Lies Inside (24 page)

“I guess we need to talk to everyone about the wedding. Well, that’s if Mom hasn’t let it out already.” Finn looked to Jack.

“She’s been huddled with Ry ever since we got home. Everyone is in the kitchen, I think.”

“Even the girls?”

“Yeah, I think your dad is already spoiling them. I heard something about ice cream and cake.” Jack laughed as he shook his head.

The four of them made their way to the kitchen. Rylan was with Claire huddled over the laptop. Murphy and Lane were feeding the girls ice cream and cake.

Finn cleared his throat to let them all know they were in the room. Jack made his way to stand behind Rylan as Aiden sat down at the table. Finn looked carefully at all of them. He wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted to say, but if Lucy could get up in front of the national press, the least he could do was face their families.

“I know we’ve already said this, but we will never be able to tell you how grateful we are for everything. I know Lucy, the girls, and I will never be able to repay any of you for all you’ve done. We can’t go back and change what has happened. So right now, we just need to move forward. I know Lucy and I are in no way ready to go to NYU this semester. With everything that will be happening over the next few months, we’d miss so much anyway.” Lucy nodded in agreement at his side, grabbing onto him a little tighter. “We also want to go ahead with some other plans. We know after everything, we don’t want to spend another night apart. We want to go ahead and get married as soon as Lucy turns eighteen.”

They heard Lane’s chair scoot out from underneath him. “How soon?”

Lucy took her arm from around Finn’s waist and stood in front of him. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms as she took a deep breath. He could tell she was trembling, scared of Lane’s reaction the most. “August fourth.”

Finn and Lucy both looked as Lane’s eyes widened and his lips formed a tight frown. “Of this year?” he asked through clenched teeth.

“Yes, Dad. This year.”

Lane’s eyes closed, and they prepared for the worst.

“Dad—”

Lane’s hand flew up to cut Lucy off. Finn’s stomach was churning with nervous knots. He believed he had always had a decent relationship with Lucy’s father. Lane seemed glad Lucy and Finn were home and so happy together, but marriage? Finn thought they might have pushed him a little too far.

Lane turned to Murphy, who looked only slightly less upset, but not by much. Finn felt Lucy tense at his side. She didn’t look sad or scared; it was closer to spitting mad. It surprised Finn that she was gearing up for a fight he didn’t even see coming.

“I think it’d be a good idea if Murphy and I talk to you two alone for awhile.”

Murphy nodded to Lane as he stood. Finn looked to his mother for support, but she just nodded in agreement as she squeezed his father’s hand.

“Why don’t we go in the den,” Murphy suggested.

Lucy and Finn settled on his father’s couch as the two fathers huddled in the corner.

“It’ll be fine. I promise.”

Finn laced his fingers through hers before bringing them to his lips.

“They can’t stop us. Maybe for a couple of weeks, but once I turn eighteen, there’s nothing they can do. I could get a job. I have a couple of friends in Manhattan that I’m sure we could stay with until we got on our feet. Or I could just sell all the clothes your mom bought for me. I’m sure I could get a fortune.”

“I don’t think they’d go that far. They obviously want us around. They’re just going to have to live with our decision whether they like it or not.”

Murphy and Lane came out of the corner and perched on the edge of Murphy’s desk to sit in front of their children.

“I have more than a few...reservations about these plans of yours.” Lane had slipped from father to lawyer mode. Finn felt an interrogation coming on. “We understand that NYU is definitely out for the fall semester, but—”

Lucy interrupted, “We both plan on going to college, so you don’t have to worry about that.” She tried to assure them, but Finn saw the stubborn set of Lane’s jaw.

“We’ve never been worried about your commitment to your education,” Murphy chimed in. “What we are worried about is your emotional attachment to each other. Why is marriage the next step for you two? Why can’t it wait until you both are more settled?”

Finn rubbed the back of his neck with the hand Lucy wasn’t crushing in her grasp and said, “Those are all valid questions, Dad. Our relationship could be seen by some people as unhealthy. I don’t think anyone can understand how we balance each other out. I can’t even describe what it’s like when we’re apart.”

Lucy then took over for him. “You weren’t there. You don’t know what they did to us, the sick things they made us do, or the things they did to make us suffer. There were three whole days that they kept Finn down in that hole. I didn’t have any idea what they were doing to him or if he was even alive. You’ve seen the scars, but you didn’t see them the night he was returned to me. You can’t even imagine what we went through to keep each other alive. We need each other more than ever now. I love him more than any single solitary thing in existence. Now that we’re safe, there is no way in hell we’re letting each other go.”

Finn pulled her to him as she finally let out the angry sobs she’d been holding inside. Finn’s tears fell silently as he looked to his father. Murphy’s hand was at his jaw in an effort to hold back his own tears.

“We’re not saying no.”

Lucy cut Murphy off right there. “That’s right, because you can’t tell us what we can and can’t do. We are prepared to leave if we have to. You can’t stop us.”

