Lucy
The following afternoon, Lucy sat in a well appointed waiting room in a beige wingback chair, listening to soft instrumental music playing. She swirled the iced coffee in her hand and took a big sip, her knee bouncing as she sat. Lucy let her eyes fall on the familiar black and white photograph of the fountains of Versailles hanging between two closed doors.
Maybe I'll get to see that in person soon she mused.
Just as she was about to pull out her phone to occupy her brain, the door on the left opened. An older man walked out and gave her an awkward grin before leaving through the doors that led outside. A moment later, a woman about 10 years older than Lucy stepped into the small lobby. She had deep brown skin and wore flowing black pants with a simple white t-shirt and a dark gray shawl wrapped around her arms, her shiny brown hair loose and laying just past her shoulders.
"Good afternoon, Lucy," she greeted her warmly, "go on in and get settled. I'll be right back, I'm just going to freshen my water."
"Thanks, Dr. Anders," Lucy said, walking into the room Dr. Anders had just exited. She set down her drink on a small side table and settled onto the couch alongside a window with a few small plants on the sill. A candle smelling of amber was lit on another table next to an overstuffed chair across the room.
Dr. Anders walked in and closed the door behind her, taking a seat in the chair. She pulled the glasses that were perched atop her head down over her eyes and flipped open a notebook, looking up at Lucy with a pleasant expression.
"So, how have the past two weeks been? How was your business trip?" Dr. Anders asked. This was a pretty typical starting point for their sessions.
Lucy had been in therapy with Dr. Anders for the past year and a half, after a friend had recommended her with rave reviews. She'd tried a few other therapists in the past, but hadn't felt like they were really helping or listening to what she needed. Dr. Anders, however, struck just the right balance of being understanding and affirming while calling Lucy out on her bullshit whenever it was necessary.
"Work has been great," Lucy began, figuring it was easiest to start there and build up her courage to bring up what she really needed to talk about, "I got to visit and cover a couple of restaurants and a museum, and I got together with Erica while I was in town."
"That sounds like a nice visit, I'm glad you got to mix in some social time with work," Dr. Anders said, scribbling down a note, "what did the two of you do?"
"We, uh, went to see Smackdown. The wrestling show? It was in town in Orlando and Erica got us ringside seats," Lucy said, shifting around so that she was sitting cross legged on the couch, dragging a soft faux fur blanket that was laying across the back of the couch over her lap. Dr. Anders stopped writing and regarded Lucy for a moment, silently observing her.
"And how was the show?" she finally asked, studying Lucy's face as she spoke.
And away we go, Lucy thought.
"So, before I answer that, I think I should take you back a couple of nights earlier…"
Lucy explained the whirlwind of the past week and a half, recounting everything from their meeting at the vending machines all the way up to kissing Roman goodbye this morning. Dr. Anders took lots of notes, asking only the occasional clarification as she let Lucy tell her the entire story.
"...and we fly out on Sunday to start the trip in London, so naturally I started packing last weekend," Lucy finished with a small laugh. Dr. Anders chuckled and gave a knowing nod- they'd discussed her habits of over preparing time and time again. Lucy let out a slow exhale, realizing what a relief it was to talk through the things that had been occupying her every thought for the past eleven days.
"So, I want to go back to the night you and he walked around the lake, after you surprised him at the show," Dr. Anders began, setting her notebook on her lap. Lucy nodded, rolling the blanket between her fingers as she waited for the questions she knew were coming.
"When things got hot and heavy in the pagoda- you said you just got caught up in the moment. But what do you think gave you the urge right then and there? Besides the obvious attraction and chemistry between the two of you, I mean?" Dr. Anders asked, her tone carefully neutral, "Because, you know, I feel like we've been down this road before."
Lucy sighed and nodded, but couldn't bring herself to immediately answer. She had hoped maybe they'd focus on the positives of Lucy taking time for herself off of work and opening herself up to the possibility of a romantic relationship. But happy thoughts and congratulations are not what she paid her therapist for, though she knew both of those things were coming as well.
