Author's Note: Before my story, can I just shout for joy?! I loooooove Clexacon 2018! A Doccubus proposal? I was working when I looked at Twitter and lo and behold, our beloved Zoie Palmer was kneeling before Anna Silk! My head exploded! Lauren proposed to Bo and Bo said YES! My Doccubus heart sang an aria! My smile got bigger and bigger and can't stop myself, I giggled and squealed (if you know me, I'm not that kind of girl hahaha!), my officemates were shocked lols! Doccubus is on the rise! And then they will be both in Wynonna Earp on Season 3! I love my OTP! So enough of that for now. I know I really suck at updating but I'm here now. Thank you for hanging on to this story. Real life intervened.
Disclaimer: I still don't own Lost Girl. I just want to use them for my story.
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Chapter Thirteen
Truth to be told, contrary to what she told Kenzi, Bo is not tired and sleepy. She suddenly wants to be alone. But she doesn't want to think. Thinking about 'things' will lead to emotions and feelings and she doesn't want to dwell on them now. Proof is the small meltdown that she experienced downstairs earlier. How would I explain that to Kenzi? I need to do something. Well, I need to change my clothes first. She removes her clothes, her ankle holster and change into a JJC Bloodhounds shirt and JJC jersey shorts. She then put her gun inside the gun safe.
"So what I can do now? I don't want to think about the case. I don't want to think about my mother because I will think about my father. I don't want to think about Pops because I will think about my grandmother. Sucks to be you Ysabeau." She throws herself on the bed, covering her eyes with her arms. All of a sudden, an idea comes into her mind. "Excellent idea Ysabeau!" She walks towards her Comet Center desk and sits on the stool that comes with it. She looks at her newly purchased art desk. It is neat and not too pricey. She bought it because she thought that it's time to indulge on her other hobby which is drawing. She's now focusing on drawing realistic eyes, then after that the whole face.
She opens the topmost drawer and pulls out her drawing pad. She is contemplating if she will use a regular pencil or the colored ones. And then she thinks of Lauren and her eyes. "Well I have to use them both." She opens the bottom drawer and stare at the different boxes of colored pencils that she owns. She looks at the brands. She knows what each box of colored pencils can do on her drawing so she picks the box that she thinks will do justice on her new project. Buying these boxes of colored pencils is not a whim or an impulse. Two of these boxes are actually splurges but what the heck, she deserves it. She's actually eyeing to buy another famous brand of colored pencils but they are a bit of luxury so maybe she can wish for it on her birthday. She smiles and closes her eyes. She thinks that since she's starting all over again, she needs to use the basics. She sighs, pulling out the box of her basic graphite pencils. She pulls out a pencil and opens her drawing pad. Then she starts imagining Lauren's eyes. She shakes her head, imagination is not enough. She needs a picture of the doctor. She searches for her cellphone, thinking about the picture of Lauren that Kenzi pulled out from the university website. She can start from that. Good thing she asked Kenzi to send the picture to her. Opening it from her cellphone, she smiles at how young and adorable the blonde doctor looked when the picture was taken. Bo enlarges the part of the eyes then starts tracing in her drawing pad. She then stops momentarily and reaches out for her iPod. Music will help her get into the groove. She scrolls her playlist and chooses a song that she started listening to regularly in the past year.
She closes her eyes when the familiar notes of the song ascends. Then suddenly, the deep and breathy voice of Dave Matthews takes over.
She temporarily stopped drawing when she was on her fifth year in JJC. School and family issues were forefront of her mind those days so she grudgingly set it aside. Then after she graduated, she went ahead and conquered the policy academy. Now that she's permanently on the job as a police officer, she thought she needed to go back and draw again. It will be some kind of sanctuary after a grueling day at the police station. She knows she is good at it but she needs to be very good. So she decided to focus on drawing the eyes.
Crazy how it feels tonight
Crazy how you make it all alright love
You crush me with the things you do
I do for you anything too
Sitting smoking feeling high
In this moment if feels so right
Lovely lady
I am at your feet
God I want you so badly
I wonder this
Could tomorrow be
So wondrous as you there sleeping
Let's go drive 'till morning comes
Watch the sunrise to fill our souls up
Drink some wine 'till we get drunk
It's crazy I'm thinking
Just knowing that the world is round
Here I'm dancing on the ground
Am I right side up or upside down
Is this real or am I dreaming
This song has been Bo's favorite since she heard it a few years ago but she has been listening to it more frequently since she met Lauren. She had a dream once dancing to this song with Lauren. This happened a few weeks after their first meet-up. It was so real and vivid, it made her smile for a week. From that time on, she thought of the doctor when listening to the song. Maybe someday I can persuade her to dance with me while listening to this song. But now, all she can do is imagine and use it as an inspiration to draw.
