Luke’s Interlude #2
Sitting inside the doctor’s office, everything feels a hell of a lot more real now. The weight of reality is crashing down on him more with every second.
Luke is going to be a father. He’s going to be a father. In just a few short months, there’s going to be a baby that he will be responsible for, whom he’ll need to care for and be there for. His baby.
And at the very least, he needs to do better than his own father did.
The thought makes his heart squeeze uncomfortably.
It’s easier for Luke to focus on Chloe’s nerves rather than his own, so he welcomes the distraction when leans over and asks her what’s wrong.
She insists that she’s fine, which is something Luke gets the feeling she does often. Chloe seems to be the type to keep her feelings close to her chest, except maybe when it comes to her two friends. Luke can relate—he’s got years of experience at hiding how he really feels during interviews and such.
But Chloe’s a really bad liar, and Luke easily sees right through her.
‘If you’re nervous, it’s okay to say so,’ he says, and ruefully admits, ‘I’m nervous, too.’
He hadn’t wanted to admit it, but it accomplishes his goal. Chloe is so tickled by the idea that Luke is nervous for an appointment that isn’t even his that he manages to get a smile out of her despite her own nerves. It probably shouldn’t, but making her smile feels like an accomplishment.
With a smile like hers, he doesn’t know why she doesn’t show it off 24/7.
And then she laughs at him, the sound infectious enough to make him smile right back. In the back of his mind, he wonders if their baby will laugh like her, and finds himself hoping it will be true.
He would be quite happy if their child turned out a lot like Chloe.
The thought gives him pause, but he doesn’t have time to dwell on it. The little boy from across the room pulls both Luke and Chloe’s attention as he barrels at them, the metal ends of a toy truck sticking out of his fist. He runs right into Chloe, the back of his truck slamming straight into her knees and damn, that’s got to hurt.
‘Oh, hey!’ Chloe practically yelps. She blocks the boy’s next attempt at bashing in her knee. ‘That hurts, buddy.’
The boy beams up at Chloe, all but shoving his toy truck in her face and babbles ‘Truck!’ over and over. It’s cute and heartwarming, really. Chloe’s face softens, and Luke has a moment where he can see a kid just like that, the unruly curls, not unlike his own, and the chubby cheeks in his future.
The thought puts a lump in his throat.
‘You like trucks, huh?’ He intervenes when the kid tries to hit Chloe again. He slides off his chair and sits on his knees next to the little boy, pointing at the truck in his hand. ‘What kind of truck is it? Do you know?’
The boy uncurls his fist so they both can look at it. The WM logo is faded, but still very visible.
‘G’bage!’
‘A garbage truck, very good!’ Luke exclaims, a little over the top even to his own ears. He pats the boy’s head, who looks up at Luke like his whole world has just lit up.
He really has never had much opportunity to be around kids; no extended family with young ones, and life on the road really prevents any other exposure, but it feels…natural when he interacts with this kid.
It’s instinctual, really, to come up with truck-related questions to ask, and to nod his head when the little boy spouts absolute nonsense in response. The boy throws the garbage truck at Luke and he catches it easily, tossing it back as gently as possible.
The boy’s mom finally makes it over to them, scooping him up into her arms like he was made to be there. The kid whines, wiggling against his mother’s grip. Luke makes a face at him and he finally calms down and giggles. He scrunches his nose in return.
‘You’re not alone, you know,’ the boy’s mother is saying to Chloe, nodding at Luke as he returns to his chair. Luke’s hardly paying attention, just exchanging silly faces with the boy. It does pull his attention, though, when the mom says, ‘Tch. You two are too adorable.’
Immediately, Chloe goes bright red. ‘Oh! Um, thanks, but we’re—I mean, we?—’
Luke, though, is used to people throwing unexpected comments and questions his way. It’s not the first time someone has made assumptions about his life and it certainly won’t be the last, so he just smiles and thanks her.
In the end, it’s so much less effort to just play along.
And then, they’re called back to the exam rooms.
Chloe walks right in, pulling herself onto the examination table easily. Luke hovers in the doorway, feeling awfully out of place.
‘Just sit down,’ she says lightly, waving to the chairs next to the table. ‘We’re probably going to be here a while.’
Sitting in silence while they wait for the doctor isn’t bad, per se, but it does give Luke’s mind a chance to wander. His gaze drifts to Chloe, whose blonde hair manages to shine even under these unflattering fluorescent lights.
She’s pretty, that much is obvious. Luke had thought so the first time he’d seen her on that balcony. It feels like just yesterday, and yet so much has changed since that night. But what hasn’t changed is this pull he feels towards her, this desire to be near her.
While the whole baby situation might not be Luke’s first choice, he is happy to have a chance to see her again and get to know her.
When Chloe goes to change into her gown, Luke slumps back and sighs. This is all so complicated. To be near her is to want her, but he knows where she stands and he has to respect it. While he really thinks they could have a shot together—and he really thinks it would be best for their baby to have a real family—he understands that she doesn’t feel the same.
But still, he wonders if she feels the same attraction he does or if their one-night-stand was really just that for her.
With a shake of his head, Luke tries to push those thoughts away. It’d be better to focus on what’s actually important—the baby and his impending fatherhood.
Luke wants to be the kind of dad his kid can be proud of. The very thought of being at all like his own father sends dread through his veins. It’s why he’s already bought and started reading parenting books. It’s what has him reaching for a pamphlet entitled Top Tips for New Dads: Everything You Need to Know to Be the Best Partner You Can Be!