"I just...wanted to make him feel good," Lucy started softly, staring down at her hands, "and the sounds he makes when I get him off drive me crazy in the best way, and make me feel so good, and powerful-"
"-And in control," Dr. Anders interjected.
"And in control," Lucy nodded her agreement, "and I was terrified of even thinking about going on the trip, and even more terrified because I knew the second he asked me that I was going to say yes. Here was this huge, handsome, amazing, shockingly sweet, and humble guy asking me to go on a trip to Europe after we'd known each other for a few days. This kind of thing just doesn't happen in real life. And the scariest part is that I trust him. It's not supposed to be like this- it wasn't supposed to happen this fast. I go years without getting past a first date with anyone and now I feel like I'm falling head over heels in one night? I couldn't deal, so I didn't. I channeled the energy of every single emotion into making his eyes roll back in his head with my mouth- which I did. And it was fantastic," Lucy grinned, allowing her mind to drift back into the memory for a moment.
"It wasn't just about distraction- I do obviously really, really like him, and I enjoy everything we do physically so much," she went on, "I wouldn't have done it if we weren't both going to genuinely enjoy it. But knowing that it would take both of our minds off of a big decision definitely factored in there, too."
Dr. Anders nodded again, and took another few notes down before looking back up at Lucy with a kind smile.
"Well, first of all, it's good that you recognize when your old coping skills are creeping up," she began, "and wanting to make your partner feel good is not a bad thing, so long as you eventually talk about what's bothering you. Which it sounds like you did, a few days later. We've talked about expressing yourself through your sexuality, and how as long as both you and your partner are both enjoying yourselves, it's a healthy outlet. Just keep an eye on that, OK? Don't neglect your emotional needs by strictly focusing on your physical ones. You know very well that the feelings don't go away, even when you can hide from them as well as we both know you can."
Lucy sighed and nodded, and Dr. Anders continued on.
"I think I know what you're going to ask next, so let me say," she said before taking a quick sip from her water, "this whole relationship between you and Roman is moving quickly. There's no denying that. But that doesn't mean it's wrong, or that you shouldn't go on this trip or continue to pursue a future with him. Maybe this is just the sort of situation you needed to find."
She set down her water glass, and Lucy wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion.
"When relationships move at a slow pace, you have too much down time to worry about them and overthink every possible outcome, and you end up sabotaging them before they even get started," Dr. Anders explained, "You haven't stopped to second guess this one because you haven't had the chance to. And more importantly, you have resisted the urge when you have had the chance. Even this past weekend when he was gone, you said you weren't in a frenzy about cleaning up the apartment or trying to distract yourself. You enjoyed your alone time, and then let your thoughts wander to Roman- you let yourself miss him. That's a big step for you. And the way you took me through the story- you weren't overly anxious or guilty or panicked. You may not be able to see it, Lucy, but your body language is telling me the whole story. This one is different. Somewhere deep down- you're sure about him."
"God, how scary is that?" Lucy said with a wry smile. Dr. Anders let out a small laugh with a shake of her head.
"Change can be very scary, even when it's for the better," Dr. Anders agreed, "but try to tap into that trust internally, and feel where it lives, where it's coming from. When you eventually hit a bump in the road- it's going to happen, so make peace with that now- take a second, close your eyes, and find that trust that you have in him. And more importantly, in yourself."
"And you're sure I'm not completely insane for agreeing to go to another country with a guy I just met? And he's not completely insane for asking me?" Lucy said, a slight trepidation in her voice.
"Insane? No. Impulsive? Absolutely," Dr. Anders said firmly, "but timing is what it is sometimes. He was booked to go on a tour and obviously wanted to see more of you, you had the time to take off and have been dreaming about traveling forever. He has the perks of working for a huge company that can arrange these sorts of things quickly. And you said he booked a separate hotel room in each city so he could stay with Dean and Seth or with you, depending on what you both decide?"
"Yes he did, and we're going to take it day by day," Lucy answered with a quick nod.
