54 - Surprise Is Served

Lucas' PoV

I hated going to other peoples places for dinner. Unless it was Chase and Ephiny's house, then I really didn't mind.

One time, my mom had an important business meeting and she wanted to impress whoever it was, so I had to wear something 'nice'. Nice for me was a pair of ripped jeans and a jersey. That wasn't 'nice' enough so she picked out my clothes for me. I was ten years old and quite capable of picking out my own clothes!

But she had taste.

I could wear a pair of jeans as long as they weren't ripped or holy and I wore a nice blue sweater that she had ironed for me. My hair was brushed back up in a ponytail neatly and I plastered a 'nice' smile on my face. We went to an older married couple's house and they didn't have any toys to amuse me. Being the good daughter I was, I stayed at the table while the older people went on and on about mom's job.

It was all French to me. And I was smart in French class – my mom threatened to put me in Saint Marguerite Bourgeois, an elementary French Immersion Catholic school across the town. I told her I'd never speak to her again if she did that.

She never did.

One, I hate French.

Two, I don't believe in a Catholic God.

Three, I would not have been there to take care of Dylan.

"Stop kicking the dashboard, Luc." Mom looked at me as we pulled out of side road and onto the highway. "I don't see why you're making this a big deal."

The big deal was mom said she had another important dinner she needed to go too. She was dragging me along and wouldn't allow me to stay with Jaiden or at Hadley's house. She wouldn't even tell me where we were going. "Why won't you tell me where we're going?" I challenged back, sitting with my arms crossed over my chest like the typical eleven year old that I was.

"Lucas." Her voice was stern and I frowned. "I wanted it to be a surprise," she finally sighed as we drove over Darlington Bay bridge and turned the next street over, "Ashley and Dylan invited us over for dinner."

I sat up immediately. It had been two whole nights since Dylan moved to be with Ashley and though I seen her at school and during hockey practice, to me it felt like ages. "Really?"

Mom never answered me vocally; she just nodded and stared straight ahead.

I had never been to Ashley's so it was exciting. Then I realized that I had never been to Ashley's house and that was why mom was making it a surprise.

To make me happy.

She loved to make me happy and see me smile.

I was such a self-absorbed brat sometimes.

"Oh," I whispered and chewed on my bottom lip, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." She dismissed it and squeezed my hand. "Please be on your best behaviour?"

"Mom," I laughed, "Ashley's seen my bad side with me slamming the door in her face," and judging by the look she threw my way I wasn't forgiven for that one yet, "sorry."

"I know, you're a brilliant child and you have manners. Just use them." She smiled and out the vehicle into park.

"Why are you nervous?" I asked with a cheeky grin.

"I'm not." Mom laughed slightly and fidgeted with her hair in the review mirror, but not before turning on the interior lights so she could see herself better. "I just left the house in a rush."

I rolled my eyes. She never got dolled up for anything or anyone.

You're name would have to start with the letter 'A' and last name start with the letter 'D' for that to happen.

Wait.

Uncle Aiden used to date her.

Rephrasing that statement:

Your name would have to start with the letter 'A' and last name start with the letter 'D' for that to happen – and have boobs.

"Whatever you say mom." I feigned annoyance but was secretly loving it all to pieces.

Ashley was my step-mom!

Okay, not officially, but still!

"Holy Hannah in a handbasket!" I gasped as I stepped outside the Blazer and noticed Ashley's house decorated in Christmas lights and decorations.

My mom grinned and grabbed my hand as we made our way to the front door. I excitedly pressed the doorbell and heard Dylan scream "I'm coming!"

"Is that a way to answer the door?" Spencer giggled teasingly, hugging Dylan.

"Sorry." Dylan mumbled with a sheepish smile. "Lucas, come on! You gotta see my room!"

I grinned and threw off all my winter clothes, piling them neatly by the closet door before following Dylan's giggling. I stopped in my tracks when her room was made up of most things hockey, including a large poster of my mom hanging above her bed. "Wow!"

