by KL Hughes
Allison knew she would. She would stay forever if Elena asked her.
* * *
Allison’s brows furrowed in her sleep as the distinct feeling that she was being watched trickled in through the haze of dreaming and brought her to the surface. She rubbed at her eyes before opening them, and then yelped as she came face to face with the wide eyes of a toddler.
“Hi!” Lucas’s face was so close to hers that their noses brushed.
She chuckled and shifted back in the bed, the memories of the previous night flooding back to her in a rushing wave. She was in Elena’s house, in Elena’s bed with Elena’s son sprawled out next to her and smiling so big that it looked like it had to hurt, but Elena herself was nowhere in sight. She then realized that under the thin blanket and sheet covering her, she was completely naked.
Well, this is awkward, she thought.
“Hey buddy,” she said, pulling the covers a little higher. “Where did you come from?”
“Gram’s!” He kicked his legs up and down on the mattress as he lay on his belly next to Allison. “What you doing in Momma’s bed?”
“Uh.” Allison mulled that one over. “I had a sleepover.”
“Oh,” he said, drawing out the word. “Where are your clothes?”
A soft pink dusted Allison’s cheeks as she said, “Um, on the floor, I think.”
“Why?”
“Because I took them off.”
“Why?”
“Uh, because I was hot.”
“Why?”
“Because it was hot in here.” Lucas’s goofy grin made it clear that he was enjoying this little game.
“Enough questions kid,” she said and ruffled his hair. “Did you have a good time at your Gram’s?”
“Time to get ready for my birthday.”
“Huh?” Allison asked. “What? Your birthday?”
“Yeah!” He leaned on his elbows and held up four fingers. “I’m gonna be four.”
“Wow,” Allison said, doing her best to sound super excited. “When is your birthday?”
Lucas’s face scrunched. “Uh, um…” He then shrugged and said, “I don’t know.”
Allison chuckled, the sound still a bit raspy from having just woken up. “I see. So why are we getting ready then?”
“Gram’s taking us shopping!” He cheered, but Allison’s stomach dropped.
“Your, um, your Gram is here?” she asked. “Right now?”
“Uh-huh.” He resumed kicking his legs on the mattress, smiling. “And Pop!”
“Shit,” Allison muttered. Lucas didn’t hear her, though, as his mother arrived in that moment to distract him.
Elena slipped into the room, dressed in a silken robe. She smiled apologetically at Allison before catching Lucas as he jumped to his feet, hopped on the bed twice, and then leapt at his mother. She swung him around before setting him on his feet on the floor and patting his bottom. “Baby, why don’t you go play dinosaurs with Gram and Pop while Momma gets dressed, okay?”
“Okay!” He ran out of the room and down the hall.
Elena closed the door behind him and let out a sigh. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I completely forgot that I made plans with my parents to take Lucas shopping today for party supplies.”
“Oh.” Allison sat up and held the sheet to her chest. “It’s cool.”
“I didn’t remember until the doorbell woke me up. I didn’t tell them that you were here, but apparently Lucas snuck off while I was talking to my parents and discovered it all on his own.”
“Yeah, I woke up to his nose pressed against mine. Thankfully I was covered up.”
Elena leaned her back against the door as silence developed between them, and then a smile broke over both their faces.
“I had a great time last night,” Allison said, and Elena nodded.
“I did as well.”
“Good.” Allison pointed to Elena’s hair. "Your bedhead isn't bad at all."
Elena ducked her head. "I brushed it."
"Cheater." Allison laughed as she threw aside the covers and climbed out of the bed. She stood up, stark naked, and stretched her arms over her head, coming up on her tiptoes and groaning with the stretch.
“My God,” Elena whispered.
“What?” Allison asked, bending to grab her clothes from the floor. Thankfully her shirt was only slightly wrinkled. She didn’t want to look like Elena’s sloppy one-night stand when she inevitably encountered the woman’s parents.
“You are beautiful.”
Allison smiled and tucked a rogue strand of hair behind her ear. “So are you.”
