The Meant to Be Collection

by Claire Highton-Stevenson

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means that, unless you want to, you never have to see him again.”

  “Really?” Her chin began to tremble, eyes watery. “You promise?”

  Nicole nodded, her own eyes filling with tears as she watched the years of hurt and horror finally lift from her daughter’s shoulders. “Yes baby, I promise.”

  Chapter Forty-Five

  It was nearing the end of November, the world around them had turned completely from green to orange as nature burnt its leaves readying for winter. It was Lucy’s favourite time of year, autumn moving towards winter. She loved the vibrancy of all the changing colours. It smelt different too as rain moved in and dead leaves were turned to mulch. And with winter just around the corner, they were making the most of the last few days of the nicer weather.

  Nicole blossomed and bloomed. In fact, she blossomed so much that Lucy often joked she was probably having another set of twins. Of course, she wasn’t; they had confirmed that with all the scans she had had to make sure the baby was healthy and on track. They had decided not to find out what they were having, wanting it to be a happy surprise for them all.

  Paul Nixon was nothing but a nasty memory.

  Lucy had even suggested to Nicole that she stop working now. At first Nicole had become a little angry with Lucy that she wanted her to stay at home. It was only after some thought that she realised it was because that was what Paul had done: encouraged her to stay at home, distancing her from her friends and keeping her a virtual prisoner in her own home. In her heart, she knew that Lucy had different motives.

  Nicole liked her job. She got to chat with all their neighbours and find out all the local gossip. Rita had become like a surrogate mother to her, and the girls loved her. It was nice knowing that she didn’t have to work, but she chose to.

  Time seemed to be moving at lightning speed as the days all seemed to roll into one. At seven months pregnant, Nicole hadn’t seen her feet in a while. She also hadn’t been allowed to do anything around the house. Lucy was very insistent that she rest up and relax when she got home.

  She would arrive home to find dinner on the table and a bath run for her. She would get foot massages and shoulder rubs. In fact, she couldn’t think of a time when she had ever been this pampered in her life. And if she was honest, she was enjoying it immensely.

  ~E&F~

  In just three days, it would be the twins’ 5th birthday, and to say that they were excited would be the understatement of the decade because Lucy had promised to take them to the shops to buy anything they wanted, within reason.

  “Mommy!!” Rain shouted as she pulled on her coat, ready to do battle with the shops to find the best present.

  “Yes Rain, I can hear you, I’m pregnant, not deaf.” Nicole laughed as she pulled the zipper up to her chin.

  “Sorry Mommy, I trying to tell you I want a bike.” She grinned.

  “A bike?”

  “Yep, a pink one like Zoe has.”

  “Oh, I see, and can you ride it?”

  “Don’t be silly Mommy, I has to learn first,” she said authoritatively. “Everyone knows that.” She held her hands out palm up.

  “Oh, well you are too clever for me!” Nicole smiled, she then turned to her left and picked up Summer’s jacket. “What about you, Summer? What do you want for your birthday?”

  “A skateboard!” she said simply without looking up from her bricks; she was building a castle.

  Nicole raised her eyes at that one, Lucy smirked and looked away, too aware she was about to giggle, and that would cause a tantrum if Summer thought she was being laughed at.

  “A skateboard? Are you sure?” Summer looked up, nodding. “They are quite dangerous for a little one like you,” she questioned, holding up the jacket for her to push her arms into.

  “I’m not that little, and José has one and he is smaller than me.” Nicole helped her into her coat and zipped it up. “And girls can have skateboards too.”

  “Okay, is everybody ready?” Lucy asked. They all nodded including Nicole, who did so with the most adorable smile. Lucy had to take a moment to breathe; she was so overwhelmed at times by how she felt about her.

