LENNOX ▸ RUBEN LOFTUS-CHEEK

TWENTY-NINE • STRANGER THINGS

Lennox and Ruben were having a very rare day off. They didn't often get any days off simultaneously so today was considered a miracle. They decided they would spend the day out and about in London, enjoying the perfect winter weather. It wasn't snowing for the first day in a while.

They went to breakfast first, at a café near their house, and that was when the first incident had occurred.

Lennox had a champagne flute in her hand, prepared to take a sip when Ruben took her free hand in his and looked deep into her eyes.

"Lenny... looks like there's something in your glass, love."

Lennox's eyes widened as she stared into Ruben's eyes. He had dropped hints of a possible proposal in their near future and she wondered if this was the moment, if there was a diamond ring inside her glass.

With a terrified and shaky hand, she placed the flute down and reached into it, feeling a round object between her fingers and pulling it out of her glass.

It was a raspberry.

She looked at Ruben, completely shocked at the amusing and rather odd contents of her glass. Ruben shrugged. "I saw you accidentally drop it in there. Just wanted to let you know."

He was either ignorant or simply overlooking the fact that she thought he was about to propose.

Lennox shrugged it off, thinking it to be a mere coincidence until it happened again.

On a walk through the park, Ruben's hand slipped out of Lennox's as he bent down on one knee. She gasped, feeling a nervous lump in her throat as he looked up at her. "Lenny."

"Yeah, babes?" Her voice was shaky and uneven.

"Can you hold my coffee while I tie my shoe?"

The request made Lennox heave a deep sigh. She rolled her eyes, all the intense emotions she felt drifting away as she took a hold of his hot drink whilst he tied his shoelaces.

The couple continued on their relaxing walk all the way through the neighborhood, until they happened upon Lenny's childhood home. Lenny shouldn't have been afraid... only, the only thing running through her mind right now was the article Rebekah had recently read on a walk through memory lane being one of the most romantic ways to propose.

"Hey, look! It's your old house. Lots of memories made there, eh, bean?"

Ruben had gotten onto calling Lennox "bean," all based on one conversation they'd had regarding her hatred for beans on toast. Now, he used it as a teasing and lovable nickname.

"Yeah..." Lennox sighed, momentarily forgetting the fact that she thought Ruben was going to propose today and instead recalling all the memories made in that house.

It was where Ruben first came over after his and Bennett's football practice one day.

It was where Lenny first realized how massive a crush she had on him at the ripe age of 12.

In the backyard, on a tree where Lenny and Bennett's tree house sat, was where they'd shared their first kiss at 13. They laid on the floor of the treehouse, fingers grazing and shoulders brushing as they stared up out of the nonexistent roof at the sky full of stars.

Lenny was going through a bit of an astrology phase and, in an effort to try and impress Ruben, pointed out all the constellations she could. She laughed when she pointed out Hercules and Ruben commented that it looked like a headless man running around.

And when Lennox had run out of stars to name, Ruben turned to look at her and gave her a quick peck on the lips, which resulted in both parties participating in a fit of giggles afterwards.

The memory caused Lennox to let out a snort, making Ruben's eyes shift from the house to the figure of the small girl beside him. He pulled her under his arm, asking, "What's given you the giggles?"

"Hercules."

It was all she had to say for Ruben to recall the comedic and heartwarming event. He missed those days. Their childhood was perfect and Ruben couldn't help but think that that was exactly what he wanted for their children.

Finally, when the time came, Lenny and Ruben made their way to Ruben's mum's house for dinner with the family.

All of Ruben's brothers, Lavinia, his dad, uncle and aunt and mum were there. And all giving Ruben side glances every time they thought Lennox wasn't looking.

But, she knew the Loftus-Cheek family better than that.

"So," she started as she stood in the kitchen with Isaac and Mama Cheek, "any special reason for dinner tonight?"

Isaac turned to his mother, letting her answer this one as he took the casserole to the dining table.

"Does a mother hen need a reason to get all her baby chickens together so they can eat dinner and catch up?" Julie started.

That made Lenny laugh. "I suppose not."

"Why? Did you think something was happening tonight?"

Lenny glanced at the entrance to the kitchen, making sure no one was around, before beginning. "I don't know," she shrugged as she sat on a barstool at the island, elbows resting on the granite countertop. "There's just been a couple of coincidences today when I thought that Ruben might... I don't know... propose?"

Julie's eyes widened. Before she could say anything, Lavinia made her presence known and squealed loudly. "What?!"

"Vinni!" Lennox shushed, rushing out of her stool to wrap an arm around the teenager to cup her mouth and keep her from squealing more.

Ruben entered the kitchen, eyeing the odd position Lennox and Vinni were in. "Uh... what's going on?"

"Nothing," Lenny quickly answered. "Right, Vinni?"

Vinni quietly nodded before Lennox let go of her hand on the teenager's mouth.

"Ok... weirdos..." Ruben stayed with the same amount of confusion as he held before. He grabbed two ciders out of the kitchen before heading back out to the living room.

"Vinni!"

"Sorry!" the younger girl apologized. "It's just... Ruben's going to propose?"

"I don't know. I think so. Did he tell you anything?" She turned to Julie.

Ruben's mom raised a brow at Lenny as she crossed her arms. "Love, I'm not saying that he is... but if Ruben was proposing... would you really wanna hear it from me?"

Lenny sighed, knowing she was right. Of course she'd want to hear it from Ruben first.

Alas, dinner came and went.

And Lennox and Ruben went home. Showered. Went to bed.

And....

Nothing.

No proposal.

And so Lennox went to bed thinking maybe it all really was just a coincidence.

After all, stranger things had happened.