A Cops Dream
Chapter 3
Lucy drove home in silence. Her conversation with Isabel had brought back so many memories that she had worked so hard to forget. Not that she could ever forget Tim. Lucy knew that she would always still love him, but she believed that Tim would want her to be happy and that is all she was trying to do. She was happy that Isabel had invited her to the wedding and she was excited to meet all of Isabel and her fiancé's friends.
Lucy thought back to her own wedding to Tim, how special and perfect it was, just the two of them. Nothing major, no friends or family, just her and Tim telling each other how much they loved each other and how they promised to spend the rest of their lives making the other one happy. Lucy took in a deep breath as she was able to picture the smile on Tim's face when he said "I do" and the look of admiration as she slid the ring on his finger. The ring, her ring, she pulled over and stopped the car for a minute, placing her hand on her chest, feeling the ring that Tim had once put on her finger and she let the tears fall down her face as she spoke to Tim.
Lucy: Tim! Tim! Where are you when I so badly need you. I need you to hug me and hold me, to tell me that it will all be okay. Tim, if you are up there watching me then please baby please, I need your help. I am trying so hard to move on, to put you in my past. I know that Chris would love to take the next steps in our relationship but he's afraid to ask. He doesn't want to hurt me or rush me. I've told him all about you and how much you mean to me and I appreciate so much that he is not trying to push me to do anything that I am not comfortable with. But baby where are you? Do you like him? What do you think of Isabel? Should I go to this wedding? I just don't know what to do and I really need you here with me. Tim! Tim! Tim!
Lucy continued to let her tears fall as she slowly put herself back together and drove the rest of the way home feeling calmer now that she had spoken to Tim. Lucy knew that it wasn't the same as feeling him hold her and touch her and kiss her, but ever since he never came back from Iraq Lucy would talk to him when she was feeling lost and alone, and right now more than ever she really needed Tim there with her. Yes, Chris was amazing and he treated her like a princess but he just wasn't Tim. She wished Tim could be here to tell her what he thought of Chris, tell her that he was proud of her. She really just missed him so badly and she had no idea how she was going to be able to attend a wedding and pretend to be happy for her friend after the way her marriage had ended.
And it was with that thought on her mind that Lucy pulled up to her apartment, parked her car and walked to her house. When she opened the door, she saw that Chris was sitting on the couch in front of the TV, he was awake and had been waiting for her to come home.
Chris: Hey Lucy, how was the undercover thing today.
Lucy: It was going okay until my cover got blown and they tried to kill me.
Chris: What? Are you hurt? Are you okay? Did you get checked out?
Lucy: I'm okay. I ducked under the table as soon as I saw the bullets shooting through the window and I walked out without a scratch, but don't worry Isabel still made the paramedics check me out before she allowed me to work again.
Chris: Oh, thank God! I'm really glad you're okay, I don't know what I would have done if I lost you today.
Lucy took a step back.
Chris: I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said that.
Lucy: It's okay, I just. It's been an emotionally hard day and I've been thinking about Tim a lot today.
Chris: You want to talk about it?
Lucy: Isabel is getting married and she invited us to the wedding. Said it would be a good way for me to meet new people.
Chris: She's not wrong. You haven't lived here in 10 years. The city has changed since you left.
Lucy: I know, but the last wedding I went to was when I married Tim.
Chris: You haven't gone to any weddings since?
Lucy: I tried once about 5 years ago, but all I was able to see was Tim standing in the front getting married to another woman. In my head I heard the preacher say "Do you Tim Bradford take..." I never heard the name and I know that the picture, the voice, it was all in my head but I just couldn't sit in that room after that.
Chris: So, what did you do?
Lucy: I left the wedding before I suffered a panic attack and apologized after to my friend.
Chris: You had another panic attack today?
Lucy: Yeah, in the car on the way home. I really appreciate all that Isabel has done to make this transition smooth, but I just don't think I'm ready to go and watch her promise her life to a man when the man I said I do to is...
Chris: After everything you have been through Lucy, I think not attending her wedding is understandable
Lucy: But?
Chris: You know I don't like to push you and I want to give you the space you need to grieve your husband but I think that it might be good for you to get out there and see if you can do it. You never know if you will be okay if you don't try.