Elena stared a moment longer before asking, “Would you like to join us today?”
“Shopping for birthday supplies?”
“Yes. With my parents, Lucas, and I.”
Allison hesitated. “Would your parents be cool with that?”
“I believe so, yes,” Elena replied. “I’m sure Lucas has already informed them that you are here, and you know my mother will insist. She has taken quite the shine to you. Lucas will insist as well, I’m sure.”
“All right,” Allison agreed. “As long as you don’t mind me wearing the same clothes I wore last night. Otherwise, I can catch a cab back to campus and change. I’m sure I probably smell like a bar.”
Elena crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Allison’s waist. She sniffed her shirt and shook her head. “You smell fine. But you can borrow some perfume if you would like.”
“Thanks.” Allison bent and pressed a kiss to Elena’s nose. “Wanna take a quick shower with me anyway?”
Elena kissed her neck. “Absolutely, but we have to hurry.”
“Okay. You can start the shower and set the temperature. I’m gonna brush my teeth first, though.”
“Good plan.” Allison laughed and smacked Elena on the ass.
“So when is the kid’s birthday?” Allison asked as they entered the bathroom and she grabbed a spare toothbrush from the drawer.
“Not for another month.” Elena slid back the shower door and reached for the knob, “But we’re having his party in two weeks, because Vivian will be out of state on his actual birthday, and she insists on being at his party.”
“Oh, okay,” Allison said, her words muffled from the toothpaste now foaming in her mouth. “Makes sense.”
They showered and readied themselves quickly, Allison in the same clothes from the night before but otherwise fresh. She knotted her damp hair in a tight bun at the base of her head and watched Elena, looking as immaculate as ever, slip into a set of heels. Allison admired her from across the room until they were ready to go out and face the family together.
* * *
When Elena and Allison stepped into Lucas’s playroom, Nora instantly stood from the small chair she was seated in and made her way over to them.
“Allison, dear!” She leaned in to kiss Allison’s cheek, which made Allison blush, before Nora pulled her into a quick embrace. “It’s lovely to see you again.”
“You too,” Allison said, patting Nora’s back. “I hope it’s okay if I tag along with you all today.”
Nora pulled out of the embrace and squeezed Allison’s bicep. “Of course it is, dear. Of course.” She then led Allison over to where Elena’s father was playing with his grandson. The man’s gray hair was a bit ruffled from Lucas climbing on him, and he patted it down as he stood and offered his hand to Allison.
“This is my husband,” Nora said.
“Lucas Vega.” He shook Allison’s hand, and it was gentler than Allison expected, more of a soft squeeze than anything.
“Allison Sawyer. It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
“Oh, there’s no need for formalities. You can call me Lucas.”
“Okay then, Lucas.”
The toddler on the floor looked up. “What?”
“Uh-oh. That might be a bit of a problem.”
Lucas Sr. laughed as he nodded. “Good point.”
“You can call him ‘D
ad’,” Nora said, a knowing smile decorating her lips. “Vivian does.”
“Vivian’s known him since she was six, Mother.” Elena said.
“I’m almost four!” Lucas shouted.
Elena rested a hand on Allison’s back. “You don’t have to call him ‘Dad’. Lucas is fine. We will figure something out.”
A strange mixture of nerves and excitement swirled through Allison’s gut. The thought of Elena’s family becoming her family flitted through her mind, and Allison couldn’t deny how good it felt even inside her head, though she said nothing of it aloud. Maybe someday, though.
“Can we go now?” Lucas asked, jumping to his feet and tucking one of his dinosaurs to his chest.
“Yes we can, munchkin,” Elena said. “Do you want to ride with Allison and me or with Gram and Pop?”
“Alson!”
Nora gasped. “I think you may have replaced me as his favorite, Allison.”
“Nah.” Allison patted the top of Lucas’s head. “I’m just a novelty.”
“Oh my dear,” Nora said. “You are much more than that.” She squeezed Allison’s arm before turning and heading toward the door. “Come along, dears. We have much to do.”