  ~E&F~

  Lucy dropped Nicole off at her exercise class, Yoga During Pregnancy, and continued on to the mall with the girls. She was hoping the idea of bikes and skateboards would wane once they saw all the wonderful things they could buy. Alas, it wasn’t to be, and soon Lucy was hauling a pink bike and a skateboard back to the car, as well as all the protective gear they would require. Storm was growing so fast she practically needed a new wardrobe every month, so she took the opportunity to kit them all out with new outfits and party clothes. Rain picked a pink dress to match her bike. Summer went for blue jeans and a white tee-shirt with a giant shark on the front, while Storm chose dungarees and a black polo neck jumper.

  “Right, so we’re all happy with our party outfits then?” She wondered if she should have gotten them all dresses, but then she considered that they were old enough to decide for themselves, and who was she to dictate what style they wanted to follow?

  “Yep, thank you, Lucy,” Storm answered.

  “Thank you, Lucy,” repeated the twins in unison.

  “You’re all welcome. So, who wants some lunch before we go and collect Mummy?”

  ~E&F~

  They still had 30 minutes to kill before having to pick up Nicole from the yoga studio, so Lucy decided they may as well do the food shopping too. They ran down the aisles of Rita’s store like a whirlwind, grabbing items and goodies, tossing them into the cart. As they ran off again to procure more, Lucy would place some of it back on the shelves. They never noticed, as they were so engrossed in finding other treasures.

  “I see you have trouble today then, Lucy.” Rita laughed as she watched the twins try to decide if they needed hotdog sausages or not.

  “For some reason, the twins are a little bit excited.” Lucy smiled. “I can’t imagine why?”

  ~E&F~

  It took Lucy a further ten minutes to get them through the till and back into the car. They were going to be late picking up Nicole. She pulled her phone out and sent a quick text explaining that they were on their way.

  As she slowed up looking for a space to pull into, she could see Nicole up ahead. She was sitting on a bench, her long dark hair swept up into a high ponytail, her face slightly flushed from the gentle exertion. She had her eyes closed and her face tilted to the afternoon sunshine just like Lucy always sat when she was in the sunshine. She looked beautiful, her big round tummy sitting cosily on her lap, her hands wrapped gently around it, cradling the baby, and she was talking. She was always talking to the baby, they all did. Lucy and the girls would often sit with her and talk to the baby. Summer would tell him all about her soccer games and Rain would explain to her that she was going to love pink and be her favourite thing to play with. Storm would read it stories and Lucy would explain how much she loved them, all of them, and how lucky they were to be joining this family.

  She sat in the car just watching Nicole for a moment, enjoying getting to see her so unabashedly at ease with herself. She no longer had that haunted look she had arrived here with. Instead, she was tranquil and relaxed.

  Nicole must have sensed she was being watched, because she turned slowly to the right and opened her eyes. She saw the car waiting for her, with Lucy just smiling at her like a proud momma bear. She couldn’t help but smile back as she lifted herself gingerly to her feet and waddled over to them. Lucy jumped out and opened the passenger side door for her.

  “Hello, Beautiful,” she said quietly as she kissed her cheek.

  “Hey.” She climbed into the car and gave a quick wave to the girls before buckling up her seatbelt and relaxing back into the seat.

  Lucy pulled the car out from the parking spot and into the traffic. “How was your class?”

  Yawning, Nicole replied sleepily, “It was good, exhausting but good.”<
br />
  Before Lucy had a chance to reply, Nicole was already dozing quietly. She smiled as she looked around the car using the rear-view mirror to check on the girls. Everything was just perfect.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  The twins were having such a great birthday. The sun was out and it was warm enough for them and all of their friends to play in the sand by the lake. Many of the parents had stayed to enjoy the fun too.

  It was an interesting time for Lucy. She had spent so many years around these people without ever really knowing any of them and yet, here they all were, in her home. She was a little unsure if all of them had stayed simply because of the children or if they just wanted to know more about the quiet woman who had lived amongst them so distantly all these years. She didn’t care either way.

  Lucy set up a karaoke machine. One by one the kids all took turns singing Disney songs. It was cute, but not half as entertaining as when the adults got up the courage to have a go. A little too much punch had helped them along.