Lovely lady
Let me drink you please
I won't spill a drop I promise you
Lying under this spell you cast on me
Each moment
The more I love you
Crush me
Come on
It's crazy I'm thinking
Just knowing that the world is round
Here I'm dancing on the ground
Am I right side up or upside down
Is it real or am I dreaming
Lovely lady
I will treat you sweetly
Adore you I mean you crush me
It's times like these
When my faith I feel
And I know how I love you
Come on
Lady
It's crazy I'm thinking
Just as long as you're around
And here I'll be dancing on the ground
Am I right side up or upside down
To each other we'll be facing
By love we'll beat back the pain we've found
You know
I mean to tell you all the things I've been thinking deep inside
My friend
With each moment the more I love you
Crush me
Come on
So much you have given love
That I would give you back again and again
Meaning I'll hold you
And please let me always
She put the song in loop until she finished what she's aiming for – to draw a set of eyes, specifically Lauren's. She stares at her drawing and nods satisfactorily. Not bad for her first attempt of drawing again. Tomorrow, she will use colors. She closes her eyes thinking about the right combination of pigments to achieve the correct brown color of the doctor's eyes – soft brown eyes like whiskey or are they hazel? I must look closely later. She starts to arrange her drawing materials when she hears a soft knock on her door. So now, who is it? I hope it's not Kenzi. Or is it Tamsin? She pouts. Can I just pretend that I'm already sleeping? She waits a little longer, hoping that the person outside her door is not Kenzi or Tamsin. She smiles when she heard her grandfather's voice.
"Ysabeau, are you still awake?"
Bo opens the door. "Yes Pops, I'm still awake. Come in." She gathers the boxes of pencils and slid them into the drawer. She then sits on her bed to properly face her grandfather. "Why are you still awake? I thought you are already sleeping."
Trick walks towards the couch and sits. "Well I needed to talk to Bruce and Steve." He sighs. "I am thinking of making Bruce the nightshift manager and Steve the head of security. Now of course since they are going to be promoted, we need two people to replace them."
Bo nods. "Of course. Did you ask them?"
"Yes. Steve told me they have cousins whom they can call tomorrow. He said they are just like him and Bruce."
"Really? Tall and imposing? Identical twins?"
Trick laughs. "Both actually. But Bruce said Dave and Robert are shorter in their stature but nonetheless scary and intimidating."
"I'm happy for Bruce and Steve."
"It's time. They have been with us for more than five years. And I trust them immensely." He nods. "So you approve?"
"Of course Pops."
"Well then..." His eyes strays from his granddaughter to the drawing table. "Ysabeau, are you starting to draw again?" Trick glances at the open drawing pad.
"Oh." She forgot to put away the drawing pad. "Well Pops, I thought I can start drawing again... you know, after a grueling time at work I can forget about everything and just do something that I really love." She shrugs.
"I always love how you draw. You may not know how to paint like your grandmother but to draw like this... it is innate Ysabeau. You should be proud of yourself." He smiles, pointing at the drawing pad. "May I?"
"Sure Pops." She smiles nervously, waiting for his grandfather's reaction.
"Wow! They are like... very real. The eyes are alive! How...?" Trick's eyes widen and sparkle, obviously amazed of his granddaughter's skill. "Wait... are these eyes specific to a face or are they just from a random one?"
Her face reddens. Good thing her grandfather is still focused on the drawing so he didn't see Bo's face. "A random one." Thank God I've already hidden Lauren's picture.
"Well this girl's eyes are beautiful, even you drew them in black and white. I bet they will be more beautiful when you use your colored pencils." He looks at Bo.
"I'm planning to do that Pops." She bits her lip.
"What color will you use for the irises?"
"Definitely soft brown, like honey or whiskey."
"That's a beautiful color. I'm looking forward to see that drawing of yours." Trick raises his eyebrow. "You are very specific with the color..."
"Pops, brown eyes are the most common eye color in the world with over 55% of the world's population having brown eyes." She points out.
Trick raises his hand, grinning. "Okay I rest my case. So that's the reason why you are still awake my darling granddaughter?"
"Actually Pops, I am hoping that I bump into you because..." Bo smiles widely. "... I want to be the one who will first greet you on your birthday." She walks towards her grandfather and hug him. "Happy birthday Pops."
"Oh thank you Ysabeau." He returns the hug, smiling. "You are sweet, you haven't changed a bit. I remember you hugging me and your grandma tight every time you came here for vacation when you were still a kid."
"Of course Pops." She leans back from the embrace. "Oh wait, I have a gift for you." She opens her nightstand, getting out a gift box. It is a long rectangular blue box with a silver ribbon wrapped around it and a bow with the same color at the center.
"You don't have to buy me a gift Ysabeau." His eyes are glassy with suppressed emotions.
"Oh it's nothing Pops." Bo glances at her grandfather and sighs. She's still dealing with her emotional outburst earlier so she steels herself from feeling too much too soon. "Let's sit on the couch and open your gift. C'mon." She laughs a little, hoping to instill some lightness into their familial tête-à-tête.
Trick sits on the couch and starts to open the gift box. When the box is finally opened, his eyes widen. "Wow, these are Pancaldi ties Ysabeau. They are very special and..." He gasps. "... there are three of them?"
"It means 'I love you' and I know you love these ties. Do you like the colors?"
"Yes, very much." Eyes still misted, he smiles and put his hands on Bo's. "And I love you, too. Thank you for this wonderful gift Ysabeau."
"These are nothing compared to all the things you have given me. So what are your plans later?"
"Well as you know, I'll be meeting my friends after breakfast. But before that, I'll be going to church. Then at lunch, I will be seeing my former colleagues at the law office. After that, there will be a little get-together with my fellow Knights of Columbus brothers." Trick explains, grinning widely at his granddaughter.
