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It’s the first Thanksgiving that Lucy has ever spent with someone else’s family.
In the past she’d mostly either spent it with her family, or avoiding the holiday all together if she was feeling rebellious once she got to grad school and beyond. Once she became a cop, and she stopped talking to her parents, she was able to take a shift at work and keep distracted, to have a good reason to not be celebrating with the family she didn’t speak to if anyone asked what her plans were.
Now, she and Tim are engaged. Things seem to be good between him and his family, and so when Genny invites them - along with Joy - to spend Thanksgiving at her place with her and the boys, she encourages Tim to accept. And to her surprise, it doesn’t take much to get him to agree.
She finds she’s a little nervous – she asks what she can bring, and Genny brushes her off, but she knows she has to contribute something for her first Thanksgiving with the Bradfords. She hems and haws over it, Tim trying to talk her down and saying they can just bring wine or dessert, but she’s unsatisfied.
I don’t know how to prepare any traditional Thanksgiving food she’d lamented. Of course she could Google a recipe and follow it but did she really want her first attempt at a dish be the one she brings to Thanksgiving dinner?
Tim encouraged her to just make something she likes, to pull out one of her family recipes, but she’d worried that a traditional Chinese dish would sit out of place on the holiday table, Tim telling her that doesn’t matter over and over until she was finally convinced to make her aunt Amy’s homemade chicken dumplings – her favorite dish at family gatherings growing up.
The day before Thanksgiving it had looked like their kitchen had exploded as she made the entire recipe – including the dumpling wrappers – from scratch.
Then, the morning of Thanksgiving, she hadn’t been sure what to wear. She knows this is ridiculous. She knows Tim’s family, it’s not like they don’t know her and have never met her. And, she’s pretty confident they like her. But she’s not sure what the expectation for their holiday is. Dressy? Casual? She tries on a dress, followed by black pants and a top, before standing in front of the closet in dismay in only her bra and underwear, considering a long skirt, when Tim comes in.
“This what you’re wearing?” he teases with a smirk, that dry humor and playful smile on his lips as Lucy rolls her eyes.
“Are your family holidays formal?”
“Babe, you’re really overthinking this,” Tim promises her. “In fact, I haven’t spent a Thanksgiving with both my mom and Genny in… god, I don’t even know.” After they sold their dad’s house, he’d promised Genny he’d visit for all the holidays. But then, she moved closer and he saw her regularly, and he started dating Lucy and it never really panned out. “It’s casual.”
“So, do I wear a casual dress, or jeans, or…”
“Lucy. Wear whatever you want. I promise you, this is not at all a high pressure situation.”
She nods, finally chooses her nicest jeans and the soft, cream-colored sweater that she feels comfortable and confident in. She dresses it up with some jewelry and her boots before she can overthink it again.
“Happy Thanksgiving!” Genny beams as she opens the door, holding her arms open to Lucy, first. “You look fantastic.” Genny turns to Tim. “Doesn’t she?”
Tim rolls his eyes at his sister. “You know, you don’t have to remind me to compliment my fiancée every time, Genny.”
“Well, I don’t know. You didn’t seem to know to do it at that Valentine’s Day gala.”
“Because we were broken up,” he fires back, their sibling banter strong.
“All the more reason, especially considering you were obviously still in love with her.” Genny pulls back from the hug and directs her next thought to Lucy. “I don’t know why you took this man back.”
Lucy laughs and Tim shakes his head as he goes in for a one-armed hug with Genny, being that he has the tray of dumplings in his hand. “Believe me, I ask the same question and I count my blessings in that regard every day.”
Lucy chuckles and shakes her head as Genny takes the dish from Tim.
“Timmy? Lucy?” Joy calls, out coming to the entrance way. “Oh, I’m so glad you two are here!” she declares as she hugs them both.
“Thank you for inviting us. Or, well, me, I guess,” Lucy stumbles over her words, realizing Tim is her son and wouldn’t need a specific invite.
“Lucy from here on out, you’re invited to every Bradford family event,” Genny clarifies. “God help you. Come, come, do you guys want something to drink?” Genny turns her attention to the living room. “Boys!” she calls. “Come greet-“
Before she can finish her thought, the smoke alarm goes off. “Ugh, Mom,” Tyler bellows from the couch. “You set off the smoke alarm again!”
