Chapter 89 - Lucas Gets Married

Lucas took advantage of Delia's absence and invited Ari over for dinner. She readily agreed. She liked Lucas too.  Ari thought he was so sweet at prom but he needed to learn to dance. She laughed thinking how embarrassed he was trying to dance with her and stepping on her toes not once, but twice before the song was over. It was one of the things that endeared him to Ari even more.

After they ate his mom's leftovers, Lucas had gathered up enough courage to take Ari's hand and let her know that he really liked her - a lot - and would like to date her.




He was rewarded with his first ever kiss.




The two of them then migrated to the sofa to 'talk'.  He did the old yawn let me stretch out and put my arm around you maneuver and it worked like a charm.

Ari had the most beautiful black brown eyes. They were like looking into her soul they were so dark.


Soon hugging became a full blown make out session. They were so into each other they didn't hear Delia walk into the room.

When Lucas came up for air he saw Delia standing there and the couple quickly broke apart - totally embarrassed.

"Oh - Hi Mom" stammered Lucas.

"Hi Lucas and....?" she paused waiting for an introduction.


Ari quickly got up and walked over to Lucas' mother and introduced herself while Lucas was stuck on the couch afraid of what was coming next.  "Very nice to meet you Mrs. Schlick. Lucas has told me a lot about you. Your home is lovely. I understand you are an Architect, did you build it?" Ari said without taking a breath.  She was so nervous they were going to be in trouble.

"Well, nice to meet you too Ari," she said when the girl slowed down for a second, "I can see you and Lucas are getting along quite well. And thank you for the compliment. I didn't design the home, but did make a few improvements."  Then turning to Lucas she said, "Maybe next time, Lucas, you can let me know when you are going to have company," Delia warned with a smile, and added, "Lucas, did you notice? The moon is full?"

Delia was delighted that Lucas didn't change. He was cured and she was secretly happy to see he was allowing himself to get close to someone. She had worried that he may not adjust so quickly from his short time as a werewolf. Unlike his mother he seemed to be resilient. Thank God.

"I have an early morning, so it is probably time to say goodbye. And you two have school tomorrow," said Delia.

Lucas took the cue and got up and hugged Ari, his official girlfriend, goodbye and whispered to her that he thought he was falling love. She replied simply, "Me too," and turned and waved goodbye to Delia and left floating on air.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Things were going well. Lucas and Ari were inseparable and Delia was close to becoming the most demanded Architect in Riverview.  She spent a lot of time doing concept drawings and wondering why she hadn't heard from Troy.

She finally decided to write him a letter.  That would be better than calling or texting.  Way more personal.

Lucas' birthday and graduation was coming up. She wanted to be sure to stay in touch with Troy so she could invite him to Lucas birthday/graduation party. She felt kind of ashamed. Using Lucas' party as an excuse to see Troy. She only hoped he would show up.

Finally the day came. They had his party at the Grind which probably, in hindsight, wasn't the best location, but in Riverview there weren't very many venues. If it weren't still snowing, she would have preferred a pool party at their home.

Regardless quite a few of Lucas' friends showed up and of course Ari was there. They danced almost the whole night. Lucas wanted to show Ari he had  been practicing. She just laughed and said "ANYBODY can fast dance! Show me again when you learn to slow dance."


After they danced for awhile, it was time for Lucas to blow out the candles and to Delia's delight, Troy had made it to the party.

She couldn't understand him. The first time he met it was like they were meant to be together but she never heard from him again.  Now, while he was polite, he wasn't quite as forward. She hoped he wasn't just a big flirt.

Delia wanted to dance with her son to celebrate but he was with Ari again so she used that time to hunt down Troy.

When she found him, and they got close to each other, he was charming again. He embraced her sweetly and said he would love to dance with her but had another engagement he couldn't miss.

"I am just glad you came," said Delia with a silly smile on her face. When he touched her it was like it was before. It felt like they were supposed to be together. It seemed he felt the same. Maybe absence doesn't make the heart grow fonder she thought.

"I got your letter. How could I not come. It was so - so -  unexpected, I guess. But very sweet. I don't think anyone has ever sent me anything other than a credit card bill in the mail," he said laughing.

Delia turned bright red, totally embarrassed.  "You look lovely when you blush." he said before releasing her. That only made her get redder.

"Sorry, Delia, I have to go, but I will see you again, need to see you again," he said and left the party. Delia thought that was strange. It was exactly the same thing he said before - 'need to see you again' - yet he hadn't called.