"Then I say there's nothing to worry about. It seems like he brings out the best in you- you seem more confident today than you have in sometime," Dr. Anders said, jotting down another note. She looked up at the clock hanging on the wall to Lucy's left and shut her notebook, signaling that they were nearing the end of their session.
"We have a few more minutes. Before we go- what's the main thing on your mind before you go on this trip? You obviously had a lot to get through today. Did we miss anything you wanted to talk about?"
Lucy was silent for a moment, though the words were rolling round and round in her head. She wasn't sure if she could even speak her thoughts out loud. Finally, she took a deep breath and let it out before opening her mouth to speak.
"What if I'm falling in love with him?" she asked quietly, her heart pounding as the words escaped.
Dr. Anders regarded her thoughtfully, her face schooled into a well honed neutral expression. She crossed one leg over the other and sat back in her chair, resting the notepad on her lap before she responded.
"What if you are?"
Roman
Bag of groceries in hand, Roman walked through the front door of his family home and was immediately greeted by the sounds of chaos. A couple of his nephews ran by, yelling happily and chasing each other with squirt guns without even noticing him. Roman grinned to himself and found his way to the kitchen, where prep for the big meal later was undoubtedly underway.
"Hey, look who the cat dragged in!" his sister Annie said in greeting as he entered the kitchen. Her round face was split into a wide grin, curly hair pulled back from her face in a ponytail. She set down the bowl she was holding and wiped her hands on a dishcloth before wrapping Roman in a hug. He wrapped one arm around her and set the groceries he was holding on the counter with the other.
"How's it going, big sis?" he asked, returning her hug more completely now that his hands were no longer full.
"Good, you know, the usual," she responded happily as she went back to shredding carrots, "not much has changed around here."
Roman's smile broadened, taking a look around the kitchen and appreciating how right she was. The kids running around, the smell of the grill going on the back patio, and the sounds of his sisters chatting were all the signifiers that he was home- even if that definition for him was beginning to evolve.
"Well, that's not entirely true," Cici, his second oldest sister, piped up and stepped away from the counter, into full view. She was taller than Annie, but had the same brown eyes, and had her dark hair set back in two short braids. She rested a hand on her stomach over a small but visible bump, beaming proudly.
"Cici! What?!" Roman said, speeding over to her grab at her belly before pulling her into a hug, "Congratulations! Where's the dad-to-be? I'll have to tell him, too."
"He's outside with dad, grabbing a beer I imagine," Cici said with a short laugh, "says he has to drink for two now."
Roman laughed, thrilled at the idea of becoming an uncle once again. Annie had four kids and Toni, the youngest of his older sisters, had two. Cici and her husband Bobby had gotten married the year prior, and this would be their first child. He knew his parents must be through the roof excited- they'd always wanted a house overflowing with kids and grandkids.
"Roman!" his mother Carla yelled gleefully as she spotted him walking into the kitchen, throwing her arms out, "my baby is home!"
She was a small woman compared to Roman and his sisters, but gave them all their brown eyes, and had light brown hair in a pixie cut. She wore a soft cream sweater and beige linen pants.
"Hey, mama," Roman said with an easy laugh, scooping her up in a hug and placing a kiss on her cheek. As the youngest of all of his siblings, he would always be the baby in his mother's eyes- it didn't matter how old he was, or the fact he stood a full foot and change taller than her.
"Did Cici tell you?" she asked, grinning over at Cici and bouncing with excitement.
"She did," Roman nodded, "how's it feel to be a grandma again?" he asked.
"I'm hoping for twins!" Carla said with a clap of her hands, her eyes shining at the idea. She walked over to the grocery bag Roman brought and started pulling things out, handing the various ingredients to her daughters.
"That makes one of us," Cici said dryly, "let's start me off with one baby and see how that goes."
Roman and Annie laughed at that. The twin gene ran heavily in their family, including Annie's first two kids, and of course their cousins and fellow WWE superstars Jimmy and Jey, so Mom's hopes weren't too far-fetched.
"Anything I can help with?" Roman asked as Carla and his sisters went back to cooking.
