to make things awkward | fillie

epilogue

June 25th, 2039

"Truth or dare." Lucy said.

Noah's eyes went wide over the facetime call that stretched from his packed up flat in LA to Lucy's bedroom in London."What?! No, please do not play that at your birthday party."

"Why not?" She asked.

"You really. . .you really don't know?"

She knew. She just liked making people feel awkward, so she continued to feign confusion.

"Lucy, you must know, I—"

She couldn't help but laugh, "Yes, yes I know. It's your dare that precipitated my untimely conception."

Noah shook his head with a sigh, "Yeah, yeah."

"Okay, fine. We won't play that at my party. I never have thanked you for issuing that dare though. You're kind of the reason I'm alive."

"Well your dad just had to question my brand loyalty, what was I supposed to do, let that slide?"

She laughed, "So really, it's because of your ego that I exist?"

"I mean, technically, yes. And you know what? I don't regret that one bit you little rugrat. Plus, I haven't even eaten Nutella since your mom told me she was gonna have you, so everything worked out for the better."

Lucy nodded, impressed, but said in a sarcastic tone, "That takes strength, Uncle Noah, I'm proud of you."

Noah rolled his eyes then got back to their previous conversation concerning his move. "But there will be air conditioning, right?" His face was a portrait of genuine concern. Lucy laughed at her uncle then rolled her eyes, wishing he would've just moved to England when she and her parents did two years ago. But no, he just had to wait because he thought he had found "the one" who ended up being a clout grifter that left him sobbing to Lucy's mom that she should have warned him. Which she had. Lucy had learned quickly that Millie was good at those kinds of things. But he was finally making the move, so all's well that ends well, she supposed.

"Only the best for you, Uncle Noah."

He thanked her then had something urgent vying for his attention and he ended the call after saying goodbye with a couple air kisses.

Starting next week, he was going to be staying in her family's guest room that had a separate entrance and kitchen from the main house. He would start looking for a place to own himself as soon as his visa cleared, but that was a couple months down the road, so Lucy had two whole months with uncle Noah, and better yet, those two months were practically all summer. Best summer ever.

"Dear?" Lucy's mom popped her head into her room, "Luce, it's almost ready, do you want to come downstairs?"

"Define almost."

Millie smiled, puffed air out her nose, and then looked to the ceiling ever so briefly, "Just come on, will you?"

Considering the stress of her mother's early thirties, she looked good for thirty five. She kept her brown hair around shoulder length with gentle waves giving it volume. Her clavicles and neck had more definition as her skin aged, but she maintained a youthful glow, and not because of botox or surgery like so many of her peers. The joy she radiated in daily life had to have something to do with it, Lucy assumed.

Stuffing her phone in her back pocket, Lucy followed her mother out of her bedroom and down the stairs to a fairly hectic scene on the main level. Caterers were putting final touches on the buffet and placing the cake on a heavily decorated dessert table, all purple and gold. Her biological aunts and uncles were all over too, Auntie Ave was making sure every gift was perfect while Aunt Paige was corralling Lucy's cousins to go outside and out of the way where Uncles Charlie and Nick were throwing around an American football and loud music was thumping in through the window panes.