After Troy left, Delia found her grandson and they danced together to celebrate his graduation and entry into Adulthood. She was very proud of him and felt so bad that his mother couldn't be here to see him.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Lucas graduated with honors. Delia was delighted with her grandson. He had been through so much but seemed to have found himself in the process. He wanted to become a firefighter and certainly had the muscles for it. He had found love in the form of Ari. They simply adored each other. Delia figured he would probably propose soon.








Delia remembered when Valerie, her daughter, had graduated and the drama surrounding the event brought on by her sister Victoria and her jealousy. Delia figured that was probably the night that Lucas was conceived by a very angry teenager who never recovered from the loss of her father. But she left behind a handsome, resilient young man with a very bright future in spite of her. She hoped Victoria's spirit was as proud as she was.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After graduation, Lucas joined the fire department. Delia worried a bit about him. He would come home with frightening tales of fighting fires.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Things began to settle into a predictable routine once again. Delia continued her work and became the most demanded architect in Riverview.

Finally, she decided to give the ever elusive Troy a call. He hadn't held true to his word. He didn't call her or ask her out. So this time she would call him. She got voice mail.

One night, not long after Lucas' graduation, Delia was working in the basement, pouring herself into her work since Troy hadn't called, when she received a visit from the ghosts of her husband Vladimir and their daughter and Lucas' mother Victoria.

Delia had never seen them together before. They always appeared to her separately. It gave her hope that Victoria had found her father in the afterlife and with that comfort. Victoria's spirit had seemed more settled when she visited her when Lucas was young to help her figure out what was wrong with him.

Delia just stood there hoping they weren't going to attack her. Instead, they both just looked at her lovingly and said in unison, "Thank You." Then they both disappeared, Vladimir in a red mist and Victoria in a wet blue mist.


That night Delia cried herself to sleep. She didn't know that Vladimir had come to lay beside her and her mother watched over her as well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lucas had been working on his dance moves and wanted to take Ari out and show her. He invited her over and told her he had a surprise for her as he caressed her.

The weather had cleared since spring had arrived. He wanted to take her to the park. "As long as I am with you, we can go anywhere," she told him. 
"I have been practicing Ari," said Lucas, "dance with me." Lucas and Ari danced for hours and not once did he step on her toes.

As the music ended, Ari said, "I am totally impressed. How could you hide this from me?"

"Well, you know we have all that down time at the firestation. So I bought a dance instruction DVD and instead of watching TV, I have been practicing my dance moves." laughed Lucas. "The guys have been teasing me like crazy, because sometimes I make them dance with me, but it was worth it to see your smile."

"And that is why I love you," sighed Ari contentedly, "but now, all that dancing made me hungry, let's go eat."

That night, after Lucas dropped off Ari at her house, he approached Delia. "Mom, I have decided to propose to Ari. I am doing really well at the fire department and have saved up a good amount of money so now I can move out on my own. Do you think she will say yes?"

Delia just laughed. "Are you blind? That girl adores you. Of course she will say yes! And what took you so long?"

"I had to learn to dance," he said.  When Delia looked at him like he was crazy he added, "it's a long story."

"So when????" asked Delia.

"Tomorrow. I will ask her when she comes over," and he let out a big breath he didn't even know he was holding and went to bed as happy as he had ever been.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The next evening when Ari arrived at the house, Lucas wasted no time. He was simply too nervous. And just as Delia predicted she immediately said yes. He really did think she was shocked. He figured he must have waited too long.








He hugged her tight, taking in her honey scent after he placed the diamond engagement ring on her finger. Lucas never wanted to be without her. Thank goodness they moved here to find his cure.


The next order of business was to plan the wedding. A very happy Ari sat down with Lucas and Delia and together they planned the small ceremony at the chapel. It would be as soon as possible. The couple had waited too long to be together.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The day of the wedding came quickly and Delia had not failed to ensure that Troy was invited. Again she found herself using her son to arrange a meeting with Troy. Well, he WAS a friend, she justified.




Sure enough he showed up. He saw her from across the room right before the ceremony. He nodded a greeting. At least he acknowledged her.

Finally the ceremony was starting and Delia found herself studying him while he watched the nuptials. She was missing most of her grandsons wedding watching and trying to figure out this interesting man.

The feeling that they should be together was not as strong as it was when he touched her. What was it about his touch that made her go weak in the knees and her heart to beat fast?

Delia heard clapping and realized she had missed almost the entire ceremony captivated by Troy and his aloofness. She looked up in time to see Lucas slip the ring onto Ari's finger symbolizing their unity as a couple.

Lucas dipped Ari under the altar and kissed his new wife passionately to loud cheering. When Delia looked around to see if she could find Troy he had vanished. What was with that man?

The newlyweds had a very short reception before heading home.

The couple spent their first night in Delia's home.

Tomorrow they would move into their new home that Lucas had saved up and bought for them to begin their new life as husband and wife.


