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Tim hears the knock on the door just as he’s pulling his shirt over his head. He looks towards the bathroom where Lucy is still in the shower and then makes his way to the front door. He looks over at Kojo, who despite his loud bark is just laying there.
He opens the door and comes face to face with a stern looking woman. She has a frown on her face that’s he’s pretty sure is permeant and she has the same eyes as Lucy but they aren’t as warm and they certainly aren’t looking at him with love and affection.
And he knows exactly who she is.
Vanessa Chen.
“You must be the man my daughter is shacking up with.” She says her voice stiff. Tim frowns and steps back crossing his arms over his chest. Lucy told him she told her parents she moved in with someone. But he also knows they don’t talk and Lucy probably had no idea her mother was standing at their door.
“Tim Bradford.” Tim says holding out his hand. “Your daughter lives here. We aren’t shacking up.”
Vanessa Chen stares at him and he drops his hand to his side. “It’s very rude to just let me stand here.” She says. Tim swallows and looks back towards the bedroom, he knows he needs to warn Lucy.
“Come on in.” Tim says his voice dry. “I’ll go get Lucy.” He steps aside and Vanessa steps inside but doesn’t make a move to go any further. Tim sighs and turns to head towards the bedroom.
They just got back the awkward stage with his mother, he’s not sure how they will handle Lucy’s.
“Babe.” Lucy says when she sees him. “You washed and folded my clothes.” Tim raises his eyebrows at her.
“Is there a question in there?” He asks. Lucy shakes her head and grins at him.
“No. But thank you.” She says. Tim watches as she gets dressed and he knows the longer he’s in here the more impatient Vanessa will get.
“Luce.” He says and he might as well rip the band-aide . “We have a visitor.” Lucy pauses and looks up at him. She’s in her bra and her pants, her hair is down and if her mother weren’t in the house they would already be on the bed.
“Who?”
“Your mom.” He says. Lucy freezes again and looks up at him. There’s a panicked expression on her face.
“Oh my god.” She says. “I can’t believe—”
“She’s pleasant.” He says and then winces when he sees Lucy’s face.
“No she’s not.” Lucy says. “Why did I give her our address?”
“You did?”
“I just—I thought with you mending your relationship with your mom.. maybe I could mend my relationship with my mom. I sent my parents another text.” She says. “God I was so stupid.”
“No.” Tim says and he steps closer to her and pulls her into a hug. “You were hopeful. And that’s okay. My relationship with my mom is different.. and it’s not perfect.”
“I know.” Lucy says. “But you are both trying.”
“Well…” Tim says. “She’s out there—in our house. She doesn’t seem to like me but I will be right there by your side.”
“Thanks babe.” Lucy says. She pulls a shirt over her head and takes a deep breath. “Let’s go.” Tim follows her out. He stops behind Lucy as she face her mother.
“Mom.” She says. “Um—hi?” Vanessa stares at her, and then her eyes go to Tim who hasn’t moved a muscle.
“Lucy.” She says. “Your father and I would like to have dinner with you.” Lucy shifts on her feet and looks back at Tim.
“Okay.” She says. “Why?” Vanessa’s eyes go to Tim again and then back to Lucy.
“We haven’t seen or talked to you in ages.” Vanessa says. “And you clearly have changes in your life.”
“Clearly.” Lucy mutters. “You didn’t bother to respond when I said I moved in with someone. Why now?”
“Are you going to accept or not?” Vanessa snaps. Lucy sucks in a breath and then finally nods.
“Fine.” She says. “I’m bringing Tim. My boyfriend.” Vanessa turns her nose up, and looks away for a few seconds.
“Fine if you must.” She says. “I will message you with the details.” She turns on her heels and leaves without another word.
Lucy turns to look at Tim with an apologetic look but he shakes his head. He knows what she’s going to say. “It’s fine Lucy.” He says. “We got through dinner with my mom.”
“Your mom is nice.” Lucy says. “And she likes me. My mom is judgmental and doesn’t like me.”
Tim blows out a breath and presses a kiss to her forehead. “We will get through this baby.” He says. “I will be right there okay? Just like you were there for me.” Lucy sighs and stands on her toes to kiss him. She has a soft smile on her face, despite everything. And he loves her for it.
“Good.” Lucy says. “Thank you babe. You might regret it. But thank you.” Tim gives her another kiss.
And maybe this would be a disaster but at least they had each other.
***
“This is a bad idea.” Lucy says turning to look at him. They are sitting in his truck in front of the restaurant they were meeting Lucy’s parents at. “Why did I agree to this?”
“Because you want a relationship with your parents.” Tim says gently. “And this is the start to that.”
“More like a pre-start.” Lucy mutters. “I don’t know if anything good will come out of this—more like it will be a disaster.”
“You will never know if you don’t try.” Tim says. “Let’s go. I will be right there.” He puts his hand on her arm.
“You are ready?” Lucy asks and Tim shrugs his shoulders. He’s not sure if he’s ready, but he’s going to be right there next to Lucy.
Lucy opens the door and Tim does the same thing. He meets her on the other side and takes her head.
“Are you ready?” He asks. Lucy shakes her head and he squeezes her hand.
“No.” She says. “But if we stand here any longer—I’m pretty sure my mom will come looking for me.”