Allison turned to look at Elena, and Elena smiled at her before reaching out to cup her cheek, sliding her thumb over the smooth skin. She motioned for Allison to go ahead as she hoisted Lucas up onto her hip.
Lucas Sr. surprised Allison by stepping over and putting his arm around her shoulders to lead her toward the door. “So, Allison,” he said. “I hear you are quite the musician.”
“Uh, yes, sir.” She cleared her throat. “Sorry, yes. I play guitar.”
“That’s what my darling daughter tells me,” he said. “You’ve seen my collection, yes?”
“Oh yeah.” They made their way toward the front of the house, Elena trailing behind them. “It’s incredible.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Lucas had to see everything available in every party-supplies department in every store that Elena, Allison, and Elena’s parents visited. He wanted square plates, not round plates or divided plates, and he wanted the hard plastic ones instead of the Styrofoam ones, because the former felt better when he squeezed them between his small fingers. He wanted napkins with dinosaurs on them and tablecloths that matched, but at least one of the dinosaurs shown had to be a T. rex. He wanted streamers and party horns, but the horns had to make the right sound, which meant testing a few sample horns to the annoyance of other shoppers.
He wanted a bounce house, despite Elena claiming they had no room for one, which meant their house could no longer be his party venue. He decided they would have to have the party in a park or some other open space large enough for a small bounce house. Nora was on her phone within seconds making arrangements.
Lucas wanted a dinosaur piñata, but three different stores had three different dinosaur piñatas, which meant three piñatas at Lucas’s party, because although Elena said, “No, dear, three is too many,” Nora responded with a resounding “Of course, darling. One can never have too many piñatas.” Apparently, Gram’s approval trumped Momma’s disapproval.
He wanted balloons as well, tons of them, but not just any balloons.
“Green balloons, Momma,” he said as he bounced on Elena’s hip and pointed at all the different greens available. He had been alternating between walking on his own while holding someone’s hand, and throwing his arms up so that he could be toted around on someone’s hip. He had just rotated back around to Elena’s hip after she scolded him for his daring attempt to climb on top of Allison’s shoulders with the speed of a baby cheetah, a move which took Allison completely by surprise.
“This green?” Elena asked, pointing to the nearest one. It was a vivid green, a grass green as Allison put it.
“Reminds me of the park,” Allison said, and Elena smiled, remembering the day her son barreled over Allison in Central Park.
“It does me as well,” she said, bumping Allison with her side.
“No.” Lucas shook his head with certainty. “Too green.”
“Too green?” Allison gasped. “There’s no such thing, kid.”
Lucas stuck his tongue out at her as he continued shaking his head. “Too green.” He giggled around the words.
“Perhaps a nice chartreuse, dear?” Nora asked, pointing to one of the balloons that was a much yellower green.
“Too yellow.” Lucas shook his head while Allison nodded in agreement.
“What about this one, munchkin?” Elena pointed to a teal balloon. “This is lovely.”
Lucas sighed dramatically. “Too blue.”
“It really is.” Allison said.
“It is,” Nora said as well.
“Excuse me, chartreuse,” Elena teased, rolling her eyes at her mother. It wasn’t as if her mother’s choice had been any more successful.
“Mi nieto quiere verde, mija.” Lucas Sr. grinned as he came around to poke Elena’s side, before patting her back.
Elena rubbed her temple and sighed. “Tu nieto está siendo difícil.”
Allison cleared her throat and stepped a little closer to Elena. “So, I know that ‘nieto’ is grandson,” she whispered, and Elena turned to her, surprised. “And ‘verde’ is green, so I think I got what your dad said, but can I ask what you said? Something about Lucas…”
Allison’s pronunciation was a little bland and slightly off, but Elena’s heart swelled all the same. “Being difficult,” she said. She squeezed Allison’s hand. “I thought you didn’t speak any Spanish.”
Allison shrugged and scratched awkwardly at the back of her neck. “Yeah, well, I don’t, but I told you I wanted to learn.”