“Whoops,” Genny tells them with a guilty smile. “Be right back.” As she hurries off to the kitchen, both Austin and Tyler abandon their video game to follow behind her, Tyler already filming the chaos with his phone.
“See?” Tim tells Lucy with a chuckle. “That’s what you’re competing with.”
Lucy lets out a little laugh, suddenly feeling silly for all her nerves. “Let me go see if I can help her,” she tells him, following Genny into the kitchen.
Genny has pulled the turkey out of the oven, Tyler and Austin behind her, peering over at it in interest, clearly hoping for some sort of chaos.
“Well, it’s not burnt,” Genny notes. “But it’s going to be dry as the Sahara.”
“I told you we should’ve had KFC,” Austin says to no one in particular.
“Bro, it’s Thanksgiving. Who eats KFC for Thanksgiving?” Tyler retorts. “It’s chicken!”
“Chicken and turkey are basically the same thing.”
“But it’s fast food,” Tyler counters. “Who picks up Thanksgiving dinner from the drive-thru?”
“Would’ve been a lot easier than all this.” He lowers his voice to a whisper. “And probably taste better, too.”
“Okay!” Genny finally snaps at her sons. “Okay, why don’t you two go and debate the pros and cons of KFC Thanksgiving dinner in the other room while I handle this?”
“I’m just saying, KFC sells all the Thanksgiving sides,” Austin continues as he and Tyler head out of the kitchen and Lucy reaches for the smoke alarm to silence it. “Coincidence?”
“It’s ruined,” Genny sighs to Lucy as she opens the window above the sink to let out some of the smoke. “Ugh, it’s going to be bone dry. That’s what I get for thinking I can cook a traditional Thanksgiving meal.”
“No, no. We can save it,” Lucy insists, springing into action. “Do you have broth?”
Genny considers. “Yes, but…”
“Okay, so we carve the turkey ahead of time, and then we give it a broth bath.”
“A broth bath?” Genny asks with a frown. “Sounds disgusting.”
Lucy shakes her head, amused, and lets out a little laugh. “We lay the sliced turkey on the platter, pour the broth over it, cover it in foil, put it in the oven for ten minutes. Then we serve it with plenty of gravy.”
Genny blinks at her. “You’re a genius.”
Lucy assures Genny that she’ll help her with the turkey once it’s cooled down enough to slice. Meanwhile, Genny pops the last of the sides in the oven and brings Lucy to the living room, holding up a box in her hand to Tim, Joy, and the boys as Lucy trails behind her.
“Pictionary time!” Genny declares, holding up the game to which the boys cheer.
“No,” Tim says instantly, surprising Lucy with his conviction. “Absolutely not.”
“Tim, come on!” Genny moans in annoyance.
“You get way too competitive,” he points out.
“Me??” Genny gasps at the accusation. “You’re the competitive one.”
“You insult everyone’s drawings,” Tim reminds her. “Last time, you told Austin that his giraffe looked like a car.”
“Yeah, Mom,” Austin agrees. “And it was a decent giraffe.” He turns to Lucy. “Not like her airplane.”
“That was one time,” Genny retorts.
“Okay. Fine,” Tim relents. “But Lucy’s my partner.”
Everyone grumbles and groans and Tim holds up his hands as if to ask them what?
“Come on, Uncle Tim!” Tyler grouses.
“God forbid she play with someone else,” Genny teases.
“Oh, hush,” Joy says. “Let them have their fun. I’ll be with Tyler.”
Lucy notices Tyler grimace, but fakes a smile when Joy turns to him and Lucy stifles a laugh.
“And then me and Mom. We’re first!” Austin declares, looking at Genny. “Alphabetical order.”
“You can’t use that for everything so you can always go first,” Tyler comments. “We’re supposed to roll a die to decide.”
“Whatever, it’s fine,” Austin declares and sticks out his tongue at him as he picks up his drawing pad and no one fights him as Tyler flips the timer.
“Octopus?” Genny calls out. “Jellyfish! Spider!” Austin shakes his head and Genny frowns, tilting her head to get a better look. “Merry go-round?”
“What?” Tyler bursts out laughing.
When the timer goes off, Austin looks at her in dismay. “Mom, it was a goldfish.”
“That’s a goldfish?” Genny asks, and Tim clears his throat and glares in her direction. “I mean, beautiful drawing, my son. Okay, Lucy. Your turn.”