"I think we're all set for now," Annie said, her eyes widening as she surveyed the cluttered counters that were rapidly filling up.
Roman liked to help cook when he visited, but could appreciate when there were more than enough people to bump into in the kitchen. He decided to wander to the backyard area to look for Jimmy and Jey, who were also home on break before embarking on the European tour. He found them tossing a volleyball back and forth between them with a few of Roman's nieces and nephews. His dad was manning the grill and chatting with Toni and Bobby, each holding a beer. Roman grinned and walked up behind Bobby, clapping him on the shoulder.
"Congrats, papa bear!" Roman said, and Bobby turned and smiled ear to ear.
"Thanks, man, we're so excited," he replied. Bobby was a squat man who stuck out like a sore thumb amid their Samoan and Italian family, with his Irish ginger beard and pale balding head. He and Cici had fallen in love hard and fast, and Roman had never seen his sister happier. He'd missed their wedding, as it happened to be the week of Summerslam, but they'd understood, and he'd had a chance to Facetime them during the reception.
"And speaking of dads, how's it going, Pops?" Roman asked his dad Sika, grabbing himself a beer from the open cooler and clinking it against his dad's. His dad was a towering figure with long gray hair and a matching beard. He smiled pleasantly at Roman.
"Same old, same old," Sika replied, tipping his head at his son before turning back to the grill.
Roman and Sika had always had a good enough relationship, even if they weren't incredibly close. Sika had been a wrestler in WWE as one half of the Wild Samoans tag team, and was on the road for a lot of Roman's childhood, leaving him and his siblings to bond more closely with their mom.
Toni and Bobby had picked up their heated debate over Game of Thrones, one of Roman's favorite shows that Toni had just got around to watching. He joined the conversation easily and settled in for a family afternoon.
A few hours later, Roman and his family gathered around the huge table in the dining room, chatting happily as they devoured the meal his mom and sisters had prepared.
"So, when do you boys leave again?" Carla asked as she scooped another helping of tortellini onto her plate, looking between Roman, Jey, and Jimmy.
"Our flight is Sunday morning. Same for you, Rome?" Jey answered in between bites, looking at Roman for confirmation.
"Yep, Sunday for us, too," Roman said, reaching forward to help himself to some eggplant parmesan.
"Us?" Naomi, Jimmy's wife and another WWE performer, asked with slightly raised eyebrows, "I thought Seth and Dean were hanging in Vegas this week. Did they end up crashing with you instead?"
"You'd think y'all'd be sick of each other by now," Jey said good naturedly, chuckling as he threw a glance to Roman before gesturing to Jimmy and Naomi with his fork, "I get tired of these two all the time."
Roman gave a half smile and took his time chewing, stalling for time to decide exactly how to respond. It had slipped his mind that he hadn't had a chance to talk much with Jimmy and Jey in the past couple of weeks, and they had no idea about Lucy coming on tour. He'd mentioned that he was seeing someone in passing in the locker room, much to the twins' delight, but he hadn't caught them up past that. Maybe if he had, they could have come up with a way to tell the family together. He finally swallowed and took a long drink from his glass of water, setting down his fork and putting what he hoped was a calm, normal smile on his face.
"No, yeah, they're in Vegas," Roman, nodding at Naomi, "by 'us,' I actually meant myself and, um, Lucy. The woman I've started dating recently."
The table fell silent as all eyes were drawn to Roman. He stared hard at Jey, pleading with his eyes for the man to say something to break the silence.
"Cool, Uce," Jey said, his voice a pitch too high, paired with a forced enthusiastic smile, trying his best not to look confused, "can't wait to meet her."
Roman appreciated the effort, but cringed internally. He risked a glance over to his parents, already feeling embarrassed that they hadn't had this conversation privately. He'd planned to tell them after dinner, but that idea was out the window now. Damn his slip of the tongue.
"Lucy?" Carla asked, "I don't remember you mentioning a Lucy, or that you'd started dating again."