“Okay.” He says and he pulls her towards the restaurant. “Let’s do this.”
***
Tim looks at Lucy who is staring at her mom. They haven’t said a word except for a quick, short hello. And then it just had been awkward silence.
“How long have you two been—dating?” Vanessa asks. Lucy looks over at Tim, and he can tell she doesn’t want to get into everything.
“A few months.” Lucy says. “It’s a bit complicated but we are—”
“You are living together.” Vanessa says. “And you have known each other for months?”
“We have known each for years.” Lucy says. “We work together. And like I said. It’s a bit complicated. We didn’t rush into moving in together.” Vanessa frowns and looks at her husband who is just sitting there. He hadn’t said much either and Tim could tell it was making Lucy twitchy.
“You never think.” She says. “You always rush into—” Lucy shakes her head, and she looks frustrated.
“I love him.” Lucy says. “And believe me this wasn’t a rash decision. We had a lot to work through.” Lucy glances at Tim and he reaches over to grab her hand. He’s keeps it hidden because Vanessa’s eyes are on him again.
“You don’t know what love is.” Vanessa snaps at Lucy and then gestures between the two of them.. “This isn’t love. This is a fling—”
“It’s not.” Lucy says. Tim squeezes her hand. “It’s real and you don’t know me mom. You don’t know Tim. You have no idea what our relationship is.”
“I know you make rash decisions.” Vanessa snaps. “Like dropping out of grad school, joining the police academy. Doing a thankless job when you could be so much more.” Tim rubs Lucy’s hand and he knows little about her mom. She doesn’t talk to much about her, but what he does know is her mom wanted Lucy to be something she wasn’t. She had a vision of Lucy, and when Lucy strayed away from the vision. She was disappointed and couldn’t look past that to see how amazing Lucy had become.
“Your daughter is a sergeant.” Tim says. Vanessa’s eyes go to him. Even her father looks up for the first time. “She worked hard to get there. And she’s amazing. She helps people, saves their lives everyday. She has saved my life more than once.” Lucy squeezes his hand this time.
“Well she should be in a job showing her full potential. Not in one that holds her back.” Vanessa says. And it’s like she didn’t hear a word Tim said.
“I like my job.” Lucy says. “I like what I do. I like the people I work with. They support me. They are my family.”
“We are your family.” Vanessa says. “Not random people who you think support you but will turn on you when something happens. He will too.” She points at Tim, and he tries not to let his shoulders fall.
“If you actually cared about me.” Lucy says and she pushes back her chair to stand up. Tim stands up too but he doesn’t let go of her hand. “You wouldn’t insult me and you would be proud of me.”
She turns around to leave and Tim moves to follow her but then he stops. “I love her.” He says looking at both Vanessa and Lucy’s father. “I love her and I know her. She said yes to having dinner with you because she thought you would listen to her. I’m not going to leave her or stop loving her. I am going to support her and as her parents you should too.”
“Tim.” Lucy grabs onto his arm. But Tim isn’t done, he can’t believe these two people refuse to get to know their daughter again just because she isn’t going down the pathway they wanted.
“You don’t know her either.” Vanessa says. “She will quit and leave this all behind like she did with grad school.”
“I won’t.” Lucy says and she tugs Tim closer. “I’m happy where I am. I am happy with my life. I thought you would be too.” Vanessa opens her mouth but Lucy tugs Tim away.
“Have a nice night.” Tim says before he’s turning away and following Lucy without another word.
***
“Nine months.” Lucy says sitting next to Tim. He looks over at her with a curious look on his face.
“What?”
“I dropped out of grad school and did the van life for nine months.” Lucy says. “My parents didn’t check up on me once.”
“Oh.” Tim says and his heart breaks a little. “I’m sorry Luce.” Lucy shrugs her shoulders and looks down at her hands.
“I was not surprised. And I’m not surprised they haven’t changed.” She says. “You know my dad didn’t say a word. He just sat there and let my mom talk. He didn’t even defend me.”
“Your parents are who they are.” Tim says. “And you are you. I’m proud of you for going and trying. It’s a lot more than they did.”
“I guess.” Lucy says quietly. “Thanks for coming with me and standing up for me.” Tim smiles at her and pulls her close.
“Anytime.” He says. “You have been there with my mom. And I know she’s a lot sometimes.” Lucy hums softly, and then turns to look at him.
“Speaking of your mom.” Lucy says and Tim groans a little. That was never a great way to start a sentence. “She wants to have dinner with us when she’s in town.”
“Oh my god.” Tim says. “She’s coming again? She’s not staying here.”
“I know.” Lucy says. “She knows. It’s just dinner baby. One night. And at least your mom is nice and doesn’t turn up her nose up at everything we say.”
“Okay fine.” Tim says. “But we are choosing the restaurant and putting down boundaries. She’s not hinting at our wedding colors anymore.”
Lucy grins at him and leans in to kiss him. “Deal.” She says. “Do you think my mom would approve of the wedding colors?”
“I guess we will just have to find out huh.” Tim says softly and they aren’t even engaged but he has been thinking of it.
A lot.
And one day it would happen. He would ask, and his mom would probably drive them both insane.
But right now—sitting here with Lucy was perfect. Crazy parents, mom’s who mean well but sometimes go a little far.
It would all be okay.
As long as they were together— everything would be okay.