Tea Parties and Feather Boas (Luke Kuechly)

Chapter Ten: Tears and Cuddles

The next few days seemed quiet in the Kuechly household. Lydia and and Luke barely addressed each other and Isla could sense something off. Her normal perky, Chatty Cathy personality was replaced by the little girl playing silently by herself and doing all her talking to her array of stuffed animals.

Luke was mad and confused and several other emotions he couldn't identify. So she had been pregnant? Had that meant she'd miscarried? Had something happened to the child? He was feeling kind of guilty for blowing up at her when whatever it was seemed to affect her in this way. Lydia Miller was more of a mystery than he had originally thought.

After a month long concussion, Luke was cleared to play, which helped to relieve some of the tension in the house... But not all, or as much of it as the two adults had hoped. So the evening before he left for Seattle, the linebacker decided he was going to talk to the nanny.

After putting Isla to bed, he found her washing dishes and he could see the frustration she was taking out on the pots and pans. It was enough to tempt the 6'3, 238 pound, NFL player to run in the opposite direction, he knew that this southern bell was very capable of beating him up.

"Are you just gonna stand there and watch or are you gonna do something productive?" Lydia spoke, not even turning from her task.

"Ummm...."

"Here," Lydia held out a dish towel. "You can dry."

"O-okay," Luke took the dish rag, picking up a pot to dry.

The two continued like this for a while longer, only silence accompanying them and the sound of dishes being scrubbed and put away.

"I'm a trustworthy person, Luke, but everybody has their secrets," Lydia spoke, never once turning to face him or stopping her task.

Silence ensued from Luke as the nanny sighed. "My life, my past. If I felt it was relative I'd have told you."

"Ok..." Luke replied. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gone snooping."

"You did what you felt you had to," Lydia drained the sink and began to wipe down the counter, ice in her voice.

"Lydia," Luke spoke softly, his hand going up to brush back her hair but stopping mere centimeters away as she turned to face him. "You said shotgun... That implies a baby..."

"Why are you so interested in my life," her emotions of sadness showing in her eyes.

"Because... I care- I care about you, Lydia."

She bit her lip, seeing nothing but care and concern in her employers eyes. "Miscarriage," the words still felt foreign even after all this time.

"Miscarriage?" Lurk repeated. "Lydia I'm so-"

"Don't!" She held back for a minute. "Don't tell me how sorry you are. I'm tired of it."

"Ok..."

"I didn't need a daddy for my child anymore and I had been about to break up with him before I found out about the baby. That's why we're not together."

"Then why did you marry him? You don't seem like the type to-"

"But I was," Lydia cut him off. "I did what was expected of me. I was barely 18."

Luke bit his lip not knowing what else to say and feeling bad for prying into something that obviously caused her so much pain. "I'm sorry I pried... I shouldn't have."

"I get it, you're trusting me with your child," Lydia replied, finishing her task, walking off.

Luke sighed, deciding to let the nanny be to herself for the time being. If he had know that asking her about what he found was going to cause her this much pain, he wouldn't have asked. The linebacker felt bad for bringing painful memories to the surface. He couldn't imagine what he would do if something happened to Isla.

It wasn't but an hour later when Lydia came down and silently sat beside Luke on the couch. The silence was a comfortable one as Luke watched his tv show and Lydia tried to focus. She couldn't, the emotions that had been buried deep down for forever she couldn't keep concealed anymore as the first tear slipped down her cheek.

Once Luke glanced over at her there were streams of tears flowing down her cheeks as she cried silently, fighting back the sobs. "Lydia?" He spoke softly, sliding closer and brushing her hair back. "It's ok to cry... I don't know-"

Lydia couldn't hold back to urge to nuzzle into Luke anymore. Before she could stop herself, she buried her face into her boss's shirt, letting the sobs rattle her body.

Her actions surprised Luke, causing him to freeze for a second before wrapping his arms around her shaking form. "Shhhh, Lydia," he rubbed her back, holding her close with the smell of her shampoo drifting up to him.

He knew this wasn't the time to be smelling her shampoo but the star football player couldn't resist the urge. He had her in his arms and nothing felt better to the man, even if she was in tears.

Lydia sniffed back her tears, silencing her cries. Warmth and comfort seemed to radiate from Luke. He made the woman feel safe and secure.

Luke continued to hold the nanny close, not wanting to let her go. He played with her soft, brown hair and kissed the top of her head, hoping to sooth the woman in his arms. "I can't even imagine going through what you went through. If something were to happen to Isla.... I- I don't know what I'd do."

Lydia remained silent as Luke sat there, content with her in his arms, something that he almost couldn't admit to himself. He wanted nothing more than to take all her grief and fears from her.

A few minutes later Lydia became still and her breathing evened out. Luke looked down to find her asleep. He sighed, caressing her cheek softly, biting his lip and realizing how much she meant to him. Before the football player could do anything he regretted there was a knock on the door.

Slowly untangling himself from her, Luke made his way to the door, wondering who it was. He wasn't expecting any company. Opening the door, he came face to face with a man with light hair and standing about 6 foot 3 in height. "Who are you?" Luke asked bluntly, not big on surprise guests anymore.

"I'm Lawson Miller and I'm her for my wife."