Found Along The Way

Chapter twenty-three

Waving goodbye on the Monday morning to Anya's parents, there was a new acknowledgement between them all. A sad one, but one that needed to be there. It built a new trust for them, and lay the foundation for hope of a good future, a better future.

Which there absolutely would be.

They said their farewells and Anya turned to look at him, smiling, without any words accompanying her smile.

"What is it?" Lucas laughed, adoring her face.

"I-" Anya started, was she going to say it? "I think that was as successful as it could've been." She decided to say instead. It was close, it was right there on the tip of her tongue. I love you, I love you, I LOVE YOU!

But she was stuck.

"I agree! Although if we don't have at least three kids and a mortgage by the time your mother next visits I fear there will be more prying from her than ever." He laughed. 'God, I do love you' Anya thought. But again, no words left her mouth.

The first exchange of those words between her and Daniel wasn't natural, or smooth. It happened six months in, in a dark room after sex. It felt right at the time, passion driven, grateful from the pleasure, but it wasn't what Anya had thought it would be like. It wasn't romantic or sweet. He just said it, and she said it back because it was the good thing to say, right? If someone tells you they love you six months into being together, no matter what the scenario is you should say it back, right?. That was what she thought and went by. It was what she had settled for with Daniel.

But what she didn't know was that this time would be so different...

"I want to do something for her, I want it to be special. Accept it or don't Joe, men can want romance just as much as the women. I want the first time I say it to be magic for her."

"Totally get you there man, so what are you thinking?"

"I'm not sure..."

They put their minds to work and brainstormed that afternoon for something that would mean the world to Anya, an opportunity for Lucas to tell her what she meant to him. And it came to them.

There was a woodland area by the college Anya attended art group at. One she used to go walking through on so many days over the years, to clear her mind, to talk, to laugh, it was a place that meant the world to her. He'd been there with her and understood why she loved it so much, it was beautiful. So it was decided, he'd take her there tomorrow, decorated with fairy lights and the drawings she'd given him over their time together. It was the perfect idea.

"Dude we're geniuses." Joey high-fived Lucas and turned to Rosie, "Isn't that right my girl, absolute geniuses!" He said slipping into his baby voice.

"I wonder when Anya and Lina will be back, they said they were only going to get coffee right?" Lucas asked, looking down at his watch.

"Yeah, coffee and another ten outfits for Rosie."

"How many outfits does one tiny person need?" Lucas laughed, stroking Rosie's little hand as she slept in Joey's arms.

"A million apparently. But she does look beautiful in all of them."

"What's it like, being a dad?" He wondered aloud.

"Well... tiring, of course, but honestly man it's the most humbling thing in the world. I love this little life so much and being her father has given me a new perspective on life entirely. Oh and not to mention I've seen Lina as the most incredible woman on the planet ever since she had Rosie. It's awesome." Joey said, with genuine happiness in his voice.