Lockwood & Co. The Secret Of Penelope Fittes

Chapter Eight

We sealed the source and called a night cap. On the way home Lockwood didn't say a word and George also remained mute. I felt guilty. Very guilty.
When we got home, the first thing we did was to sit down at the kitchen table and make tea. I was expecting an outburst or at least some yelling, however Lockwood remained silent. I was hopeful, but then he said with all the calmness he could gather, "George, could you leave Lucy and me alone for a moment, please?" George looked at him and got up. As he walked past me, he muttered: "Good luck!", and went to his room.
I took a deep breath, turned to Lockwood and waited. At first he did not move, but suddenly he started with a calm voice that became louder and louder:
"Okay, what were you thinking?"
"Lockwood, I..."
"No, Lucy! Your talent will get you into serious trouble someday! Damn it! This time you even put a colleague's life at risk!"
He took a short break, which I, of course, used immediately.
"You don't even know what it's like! You didn't hear her! I just felt sorry for her!"
Lockwood had turned his back on me and stared out the window. Frustrated I hit my foot for my chair:
"If you'd heard her, you'd think differently..."
Lockwood immediately turned and threateningly built himself up in front of me:
"I have no pity for any visitor! With none!"
I looked up at him defiantly:
"You just can't put yourself in my position! You don't understand!"
Lockwood looked at me with his eyes pinched:
"Believe it or not. I know exactly how you feel!"
"Oh, yeah?", I gave sarcastically back.
"Yes! You can't trust ghosts! THEY ARE DANGEROUS! It doesn't matter if you face an old granny, an infant... or...!", frustrated he stopped himself as he always did when something became to personal for him.
"Or what, Lockwood? A family member? That's what you wanted to say, isn't it. So please enlighten me with your unbelievable intelligence and experience and convince me that my own mother would attack me. Because I believe that visitors do have enough sanity left to recognise their own family."
Lockwood breathed, "But that's the way it is!"
"How do you know that?" I repeated.
"BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, OKAY! I almost died as a kid on ghost-touch. And now guess who touched me! MY. OWN. FATHER!"
I looked at him in surprise. I didn't expect that outburst. And his words neither.
Lockwood collapsed over his chair and buried his face in his hands. Hesitantly I sat down with him.
"Why do you think..." he began,"... I fight so fiercely against the ghost plague!"
He looked up and suddenly seemed way older than he was.
"The visitors ruined my life, Lucy! When Jessica died, I decided that it would be the best if I fought the plague myself and began training. A year later I finally had the guts to visit my parents' grave. I sat there for a long time, and didn't pay any attention to the time. Well, as it was winter, it got dark early and when I noticed that it was already too late! I got up immediately and wanted to run away, but the ghost lock had already reached me. As I said, I had only just reached the first degree, had unfortunately not been to a single mission yet and had no rapier. However, my talent was always very strong and I immediately recognized them...", he fell silent, but then went on to say, "... At first of course I was happy to see them again, but my parents apparently didn't remember me... My father approached me without hesitation and touched my arm. That got me out of the ghost-lock. I tore a salt bomb off my belt and threw it right under the spirits. They disappeared and I took the chance to run to the nearest hospital."
He stopped speaking.
Because I didn't know what to say, I just kept my mouth shut, stepped up to him and took him in my arms. This seemed to surprise him at first, because he remained stiff, but then he rejoined the embrace. I don't know how long we stood there, but Lockwood finally broke away from me and looked deep into my eyes.
"Lucy, I can't let that happen to me again. I can't! Do you understand now why I'm so worried about you? I can't bear another death... and I certainly can't bear a life without you!"
I stared at him and my mouth opened all by itself:
"I couldn't live without you either, Lockwood!"
He smiled at me and then, without any warning, he bent down to me and kissed me. It was so surprising that at first I just stood there, but then I replied.
When we broke off, I stared at Lockwood in surprise. He scattered his hand through his hair. Finally he sighed:
"Lucy, I need to tell you something that I've been keeping to myself for a long time..."
He took a deep breath once.
"I like you... which means I like you a lot! When I saw you for the first time coming through that door, neglecting our biscuit rule and talking back to George, I knew that you are something special and this has been confirmed again and again in the course of time. I... I..."
He broke off frustrated.
"Gosh! I really am bad at this!" he chuckled. „I'll just make it short..."
I looked at him eagerly.
"I love you, Lucy! I love everything about you! And if I'd kept this to myself any longer, I probably would have collapsed!"
He looked distracted and waited, rather nervously, for my answer.
Immediately the corners of my mouth shot upwards.
YES!!!
"Lucy, I... so I understand if you just want to go and..."
I interrupted him by wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him down to me and kissing him again.
"I love you too, Anthony!"

..........*****..........

The next morning I woke up with a rather unfamiliar feeling of happiness in my stomach. Happily whistling I sat up and promptly hit my head on the slope. Grumbling, I cursed a few swear words and got dressed. But the morning blackout couldn't lower my mood. I strolled down into the kitchen where Lockwood was already sitting in his regular seat reading the newspaper.
"Good morning," I chirped.
"Morning," Lockwood response was neutral until he realized it was me who had just come into the kitchen.
He put the paper down and grinned at me. And I didn't mean his usual neutral friendly grin he used on clients. No, he showed me his special grin that was only reserved for me.
I fell on the chair next to him:
"Shall we tell George?"
Lockwood made a thoughtful face and raised an eyebrow.
"I don't know. Don't you think that it would make him feel left out? I'd say we'll wait a little longer!"
"Yeah..." I considered it, "maybe you're right. Let's wait a little longer."
Lockwood bent over and was about to kiss me,  till George rushed into the kitchen. Lockwood immediately went further and picked up a napkin from the floor.
George, who apparently hadn't noticed anything, looked at us briefly and then went to the fridge:
"Oh, you two are on speaking terms again! I would have expected icy silence, but that's better, of course!"
Lockwood and I shared a quick look, then Lockwood casually leaned back and put on his innocent face.
"Yep, everything's perfect!"
I hid to smile.
"Okay," George planted himself in his chair. "Now that we've finished the case... may I research on the mausoleum?"
He looked at us expectantly.
Lockwood rolled his eyes and nodded, "Yes, you may!"
George jumped up with shining eyes and ran for the front door.
"We won't see him that fast," I said and turned to Lockwood, who smiled at me.
"Well, I don't have a problem with that!"
I grinned back:
"Neither do I!"