“Yes, and I agreed to teach you.”
Allison nodded. “I just wanted to know a little before we started so that I wouldn’t sound like a total dork. So, I’ve just been reading on the Internet some.”
“Skilled guitarist,” Lucas Sr. said before his daughter could speak a word. “And now learning Spanish for my Elena?”
Allison blushed as the man stepped around Elena in the store aisle to place a hand on Allison’s shoulder. “Dear, if you haven’t yet won my daughter’s heart, you have certainly won mine.”
“Winning over my grandson, my daughter, and now my husband.” Nora winked at Allison. “You are quite the charmer, Miss Sawyer.”
Allison chuckled, still red-faced. “Uh, I think you’re forgetting someone.”
“Oh, am I?” Nora asked.
“Yeah,” Allison told her. “Don’t you remember when I won you over? I charmed you with all my confidence and Elena Vega adoration.”
“I believe I can clearly recall that as well, Mother,” Elena said, positively giddy that Allison was joking around with her mother of all people and gaining her father’s approval as well.
Despite the vast differences in social status and lifestyle, Allison seemed to fit so easily into the family; and watching that fluid integration happen right before her eyes was a privilege Elena cherished deeply. It felt simultaneously like a rush of adrenaline and a soothing bath—both thrilling and comforting, and beautiful in its simplicity and delicacy.
Pure and easy and beautiful—that was it. That was she and Allison since the beginning. In fact, Elena found it breathtaking just how easy it had actually been and continued to be with Allison. Even when it should have been hard, it was easy. They connected instantly, even if there had been a bit of awkwardness throughout. The transition from strangers to friends had been fast and fluid, which was rare for Elena. The transition then from friends to confidants had been faster and even easier, and the transition from confidants to lovers had felt like the most natural progression in the world.
“Mhm. I distinctly remember charming you, Nora. It definitely happened.”
“I believe I remember you mentioning something about how charming ‘that Sawyer girl’ was as well, dear,” Lucas Sr. said, and Nora offered him a playful glare.
“Oh, see
there,” Allison said, nudging Nora with her elbow. “You can’t deny it any longer. May as well ‘fess up.”
“Never,” Nora replied, making them all laugh. She then surprised Allison by nudging her back and whispering, “Quite charmed, my dear.”
Allison smiled. “Same.”
Elena cleared her throat, bringing the attention back to her. “Does no one here find me charming?” She looked over at her mother. “Are you going to throw me out and adopt Allison instead, Mother?”
“Of course not, darling,” Nora told her. “How would I ever see my precious grandson?”
“Oh ha ha.” Elena bounced Lucas and squeezed his hand. “You hear that, baby? Gram only keeps me around because of you.”
Lucas completely ignored her, still staring up at the selection of balloons, his mouth hanging open.
Stepping over, Allison kissed Elena’s temple. “Well, I think you’re charming.”
Elena leaned into her touch when Allison wrapped an arm around her, her hand coming up to rest on Lucas’s warm back.
“This feels good,” Allison whispered against Elena’s ear. “All of us together, like a family.”
The sincerity in Allison’s voice made Elena’s chest ache in the best way. “I—”
“Miss Vega?”
Elena startled, turning to face the end of the aisle. Her blood ran cold as she saw Elliot standing there, watching her.
“Elliot.” She tried to offer him a courteous smile, but she knew it likely looked as tight and forced as it felt. “How are you?”
Elliot didn’t answer her as his sharp gaze narrowed and flicked back and forth between her and Allison, zeroing in on Allison’s arm where it was still wrapped around her body. One thick eyebrow rose as his gaze tracked the length of Allison’s body, obviously taking in her attire, and Elena didn’t miss the subtle way the man shook his head in disapproval.
“Family outing?” Elliot asked, eyes locking onto Elena’s.
Elena felt her anger begin to boil beneath the surface. She could see the calculating glint in Elliot’s eyes, the near-glee at gaining more dirt to spread around her own office about her. She had never had much patience for people like him.
