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Lucy searched for the dummy trying to ignore the crying coming from the monitor.
“Ugh, where did it go!?” She tossed a pillow down to the floor.
George trudged into the sitting room from the library. “Are you sure it was in here last?”
“Yes, Emily spit it out and Lockwood made a stupid joke about it not being to her liking.”
“Figures.” George began to search alongside his friend. “Remind me the next time one of my brothers asks me to babysit, to say no.”
“Oh I dunno. She’s cute. Just… not when she’s been screaming for twenty minutes.”
Lucy paused, realizing the screaming had stopped.
In its place, Lockwood was singing.
“ … And the scars that she hides
With those stars in her eyes
Like the echoes they’re all the same
Because it’s all been done before
Yes it’s all been done before
And you can let this one
But when the sun doesn’t show
And I want you to be here
And oh now the stars never shine
And the streets are all tired
I want you to be here…”
Transfixed, Lucy walked over to the monitor that she had set on the chair.
“Did you know Lockwood could sing?” Lucy picked the monitor up.
“Hm? Yeah, I knew. He just doesn’t do it often.” George was still searching for the dummy.
His singing stopped and Lucy heard some movement.
“ You just wanted someone to sing, huh?”
“Think he’s forgotten again that the monitor is in there?”
“Oh, absolutely.” George stood from where he’d been on the floor. “Found it!”
“ Lucy will be back with the dummy soon. She is excellent at finding things. Typically of the Visitor variety, but oh well. Oh that got a laugh.” She heard Lockwood chuckle and she couldn’t help but smile too.
“ Don’t you think Lucy is great? I think so. You wanna know a secret?”
“Uh, Lucy, why don’t you turn off the monitor?” George walked towards her suddenly, slowly picking up speed.
“What? Why?”
“Lucy, it’s not polite to eavesdrop!” George was next to her reaching for the monitor.
“George, stop!” She shoved him back, confused by his reaction.
“I don’t think she even realizes. But the secret is, Emily, I’ve loved Lucy since the day she walked in this house.”
George dropped his arms to his sides and Lucy stood slack-jawed at the small speaker.
“ I wish she felt the same, but, well. I gave up on that a long while ago. It’s okay. I just love getting to be in her life. And oh the way her eyes light up when something makes her happy. Even the littlest things like when we get her favorite biscuits. It’s magic.”
Lucy was moving then, monitor still clutched in her hand.
They were in Lockwood’s room where the trio had been trying to get Emily to nap. She raced up the stairs and slid to a halt in Lockwood’s doorway.
His eyes snapped up to hers. “Luce? What’s wrong?”
“You love me?”
Lockwood’s mouth gaped open slightly, moving up and down a couple times like he was attempting to form words. His eyes went immediately to the monitor across the room. Why had he continued to forget about its existence? He would never be able to come back from this. Lucy would leave, and he would have to live forever without her. Panic grew in his chest.
George appeared behind Lucy then as she crossed the room to where Lockwood was holding the cooing three-month-old. He had been walking with her back and forth across the open space of the room, gently rocking her and patting her bottom, but now he was frozen in place.
“George?” Lucy called. “Would you please take Emily?”
“Uh sure.” He made his way over and held out his hands for the baby, wondering if this would finally be the moment where the two idiots came clean. As Emily settled into the crook of his arms, happily smiling away, Lucy closed the distance between her and Lockwood and pulled on his tie to bring him down to her, kissing him with the fervor and passion that she had held deep inside her for so long.
It took Lockwood only a second before he began kissing back, his arms coming up to wrap around Lucy, one in her hair and the other grasping her back like he feared she would change her mind and leave. The panic gave way quickly to a flutter of butterflies and hope.
George smirked at the two before whispering to Emily, “Come on. Let’s leave the lovebirds alone. A shame you’re too young for donuts.”