“Luce,” Lane said in frustration. “We don’t want you to leave. We’re concerned about...well, everything.”

Lucy wiped her eyes as she sniffled. “We’ve thought all about it, Dad. We want to get therapy. We want to put this all behind us. We need to do it together though.”

“We’re not saying we want to separate the two of you, Luce.”

“So, you’d be fine with us living together without the ceremony or the piece of paper?” That caught both of their fathers by surprise, and they scrambled to find the right words. “We need each other, and the girls need both of us. We are the only constant in their lives right now.” Finn rubbed his forehead. He felt himself actually getting a little mad. Lucy must have rubbed off on him.

“Look. I don’t know how you could think that our commitment to each other would change by waiting a year or even two. Deep down, Lucy and I have always known that we belonged together. We want to take our lives one step at a time as husband and wife.”

Murphy shook his head, looked at his friend, and let out a long sigh. “I don’t think they’re going to back down from this, Lane.”

“I don’t want any of the other kids getting any ideas. I don’t want them thinking this is a free pass for them to get married. And I am certainly not ready to be a grandfather. You all are way too young to be parents.”

“Dad, kids are a long way down the road.” Lucy got up from the couch and inched her way over to Lane. “Does this mean we have your blessing?”

“There’s a lot of groundwork to do, plans need to be made, and I want it all in writing, signed in blood.” Lucy laughed and Lane smiled. “But...yes, you’ve got my blessing.”

Lucy wrapped her arms around her father’s neck, and Murphy extended his hand to his son, who pulled him into a hug.

After a moment of happy tears, Lucy was back in Finn’s arms.

“I’m assuming you two are going to want to live here?”

“We were hoping, but we don’t have to. I mean, if it’s going to cause any problems, we can find a place of our own.” Finn wasn’t sure where, but he was sure they would figure it out.

“Lucy can stay here tonight. We’ll worry about a more permanent solution after we’ve talked to your mother. We’ve got a lot to work on, starting with the two of you meeting with Dr. Styles. I’ve already set an appointment for Finn to meet with him in the morning.”

Lucy looked to Finn, confused. “Dr. Styles is a psychologist,” Finn clarified.

“Then he’ll meet with both of you in the afternoon. If you guys are planning on getting married in a couple of weeks, I want you to make sure you’re in a good place first.”

Lucy hugged Murphy as she kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

“I’m sure dinner is ready by now. Let’s not keep everyone waiting,” Murphy said as he headed toward the door of the study.

Finn decided the best course of action was to get his mother alone to explain everything. He took her to the one place outside their home she felt the most comfortable. Her garden.

She sighed as they walked up to the garden at her favorite time of day. The sun had just set, and a gentle breeze wafted the scent to the thousands of flowers in the air.

“You’ve done a wonderful job. The snapdragons are beautiful.”

“Oh.” She laced her arm through Finn’s. “I wish you could have seen them when they first bloomed.”

“Actually,” he said, patting her hand, “this might sound a little strange, but I did. One of those cameras was pointed out here. They thought they were adding to our torture by making us watch you all go on without us. Watching day after day as you brought this all to life was very comforting somehow. I’ve been waiting to see it all up close.” His fingers caressed the small buds as they dangled in the light breeze.

“Come, sit with me for a few minutes.” Claire led him over to her favorite stone bench and sat down with him as she’d done hundreds of times before.

“I know your father and Lane are worried about what kind of husband you’ll be. I’m sure you’re a little worried yourself, but I want you to know I have complete faith in you. It’s all my fault anyway, pushing you and Lucy together since the day you met. I always knew that the two of you were a perfect match. I almost thought that after you went to Two Roads, you two had lost your connection. I’m glad you have each other to get through all of this. I know I’m your mother, and I can’t be everything for you.” She started to tear up.

“Mom.” He put his arm around her shoulders.

“I want you to know I’m here for you. I don’t care if you think it’s hard for me to hear. If you need to talk about it, I’ll listen.”

“Thanks. It means a lot to me and Lucy that we have your support.”

“You have more than that.” She pulled a blue velvet box from her pocket and placed it in his palm. “It was my mother’s engagement ring. I was always planning to give it to you when you decided to get married. When I look at it, I see that it will be perfect for Lucy. Go ahead. Open it.”

Finn lifted the lid. A half-carat square diamond set in the center of a silver band was nestled in the satin of the ring box.

“Mom, it’s...it’s perfect.”

“I hope so. I even had it sized. Do you think she’ll like it?”

“I’m sure she’s going to love it. It looks like something we would have picked ourselves. Thank you so much. This is going to make what I have planned even more perfect.”

“What you’ve got planned?” She lifted a suspicious eyebrow.

“Proposing on the bathroom floor was memorable, but I thought I’d do it up right when I give her a ring. You know, all romantic, down on one knee.”

“So, you’ve got the ring now. What did you have in mind?”

“I actually might need your help.” Finn launched into his vision of the perfect moment.