Her eyes twinkled as she met Roman's, though she still looked rather bemused. Roman felt a fraction of relief at her reaction, even knowing he'd have to immediately harness her expectations. He could already see her mind skipping ahead to even more grandkids, especially with Cici's big news hanging in the air. That was not a conversation he was ready for.
"How did you meet this girl?" Sika asked before Roman could respond, his tone laced with skepticism.
"I met her in Orlando, but she actually lives in Tampa, too," Roman said, moving the food around his plate with his fork, trying to settle his nerves, "we were staying at the same hotel, across from one another, actually." He pushed out a nervous laugh.
"Well, isn't that funny?" Carla said happily as she went back to eating, all smiles, "guess you never know where you might find someone. You were dedicated to the road, and the road brought her to you."
Roman smiled to himself, his anxiety quelling a bit. He got his hopeless romantic heart from his mother- there was no doubt about that.
"Sounds meant to be to me," Naomi said, flashing a bright grin at Roman. Roman smiled back, telegraphing a silent 'thank you,' with a small nod. He then saw her nudge Jimmy in the ribs with her elbow under the table, carefully out of sight from Sika and Carla.
"Uh-umm, so," Jimmy stuttered out, clearing his throat, "we start in England, then head to France, and then we end the tour in Italy. Naomi and I are going to try and fit in as much sightseeing as we can in between shows and media."
"Best way to fight the jet lag- just keep moving," Naomi agreed. She laid out their plans and asked Carla if she had any tips on places to go in Italy.
Conversation returned to normal, and the meal carried on. Roman took a calming breath as he finished eating, but when he looked up from his plate, his Dad was giving him a hard look.
Roman sighed. This topic was far from over.
Lucy
After her appointment, Lucy wandered around the downtown area for a little while, mulling over the session. She felt a little raw - not unusual on therapy days- and was glad she and Roman had agreed to take the day for themselves. She drifted in and out of a few shops with nothing really catching her interest, and decided to head home. She walked back towards Dr. Ander's office, easily finding her car and sliding into the driver's seat.
As she drove her thoughts drifted, the therapist's words echoing in her head.
"That can't be possible, right?" Lucy asked quietly.
"Why don't you think so? What is scaring you about the idea that you could be falling for him?" Dr. Anders asked in response, considering Lucy carefully.
"The fact that it's not scaring me is what is scaring me. There's nothing about him that gives me reservations- not a single thing that's a clear red flag that I'm missing or intentionally overlooking. He's…" Lucy paused, struggling to articulate the point she was trying to make.
"He's a good guy," Dr. Anders filled in the silence, bringing Lucy out of her head, "and it sounds like he might be exactly what you need. That is a foreign concept for you. Chaos and drama in your love life is your comfort zone. It's counterintuitive, but it's all you know. It's only natural that you feel nervous and uncomfortable about something…comfortable."
Lucy sat with that for a moment, wrapping her head around it.
"You've found someone who hasn't given you a reason to push them away," Dr. Anders said, "someone who's actually worth the risk of committing to, and really, truly putting your heart on the line. Of course that's terrifying. It's scary for anyone, but especially for someone who's spent a lot of time keeping people at a distance."
As the session continued to weigh on Lucy's mind, she continued her options for the rest of the day. She was on her way home to walk Skipper and put the finishing touches on her latest assignment, but she had the evening free.
Normally after therapy, she'd dive into a book or binge a show, something easy for her brain to process- seeking refuge in solitude. She also knew that she was about to be around a lot of people for two entire weeks, and should probably conserve her social energy. But something was nagging at her to call up a friend, to go out and do something instead of spending another quiet night at home.
Maybe that's another pro in the Roman column she thought, smiling to herself. She still loved her own company and craved it at times, but now that she'd spent so much time with Dean, Seth, and Roman, she remembered how nice it was to spend time with people you care about.
Lucy arrived at home and immediately took out Skipper, still debating her evening plans as they trotted along the path. She decided to text her friend Liza, who was going to be dog-sitting while she was gone. Liza and Lucy had been roommates in college and still kept in touch. They often looked after each other's pets when the other needed it, but didn't get together as much as they once did. Lucy would leave it up to fate- if Liza was free and up for a get together, they'd go out. If not, a quiet night in it would be.