"Whoa Pops, you'll be a very busy birthday boy! But can we have a little celebration with you at dinner time?" Bo puts her right arm around Trick's shoulder, leaning closer to him.
Trick squeezes Bo's hand on her lap and says, "Of course Ysabeau. We can go to Zinc, Union League Café or somewhere else that you and the girls want to go to."
"Okay Pops, I'll ask them then I'll call for our reservation. You'll be home by 7 in the evening?" She hopes everything will be right on schedule for the surprise birthday celebration.
"Yes I will be here by 7. I think I need to decompress from meeting old people all day long." He laughs heartily, his eyes twinkling. "I need to surround myself with the young 'uns at that time to balance my day, you know?"
Bo widens her eyes. "Pops, you're bad. They are your friends!"
"I know. But they are old!" Trick whines and frowns.
Bo bursts out in laughter while holding her stomach. "Of course Pops, you are also old."
"Huh, for now I'll forget that you called me old Ysabeau. Just for now because you just gave me a gift but tomorrow, I'll definitely remember." Trick gives his granddaughter the stink eyes. "Speaking of young ones, I haven't seen Hale for a while now..."
"Well Pops, as you know we were quite busy these last few months then now we have a big case..." Bo shrugs.
Trick raises his eyebrow. "Ysabeau, you know something that I don't... can you tell me?"
"Uh Pops, I don't know if I'm the best person to tell you about it..." Bo bites her lip.
"Do I need to guess? Remember, it's my birthday today." Trick wiggles his eyebrows.
Bo laughs. "Pops, you are really using the 'birthday boy' card huh." She sobers up. "It's not I don't want to tell you about it but Kenzi..."
Her grandfather interrupts gently. "Is this about Kenzi and Nate? What does Hale... oh!" His eyes widen. "So Hale is avoiding Kenzi because she is now dating Nate?"
"You knew about that?"
"Nate told me about it. He asked for my blessing. I know that he really likes Kenzi and he's sincere about his feelings for her so I allowed him to tell Kenzi about how he feels."
"When was this?" Bo frowns.
"About a month ago Ysabeau."
"Well I understand that he needed to ask for your blessing because you're Kenzi's guardian..." She shrugs.
"But..."
"So why didn't he talk to me?"
"I knew that he talked to Tamsin." Trick sighs. "Ysabeau, I think the reason why Nate didn't talk to you about this was because of your association with Hale. He's your partner, like Nate is Tamsin's. And he can't just avoid the fact that Hale is actually his adversary when it comes to Kenzi. Nate is wary of you."
Bo thinks for a while, eyebrows furrow. She finally blows a breath. "Okay, I understand. If Nate really likes Kenzi then he should really take care of her. I don't want Kenzi to be hurt."
"I know. I told Nate about that and he gave me his word that he will take care of her. I told him that Kenzi is like my granddaughter and I will always protect her. So Ysabeau, don't worry about Kenzi." He reaches out to Bo and squeezes her hands. "What about Tamsin? What is she up to nowadays?"
She sighs. "Pops I don't know if you are aware..."
"That Tamsin is sleeping around? Yes I am aware of that." Trick frowns. "I do not approve of course but what can I do? I already told her a piece of my mind but she's not a minor anymore so I can't do anything about it. Have you talked to her about it?"
"I already have Pops. I actually advised her to go to a clinic and have herself checked." She then tell her grandfather the story about the policeman that slept around and contacted a venereal disease. "She said she will so let's see if she will really do it. I asked Kenzi to search a clinic that she can go to. That's all I can do about it." She frowns.
"Well I didn't think about that, good thing you did." Trick nods. "So what about you my dear?"
"What about me Pops?" Bo asks nonchalantly. But deep inside, she knows what her grandfather is asking her.
"Oh you can't do that to me Ysabeau. I know that you know what I'm talking about." Trick leans towards his granddaughter. "When are you going to date again?"
"Pops..."
"I want you to be happy. And I want to see you with someone you really love and loves you in return." Trick looks at Bo lovingly.
Bo sighs. "Well... I met someone that I really like so much but I don't know if she likes me too so..." She clears her throat. "I'm not sure if she feels the same. And I don't think my feelings for her would change very soon so if she doesn't like me at all, moving on will take some time."
"Did you already tell her how you feel?"
She shakes her head.
"Why?"
"I'm afraid that once she knows the truth about me, she will realize that I don't have much to offer... that I'm inadequate... that I don't deserve her." She looks down at her lap.
"The truth about you?" Trick staggers, obviously disturbed by his granddaughter's statement. "Well I know you – you are a loving child to your parents, a sweet granddaughter to me and your grandmother, a protective friend to Kenzi, Tamsin and Hale, a good police officer... what else can we ask from you? You are intelligent, kind-hearted, strong and passionate." He puts both hands on her shoulders, looking at her seriously. "Tell me, why do you feel that you're inadequate, that you don't have much to offer?"
"I just feel that I'm out of her league." Bo whispers, looking away from her grandfather's stare.
He sighs. "Well, who is this lucky lady that you have strong affections with?" He thinks for a while. "Or can I just guess?" When Bo doesn't answer he quips, "Is the lucky lady the doctor you have mentioned yesterday? A certain Dr. Lauren Lewis, hmmm?"
Bo knows she can't hide the truth from her grandfather so she nods.