  As the evening progressed and they all moved inside where it was warmer, Storm began tugging urgently on Lucy’s sleeve.

  “Yes sweetheart, what is so urgent that you need to rearrange my clothing?” Lucy smiled at her, noting her wide-eyed excitable face.

  “Sorry. Can you sing?” she asked brightly.

  “You know I can sing.”

  “No, I mean can you sing, like now.”

  “Uh, why?” Lucy looked around the room at all the people she barely knew, her heart pounding a little harder at the thought of singing in front of them all.

  “Well, I was telling Jodie and Robbie and Frankie and—”

  “Telling them what?” Lucy squatted down to Storm’s height so she could listen properly as she explained. It was something Storm loved about Lucy, that she always listened. She never looked down at her as just a child.

  “That you could sing.” She looked to the floor and fidgeted.

  “And?” Lucy was studying her face. There was something more that she having difficulty saying. “It’s okay, you can tell me.”

  She huffed and lifted her small palm to Lucy’s face, touching her cheek and dragging her finger gently down the scar. “They said I was lying, cos you don’t even speak to people so there was no way you could sing.”

  “Oh, they did, did they?” It wasn’t that she was bothered about their opinion of her, or that she had a need to prove anyone wrong, but she wasn’t having her…daughter? Yes, her child, called a liar for telling the truth.

  “Will you?” Storm asked hopefully. Big brown eyes looked at her with such adoration that Lucy knew she would probably never say no.

  “Sure, just let me finish my drink and I need to check on your mom first, okay?”

  “Yes!” she said, clapping her hands with glee before throwing her arms around Lucy and kissing her cheek. “Thanks, Mama.” She ran off, leaving Lucy to replay that over in her mind. Mama? She liked the sound of that. Smiling, she wandered around the room to find Nicole. She found her easily enough, holding court in the middle of a group of other ladies all discussing birthing issues. She was fine, and Lucy attempted to turn and escape, but she wasn’t fast enough.

  “Hey, you,” Nicole said, smiling up at her.

  “Oh hey, uh just checking if you needed anything, but I can see you have everything you need.”

  “Not everything,” she replied with a wink, causing Lucy to blush.

  “I, uh I said I would do my turn on the karaoke for Storm so, I’ll be back later.” With every pair of eyes on her, she was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable.

  “Who knew Lucy was so adorable?” a redhead sitting next to Nicole said in amazement.

  “I know, I am so lucky.”

  ~E&F~

  The room was bustling with the sound of chatter and laughter when Lucy sat down at the keyboard. Nobody even really noticed, and if they did, they didn’t assume she would begin to play. Slowly the room quietened down as one by one they turned towards the beautiful music.

  Her practice over the summer with Storm had loosened her fingers, and she was able to play almost as well as she ever had done. When Lucy began to sing in that breathy whimsical way she had, she kept her eyes closed. This was the woman that for the last decade had barely said a word to them, and here she was playing the piano and singing. And she could sing.

  Storm stood rapt in adoration for the woman that meant so much to her. She turned to her friends, who all stood wide-eyed. “I told you.” She smirked before turning her attention back to Lucy, mouthing the words along with her.

  When the song was finished and Lucy opened her eyes, there was silence and for a second, she wasn’t sure about anything. All eyes were on her, mouths agape, but then one by one they began to clap. Faces smiled at her. She rose and took a comical bow, winking at Storm as she climbed off the stage and somebody flicked the music back on. The party was back in full swing, and Lucy disappeared into the crowd.

  Nicole had watched in awe as everyone else finally got to witness the real Lucy, her Lucy. She had never been prouder to have everybody finally know what she was already aware of: that there was more to Lucy than just the silent hermit they thought she was.

  The redhead, whose name was Carla, turned to her once more and added, “Adorable and talented.”