Go to Chapter 90

Go back to Chapter 88

Chapter 88 – Riverview

Delia and Lucas arrived in Riverview in the late fall just before the snow came.  This was a big change from the sunny coastal city where Lucas had lived his entire life.  He couldn’t wait for the snow.

The home Delia found was a two story home with a huge attic and detached garage.  At first she thought she could hide her alchemy room in the attic, but as it turned out the space was too cramped and she was forced to build a basement.  

She decided to create a wine cellar with an entrance in the garage and hide the entrance to the alchemy room off of it. No one would have any idea it was there.  It was perfect. As long as she didn’t do anything stupid like leave the door open! 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lucas settled into school and Delia began her quest to find the ingredients needed to create the cure elixir for Lucas. She started at the local elixir store and was told she could find the plant she wanted in the Fairy Arboretum and the gems needed would be found in the Vault of Antiquity located across the river by the cemetery.  She didn’t tell the clerk why she needed these particular items. But once she found them, she would be able to create the cure. 

Next she stopped by the consignment shop to give them some items to sell and start meeting people.  The clerk was quite odd and kept talking to himself. But she managed to get her items consigned. They did have an interesting item for sale though. It was an old lamp. Delia bought in on impulse and figured it would be a good addition to her collection in the basement. 

As she was leaving the store, Delia ran into another one of the locals, Daniel Green. He started chatting her up and began asking her a thousand questions about herself.  The folks here in Riverview are quite quirky for sure!  She did tell him she was new in town and had bought the big house out in the country. Then he started telling her all about her house. Finally as she tried to gracefully extract herself he told her he was having a party next week and it would be a great way for her to get to know more people.  She said she would give it some thought and left grateful to get away from the chatter box.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Delia got home, she took the lamp to the alchemy room to store it.  Before she put it up, she decided to clean it a bit. 

When she rubbed the lamp, it began to smoke and shake in her hands. She dropped it on the floor and backed away frightened.

A very irate genie popped out much to her surprise.  “Why did you have to drop my house on the floor!” he demanded.

“Uh, I didn’t know it was your house - are you a - uh genie?” she asked still unable to believe her eyes.

“Yeah!  You know the drill – three wishes. Whadda you want?  You interrupted my beauty sleep! Make it snappy.”

“To meet my one true love!” blurted out Delia sarcastically since she thought he was rude and yes, that was the one thing she as always wished for and knew would never happen.   

The Genie clapped his hands three times.  “Your wish is my command!” 

“NO!” gasped Delia.

“It is done.”

“Wait – you can’t grant true love!” she admonished the blue man.

At that his eyes began to glow and it felt like he was looking into her soul.  Then a light enveloped her and she actually levitated for a minute or two. 

After she came back down to the ground and was attempting to catch her breath, he asked her if he could be of further service. 

“No!” exclaimed Delia, “Get back into your – that - THING! 

And he did just that. 

Delia was no longer a stranger to the occult. But Genies!  Really?!

Delia put the lamp on the top shelf.  She never wanted to see that blue man again!  He was unnerving and she had more pressing issues other than an irate genie to deal with right now.  She needed to find the items for the Lucas’ cure.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This week winter came with a vengeance.  Lucas couldn’t wait to build a snowman!  Since he had never seen snow before, he built a whole family of snowmen in the front yard.  He was like a little kid.  It made Delia happy to watch him.  He got the last one in before school.

After Lucas headed off to school, Delia went her own way in her old faithful roadster.  It’s been awhile since she had to drive through the snowy streets.  Not since they lived in Bridgeport. At least it had stopped snowing for now. 

When she pulled up outside the Arboretum, Delia had a flashback to the time she and her second husband went inside the Arboretum in Hidden Springs.  She remembers how she felt when she went in, not what transpired in there, but more the way she felt the minute she walked in the doors.  It was as if she belonged there somehow.  She stopped at the entrance with her hand on the door.  She was a little afraid of going inside.  But she had to.  For Lucas. 

Delia took a deep breath and stepped in.  It was exactly like before.  The feeling of calm and of belonging was overpowering.  She breathed in the warm atmosphere and immediately became peaceful and relaxed.  She couldn’t stay, so she gathered her thoughts and went about searching for the perfect mushroom that will cure Lucas.  She found it easily. 

Her next stop was the Graveyard to go into the Vault of Antiquity and seek out the gem that was needed. To get there, she had to take a water taxi across the river.  As they neared, Delia could see the tombstones standing tall in the cemetery.  Then she saw the building she would have to enter alone.

By now it had started snowing again.  Delia walked up the pathway and went inside.  It took her awhile to locate the gem, but she found it and left.  She had to hurry.  Tonight was prom night and she promised Lucas he could go since it wasn’t a full moon.  