"I don't know anything about Dr. Lewis. Although her name seems familiar to me, I can't remember when I first heard her name." He smiles wistfully. "Ysabeau, once she knows your truth and still doesn't return your affections then she doesn't deserve your love." He sees the apprehensive look at Bo's face. "I know that for a fact because I know you very well. You deserve to be loved. You deserve to be happy. Just be yourself and everything will be just fine." His face suddenly turns into more serious mood. "But just to be clear my dear, you first saw her a year ago right? And you met again just this Friday?"
Bo, still speechless, nods again.
"Then you don't have to worry too much Ysabeau. You just met. Give yourselves a chance to know each other well. For now, I have a question for you. Do you know if the attraction is mutual?"
She smiles, finally looking at her grandfather. "That's the only thing that I'm sure of Pops. I caught her checking me out once or twice."
Trick laughs. "Then that's a good start. If you are seeking for true love then it will take time. It should not be rushed. Okay? Perish your ugly thoughts." He squeezes Bo's hands. "You are beautiful inside and out. Anyone will be very lucky to have you in her life. If it's Lauren then that's good because you already love her. Now, I really want to meet her. I want to know why you have strong affections for her Ysabeau."
Bo smiles widely, showing her dimples. "You will meet her very soon Pops."
"Just tell me when and where and I'll be there." Trick smiles back, feeling good that he made his granddaughter smile again after a while. He stands up from the couch and looks at the clock. "Ysabeau, it's already late. We both need to sleep."
She finds herself yawning when she heard the word 'sleep'. "Oh yeah. I forgot that you'll be starting your day very early. How did you find sleeping in your old room?"
"I slept soundly last night, just like a baby."
"I'm glad you did Pops. Let me accompany you to your room." They both exit Bo's room and walk to the end of the hall.
Trick opens the door to his room and turns on the light. "It's a little bit cluttered for now. I didn't have the time to arrange the things I brought from my room in The Dahl. I should have told Bruce and Steve not to bring them up all at once but they did so..."
Several frames of paintings were displayed on every corner of his room. All of them were painted by his wife, Isabeau McCorrigan, Bo's grandmother. Her works consisted of landscapes and still lifes and used acrylic paints and watercolors.
"Pops..." Bo's eyes roam the paintings. "... these are all Mom's? But there are 12 of them here."
"Yes. These are our personal collection Ysabeau. Most of them are painted in acrylics but the special ones are the watercolors, like the painting she gave you."
"That one is really special Pops. I love it. The colors are bright and alive. It's like I was there when she painted it." Bo smiles widely.
"Well at least your mom was there when it was done."
"What do you mean?"
"Your Moms was pregnant with your mother when she painted that one. That was fall of 1956. Did you look at your Mom's signature at the lower right of the painting? You should see IDM56." Trick smiles, obviously proud of his wife's artworks.
"1956? Mom was born on that year right?"
"Yes. Two months after your Moms finished that one, she gave birth to your mom. She was very happy when she was painting that portrait; maybe the reason why it was very vibrant to the eyes. Every morning she would wake up and set herself at the back of the lodge. That scenery in the painting was the view from the elevated part of the patio." The older man's eyes have that faraway look. Bo observes that this occurs every time her grandfather is reminiscing and thinking about his native country Ireland. And then with a gentler voice he states, "That painting is special to me and your grandmother Ysabeau; that's why we gave it to you."
Bo's curiosity peaks when she heard her grandfather's last statement. "How come Pops?"
"It will be revealed to you when the right time comes." Trick winks. "But not now."
She groans. "Okay. But can you tell me where the view from the painting is?
Trick laughs. "I know you're a very curious person my dear. Yes I can tell you. It is in Ballinafad, County Sligo in Ireland of course. That's all I can tell you for now. It's already sleeping time. C'mon."
"Alright Pops, I'll be going to my room now. Happy birthday again." She kisses the top of her grandfather's head.
When she enters her room, she hurriedly walks to the painting her grandmother gave to her before her demise. She looks at the right lowermost corner of the portrait. There she stares at her grandmother's initial and the year it was made – IDM56. Is it coincidental that the portrait her grandmother painted the year her mother was born was the painting that was given to her before she died? What is the significance of this with what her grandfather divulged to her earlier?
"Oh shoot, my head hurts." She rubs her forehead and sighs. "Need to sleep now." She walks to her drawing table and arranges her materials, puts them inside the drawers. She stops when she looks at her drawing of Lauren's eyes. She can't help but smile at how real they are, like they are alive. "Yes, I'm back! Hah!" Her smile is immediately replaced by a yawn; she really need to sleep now.
She hurriedly puts off the light and crawls over her bed, the image of her beloved's eyes imprinted on her mind before her own eyes closes for the long awaited rest.
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Westville New Haven
When Lauren finally enters her room, she walks straight to her dresser and takes out a faded Yale shirt and shorts. She enters her bathroom, changes to her sleepwear and stands at the front of the mirror. Still reeling from the kiss Bo planted on her temple, she touches the skin where the officer's lips landed. She closes her eyes, requesting her brain to go back to the moment when she felt Bo's lips, when she was surrounded by her presence and how she was held by the brunette – with affection, warmth and devotion. The only question she could think of now is why? Why did she hold me like that? Why did she kiss me? For Lauren Lewis, the most important questions are the whys and hows. She's a scientist after all. But between her and Bo, the most important is the whys. Is it about the connection that we have? And the chemistry and spark that we have right from the start? Then she thought about Vex and Ciara. Well, where are they now? Ciara is with Dyson and Vex... She sighs.
