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Lucky sat at Elizabeth’s kitchen table, nursing a cup of coffee. He was still a bit weak from his stay in the hospital, but his strength was quickly returning. While he sat there, drinking his coffee in a kitchen he had thought he’d never be welcomed into again, his mind drifted to the past. The past where the boys had still been little and he had been a father to all three of them...with one having been considered lost to his father’s reckless drunk driving, but had really been yet another ploy by Helena to break his father’s heart.
Jake hadn’t died after all. He was now a teenager, alive and thriving and living it up in Barcelona. Lucky wished that he could still sit eyes on him. Despite his absence, he had never stopped loving the boys, especially Jake, who he had cried countless, heartbreaking tears over. He had been so determined to follow through with the hunch that the little boy he had loved as his own was still alive that he had gotten himself in trouble that his own parents had to dig him out of. But he had managed to rescue Jake and bring him home to his mother and his brothers. He just regretted taking off and missing out on watching the boy grow up. At least he was here now, before Aiden finished growing into a man. It didn’t make up for all that he had missed, but he was here to meet Aiden’s first boyfriend. To see him go to prom. To see him graduate. That was at least one child he could be here for…
But that didn’t make up for all he had missed with Cam and Jake. Cam, who grew up into a gorgeous young man with a bright future and Jake, who he had yet to see again, but according to Elizabeth had inherited her artistic talent and Jason’s quiet strength.
Lucky frowned, as something occurred to him. Something troubling and rather confusing. Years ago...when he had lost Siobhan and he had gone to Ireland to grieve...he was alerted that Aiden was sick by what he thought was Jake’s spirit. But it couldn’t have been Jake, because Jake was alive, he had just been missing thanks to Helena! So his question was...who was it that had alerted him about Aiden if not Jake?!
“There you are,” Elizabeth smiled, coming into the kitchen. There had been no sexy times the night before, like she would have liked, but it was good to have Lucky in her house, in her kitchen, ready to rekindle their romance. She was also grateful for all the interruptions the night before as well, because she still had some questions. Like, was Lucky really home for good, or was he still planning to leave again? Things had gotten so hot and heavy the night before, but after a pause and a good night’s sleep, she knew that a discussion needed to be had before they went any further.
“Hey,” Lucky gave her a distracted smile. “You’re up.”
“So are you and you’ve made coffee!”
“I had. Enough for three or four cups if you’d like.”
“That’s perfect,” Elizabeth went to the cupboard to grab herself a mug and began to make her own cup of coffee to her liking. “Did you ever picture this? When we were teens? In our kitchen, drinking coffee? Getting ready for the day?”
“All the time,” Lucky chuckled. “Of course, back then I dreamed that we were married with ten kids and a dog.”
Elizabeth laughed. “A dog? What about a cat?”
“Cats are good too. I had just pictured a dog...similar to Foster…”
“Oh I remember him! He was such a sweetie!”
“I think about him every now and then. We had some good times together.”
“You never forget your first pet,” Elizabeth sighed, settling down across from him.
“Or your first love,” Lucky smiled, reaching over to take her hand as their eyes met.
Elizabeth smiled, her heart skipping a beat as she linked hands with him. “You’ve got that right. I was never able to forget what we had...no matter who I was with.”
“I’m sorry for how things had gotten so messed up and toxic between us. It was hard to admit that I had lost something when Helena had kidnapped me and I had never come to terms with it and I had taken a lot of that out on you. That wasn’t fair and I’m sorry.”
“I made mistakes too, Lucky. I wasn’t just you. Both of us did wrong. Both of us were toxic and it’s important to admit that. Especially if we give in to whatever this is between us now. If we plan for this to work. We have to accept that we’re no longer those two high school kids who pledged a permanent lock. We’re adults now with adult experiences. We’ve both changed in different ways. We have to get to know who we are now if we’re to work. Especially for Aiden’s sake.”
“You’re right. It took me a while to accept, but I’m no longer the Lucky before the fire...but I’m also not the Lucky that had come back...nor the Lucky that had done all that damage to you when we did get married. I’m not even the Lucky I was when I had left the last time.”
“Which brings me to another subject...you’re not planning to leave again are you? Because if so...we better just call this off now. My heart can’t take letting you go again, Lucky. Aiden can’t take it either. He loves you so much and he’s so happy to have you home. It’d break his heart if you walked out of his life again. He may put up a front and act like he’ll be ok, but he won’t be.”