'Hey, girl. What are you up to tonight? I feel like we haven't seen each other in forever! Want to hang out?'
Lucy put her phone back in her pocket as she and Skipper crossed over the little bridge and headed back home. As she crossed over the threshold, Lucy felt her phone buzz in her pocket.
'A girl's night sounds perfect! There's a new place down the street from me that does karaoke on Thursday nights. Want to go check it out?' Liza replied.
Lucy laughed to herself as memories of the two roommates' frequent trips to karaoke in school flooded her brain. She texted back that she'd love to, and asked for a time and address.
Roman
When dinner was finished, Roman helped to clear the table. He was wrapping up a platter with plastic wrap when his father came into the kitchen.
"Roman, how about we go for a walk?" he asked, his tone making it clear that it was more of a statement than a request. Roman picked up the plate of leftovers with sigh and deposited them in the fridge, before turning to follow his dad.
He'd been on a few of these walks before, and knew the incoming conversation was not going to be a pleasant one. His dad was a good man who loved his kids, but he was stubborn, and held very strong opinions. If he felt like someone in the family wasn't doing things the way he thought they should be, said person was going to hear about it.
Roman grabbed his hoodie off one of the coat hooks on the wall on their way out, the breeze growing chilly as afternoon was turning into evening. He pulled it over his head as he followed his dad through the front door, closing it behind them.
The pair walked side by side quietly down the street, and Roman sunk his hands into the pocket at the front of his sweatshirt. Once the house was out of sight, Sika spoke up.
"Tell me more about this girl, son," he said gruffly.
One thing to be said for these talks- Dad always gets straight to the point.
"Lucy," Roman corrected, pointedly, "and she's wonderful. She makes me happy, and I do the same for her. We've had an instant connection from the day we met, and we want to see where this goes. There's not much else to tell."
"Oh, Roman," Sika said, exasperated, "look. I know how it is, meeting people on the road. You get lonely; it's exciting; they think you're the biggest star on Earth- it's easy to get caught up in this fantasy-"
"-whoa, Dad, stop," Roman interrupted, raising his voice slightly, "you don't know what you're talking about. It's not like that- she is nothing like that. As a matter of fact, she went out of her way to prove just the opposite the first night we met, because she wanted to make sure that neither of us were thinking like that. She came over to the hotel room and hung out with Dean, Seth, and I, and we-"
"-so you meet this girl and the first thing she does is ask to meet two more wrestlers?" Sika cut in with a harsh laugh, "be serious, son. What else do you even know about her? Your stop in Orlando was last week, wasn't it? You've known this girl less than two weeks and you told your mother about her…" he trailed off, shaking his head.
Roman took a deep breath, trying to keep his temper in check.
"I'm not some dumb kid with his first crush," Roman said sternly, "what we have between us is growing into something very real. She is smart, beautiful, and passionate. Seth and Dean already consider her family. I've seen her working and she's great at her job- a brilliant writer. What else do you want to know, dad? What's the magic answer that's going to make you happy?"
Roman braced himself as he waited for his Dad's reply.
"Ok, fine," Sika acquiesced, "I know that you've never been one to be impulsive or stupid, Roman. So, really, tell me more about her. You said you met at the hotel? Where, at the bar?"
"No, umm," Roman stumbled over his words, suspicious at the quick turnaround from his father, "at the vending machines. I said something to myself about a drink they were out of, turns out she bought the last one, and she overheard me- so she gave me hers. I bought her a replacement, and it kind of just…happened from there…"
Roman shrugged and chanced a look over at his dad, who seemed to be considering his words. After another minute or so of silence, Sika spoke up again.
"And she's a writer?" he asked.
"Yeah, a journalist," Roman nodded, "she writes poetry and stuff, too, but she's a journalist for work. She writes for a magazine here in Tampa, but was covering the Orlando branch last week."
Sika gave a grunt of acknowledgement as the two men continued down their walk through the neighborhood, turning down a street a few down from the one his parents lived on.