She has to admit, all the feelings and emotions that these last two days brought her feel great but at the same time very scary. She hasn't felt this way before. True, she had relationships before. Relationships? Was that the correct term for what she had with her exes? I'm not good with relationships! But all those relationships just brought her pain and misery. If Bo and I will be in a relationship, will I do well? She laughs. Look at me, already thinking about a relationship with her! Get a grip Lewis. It has been what, two days? Then later, I have to meet her grandfather and her best friends. Then a realization sets in. "Oh shit, oh shit I'll be meeting her grandfather later! Then her best friends... oh my God!" She paces back and forth in front of her bed. "What shall I wear? What shall I bring? Is the cake enough? It's her grandfather's birthday, it's not enough. Shit!"
She curses more when she heard a series of knocks on her door. It opens up and Vex comes charging inside his best friend's room. "What's happening? Are you alright? I heard you cursing. And you haven't cursed that much in your lifetime." Concern etches the man's face.
"Vex! I'm alright. It's just I realized that I'll be meeting Bo's family later." She frowns. "Suddenly, I feel anxious just thinking about it. Then I don't know what to wear and if the cake will be enough as a gift for Mr. McCorrigan's birthday." She enumerates her problems and resumes her pacing in front of her best friend.
He laughs. Then quickly sobers. "You know what, pacing is not good for your impeccable reputation." He shakes his head. "Stop that. We should sit and think of resolutions for your problems." He grasps her arms and drags her to the couch. "Sit. We'll talk this through. Just breathe."
Lauren takes a deep breath and exhales, repeats it twice. "Okay, okay I'm calm now." She sighs. "Thank God, you're still awake."
"I am actually thinking about the cake. You know me and chocolate cakes, I'm obsessed with them. Lo, I am thinking about doing a reimagined classic whiskey-spiked Irish coffee as a decadent mocha layer cake filled with coffee-whiskey whipped cream and topped with white and dark chocolate shavings. How does that sound? Delicious right?" Vex smiles smugly.
"Wow yeah."
"Then why not make your classic meat lasagna? I think Trick will appreciate it. And of course your beloved, she will love it."
Lauren blushes.
"Awwww! My God, you're blushing at 2:00 o'clock in the morning!" Vex grins, eyes twinkling. "Remember, the way to men's heart is through their stomachs. From what I saw, it also applies to women especially to Bo. I like her, she's not pretentious especially when she's eating. I'm actually envious of her appetite, how she devoured that plate of carbonara." He rubs his stomach. "I feel bloated all the time."
She reaches out and rubs his stomach and laughs. "Uh it's getting bigger." Vex slaps her hand and frowns. "We should start riding our bikes again. What about tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow morning?"
"We eat our breakfast first then we rest. After an hour or so, we ride our usual route. We have an ample time to bake the cake and cook the lasagna. Then we eat our lunch, then rest again until we go to downtown for Mr. McCorrigan's birthday. What do you think of the plan?"
"What about Ciara?"
"Oh she texted me earlier. She needs to go to the hospital tomorrow morning until afternoon. So she won't be here while we do all that. But we will pick her up from the hospital before we go to downtown."
Vex raises his eyebrow. "So she has work tomorrow. What about you?"
Lauren sighs. "I basically finished the laboratory part of my residency Vex. I am actually on a special project, given to me by Dr. Ellis. I can actually work from here but my attendance at the hospital is very important. We don't need other people to know about the project but I need to show my face there and let them know that I'm still a resident. It's very sensitive but time consuming."
"And what is the project?"
"It is about a research on how cells control and organize the segregation of their chromosomes during cell division. I will examine the regulation of exit from mitosis, the regulation of the meiotic cell cycle, and effects of..."
Vex raises his hands. "Of course, it's about cells. Why do I still ask?" He rolls his eyes.
"Because you're an innately curious man. C'mon let's go to my closet and see what I can pair with my jeans."
"Oh the jeans that I got you just because I love your ass when you wear it?" They walk towards Lauren's walk in closet.
"You sound so creepy right now but yeah, that's the one!"
"Well let's see..." He goes through her wardrobe and exclaims, "You have too many Oxford shirts!"
"Oh don't mind them. They are essentials. They are the only ones that I can wear in the hospital."
"Fine." His eyes roam the closet and finds flannel shirts that are somewhat hidden. "Aha, you have plaid flannel shirts. Why are they hidden?"
Lauren rolls her eyes. "I was hoping that you won't find them but since I've given you free reign..." She huffs. "I'm not hiding them. I just bought them last week, didn't have the time to properly arrange them in my closet."
Vex raises his eyebrow at Lauren's reasoning but decides not to voice a retort. "I am okay with plaid flannel shirts as long as you know how to wear them. Mix and match darling! You can actually wear one later. Just pair it with one of your tank tops then there you go, your outfit dilemma is solved!" Vex leans forward, pulling out the blue and green plaid shirt. "I like this one, it will enhance your eyes. The tank top should be light blue, light green or white."
The doctor nods. "Okay. Thank you for the fashion advice."