“See?” Tyler comments. “We don’t always have to go in alphabetical order.”
Austin rolls his eyes at his brother while Lucy gets prepared. When he flips the timer, Lucy lifts her pen, barely draws a line before Tim interjects. “Pizza!”
“Yes!” Lucy agrees, eyes shining with delight and success as she puts her pen down.
“What…” Genny frowns, surprised, looking from Tim to Lucy in confusion.
“How in the world did you get pizza from that?” Joy questions, face crumpled in total bewilderment.
Tim shrugs, as if it’s no big deal. “I happened to have seen her draw pizza before.” He looks away and adds, simply. “Multiple times.”
Genny crinkles her face in confusion as Lucy gives Tim a high-five. “Okay, so you got lucky. Tyler, you’re up, bud.”
When Tyler begins drawing, Joy, overeager, begins guessing immediately, excited and loud as she calls out her guesses.
“Turtle.”
Tyler shakes his head and continues.
“Ocean.”
“No.”
“Hat.”
“None of these things even remotely look like each other,” Tim comments.
“Crab!” Joy yells, snapping her fingers as if she’s sure she’s nailed it this time.
Tyler groans. “Grandma, it’s square-shaped!”
“No hints!” Austin interjects.
“Dragon.”
“Time!” Austin calls.
Tyler sighs. “Grandma, it was bed.”
Joy makes a face, turns to Tim who is sitting next to her. “Kid needs art lessons,” she notes in a whisper as Tim raises his eyebrows, unsure how to respond, biting back a smirk.
On Genny’s turn, she draws a carefully crafted and artistic pineapple, Austin guessing easily and fist bumping his mom.
“Overachiever,” Tim says, disguising it as a cough, and Lucy elbows him with a laugh.
“Tim’s turn!” Genny declares with spiteful glee. “Let’s see how good Mr. Art Critic himself is, huh?”
The rolls up his sleeves, glaring at Genny as he picks up his pen and starts to draw. He starts with a squiggly line, and before he can continue, Lucy wastes no time. “Shoe!”
Tim puts down the pen and points at her. “Yes!”
“What? No way,” comments Genny. “You two are messing with us.”
Tim shows them the card, pointing simply at the word. “Shoe.”
“How did you get shoe from that?” Tyler asks with a frown, tilting his head sideways to see if he can see what Lucy saw.
“He was starting to make the laces…” Lucy explains simply.
“No fair, they’re cheating. They can, like, read each other’s minds or something,” Tyler declares and everyone laughs.
“Yeah, no wonder he wanted to play with her,” Austin agrees.
“Okay, I gotta go check on the sweet potatoes before Lucy has to save that dish, too,” Genny says with a wink, standing and heading to the kitchen.
Dinner is ready not much later, the boys having dutifully doing their Thanksgiving chore of setting the table as Genny requested.
“Lucy, these dumplings are delicious,” Joy marvels.
“Yeah, they slap!” Tyler declares.
“High praise,” Genny notes. “I think?” she adds, unsure about kids’ lingo these days. “And we all know Tyler is the pickiest eater ever since he became a teenager. But I agree, they’re fantastic.”
“Thank you,” Lucy says, a small blush and a pleased smile lining her face as Tim squeezes her knee under the table in encouragement. “It’s a family recipe, all made from scratch.”
“And when she says all made from scratch,” Tim adds, “she even made the wrappers from scratch,” he boasts proudly, Lucy blushing and giving him a little shove of embarrassment at his praise.
“Oh, you know, next year we could help!” Genny declares, excited. “If you want. I’d love to learn. It could be a fun little tradition.”
“One to carry on with your own kids one day,” Joy says with a little gleam in her eye.
Lucy half expects Tim to divert the conversation now that it has veered into the topic of kids – not because that image of a future with their kids scares him, but because his mom and sister talking about his future plans will feel too personal to be comfortable for him.
He doesn’t. In fact, when she chances a look at him, he’s smiling and looking at her as if she’s the only person in the room, likely imagining their future holidays together.
“I’d… love that,” Lucy agrees carefully, glancing over at Tim again to make sure she’s not overstepping on inviting his family too much into their lives, but he just smiles at her and nods. “That would be a really nice tradition.”
“Mom,” Genny says, “Did you know Tim and Lucy once coached Tyler’s baseball team?”
“Oh?” Joy’s eyebrows raise with piqued interest.