Lucy: Your right and I will try. Just not this week. Anyway, why are you still up? You don't usually wait for me while I'm undercover.
Chris: You weren't answering your phone and I was starting to panic that something terrible had happened so I couldn't sleep until I knew you were okay.
Lucy: Oh no! I totally forgot
Chris: Forgot what?
Lucy: My phone, it's still at the station. I'm not allowed to bring my personal phone with me while I'm undercover and I left it there after I dropped Isabel off. I'm just so tired right now, I guess I'll get it tomorrow at work.
Chris: Do you want me to get it for you?
Lucy: I really hate to ask because it is so late, but if you don't mind, I would really appreciate it.
Chris: No worries. You go take a shower and get ready for bed and I'll bring you your phone as soon as I get back.
Lucy: Thank you. It really means a lot to me.
Chris: Anytime.
Chris kissed Lucy, got his keys and left the apartment. Lucy then went into her room to start getting ready for bed.
Back at the station Tim was pacing around franticly. This messy situation just kept getting worse and he had no idea how earlier that day he didn't know that Isabel was working with Lucy and now he finds out that not only is Lucy Isabel's new partner but he is still married to Lucy and now Lucy is coming to his wedding where she is going to watch him marry Isabel. Tim didn't know if and or how that wedding was still going to happen, but he didn't want to make any decisions regarding Saturday's wedding until he spoke to both women. He needed to talk to Lucy but he just didn't know how to contact her and he had no idea what to say.
Hi its Tim, your husband, I need you to divorce me so I can get married to your partner? Or was he supposed to say Hi, we need to get divorced so I can marry Isabel, but I don't want to get divorced because I am still deeply in love with you. Or should he yell at her and ask her where the hell she's been for the last 10 years. Or why she never answered any of his calls, or messages. Tim was so lost and hurt and confused and right now he was still facing Isabel so unfortunately, he took his nervous frustrations out on her.
Tim: I can't believe this is happening right now?
Isabel: That what is happening?
Tim: That you invited Lucy to my wedding.
Isabel: Tim, what is going on right now? This is so unlike you.
Tim: Well, that's because I've never been in a situation like this before.
Isabel: Tim, talk to me.
Tim: You need to tell Lucy she can't come to wedding.
Isabel: What? That's crazy, why would I do that?
Tim: I can't really explain that right now Isabel.
Isabel: Tim, you're freaking me out here
Tim: That's because I'm freaking out. Lucy cannot come to our wedding and that's final.
Isabel: But I want her there.
Tim: And I don't.
Isabel: Why not?
Tim: I cannot stand there and marry you if Lucy Chen is sitting and watching.
Isabel: Your being insane. Why do you care so much if some woman you have never met comes to our wedding.
Tim: It's complicated.
Isabel: So, you know her?
Tim: No.
Isabel: Then what's the problem?
Tim: The problem is that Lucy Chen is my
Just then Chris walks over to them so Tim stops talking. A part of him is annoyed that this stranger just walked over to them while they were in the middle of an intense and heated argument but the other part is relieved that he didn't finish his sentence because he wasn't so sure that this was how he wanted Isabel to find out that Lucy Chen is his wife.
Isabel: Hey Chris what are you doing here now?
Chris: Lucy left her phone at the station so I was just coming to pick it up for her.
Isabel: That's sweet of you.
Chris: I try. Anyway, Lucy told me that you invited us to your wedding.
Isabel looked at Tim and then back at Chris.
Isabel: I did.
Chris: We really appreciate the invitation but I think that at this point we are going to have to turn it down.
Isabel: What why?
Chris: I don't know how much she has told you about her husband but she hasn't been able to attend weddings since...
Chris looked uncertainly at Tim and then back at Isabel
Isabel: When I invited her, I hadn't yet known about what happened to her husband.
Tim: Who are you?
Isabel: Oh, that's right I'm sorry, you two haven't yet been introduced. That is Chris Sanford, he is Lucy's boyfriend. And Chris, this is my fiancé, Tim Bradford.
Chris: Come again?
Tim: Hi, I'm Tim Bradford, Isabel's
Chris: Fiancé, yes that part I understood. But you said that your name is Tim Bradford?
Tim: It is. Do I know you?
Chris: No, no you don't. I should probably get going and bring Lucy her phone.