The businessman smiles. "Always happy to serve, my favorite heiress." He curtsies.
"Stop that please." She rolls her eyes.
"But you truly are an heiress."
"I know but it doesn't mean that I have to be comfortable hearing someone calling me that."
Vex sighs. "Well maybe Lauren you need to finally step inside your building and hear what your parents and brother will say about the family business so you can be comfortable when someone calls you an heiress. I think you need to see the whole picture." He sees the scowl on his best friend's face. "I know you are afraid to know the enormity of your family's wealth but you need to know. It doesn't mean that you need to come back to California and work for your family's company. Because I think if your mom and dad really want that, you're not here now and you are in California working for your pharmaceutical laboratory. I think if your mom or dad really want to force you to work for them, they will and they can. But they are not doing it. They did not in the past and I don't think they will in the future. But the only thing you can do for them is to finally sit down and talk about all of it with them. Knowledge is power Lauren. You know that. Knowing what the company's worth is not going to change you. Knowing what you are worth is not going to change you. I know why you are afraid and anxious. When was the last time you check how much money you have? Your dad is managing your finances for you right? Ask him so you won't be too shocked in the future when the need to know is imminent. By knowing how much you are worth, you will learn to accept all of it. It won't change you." He sighs. "I know how much money I have but does it change me? Dyson knows his worth, does it change him? Tell me Lauren."
The doctor shakes her head. "No."
"We don't flaunt. We don't display what we have. Even Ryan who among us is the most involved in the business doesn't flaunt. Trust me, it won't change you. You'll just have the advantage of knowing how much money you have and what you can do about it. The only thing that matters is knowing where you stand and what you're capable of. I know you told your dad to do something about it right?"
"Yeah. I know I can't hide that from you." Lauren shrugs. "I told him to do something about the money and he came up with the idea. I love it and told him to do it right away."
"Are you involved with any of the processes?"
"No, I just told Dad that I'm giving him free reign."
"Lauren, you need to be involved. It's your money..."
"But I didn't do anything for that money..."
"Still, it's your money. You need to accept that. It is your birth right. And as your birth right, it is the obligation of your parents to nurture you, to provide you clothes and food to have a comfortable life, to give you an education so that you have a better future. They gave you that. And you can't blame them just because the business ventures they came up with became successful and your family became one of the wealthiest in California, if not the whole US of A. Do you know the net worth of The Lewis Group of Companies now? Of your parents, Vincent?"
Lauren shakes her head.
"Billions Lauren, billions of dollars! They can actually send you to other countries ten times over so you could do whatever you want with your science. You have a pharmaceutical laboratory for Christ's sake! One of the biggest in the west. But they don't because you don't want to. They are respecting your wishes because they love you and because you are an integral part of the family. They didn't force you to work for them because they believe in free will. The only thing you can do is to accept it, to accept where you stand in this world and know what you can do about it. Isn't that exciting? That thing you told your father to do, he did it because of your money. You have lots of it. Aren't you happy about that? That you are capable to help other people because of that money?" He puts his hands on the doctor's shoulders. "And what about your future darling? Maybe in five to 10 you will have a family of your own. Aren't you glad that you have the means to give your family a happy and satisfying life?"
The doctor just stares at her best friend, contemplating and processing.
"I know that you already show them how independent you are, away from that money. And what's funny about this, although your parents are very capable to send you to college you defied that and earned yourself a college scholarship. And it's in Yale, for God's sake. Well I don't blame your brain. Your parents can't blame you for that. But now that you are already earning your keeps and you're going to have your dream job, maybe you could give that part of yourself some kind of attention perhaps?"
"Okay."
Vex raises his eyebrow. "Okay?"
"I will go inside the building and sit down with my parents and brother to discuss all of it. Happy?" Lauren smiles at her best friend.
The taller man snorts. "Well finally! I don't think a long speech like that will convince you to do it. Dyson and I have been harping you for ages. Even Ryan has been egging you in his own ways. "
"Well while you are spouting your impromptu speech..." She grins. "... I decided that it's time to stop running away from that fear. Then maybe I will have to manage my own money so Dad can focus more on the business. I need to find a lawyer and an accountant as soon as I talk to my father..."
"Whoa whoa slow down!" Vex puts up his hands up. "I just hope to guide you down that road but you're suddenly up and running. You have time for that Lo. But first, you need to understand the business, then you need to involve yourself in the process of what you have asked your Dad to do for you. Those are the two most important things you need to do first okay? Then after that, you can decide about managing your own money and finding your own lawyer and accountant here in New Haven. Dyson, Ryan and I will help you on that."
"Fine." She huffs. "I just wanted to ask you for advice on what clothes to match with my jeans then you go and make it about managing my own money." She laughs, while rubbing her forehead. "This weekend keeps on getting weirder and weirder."
"Why weird?" Of all the adjectives that he expects his best friend to describe the weekend, it's not that word. "Good weird or bad weird?"
"The good kind of weird." She pats his arm. "Don't worry I'm okay now. I think this conversation has made me realize that I need to do things out of my comfort zone."
"Aha so this realization, is this a spur of the moment thing or are you marinating on it for quite a while now?"
"Been thinking for months actually." A frown creases the doctor's face.
"And you haven't shared it to anyone."