“Yeah. She introduced herself as Coach Bradford’s friend,” Genny teases with a wink. “Can you imagine?”
“Hey, now wait. She was my friend,” Tim defends Lucy’s choice of words.
“Well, technically,” Lucy admits, chewing on her lip and glancing from Genny to Tim and back again, “we were dating by then.”
“But, in secret,” Tim points out and Lucy rolls her eyes and laughs. “So, what else would you have said? Especially to a group of kids.”
“I’m pretty sure Genny read right through us regardless,” Lucy admits, recalling Genny’s knowing comments and Tim’s inability to play it cool.
Genny sits back, arms crossed, and nods. “Oh, I absolutely did.”
“But, that doesn’t change the fact that she was my friend,” Tim insists. “In fact, she’s always been my friend. She still is.”
There are some awws from around the table, and Lucy’s too touched by his words to even stop and think to gloat about him finally admitting that they were friends when he used to insist that they weren’t.
“God, Mom, the first time I met Lucy – the very first thing she ever said to me was to ask me if I had embarrassing stories about Tim as a kid. I should’ve known right then. Plus, she got all uncomfortable when he said he was seeing someone.” Genny points her fork at them. “The signs were always there.”
“I did not!” Lucy counters, even though she knows it’s probably true. “I was just taken by surprise that he hadn’t told me.”
“Because he was your friend,” Genny says, nodding as if it makes perfect sense. “Got it.”
“Sue us,” Tim says with a shrug, stretching out his arm and putting it on the back of Lucy’s chair. “We figured it out.”
After dinner, once the table is cleared and the dishwasher is loaded, they move to relax before dessert in the living room where the boys are lounging, watching Home Alone while Tim pipes up constantly with his police officer tinted commentary about the film.
“I’m just saying,” Tim retorts when Genny tells him to shush. “There is no reason that the police shouldn’t have stepped in by now.”
Lucy chuckles. “Just be glad we’re not watching The Dark Knight Rises. He has some very strong opinions about the police getting trapped underground.” She stands and adds, “Excuse me, I’ll be right back, I’m going to go to the restroom.”
Genny and Tim nod and return to their conversation with Joy. It becomes apparent to him, after a while, that Lucy has not returned so he excuses himself from the conversation to go check on her. When he crosses through the kitchen, he finds her sitting at the table.
“Hey. What are you doing in here?”
Lucy hums and looks up at him from her spot. “Just thought I’d give you guys a moment.”
Frowning, Tim asks, “A moment for…?”
She shrugs, lightly. “I don’t know. This is your first time really celebrating all together as a family in a long time. I wanted to let you guys have a little bit of that.”
“Lucy,” he sits down next to her at the table and she looks at him, curiously. “Do you know why we’re all together like this today?” He doesn’t wait for her to answer his rhetorical question. “It’s because of you.”
She looks over and scoffs at him. “What? No, it’s not.”
“Yes, it is,” Tim says, genuinely. “When I told you that you’ve healed me in places I didn’t know were broken? This is one of them. I didn’t realize how… how much I needed – wanted - to repair things with my family until you came into my life.”
She smiles softly, puts her hand over his. “I didn’t do that, Tim. You did. Don’t take away the credit from yourself.”
“Sure, but you are a big part of it,” he returns, adamantly. “Remember when Genny came to work on my dad’s place and I was ready to just… brush her off? You kept me in check,” Lucy laughs at that, “you talked to me, made sure I went to help her. My relationship with her got a lot better after that. My… mom? Lucy, I never would’ve changed things with her if it wasn’t for you.” She opens her mouth to say something. “And I know, I know – I did the work. But it’s because you pushed me to. Because I’d been to therapy which, I never would’ve done if it hadn’t been for you. Because you’re the only person I’ve ever trusted so completely that I’d actually listen to you when you encourage me to do hard things because I trust your opinion is in my best interest. So, this… dynamic you’re seeing today? It’s yours, too, you helped build it. You’re part of this family now.” Lucy’s eyes shine with unshed tears. “Pretty sure my mom, Genny, and the boys all like you more than me.”
Lucy rolls her eyes and laughs. “Stop. They love you.”
“I know,” he admits. “But, I can’t blame them for liking you more.”
“I love you.”
“I know that, too.”
“And…?” she prompts with a teasing grin.
