Riley bit her lip to keep from laughing as Lucas followed behind his mom picking up or holding onto everything she was dropping or hitting over as she talked with Riley. As soon as she walked in Emily was off on another of her rambles about Lucas and Riley from when they were kids.
Riley stuck her tongue out at Lucas when he chuckles showing her the picture his mom dropped of Riley and him from when she was eight and lost a tooth.
Riley remembered that day she was playing in the grass with Lucas when it fell out. Her tooth was already loose and she was upset when they couldn't find it. She only cheered up when Lucas told her they would leave the tooth fairy a nice letter and picture explaining what happened.
"So senior is running late as usual. But I guess all doctors are. I'm sorry Morgan couldn't join us I hope everything is alright?" Emily ask as Riley helps her set the table. "Yeah she just had to fill out some paperwork in town." Riley tells her setting down the last fork. "Well she is going to miss out on the best dinner ever." She tells her smiling at Riley with an all to familiar smile.
"You don't mean?..." Riley says as Emily smiles nodding her head. "Everyone's favorite buffet!" Lucas and Tristan shout together bringing the food from the kitchen. Riley and Emily laughed as they set the food on the table. Riley looked at everything and couldn't help smiling seeing her favorite dish among the favorites.
"Mom still makes it in hopes that you would return one day Dorothy." Lucas whispers to her handing her a plate as she blushed. "Yeah that and Luke begged her to make it everyday while he waited for you to return." Tristan whispers from her left as Lucas hits him in the back of the head.
They continue to hit each other as their mom smacks them both for fighting and sandwiching Riley in between them as they did it. "Apologize or no dinner the both of ya." She says as Riley smiles looking at the two Friar boys in front of her.
They look back at their mom as she taps her foot placing a hand on her hip meaning she meant she was serious. "Sorry Riley." They say together as Riley smiles softly nodding her head. Tristan nudges Lucas who sticks his tongue out at Riley making her laugh when his mom hits him.
"Food done?" Pappy Joe ask coming in from the living room. "Yeah dad just waiting on senior." Emily says looking out the front window. He nods as he nudges Riley handing her a biscuit and shushing her when she tries to give it back.
She silently giggles as Pappy Joe throws one at Lucas hitting him in the head and another at Tristan who ducks causing the biscuit to knock down a frame. "Seriously? You four couldn't wait?" Emily ask putting her hands on her hips shaking her head.
"Em you know Lukie is gonna walk through that door the moment you fed us." Pappy Joe says smiling at her knowing he was the only one allowed to call senior that. "Let's give him another minute. And you lot are lucky I made more biscuits then necessary." She says sitting down taking one for herself.
After another ten minutes and no sign of senior Emily decided to let them eat. Even though they had been secretly eating passing bits of food to each other and almost being caught when Lucas caused Tristan to choke on the piece of chicken he was eating.
"I don't know what's keeping that man." Emily mutters passing Lucas a dish of mashed potatoes. "Probably stopped to buy you more flowers even though you have a whole garden." Lucas tells her earning a slap on the back of the head from her.
"Oh son you forget you used to bring that beauty across from you flowers too." They turn towards the door where senior walks through with two bouquets of flowers in his hands. "For you my dear and for the second prettiest girl I know." He says handing the roses to Riley.
"How ya been darlin?" He asked as Riley got up hugging him. "Im good doc now that the second best looking Friar is here. After Pappy Joe of course." Riley says smiling at him as he winks at her. "Okay we all know I'm the handsome Friar." Tristan says with a mouthful of potatoes.
"Tristan close your mouth nobody wants to see that." Lucas tells him flicking a piece of corn at him. They flick food at each other before their dad looks at them both flicking corn at them causing Emily to gasps playfully hitting him. Riley smiled as her and Pappy Joe enjoyed some mac and cheese.
She forgot how much fun it was to have dinner with the Friar family. When she came down for the summer she never was homesick since the Friars always reminded her of her own family.
"So Riley what's new in your world?" Senior asked piling food on his plate. "Nothing much I had some photographs published in the magazine my uncle works for." She says smiling at him. "Well I hope you brought some so I can hang them in my office. Even Lucas here can hang them in his."
"Your a doctor too?" Riley asked looking at him with a confused expression. "Dorothy you forgot already about our pact?" He ask as Riley lightly laughs looking at him. "How could I forget you were going to be a vet and I was going to be a baker making animals treats for you to feed to your clients."
Riley cleared her throat as both her and Lucas blush when they see everyone was watching them and senior and Emily were smiling at them. "So what brings you back?" Pappy Joe asked eating another biscuit.
Riley chewed her lip not wanting to say she was slowly suffocating at home. "I guess I forgot how much I missed being here." She says as she sees Lucas watching her like he could see through her. She looked away finishing her food as they changed the subject from her.