"Maybe I needed this talk..." She waves her hand between the two of them. "... or maybe because it's already 2:30 in the morning and we need sleep so I said yes just so you could shut up." She laughs.
"Oh no, it can't be that. You are not a compulsive person Lo. I know you very well." Vex stares hard at his best friend. "Son of a bitch, you already have thought about this for a while! I knew it! If I haven't said my piece, you won't tell me right? You will do it and then you will just tell me afterwards. God I hate you sometimes!"
"Oh no, you can't hate me Vex. I know you too very well." She smirks. "Yes I am going to do it when we go there for Thanksgiving. And yes, I will tell you once I've done it. But you know that I will ask for your help afterwards right? I don't know what to do about it Vaughn. I know that you, Dyson and Ryan will help me through it." She hold Vex's hands and says, "Please tell me that you forgive me." She blinks her puppy dog eyes.
"Oh you and your feminine wiles! You don't use it very often but then if you do, you do it perfectly!" He raises his hand. "Okay fine, you're forgiven." Then he whispers, "Maybe that's why Ryan can't move on from you."
"What did you say?" Lauren crosses her arms and glares at Vex. "I haven't used my feminine wiles on him ever, got it?"
"Why?"
"Because it can be misinterpreted Vex, you know that! I know that in his eyes, our relationship is not plain black and white. For him it is blurry but for me, it is very clear." She shakes her head.
"Fuckin' Ryan!"
"Freakin' arrangement!"
"You know what, that's one of the thoughtless things that your parents did to you. I meant no disrespect Lauren, I love Oliver and Eleanor but damn!" Vex shakes his head. "I didn't expect your dad making that arrangement with Ryan's parents. Maybe your mom used her feminine wiles with your dad? She loves Ryan, you know."
Lauren shrugs.
"Oh wait, you haven't discussed this with them." His eyes widen with shock. "You have too many issues with your parents. You can't keep hiding them, it will fester and I think you know that if a wound festers... Is this one of the reasons why you ran away from home?"
"Yes it is, one of the major reasons."
"You keep some deep secrets from me..."
"You know I'm really not into sharing. I don't want to bother you with my teenage angsts. And you know my biggest secrets... "
"I know. I'm your best friend but until I prod and probe you, you won't give them up. Good thing I don't give up that easily." He sighs. "And your issues are not just teenage angsts dear. They are grownup problems that you need to address with your parents." He points out to the doctor.
"Okay Vaughn, don't worry. I'll... talk to them." She sighs. "It's going to be 3:00 in the morning. Let's sleep. C'mon, I still need to brush my teeth." Lauren kisses his cheek.
He looks at her lovingly. "Okay. Sweet dreams Lo. Clear your thoughts and dream of your beloved." He winks.
She just rolls her eyes and closes the door. She pauses for a moment and takes a short breath. She walks towards the comfort room and continues her night rituals.
She turns off the light, she sits on her bed and closes her eyes for a while. As Vex asks her to do, she clears her mind. Truth to be told, it's really hard to clear the mind of one Lauren Lewis. Too many things in her mind; this has been dilemma since she was a child. She stands up and arranges her pillows.
When she finally lies down, the only thought she has on her mind is the kiss and Bo.
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Downtown New Haven
It is already 10:00 o'clock in the morning when Kenzi knocks on Bo's door.
"Bo! Bo! Bo! Wakey wakey! If you don't wake up right now, we won't leave any morsel of food for you. Even the coffee, we will drink it all up!" Kenzi covers her mouth while giggling. She knows how to wake up the older brunette. Food is Bo's kyrptonite after all.
She knocks again when she does not hear any response from the occupant of the room. She really needs to wake up Bo because they have many things to do for Trick's birthday. Kenzi tries the door and she exclaims when it opens, "Woah! She didn't lock her door?" She enters the room and looks at the bed. She can't help but laugh at the sleeping woman, who is very beautiful but is currently snoring a little loud while her mouth is open. "Oh Bo, what will Lauren say when she sees you like this?"
How will I wake her up? She roams her eyes in the room to search for an object that she can use. The room is clear, no strewn things to use. She sighs. "This will do." She puts her index finger into her mouth, wets it thoroughly with her saliva. She goes to the sleeping woman's back and climbs on the bed. She carefully puts her wet finger in Bo's right ear. The desired effect is achieved when Bo jumps up her bed, very confused. "What? When? Where?" When she sees a laughing Kenzi, she's very furious. "Kenzi! You inserted a wet finger in my ear again, didn't you? Why can't you wake me up without doing that." She groans. "What time is it?"
"It's already 10 in the morning Bo. I did that so you will wake up fast. See?" She pats the older brunette's shoulder and says, "Please you really need to get up now. You need eat breakfast. Pops already left so we can now do all the things that we need to do Bo. I'll go down now, just hurry please. Tamsin is already awake. She said she went home at 5 in the morning. She's already arranging the living room. Bruce and Steve are downstairs helping her."
Bo lays down again to recuperate from the unpleasant feeling brought by Kenzi's way of waking her up. She lets out a big breath and gets up from her bed. She then goes to the comfort room to look at the mirror and arrange her hair. She sighs and combs her hair, gathering and tying them up on top of her head.
Her eyebrow gets up when she sees Kenzi's piano in the living room.
Tamsin sees her. "Bruce, Steve and I brought that down this morning. You didn't hear us huh?"
