I Pretend You're Mine

20. Real Love

"I went in the house to bring her some water, and she seems to be pretty happy even though we haven't told her yet that we're getting married today," Tim responded.

"That's Amy for you. Always smiling. It's infectious."

"Lucy's just like her in that way. She's one of the bubbliest people I've ever met."

Sam chuckled. "Guess what they say is true. Opposites attract. My wife is always smiling and happy, and well, that's not the kind of guy I am, and no offense, I can tell you aren't exactly Mr. Sunshine."

"No, I'm not," Tim shook his head.

"Daddy! Look!" Olive called.

"Did you bury the dog in the sand?" Sam asked his daughter who was grinning next to a mostly sand-covered Kojo. "I'm sorry she did that," he apologized under his breath.

"It's funny, actually. I'm gonna take a picture and send it to Lucy," Tim smiled and snapped a photo.

"Olive, I told you that you can't bury Boo in the sand anymore," Sam reminded his daughter.

"Yeah, but this isn't Boo. This is Kojo. You never said I couldn't bury Kojo in the sand," Olive pointed out.

"You're definitely your mother's daughter," Sam chortled. "We've gotta wash him up before the wedding."

"I'll clean Kojo off," Tim volunteered. "It's fine."

"Can I help?" Olive asked.

"Sure," Tim smiled and worked alongside the little girl to dig his dog out of the sand. Together, they went into the cottage and placed Kojo in the tub to start cleaning him up.

When Lucy entered the cottage some time later to put her wedding dress in the armoire, she was surprised to hear the sounds of laughter coming from the bathroom. She found a very soaked Kojo that Tim and Olive were scrubbing with big grins on their faces. Just for a moment, Lucy leaned against the door frame and watched a glimpse of what could be their future with Tim laughing with their future kid and playing with Kojo. It made her heart swell. "What's going on in here?" She finally asked.

"Kojo's almost clean!" Olive explained.

"How exactly did he get dirty?" Lucy wondered.

"He got buried in the sand," Tim explained.

"I see. Do you guys need some help?"

"We're almost done here. Why don't you go hang out with Amy," he suggested.

"Alright," she waved goodbye and left the cottage listening to the sound of Olive's giggles mixed with Tim's low rumbly chuckle float through the air, and Lucy was grateful that there was a chance her life could be filled with hearing Tim laugh with her and someday their future kids, too.

The second they made eye contact in the living room of the main house, Amy brightened, "Lulu, I'm so glad you're here."

"Me, too, Aunt Amy."

"Dave thinks he's surprising me with a party tonight, but he's not very sneaky."

"Clearly, no one can pull one over on you. I've tried," Lucy smirked.

"You and Tim tried your very best. Excellent commitment to your roles," Amy winked.

"Apparently, we weren't fooling anyone, since you knew the truth, and Tim and I...we weren't pretending anything."

"Don't I know it. I spent so much time with him at the hospital, and I kept thinking that I wish he was happier. He's a good man with a good heart, and Tim was so...unhappy. No wonder he was grumpy all the time...but, the way he smiles around you shows me that he's finally happy, because of you."