“And… I love you, too,” he says with a chuckle and a smile, kissing her on the cheek. “And I’m so thankful for you, and that you took me back, that we got out of that kidnapping alive, that we’re getting married.”
Lucy smiles softly. “Me, too.”
“You’re my family, too,” he reminds her. “You have been, and,” he taps her engagement ring and she gives a soft chuckle, “this seals the deal.” She laughs and nods. “Come on,” he pats her on the shoulder. “The boys want to play Clue. We can absolutely kick their asses at that.”
Lucy laughs and allows him to take her hand and gently pull her up, a kiss to the top of her head. “They’re already mad at us about Pictionary,” Lucy jokes and Tim chuckles as they leave the room.
“Too bad. They have it coming.”
“Professor Plum, in the library, with a rope,” Tyler declares.
Tim and Lucy play Clue with the boys around the coffee table, while Joy and Genny sit back on the couch and relax, watching them play and chatting about Joy’s newest installment of drama with her friend Linda.
“You keep asking about Professor Plum,” Lucy notes with interest.
“Because I think it’s Professor Plum,” Tyler returns.
“Or because you have Plum and you’re trying to throw everyone off.”
“Nu-uh!”
“Hmm,” Lucy notes casually. “Your left eyebrow disagrees judging by how you raised it just now.”
Tyler gasps in good-natured outrage. “Aunt Lucy!” he whines at her audacity at calling him out and giving away his tell.
Lucy pauses momentarily, surprised at the title he’s bestowed upon her – although, being engaged to Tim she shouldn’t really be surprised they’re already considering her their aunt.
Tim seems to notice her surprise, reaches under the table and gives her knee a squeeze of reassurance as if to say this is right.
“You know, Aunt Lucy has studied detective skills,” Tim interjects, purposely using the title to reinforce his comfort with it, both to the boys and to Lucy. “Applies them all the time on the job.”
“Wait, then that’s cheating!” Austin declares. “This is basically her job.”
Lucy grins, smug. “But it’s not my job because I pretty much failed the test,” she says.
Tim can’t help but let out a laugh of surprise at her saying that. “Lucy!” he chuckles. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
“What? I did. So, it’s not cheating. It’s just called having logical deductive reasoning skills.”
“That’s my girl,” Tim says with a chuckle, watching her competitive side start to slide out, a true sign she feels comfortable and secure.
“Uncle Tim!” Austin whines at Tim’s encouragement toward Lucy. “You’re supposed to be on our side.”
Tim holds his hands up in mock defense. “What can I say? I trained her.”
“They’re getting married,” Tyler reminds his brother. “He basically has to be on her side for life now.”
“But he’s known us longer!” Austin reasons and Lucy laughs as she catches eyes with Tim.
“Okay, time for dessert!” Genny calls, and the boys scramble to get up, abandoning the game immediately.
After the pie is served, Genny’s distressed that she forgot to ask them what they’re thankful for during dinner. So despite Tim and Tyler groaning at the idea, everyone agrees.
“I’m first!” Austin states. “Alphabetical order.”
“Not again,” Tyler grumbles.
“Ah,” Lucy interrupts. “I think I’m first.”
Austin frowns in confusion. “What?”
Lucy grins widely. “Aunt Lucy comes before Austin,” she informs them, and the table erupts with cheering and laughter.
“Roasted!” Tyler laughs in pure delight.
“Fine,” Austin admits defeat even as he laughs in disbelief himself. “She is right.” He pauses. “And only because she’s cooler than all of you.”
Lucy smirks. “You hear that? I’m cool.”
They go around the dessert table and declare how grateful they are for everything from video games and skateboards to surviving kidnappings and upcoming marriages, from disruptive students transferring to other schools and healthy kids to basketball and iPhones, from holidays with family and laughter to reconciliations and shared moments together.
While Genny and Joy begin discussing Joy’s plans for travel back home, Tim interrupts.
“Mom, do you ever think about moving closer?” Tim asks, and the entire table goes silent, as if no one can believe that Tim of all people just asked such a question.
Lucy puts a hand on his knee to assure him. Tim locks eyes with Genny, as if he’s apologizing for asking such a thing when maybe she wouldn’t want her closer, but Genny just gives a little nod. “You could come to all the boys’ games,” Genny says.
“And be closer for holidays,” Lucy adds. “Less travel.”
“I can help you out with things around the house if you need it,” Tim adds.