Isabel: It was nice seeing you again Chris.
Chris: You too. Congratulations on the wedding.
Isabel: Thank you.
Chris walked away and Tim let out a deep breath, that was close and he got lucky. But he knew that his luck would run out and at some point, both Lucy and Isabel would find out everything and he really wanted to be the one to tell them both.
Tim: That was weird
Isabel: What was weird?
Tim: Lucy's boyfriend reacted oddly when you said my name.
Isabel: Yeah, I noticed that also. He probably heard your reputation of being difficult or something.
Tim: Or something.
Tim and Isabel left the station and went home for the night. And no matter how hard he tried; he could not get the look on Chris's face out of his head. Tim felt like Chris knew something about him and Lucy but didn't say anything in front of Isabel. Tim needed to talk to Lucy now more than ever and he was going to do whatever it took to make that happen.
The following day Tim decided to take Isabel to work so he could walk her in and hopefully come face to face with Lucy for the first time in 12 years. Tim was petrified and as much as he wished he could run away and not talk to her he knew he was running out of time as Saturday was fast approaching and he had to get his marriage with Lucy annulled before then if he ever planned on walking down the aisle with Isabel.
Tim had walked Isabel into the station and sat down at her desk waiting for Lucy to show up so they could talk but after 30 minutes Tim knew he had to leave as he was needed at his own station in an hour and it was about a 30-minute drive away. He was just about to leave when Isabel walked out of the captain's office with Lucy.
Isabel: Hey babe, can you come back here a minute, I would like to finally introduce you to my partner.
Tim took a deep breath, this was the moment he had been waiting for, for 12 years. He turned around and finally came face to face with Lucy, his Lucy. She was still so beautiful and once again she took his breath away. He just stared and smiled at her.
Lucy who was walking with Isabel was excited when Isabel said her fiancé was here. Lucy was startled at first when she looked up and saw Tim staring back at her but then she remembered...
Lucy: Jake? Your fiancé is Jake Butler?
Isabel: Whose Jake?
Lucy: Jake? What are you doing here? I thought you were in prison for the next 5 years.
Isabel: Lucy, um who do you think this is? Because my fiancé is not Jake Butler.
Lucy: Seriously Isabel, come on Jake, this isn't funny anymore. How many times are you going to do this to me?
Isabel: Lucy, I'm not sure what is going on, but this is my fiancé, Tim Bradford.
Lucy: How dare you?!
Isabel: Excuse me?
Lucy: How could you mention his name to me like that and to have the audacity to tell me that your fiancé is Tim Bradford, what kind of sick joke is this?
Isabel: Lucy, how do you know Tim?
Lucy: Really? Really? Is this how you're going to play it? After everything I told you yesterday, for you to just do this to me. You promised me Isabel that you would never bring up the topic of my husband again and for you to now tell me that
Tim: Isabel, Lucy, if I may, I think I can help clarify what is going on here.
Lucy: Like hell you can Jake. The last time you pretended to be Tim, you promised me that you wouldn't do it again and yet here we are. I'm sorry. I need air.
Tim: Lucy, please, I know this is a lot right now but can we go somewhere quiet, private and talk about this, the two of us.
Lucy: No, no way. I am not going down this road again.
Tim: Please Lucy. We really need to talk.
Lucy: So, talk to your fiancé, tell her who you are, how when you found out that you looked exactly like Tim you tried to pretend to be him. But Jake, you are not Tim and no matter how hard you try you will never be Tim Bradford.
Isabel: Lucy, I don't know what is going on here, but this is Tim Bradford.
Tim: Luce, it's me, its Tim
Lucy stopped when she heard him use the nickname that Tim used to call her while they were dating. Jake had never known about that nickname, yes, he tried to pretend to be Tim, but everyone knew that Jake was Jake and Lucy had just arrested him again for drug possession a couple of weeks ago. She took a hard look at the man in front of her and then took a step back.
Lucy: Isabel this man in front of you, that you are planning to marry is not Tim Bradford.
Isabel: Tim, what is she talking about? Why would she say that?
Tim: I don't know.
Isabel: Lucy?
Lucy: Because Tim Bradford is dead.
Tim: Excuse me?
Isabel: What? How do you know that?
Lucy: Because the man I married; my husband is Tim Bradford.