"I can't eat anymore." Tristan groan rubbing his stomach. "Who wants pie?" Emily asked as Tristan sits up saying he did. "Tris you just complained you were stuffed." Lucas says as Tristan shrugs holding out his plate. "Okay who wants the first piece?" Emily ask as Riley and Lucas both shoot their hands up.
"Oo a duel for pie. You know what that means?" Senior says as Riley and Lucas nod. It was a Friar tradition a tradition started to keep Tristan and Lucas from fighting over dessert. And the duel was always the same. A staring contest.
"Okay you two remember the rules. No biting no hitting." Emily says as they nod and Pappy Joe sets the timer and the staring begins. Riley looked at Lucas and smiled seeing he was smiling too but with a mischievous look in his eyes.
She knew that look well not just from him but from having staring contest with Auggie and her dad. Who used the same trick to win everytime. Blowing air in her face to win. Something she knew Lucas was about to do. So she beat him to it.
"Ha you blinked!" Riley shouts as Emily hands her the first piece. "You cheated that's why." Lucas tells her even though he was smiling. "Thank you for dinner Emily it was delicious." Riley tells her as she grabs her camera.
"Your welcome sweetie and you are more than welcome to come have dinner here anytime you want. Morgan too." Riley smiled giving one last hug as she made her way towards the front door. "Hold on there Dorothy." She turned around seeing Lucas grab his jacket walking towards her.
"Can't have you walking out here by yourself." He tells her as she shakes her head knowing she just lived next door. "So.." Lucas begins holding the leftovers while Riley took pictures in the dark. "So..." She mimics snapping his picture as they continued walking.
"I liked your photo of the setting sun at the beach." Lucas tells her as Riley lowers her camera looking at him. "You seen that?" She asked feeling her cheeks heat up for some reason. "Yeah I didn't know it was you until you said something."
Riley looked at him weirdly making him chuckle rubbing his neck. "I just meant I've called you Dorothy for so long I forget that's not your actual name." Riley giggled as they continued to walk. "I forgot how bright the stars are here." Riley says stopping and gazing up at the sky.
She looks at Lucas who was just watching her. "What?" She says slightly embarrassed as they stare at each other. "Nothing it's just you still seem like the same girl I met all those years ago. So carefree like nothing could stop you."
Riley tucked her hair behind her ear as they walked to her front porch in silence. She chewed her lip debating with herself if that was true. It had been awhile since she truly felt like herself or even carefree.
"Well thanks for walking me back." She says noticing Morgan wasn't home yet. "Your welcome see ya later." Lucas says walking off the porch. Riley watched him go turning towards the front door before calling out to him. "Hey wait." She says as he turns looking at her. She bit her lip as he waited for her to speak.
"Is that a bad thing?" She asked as he looked at her weirdly. "Is what a bad thing?" He ask with a chuckle. "Me still being the same as when we were kids." She asked slightly scared to head his answer. "It's a great thing Riley." He tells her making her smile. "Night Dorothy."
"Night scarecrow." Riley says smiling as she walks inside the house.
Lucas whistled as he walked back inside the house as his parents watched him with amused expression on their faces. "Emily you better dust off the good China I think we are gonna need it." Senior tells her as Lucas looks at them weirdly.
"What are you two talking about he asked cutting himself a piece of pie. "Oh your father is saying that soon we will need to invite the Matthews over so we can plan Riley and your wedding and the reception of course." His mom says causing him to choke on his food.
"What?!" He asked pouring himself some water. "Oh come on didn't you two marry each other by that tree that joins our farm with Morgan's? You could even renew your vows" His mom says making Lucas turn bright red and not from almost choking to death.
"We didn't say any vows. I mean we didn't get married." He says as his parents share a look shaking their heads at him. "We didn't." He says kissing them both as he heads up trying to ignore the smiles on their faces. He was going to kill Tristan he was the only one who knew since they need a witness.
He walks in his room opening the window and climbing onto the ledge that led to the roof. He chuckles softly grabbing the box he had up there opening it and smiling at all the memories. He dug through it as he finally found what he was looking for slipping it onto his pinkie.
Since that was the only finger it still semi fit. He looked at it blowing into it listening to the whistle that came out of it. Letting the memory of that day come back.
"Dorothy do you really have to leave?" A seven year old Lucas asked as he leaned against their tree watching her. "Mommy and daddy say they miss me and my peaches misses me too." She tells him as she worked on her daisy chain.
"They said I've been here longer than I usually am and I have to go home." Lucas frowned not liking the sound of that. Usually Riley stayed three weeks but since there was a bad storm brewing in New York she stayed longer.
Something Lucas was extremely happy about.
"Do you want to leave?" He asked hoping she would say no. "I don't want to leave I love it here." Riley tells him putting the daisy chain on his head to match hers. "Then don't." He tells her as she giggles taking his picture with her aunt's camera.
"Scarecrow I have to go I can't stay silly." Riley giggles pinching his cheek. "We can get married. That way you have to stay." Lucas tells her as she looks at him with wide eyes. "Scarecrow we can't get married."