"And how do you know she's not writing about you? Making this runaway romance her next big story?" Sika asked, giving Roman a hard look.
As Roman opened his mouth to protest, he stopped and took a second to consider his father's words. The idea had never crossed his mind. It wasn't true- that much he knew. As he'd told her himself, Lucy was not a mysterious woman. She'd given him absolutely no reason not to trust him. And he'd been the one who suggested she come on tour. Well, technically it was Seth- but it didn't come from her.
"Look, Dad," Roman finally answered firmly, "she is not using me for a story. She's not a manipulator, or a ring rat," Roman grimaced as he said it- he'd always hated that term, "Lucy is the woman I want to be with. I'd like for you to be happy for me, but either way, she is going to be a part of my life. It's that simple."
Sika shook his head and released a huff, but didn't push back any further. Roman could tell he was merely giving up the fight for today, and nowhere near accepting his relationship, but it would have to do.
He'll come around in time, Roman thought, hopefully.
They walked back toward the house, neither man speaking. The streetlights flicked on as the sky darkened. Roman's mind swirled as he cycled through every emotion of the day. He'd known telling his family about him and Lucy wasn't going to be easy, and the reaction was about what he'd expected, but it still stung. He'd hoped maybe, somehow, his dad would have been happy for him for finally taking a chance on love.
As they approached the end of the driveway, Sika stopped and turned to Roman, his expression solemn.
"Listen, son," he said calmly, though there was still an edge to his words, "just be careful, OK? You have no idea how fast the wrong person can come in and destroy everything you've built. Everything our family has worked so hard for."
A fresh wave of anger settled over Roman, but before he could respond, his father turned and walked ahead of him to the front door. Roman followed him inside, fuming, but refused to say another word.
Lucy
A little bit after 9pm, Lucy and Liza met at the karaoke bar. It wasn't anything too fancy, just a bar with a small stage in the corner, lit up with multi color neon lights. Lucy wore a burgundy cropped sweater with a high waisted black, flowing skirt, and black ankle boots, her hair women each grabbed a drink and found a small table as a woman about their age sang a Spice Girls song onstage, only slightly off key.
As they sipped their drinks, Liza caught Lucy up on the recent goings on in her life. Her eyes were golden brown, accentuated by her tawny skin, and her long hair was brown with blonde highlights, gathered in many small, flowing braids. The mossy green corduroy jumpsuit she wore over an off white top emphasized her long legs. She and her fiance Courney were deep in the trenches of wedding planning, and had finally settled on a venue.
"It took two arguments with each mother, and another round with each other, but we settled on this gorgeous forest in Washington. You're going to love it, Lu" Liza said happily.
"You know, I think you're the only one who can still get away with calling me that," Lucy said with a grin.
"Not even that Adonis you're seeing gets an exception?" Liza replied, batting her eyelashes dramatically. Lucy laughed and shook her head.
"I'm all for terms of endearment, he can call me whatever he wants," Lucy said, earning her a suggestive look from Liza. Lucy continued with a chuckle, "but I think 'Lu' stays solely with you. Not even my parents call me that anymore."
"Hmm, until a little birdie tells Roman about it," Liza said slyly. Lucy threw up her hands and sipped from her drink. It had been too long since she'd had a night out, and she was already feeling herself unwind. She turned to watch the stage, where a guy was singing an 80's song that Lucy couldn't quite place with gusto.
"When I open my place someday, we'll definitely have to host a karaoke night," Lucy said as Liza turned to watch too.
"Love that idea," Liza said with a broad smile, holding up her drink to toast. Lucy clinked her glass and they both sipped.
"Any plans to move forward with that?" Liza asked as the stage emptied for a minute, "I feel like we've been talking about you doing that for forever."
"I know," Lucy said wistfully, "and I still want to. I'll get there someday, but I just don't feel like now is the right time, you know? I've got a steady job, a good place. Seems crazy to rock the boat."
Liza gave her a look that Lucy couldn't quite identify, but didn't answer right away, opting instead to take a long sip of her drink.
