you ended up giving me two fresh bruises." Lucky argued.
"Would you like a black eye to go with them?" Emily offered, obviously resorting to her defenses. They were building up again; a very good and bad thing.
"You do realize this is your boyfriend, right? The love of your life?" Lucky defended himself, expecting her to disagree anyway.
"Oh, that's right; would you like your sun to stop shining then in that case?" Emily gave an even better offer.
Lucky fell back a few steps with that threat, after giving up the meal and the doll. He had no more hostages to use against her; he was defeated at the hands of an injured hospital patient!
Emily smiled at her victory, gathered her doll, and ate the piece of pizza, with the exception of the crust.
"Don't I get a thank you?" Lucky asked.
"I being grateful and polite wasn't part of the deal." Emily objected, and he was caught red-handed, again. Damn, he was going to have to work on making better deals.
"Do I get one anyway?" Lucky tried asking.
"Try again tomorrow." Emily replied, winning this round easily, without a real effort.
Lucky had to leave though, but had to try to get a pleasant goodbye. "Do I get a kiss goodbye at least?" He asked, trying one last time.
"Try at your own risk." Emily answered, and Lucky knew if he did, that last threat Emily made would become reality. He decided to retreat anyway. He'd come back tomorrow with better wits. That last phone call, made his brain slip from reality.
"Okay, guess not. Love you though." Lucky offered his love instead.
"Hmm…ditto." Emily answered, snuggling up to the pillow again, falling asleep.
Lucky smiled and ran a hand down Emily's cheek, undisturbed. Emily was definitely getting better, gaining her wits and strength back. He'd have to watch out more. She was a feisty one, and he almost forgot about that, so use to the weak, ever willing Emily. She'd rarely be that, so he would take this one experience to heart. He'd never really get her again, but he still had to admit, it was good Emily was becoming herself again. She was more often outsmarting him ever since she had. He even liked it, though most the time he was just appeasing her, he insisted.
Lucky left to get home and sleep, but would everyone's be uninterrupted and just as peaceful like Lucky's?