"Yes we can that way you won't have to leave. You could live with me!" He tells her taking her hand and pulling her up walking back towards the house. "Lucas where are we going?" She asked as he goes up to his room. He goes to his closet pulling out a box and holding his hands behind his back.
"Pick one?" He tells her as she points at his left hand. "Scarecrow." She says looking at the tiny ring. "We can get married now we have rings." He says holding her hand. "Scarecrow only people in love can get married." She tells him.
"I love you. Do you love me?" He ask smiling at her. "I..." She begins as he tickles her. "Okay Okay I love you silly." She says giggling. "Okay so we can get married come on." He takes back downstairs seeing Tristan in the living room. "Tris we need you come on!" Lucas shouts as Tristan groans following.
"What are you doing?" Tristan ask seeing Lucas stand in front of Riley slipping the little ring on her finger. "We're getting married so she can stay." Lucas tells him as Riley slips his ring on his finger. "So we're married now?" Riley asked as Lucas nods.
"Technically you aren't till you kiss." Tristan tells them with a smirk on his face. "Gross tris we can't kiss." Lucas tells him as Tristan says those were the rules. Before Lucas can protest Riley kisses his cheek making him blush.
"I know pronounce you married." Tristan says chuckling as he walks back to the house leaving a blushing Lucas and a smiling Riley behind.
He smiled at the memory before putting the ring back heading to bed.
Lucas shook his head as he tried to ignore the stares of the three idiots currently taking up residence in his clinic. He tried to ignore them as he tell Mrs. Brock what was wrong with her poodle. They had been in there all day not uttering a word just creepily smiling at him.
"Okay enough what do you want?" He ask as he waves by to Mrs. Brock. He hops on the counter as he waits for his friends to say something. He shakes his head as they huddle together not so subtly whispering and glancing his way.
"Okay I'll ask." They nod their heads as they look at Lucas again who folds his arms across his chest waiting. "Who's the girl?" Lucas opens his mouth only to close it shaking his head. There was no way he was going to tell them about Riley.
"What girl?" He ask as they share a look looking at him weirdly. "Oh that how your going to play it?" Before he can response the bell above the door goes off and the girl mention walks in. "Hey." Lucas says trying to ignore the stares of his friends who were smiling at them.
"Hi." Riley smiles looking at him before noticing the three to her left. "Hello." She says giving them a small wave. "Ignore them." Lucas tells her noticing she was holding her dog. "So what's up. Is there something wrong with..." He looks at her dog's collar and smiles.
"Toto?" He ask watching her blush. "Total coincidence." She says lightly laughing. "Uh huh." He says folding his arms across his chest. They stare at each other when someone clears their throat. "Forget about us there Luke?" He shakes his head at their mischievous smiles as he looks back at Riley.
"Riley meet the three stooges. Larry, curly and moe. Stooges meet Riley Matthews." He says pointing at them as they give him a look. "Are those really your names?" Riley asked with a laugh. "No they are not. I'm Zay sugar and might I say you are gorgeous." He tells her kissing her hand.
"Okay Zay sugar knock it off." Lucas says slapping Zay's arm as Zay hits him back causing them to hit each other. "I'm Asher and this is Dylan." Lucas hits Zay once more before walking back towards Riley. "Well you guys can go as you see I'm busy." Lucas tells them as they all look at him.
"Was there something you wanted me specifically to look at on Toto?" Lucas asked Riley guiding her towards the back hoping his friends leave. "No. Actually the place I got him from said they would email or fax over his paperwork to your clinic since I told them I was staying here and you're the top vet in town."
Lucas blushes as he clears his throat looking through the paperwork he got that morning. "Aah here we are Toto Matthews?" He asked looking at the last name and then at Riley who was blushing. "Well he is my dog." She tells him biting her lip as he nods softly.
"Okay well I have all his info here. Did you want a copy of them?" He ask as they make their way to the front where he sees his friends still were. "Why are you guys still here?" He asked as they smile at him and Riley.
"Well we thought we could get a late breakfast with ya." Zay tells him as a customer comes in. "Oh you have customers well maybe next time then. Oh Hey Riley would you like to come with us to breakfast?" Lucas looks at her as she looks at him before looking at his friends.
"We could give you a tour of the town tell ya some good stories too." Zay tells her putting his arm around her shoulder. "Oh no I can give her a tour later I'm sure she has breakfast plans already." Lucas says moving her towards the door. "Actually I don't and that sounds like fun." Riley says folding her arms across her chest smiling at him.
Lucas shook his head knowing she wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Are you afraid they might tell me something about you Scarecrow?" Riley ask as the guys widen their eyes. "Your his Dorothy?" Lucas rubbed his neck knowing he was in big trouble. Especially now that they knew who Riley really was to him.
Before he can say anything else he sees Riley and the guys walking out the door smiling at him. "Oh boy." He thought knowing they were going to share embarrassing stories with her and he had to stop them.