  “Yes, she is, will you excuse me for just a moment?” she said as she levered herself up from her position on the couch to upright, no mean feat when you can no longer see your feet and feel like you’re carrying around a small elephant. She crossed the room and found Lucy by herself in the kitchen pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

  Creeping up behind her wasn’t possible any longer; the bump gave her away long before she got close enough to snake her arms around her waist. Immediately Lucy turned and grinned. “Hey, you’re supposed to be resting.”

  “I am rested.” She looked around the room to make sure they were not overheard. “And extremely horny,” she whispered, giggling at Lucy’s expression and the sudden blush that covered her cheeks.

  “Oh, really?” Lucy replied quietly as she stared into lust-filled eyes and watched as Nicole nodded and pulled her closer.

  “Yes, I heard you sing, and suddenly all I could think about was getting you naked and making love.” The words hit Lucy’s memory banks, and Nicole noticed a flicker of sadness dance across her face before the smile reappeared. “What? What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, beautiful,” she said, shaking her head. The smile she tried to force was not quite enough to convince Nicole.

  “No, I said something and you got this look, just for a second. What did I say to upset you?”

  “I’m…” She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. “I’m not upset, it’s just...” How did she explain? “The last time I sang in front of people…” She paused. “I…I came off stage and—” Her eyes glistened, shiny and tearful. “Nicky was there and she said the same thing to me, only a little more graphically. It just brought back a memory, that’s all.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, suddenly feeling vulnerable and a little nervous.

  “Oh, sweet pea.” Nicole kissed her face. “I’m so sorry.”

  “No, no you have nothing to be sorry about, I just...I never know what my reaction will be to things, and I didn’t expect—” She stroked the back of her fingers down Nicole’s cheek.

  “Me to be horny over your talent and adorableness?” She grinned.

  “Ridiculous I know, of course you should be horny about that.” Lucy laughed. “I…I just don’t want you to feel that you have to reign in your thoughts, that you can’t say how you feel…I love it when you’re horny.” She chuckled.

  “What’s horny?” A small voice from below asked. Neither had been aware that Rain had wandered over.

  “Toads!” Lucy said quickly. “I was telling Mommy all about horny toads, have you never seen one?”

  Nicole chuckled and hid her smile behind her hand as Rain thought about it for a long moment
, before announcing she didn’t think she wanted to as toads were yucky, and promptly walked away in disgust.

  “Toads?” Nicole laughed loudly.

  “Yes, I happen to like horny toads.” She laughed as she kissed her. “And later I’ll show you just how much.”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Christmas was fast approaching, and Nicole was finding everyday tasks just a little harder now that she was almost ready to pop. She was frustrated about always having to ask someone to help her. Lucy had reminded her that she had to have help with a few things because she was busy growing a baby, and that only made her cry. Her baby hormones this time around were so much different from the girls that she was almost convinced it would be a boy.

  Her relationship with Lucy was moving smoothly along, to the point that sometimes Nicole had to remind herself that it had only been a few months. Barely any time at all and yet, life with Lucy, for herself and for the kids, was beyond anything she ever expected to have. It was unrecognisable to any relationship she had had in the past, with Paul or otherwise. They worked well together. Everything had a synchronicity as they moved around one another like dancers in a ballet.

  Often, she would find herself drifting off into a daydream about her. She was doing just that right now when Lucy came through the door of Rita’s store followed by three over-excited children all bundled up in winter coats and hats. The weather had turned cold. Lucy called it an arctic blast. All of them shouted excitedly at her, and none of them were making any sense. Nicole could do nothing more than laugh and wait them out until one by one they ran out of breath and the last one standing could explain.

  “We're going to town to get a Christmas tree!” Storm shouted while jumping from one foot to the other.

  “Oh, are you?”

  They all nodded, including Lucy. Christmas had been a grand event in the Nixon household, but not for the reasons that would excite the children. The tree and decorations were not done for their enjoyment, but for the opulence of them in front of his friends. The tree would be the biggest he could find, and underneath would be boxes of all shapes and sizes. Only they knew that most of them were for show: empty wrapped cardboard.