“Elizabeth…”
“No. Lucky. I can’t give into my feelings for you if you’re just going to walk out that door and out of our lives again. Either you’re home for good, or this is just a visit and we can just leave it on friendly terms.”
Lucky simply nodded in understanding, not surprised by Elizabeth’s words. After all, not too long ago, he had been going back and forth about whether he should stay or go. But after what had happened with Cyrus...that experience had opened his eyes in ways that nothing else had. He had almost died. He had almost left this world for good, and there would be no going back. He’d miss out on watching Aiden grow up. He’ll miss his mom, Lulu, even Nikolas. Most of all, he’d miss out on Elizabeth. Now, he couldn’t willingly walk away, even if he wanted to.
“I’m not going anywhere, Elizabeth. After what happened...it made me see things in a different way. Almost dying...it made me realize all the things, all the people I’d miss out on. So why would I walk away from them willingly when I don’t have to? So, you don’t have to worry. I’m not going anywhere.”
Elizabeth felt tears in her eyes as she chuckled in relief. “Good. I am so unbelievably happy that you said that, Lucky. I was so worried about when you’d decide to leave us again…”
“That’s not going to happen, Elizabeth. I promise. Even if we don’t get back together...that’s alright too. I want to be here for Aiden, and you. Because, you’re not just my first love...you’re more important than that. You’re family.”
“You know...I am so happy to hear you say that Lucky. It’s a long story...but I really needed the family you gave me so long ago. Laura has been like a mother to me and a wonderful grandmother to the boys. I am so grateful for her.”
Lucky just kissed her hand in response and smiled, happy that some good came out of the ruins of their past relationship. Hopefully, this new one will last and will be a lot more healthy for the both of them.
“So...anyway...you looked like you were deep in thought, sitting down here by yourself. Is there anything you wanted to talk about? Maybe I can help,” Elizabeth decided to change the subject, having got across all that she needed to.
“I was just remembering...you remember when Aiden was sick, right? When he was a baby?” Lucky asked, curious about what Elizabeth’s opinion would be.
“Yes. You had gone to Ireland to grieve Siobhan. I was so annoyed with you back then…”
“Yeah...well...remember what I told you about how I knew that Aiden was sick?”
“Yes. That was when we had thought Jake was dead. You said that Jake had sent you a message telling you that Aiden was sick…”
“Right...and there was a message. It was spelled out in rocks. Daddy, Aiden’s sick. Go home now.”
“But Lucky...Jake wasn’t dead. He was alive. Held by Helena.”
“I know...which begs the question. If Jake wasn’t the one who sent me that message, who did?”
“Why are you thinking about this, Lucky? That’s been ages ago and Aiden and Jake both are just fine. Big healthy teenage boys! What’s the point of thinking about that time?”
“I woke up with it on my mind. It’s just...weird. You know?”
“Well...life is weird if you think about it. Especially in our world. Maybe it was Emily...maybe she pretended to be Jake...or Siobhan? They were just hiding behind Jake…”
“And then, why not tell us that Jake was still alive as well? We could have had him so much sooner…”
“I don’t know the answers to that, Lucky. I wish I did. But we did get Jake back eventually and that message saved Aiden’s life. Whoever it was, I am so thankful that they sent you that message.”
“Yeah...I am too. I wouldn’t have been able to survive it if the worse happened. Losing Jake...that was the worse pain imaginable. I couldn’t survive it again…”
“Me either. But our boys survived Lucky. Stay around long enough, Jake will come home...and I’ll warn you now. When Jason returned...Jake had a lot of smoke for him. So be prepared.”
“It’ll be smoke well deserved. I’m lucky that Aiden forgave me...even though I’ve totally ruined things with Cam…”
Elizabeth sighed. “Cam...he grew close to Franco. He got to think of him as dad. But he did forgive you and...he’s the one of my boys that reminds me so much of you. Playing his guitar and singing.”
“I did love him, Elizabeth. I know I screwed up with all three of the boys...but I loved them so much. I just...I just wasn’t good for them at the time. They deserved so much more than I was capable of giving them.”
“Well...you’re here now. You’re already working towards redemption where Aiden is concerned. Jake will see that and it’ll mean something. Just be patient.”
“And you...am I redeemed in your eyes?”
Elizabeth simply smiled and squeezed his hand. “You had saved my life, Lucky. I say that you’re on your way there.”