Delia got home just in time to see her grandson off.  He really was growing up so quickly.

While he was gone she could make the potion.

Delia went into her alchemy room and fired up the cauldron.  She got out the spell book and began mixing ingredients. 

She really enjoyed making the elixirs.  Maybe she would start making them again after Lucas was cured.  She was at home doing this, but not as ‘at home’ as she was in the Fairy Arboretum.

Eventually the cure was ready.  She would give it to Lucas tomorrow.

Lucas got home a little after midnight.  Not long after Delia had finished the potion.  She asked him how it was and  when he was a little bashful, Delia knew what that must mean.

“Did you get to dance with anyone?” she asked with a smile.

Lucas just shrugged his shoulders and said, “Well I sort of got named King of the Prom so I had to dance with Ari Moore since she was Queen.”

“Oh, well, congratulations. You haven’t been in Riverview very long and everyone already likes you! That is great Lucas.” 

“Whatever.  Uh, can Ari come over next week to study? We have our science class together and she said she needed some help.”

“Of course,” laughed Delia, “but I have good news for you.  I have the medicine that will cure your uh, illness.”

“You don’t have to call it that.  I know it is really a curse. Can we do it now?” 

“No, you need to rest and so do I.  We will get you rested and fed and then tomorrow afternoon, you can drink the medicine.”

“You mean potion don’t you?”

“Why do you say that?”

 “I know how to look stuff up mom. I am not a moron.”

“Hon, you can’t believe everything you read.  Get to bed and tomorrow when we are both rested and have breakfast, we will do this.”

“G’night  Mom, and uh, thanks.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next afternoon, Delia poured the potion, for it indeed WAS a potion, into a glass.  It glowed with an iridescent blue.  She sat it on the bar in the music room where she had put Vladimir’s piano.  She loved looking at it and missed hearing him and their daughter, Valerie play.

“It’s time Lucas.  Are you ready?” asked Delia.  “As ready as I ever will be,” he replied.

Lucas bravely walked over to the bar and picked up the glass.  He turned to look at Delia to get a nod of affirmation before he began to down the potion.  It was difficult for Delia to watch.  She prayed nothing would go wrong.  She had successfully cured lots of people, herself included, but she still worried every time.  She knew how powerful that drink was.

After he drank, Delia ran over and asked him, “Well, Lucas, are you feeling okay?  Do you think it worked?”

“It is weird.  I don’t really feel any different, except that I feel calmer now.  I have no urge to – well to shift or change anymore.  Could it really be?”

“We will know for sure at the full moon.  But your eyes.  They DO look different.  They no longer glow.”

“It MUST have worked then.  Thank you, thank you, thank you…Now I can ask out Ari…I mean…”

 “Aww, you DO like her!”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few weeks later, Delia received a phone call from Daniel, the guy she met at the consignment store.  She missed his last party because she was just too preoccupied with Lucas.  He said he was having another get together and would love for her to come.  This one was a cocktail party so a bit formal.  She hadn’t dressed up in a long time and thought, why not, Lucas is doing well. I might as well meet some people.  

She put her hair up and grabbed one of her dresses she hadn’t worn in a good while.  She was always practicing her dancing so it still fit and hugged her curves in all the right places.

When she walked into the party she was greeted by an attractive gentleman she had not previously met.  He said is name was Troy Reynolds and wanted to know if she was the Delia Schlick he had heard so much about.

What had he heard she thought in a panic? 

“What do you mean Troy?” asked Delia trying to gracefully find out what he meant by that.

“My friend Daniel said you were beautiful, sweet and charming.  I would say check, check and check.  He was right, as far as I can tell - so far anyway.”

Delia blushed and thought – no YOU are all of those things – check, check and triple check!  Before she could reply the music started and he asked her to dance.  She caught her breath at the thought of being that close to him.  She just nodded yes and smiled.  She didn’t know what to say.

Troy was a good dancer and they danced for two dances before the music stopped.  Delia was having a wonderful time.

When the music stopped, he held her hands just a little longer before releasing them. She physically felt the loss when he was no longer touching her and her heart felt like it would beat out of her chest. 

He looked at her with emerald green eyes and whispered, “Delia, do you believe in love at first sight? Because I am loving what I see in front of me and I really would like to see you again, even need to see you again.”

Delia got lost in his eyes and felt like her knees were going to give out.  “I am not sure about love at first sight, but I definitely would like to see you again too.”

When she said she would see him again, he smiled and twirled her around.  Yes, thought Delia as he spun her, I could see a whole lot more of that smile and those eyes.

Go to Chapter 89

Go back to Chapter 87