When Luke and Chloe arrive back at the hotel, all hopes of spending some more time together are dashed by Devin’s very loud voice calling out.
‘CJ!’ she shouts, barely acknowledging the hotel staff sending glares her way. Devin practically skips through the lobby, her bright hair bouncing as she moves. She stops just short of them, scooping Chloe into a hug. ‘How was the appointment? Is everything with the baby okay? Is it…just the two of you?’ Her last question sounds odd, like she’s trying and failing to sound casual.
Luke furrows his eyebrows. ‘Who else would be here?’
Devin shrugs, feigning nonchalance. ‘I don’t know,’ she says airily. ‘Maverick, perhaps?’
Chloe groans. ‘Devin, shut up,’ she says playfully. It’s almost a wonder to see how suddenly at ease she is once she’s back with her friends. The tension in her shoulders melts away just like that.
‘So, how did it go?’ Elena asks, approaching them at a more normal speed. Her short hair is tied up, small strands falling out of the ponytail, making her look more casual than Luke’s seen her so far. ‘Is everything looking good with the baby?’
Luke stuffs his hands into his pockets and nods as Chloe digs out her copy of the sonogram. ‘Everything is going perfectly, according to Dr. Adams,’ Luke says proudly. ‘Chloe’s in picture-perfect health. She prescribed some medicine that we picked up on the way back.’
Chloe shows off her sonogram, and all three girls coo over the coffee bean-sized smudge in the picture.
‘Well, I’m beat,’ Devin says. ‘And starving! Walking around Williamsburg really worked up my appetite!’
‘We can order room service,’ Elena suggests brightly, ‘and have a chance to chill out some. Did you two eat after your appointment?’
‘Nope,’ Chloe answers as she carefully puts the sonogram away. ‘Are you hungry?’ she asks, looking at Luke.
Her green eyes practically sparkle, and ruefully Luke thinks it might be best for him to take a step back. Chloe’s made her intentions clear, and his muddled feelings shouldn’t affect that.
‘Actually, I should probably head to the venue. The concert’s in just a couple hours, and Regina can be really strict if we’re ever late for soundcheck,’ he says. Chloe’s face falls, just a tad, and Luke tells himself he’s imagining it.
By the time the girls head up to relax in their hotel room, Luke still has an hour until he technically needs to be at the venue for soundcheck. He decides to head there anyway in his rented car.
On his way in, he ignores a call from his mom. Today’s been a good day so far, and he isn’t ready to let that change. Normally, he’d turn his phone off when she decides to call before a performance, but he wants to keep it on in case Chloe needs him for something.
Phone signals in these concert venues are spotty at best, and honestly Chloe isn’t the type to ask him for just about anything (no, Devin’s usually the one to do so), but still. He wants to be as available as possible.
And to his surprise, his dressing room already has occupants when he arrives.
Maverick is laying on the worn sofa along the wall, his long body taking up the whole thing. Quinn is perched in a makeup chair, her slender legs curled underneath her as she scribbles on a notebook in her lap. Song lyrics, Luke would guess.
He wonders what might be inspiring her today.
Neither of them move when he shuts the door behind him, but both glance his way.
‘You’re here early,’ Quinn comments, striking through the line she just wrote.
‘You wouldn’t think so,’ Luke replies, dropping onto the floor in front of Mav. ‘I’m the last one here.’
‘Thought you’d be longer,’ Mav says, rolling on his side to poke Luke in the cheek, ‘spending time with Chloe.’
Luke grimaces, slapping his hand away. ‘Our appointment was quicker than we thought it would be,’ he says. ‘It went well, thanks for asking.’
Mav rolls his eyes, sitting up and making a show of stretching. ‘If it hadn’t, you would have started with that, wouldn’t you?’
Luke sighs , but doesn’t argue that. Instead, he asks what Maverick got up to today. Before Mav can answer, Quinn snips, ‘I’m trying to work,’ as she crosses out another line. She’s nothing if not a stickler when it comes to her lyrics. ‘So, please shut up.’
Mav and Luke share a look, eyebrows mockingly raised. ‘Wow, she actually said please,’ Mav gasps, grabbing his chest like the very idea of Quinn being polite is enough to give him a heart attack.
‘Who ever thought we’d see the day?’ Luke quips. His lips twitch, but he manages to keep a straight face. ‘Maybe the apocalypse is here.’
With a frustrated groan, Quinn slams her notebook shut. ‘You two are so fucking annoying, you know that? I got here early to actually get some work done, but it’s like you both have a sixth sense so you know when to bug me.’
Luke throws up his hands. ‘Sorry, sorry. Didn’t realize it was so serious.’
‘Don’t you have Chloe to bother now?’ Quinn doesn’t sneer Chloe’s name, but it’s close.
‘Leave Chloe out of it,’ Luke says quickly. Quinn’s eyebrow quirks at his tone, but she just gives him a sharp smile and returns to her notebook.
‘Isn’t she coming to the show?’ Mav asks. Luke shrugs.
‘Not tonight. I told her if she ever wanted to come, I could get her in,’ Luke answers. Quinn’s fist clenches around her pen and Luke takes that as his cue to leave her alone. He stands, slapping Mav on the back. ‘C’mon, let’s go find something to eat before Regina rounds us up for sound check.’
‘Bring me something back!’ Quinn shouts as they leave.
‘Not a chance!’ Mav calls over his shoulder, though all three of them know full well they’ll bring her something back.
They always do.