Bo shakes her head. "No, very sleepy." She goes straight to the kitchen and sits down to eat breakfast. She heaps her plate with ham, eggs and slices of toast. She starts to eat when her blonde best friend plops down on the chair in front of her. "Hey, I heard we have guests later." She winks. "Can't resist to finally introduce the doctor to Trick?"
The officer looks up. "Of course Kenzi already told you. Who cooked breakfast? Don't tell me you let Pops cook!"
"Of course not!" The blonde snorts. "Bruce cooked while Steve buttered the toasts and made the coffee. Are they adorable?" They both looked and smiled at the hulking men in the living room, carrying heavy chairs and tables. "You didn't answer my question."
"Yes I invited Vex, Ciara and Lauren to Pops' birthday party later." Bo fights a smile by pressing her lips.
"Oh don't hide that smile from me Bo. You can't just resist from seeing her again today huh?" Tamsin stares hard at her best friend. "I know I'm not the role model for relationships Bo but I can still read people and I know something is up." She smiles at the brunette, her voice gentle. "I know you already love her but there's something new today." She nods. "Yeah, that's it. You're not going to hide it anymore."
"Yes I decided not to hide it anymore from you, Kenzi, Pops and Hale. You're the closest people in my life right now. Hiding it from you will be very hard." Bo smiles widely. "And it feels great, loving somebody. It's freeing and enlightening at the same time."
"I'm happy for you Bo."
"Thank you Tam."
"So can you finish your breakfast already and help us arrange the furniture? Stretch your muscles!" The blonde frowns and turns her back, leaving Bo in the dining table.
She hurriedly chews her breakfast and drinks her first cup of coffee for the day. She starts standing up when Kenzi is suddenly on her side. "What are you doing?"
"I am going to tell you to sit down and explain to me what happened before you left me hanging so early this morning." The younger brunette glares at Bo.
"Kenzi please, can we do that later? You said yourself, we have lots to do so can I take a rain check on that? Promise, I will explain it later to you. But before anything else, I will give you a clue - meltdown." Bo stands up and hopes that Kenzi will stop pestering her.
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Westville New Haven
Lauren and Vex are in the pantry, checking if they have all the ingredients for the cake and lasagna. They just came back from their morning exercise - bicycling from Westville to Beaver Hills and back.
"Vex, are you sure you don't want to cool down first? Your skin is flushed and you had muscle cramps earlier. Just sit in the kitchen then drink lots of water. If we have Gatorade, it's better. We can still rest, there are lots of time to spare."
Her best friend glares at her.
"Okay fine, I'll go with you. Let me get a heat compress first so we can place that on your cramped muscles then we rest. Start drinking lots of water please." The doctor starts walking up to her room.
When she comes down, she sees Vex drinking Gatorade. She smiles at him and gives him the instant heat compress. "Use it right away please. We can transfer to the living room so you could stretch your feet on the table. Go there now and I'll just fetch another bottle of Gatorade."
Vex silently gets up and walks towards the living room.
Lauren shakes her head. Vex got hurt when he practically challenges her to a race towards Beaver Hills. She granted his wish, even let him have his headstart. Lauren knows racing is a bad idea but she relented so it's partly her fault why Vex is hurting right now. She hurriedly walks towards the living room, wanting to know her best friend's state of mind. "Are you okay?" She rolls her eyes. "I know it's a stupid question but can you speak please? You haven't said anything since we came home."
Vex grunts. "I'm okay, just hurting. I can't believe I pulled my hamstring. I won't challenge you to a race again."
"A lesson learned in a hard way. I can't believe I let you do it. You're a bad influence sometimes."
The tall man laughs. "Oh yeah I know. Well it has been a long time since we ride our bicycles so it just pop in my mind, why not a race? Good idea Vex!"
The doctor pats her best friend's arms. "We'll rest for now, it's only 10 in the morning so we have lots of time. Pace yourself. Later, instead of standing up while you mix your ingredients for the cake, you sit okay? Then you bake your cake. While it's baking you can go ahead and shower or take a bath so you can soak your hamstring in warm water. I'll watch your cake for you while I'm making the lasagna."
Vex nods, smiling. "Okay, that's a good plan."
"So we now have a plan. Then while you are taking a bath, I'll arrange the lasagna. Good thing I already have dough for the pasta sheets, I'll just need them to go through the pasta machine and boil them. Oh I also need you to grate the cheese for me. I already prepared the meat and sauces. I'll pop the lasagna into the oven so I could take a bath myself."
"Then after the baking, cooking, bathing etc. we need to pick up Ciara from the hospital? What time are we going to do that?"
"She said she will be out at five in the afternoon so we can be early. Bo said to be there at six right?"
Vex raises his eyebrow. "Yes. Picking up Ci from Yale hospital at five will get us to Trick and Bo's house in ten minutes or so after. It's too early."
"Maybe we can help them on whatever they prepare for Trick?" Lauren shrugs. "I don't know."
"Oh don't deny it okay? You just can't wait to see Bo." Vex grins.
"I don't know what you're talking about Vex." Her grin matches her best friend's.
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Author's Note: I know I promised this chapter would be Trick's birthday but the story told itself so please bear with me. Next chapter will be Trick's birthday. I know there's no Bo and Lauren interaction in this chapter but it will be worth it promise. Thanks for understanding.