"I know!" Dylan bounced on her new bed. "Mommy made this a surprise and look," she pointed to the signature on the poster, "Spencer signed it!"

I chuckled and made a point to look at everything of hers that was on the wall. "There's a lot of snowboarding stuff on here."

"Oh," Dylan nodded, "Mommy snowboarded a lot."

"Seriously?" I was in awe. Ashley seemed to be able to do everything – but skate.

"Yea, she used to take me." Dylan glanced around the room, her voice growing softer. "We had this cabin in the mountains we'd go to. She would light the fire and we'd roast marshmallows and sing songs that Alex Carlin wrote."

"It's weird that you knew who Aunt Alex was before we knew about you." I murmured.

Dylan smiled but just shrugged. We were too young to really question it all and because we didn't understand it meant that it wasn't worth asking to begin with.

"Knock knock." Ashley and mom were standing at the door. "I hope we're not interrupting anything."

"No!" Dylan grinned and got up off the bed. "Like my room Spencer?"

My mom looked just as shocked as I did. Her eyes were on the poster and she glanced at Ashley. "How?"

"It was auctioned off your official site." Ashley whispered.

"Yea, it went for over two grand!" Mom gasped.

"Well it was autographed." Ashley smiled slightly and sighed. "The best two grand I've ever spent."

"You bought it?!" I screeched with a grin.

"I did just that." Ashley blew on her nails and winked at an opened mouthed mother. "Don't look so shocked Spence," she nudged her, "I told you I followed your career."

"But- I…" Mom shook her head and gave Ashley a big grin before looking at Dylan, "you have a very awesome room, Dyl. I wish it were mine!"

"You can share with me." Dylan giggled and did so even harder when my mom ruffled her hair. "Mommy, can we give Lucas her surprise now?"

I raised an eyebrow and looked at the two adults. "A surprise? For me? Christmas is still over two weeks away!"

"Come on brat." Ashley laughed and took my hand.

Ashley took my hand!

Spencer winked at me and that told me she knew what my surprise was.

"Ready?" Ashley knelt down and I looked into her eyes. They were so warm and inviting and for a brief moment I couldn't believe how mean I was to her. Even though I've apologized, I still felt bad.

"Ready Luc?!" Dylan bounced excitedly on the other side of me and I nodded looking at the door in front of me. It was closed.

My eyes wandered up the door and noticed 'L.E.C' engraved on a blue wooden plaque. "That's me." I whispered and found myself opening the door in an excited rush, stopping when the lights were already on and inside was the world's largest drawings of…

…my art work.

"What?" I whispered, eyes widening to see my drawings blown up into wallpaper size. I could feel something happening to me and before I knew it, I was crying. "Ashley!" I spun around and clung to her waist, crying with happiness because no one, no one had ever made that much of an effort to really accept and respect my art enough to really appreciate it. "Thank you."

Her fingers were playing with my ponytail and I felt her drop to her knees. "You're welcome."

She gave me a room in her home.

Her home.

"This is so awesome." I sniffled and hung onto her tighter. "You're the best step-mom in the world." I whispered into her ear before looking around at other small posters that have music notes, hockey things and-

"Ashley!" My mom gasped and took the calendar off the wall full of hot women and cars. "She's eleven!"

"Oh please Spencer," Ashley stood up, her hand on my shoulder still, "she can appreciate the fine arts of women – she is an exquisite artist after all!"

I grinned.

I really liked Ashley.

"We'll talk about this later." Mom smiled but her voice was stern. I growled as they left my room with the calendar.

Dylan rolled her eyes and sat on my bed, reaching over at a picture frame that was sitting on the night stand. "Aww, it's me and you!"

"Best friends forever," I climbed up on the bed and hugged her, "your mom is the best."

"Your mom is." She grinned and placed the frame back down. "Luc? Do you think we'll all live together?"

"What do you mean?"

"You and me, mommy and Spencer…" She bit her lip, looking hopeful.

I chuckled and pulled her into a hug. "Yea Dyl," I whispered, "I really do."

--