"Well, say you what you will about staying the course," Liza said as she set down her emptied glass, "but Little Ms. 'I Plan Every Second of My Life with an Excel Spreadsheet' is jetting off to Europe with her hot new boyfriend in just a few short days."
"Meaning what?" Lucy asked with a laugh before finishing her own drink.
"Meaning, something is different," Liza said gently, a reassuring smile on her face, "you're opening up to change. I think this guy's good for you."
Lucy smiled softly, thankful that the bright neon lights covered up the faint blush creeping up her cheeks. That made two people today who pointed out a change in her for the better. She let her mind wander to Roman and felt those butterflies rushing in again. Seeing him with those kids yesterday, helping him cook. It all felt so domestic, and normally that would have sent Lucy into a full spiral. But it hadn't.
How about that?
Smiling to herself, Lucy pulled out her phone to send Roman a quick text. They'd talked a little bit back and forth, but both were mostly focused on their respective busy days. She smiled when she saw there was already a message waiting for her.
'Have a great night out with Liza. Belt one out for me!' Roman wrote.
'You got it, babe. See you tomorrow : )' Lucy wrote back. She tucked her phone back in her purse and looked up to find Liza giving her a knowing grin.
"Tell Romeo I said hi," Liza said, with only a hint of mocking. She then stood up and pointed to Lucy, "OK, how's this for a game plan? I grab us another round- you snag the song list so we can show these people how you really do karaoke?"
"Deal!" Lucy agreed with an enthusiastic nod, looking around and spotting the thick binder on a nearby table, forgotten next to a couple of empty glasses. She grabbed it and dropped the book in the center of her and Liza's table, flipping eagerly through it.
Liza came back with their drinks and moved her chair around the table so she and Lucy could look through together. As they assessed their selection, they narrowed down to two, and the usual argument ensued.
"Everybody loves Shania Twain!" Liza insisted.
"But it's so overdone," Lucy argued with a shake of her head.
"Oh, like yours isn't overdone," Liza countered sarcastically.
"It's a karaoke classic!" Lucy insisted loudly, "are you trying to deny how much you love to sing Abba? We saw Mamma Mia in theatres twice. The sequel made you cry!"
"You cried, too!" Liza shot back.
"The power of Abba," Lucy said, widening her eyes for dramatic effect. The women gave each other playful hard glares, and then burst into a fit of laughter. Liza finally caved and gave the book back up to the DJ, telling him their song selection, and turned to beckon up Lucy as he told them to go ahead.
Lucy smiled and rushed to meet Liza on stage, taking her place behind a tall standing mic. She grinned at Liza and watched for the lyrics as they began to scroll on the tiny screen, listening for their cue. The familiar tune started, followed by the recorded back up vocals, and they both started singing exactly on time.
You can dance, You can jive
Having the time of your life…
About an hour later, Lucy and Liza hugged goodbye. Lucy assured her friend she would send lots of pictures from her vacation, and also promised that she would host an Abba theme night when she opened up her coffee shop- disco ball included.
Liza told Lucy not to worry about Skipper at all, and to keep an eye out for texts about possible bridesmaids dress ideas. Lucy drove home happily, looking forward to curling up with her pup for the night, and then taking Roman to some of her favorite places in the morning.
Roman pulled into his driveway and carried in the trays of food his mom sent home with him, insisting that he freeze most of them and give one to Lucy. A tired grin tugged at his mouth as he remembered that- his mom had been so happy for Roman, and immediately welcoming of Lucy.
After the walk with his dad, the rest of the evening with the family had been pleasant. He'd vented a little bit to Jimmy, Jey, and Naomi, and the three of them calmed him down. They'd all been genuinely excited to get to know Lucy better, and Naomi planned to introduce Lucy around to some of the women in the company, too.
He still felt slightly rattled from the assumptions his dad made about him and Lucy, but decided to push them to the back of his mind. Roman took a hot shower and let the steam relax his muscles, feeling the tension gradually escape. He crawled into bed and set his alarm, happy to put this day behind him.