“You can babysit for my new cousins when they come along!” Tyler adds, and Genny nearly chokes on her drink.
“Tyler!”
“What? She can!”
Everyone chuckles and Lucy blushes a little, but the moment feels easy and light and playful.
She belongs here.
“It’s something to consider,” Joy says simply, with a little nod, but Lucy can’t miss the smile on her face as she looks down at her pie.
After dessert, Joy and Lucy help clean up the kitchen and clear the dishes, giving Genny a break as their host and allowing Tim to go outside and shoot some hoops with the boys, which they had been begging him to do all day.
As Lucy turns to the table to pick up the placemats, she notices Joy standing at the sink, looking out the window that overlooks Genny’s backyard.
“Everything okay?” Lucy asks softly.
Joy turns and smiles warmly at Lucy. “Yes. It was just such a nice day and it just occurred to me… no one fought today.”
“Oh,” Lucy says softly, understanding the implications of her statement, of holidays past. “Yeah.”
“Lucy,” Joy begins, “thank you for bringing my son home.”
“He’s been home before,” Lucy says with a chuckle as she stacks the placemats carefully.
“Not like this,” Joy says softly, and Lucy’s grin fades into an understanding solemn nod. “Lucy, would you usually spend the holidays with your family?”
Lucy shakes her head. “No, I haven’t for quite a while. My relationship with my parents has been strained the last few years. We don’t really talk. They don’t approve of my job.”
“Oh, that’s a shame,” Joy says softly, a warm, comforting hand on her arm. “Well, we’re so happy to have you here.”
“Thank you,” Lucy says just as softly. “I’m really happy to be here.”
“Growing up,” Joy adds, “the holidays were tense for the kids. Tom – Tim’s dad – he would usually end up… well, something would get him upset. And with alcohol involved on the holidays it just… a lot of holidays ended with arguing and bruises and tears. Then Tim turned eighteen and he didn’t come back for another holiday so long as his dad was around, started pulling away from me and his family. I really never thought I’d have another holiday with him. For me to spend this holiday with both of my kids, everyone happy and having fun? It feels like the beginning of a new phase for us.” Lucy nods, understanding Joy’s feelings perfectly. “And for you, too, I hope. Holidays to spend with family again.”
Lucy nods. “Yeah,” she says, voice laced with sincerity. “I feel that, too.”
It amazes her, really; knowing Tim the way she does, she never could have imagined this even just a year ago. Now, he’s to a point where he’s letting his family in more completely, and she’s become a part of it, too. She’s truly proud of him, for putting in this work on himself and his relationships. She can see their bright future ahead, family gatherings and holidays, especially as their family grows.
As they prepare to head home, the boys watching Home Alone again as it plays over and over, Genny gives Lucy a hug, thanking her for coming. “Welcome to the family, girl,” she teases with a laugh.
“Stop scaring her,” Tim retorts, moving around Lucy to reach in between her and Genny to grab the container of leftovers Joy had packed up for them, giving them both a grin and Lucy’s shoulder a squeeze.
“Pu-lease,” Genny says dramatically, drawing out the words. “If you haven’t scared her away yet, she’s locked in.”
The drive is quiet and peaceful, Lucy tuning the radio to the non-stop Christmas music and Tim not even bothering to complain as she hums along happily in the passenger seat.
“That was… nice,” he admits.
Lucy hums and turns to him with a genuine smile. “Yeah, it was.” She pauses, remembering. “Did you really ask your mom to move closer?”
Tim laughs, letting his hand fall to her knee with ease, “I don’t know what happened – it just came out.”
“I’d argue that’s a good sign,” Lucy notes.
“It just felt so… easy,” Tim states. “And I don’t know, something in me just thought about how nice it would be to have this more often. And when we have kids…”
Lucy grins, letting her hand come down to squeeze the hand that’s on her knee. “Yeah,” she agrees. “I’d love for your mom to be around more. Not to babysit, like Tyler suggested -” Tim chuckles at that, “though I’m definitely not saying no to that. But to have a grandparent be part of their life consistently would be such a nice thing.”
Tim nods his agreement. “If I haven’t said it before – I’m so thankful for you.”
Lucy lets out a little chuckle, eyes bright with love. “Right back at you.”
He smirks at her. “Now, are we really going to have to listen to this Christmas music now until New Year’s?”
Lucy laughs and shoves playfully at him.
Some things will always be the same.