Madison tapped her index finger against her mouth restlessly. Nina sighed in disapproval of her mother's clear sign of angst. She rolled her eyes. "Oh mom, come on. It's okay to be calm."
"I can't help it. I'm not your father. And I am very upset."
"Clearly." Nina smiled. "Charles!" She called out. "Could you please ask Mattie to fix mom a drink. Preferably something strong."
"Vodka." Quincy spoke. Watching Madison glare at her daughter.
"Vodka! For two. Daddy wants one too."
"Right away Miss." The door bell was rung on his way back from delivering the message. Charles drew back in surprise. "Miss Lucille." She raised her hand over her mouth, signaling him to be quiet. "Miss Lucille, the whole house has been worried about you." He chose to whisper instead.
"There's never been any need to worry Charles. I needed some time to myself. How else would I come back looking so pretty." She kissed his cheeks.
"Beyond pretty Miss Lucille."
She smiled. "Where's everyone?"
"In the den."
She nodded. Leaving her bag by the door. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress as she made her way to the den. "I don't need a drink Nina. And neither do you Quin. Stop trying to get me angry the both of you."
Lucille smiled, before winking at Nina who noticed the sound of her clicking heels before she walked in. Madison was too busy talking to notice and Quincy was too busy tuning everything out. "Hey Lulu."
Hearing Nina call her pet name for Lucille made Madison turn to the door. At which point, she gasped as she got to her feet. "Lucille." Her surprise quickly turned into a scowl. "Where the devil have you been? Two weeks."
"I needed to think?"
"To think? I could hit you." She raised her hand.
Lucille flinched. "Yes I did. I couldn't stay here where you'll smother me. I needed to be away from that and all the questions and the more questions that would follow because people would find out."
"Those questions will still be asked." She pointed out.
"And now, I'm ready." She doubted her own response.
"Where did you go Lucille?"
She kept quiet for a few seconds. "You wouldn't know where. And it wasn't a hotel."
"And you didn't tell anyone?"
"Why would I? It defeats the purpose."
"Of what?"
"Look, Maddy. What's important is she's back. Stop hounding her with questions." Quincy said.
"Did your father know where you were? Did Nina?" She ignored her husband.
"If they did, I don't know. Did you Nina?" Nina shook her head. Doing her best to keep from laughing. And Lucille's smile wasn't helping. "It's about time daddy passed his all knowing power to someone."
"Hey. I said I didn't know anything. And mom wouldn't- refused to believe me." Nina corrected.
"How is the baby? I hope nothing hap- in fact, come on. We're going to the hospital."
"Baby's fine mom. I was at the hospital before I came here."
"That explains how daddy knew you were coming." Nina mentioned.
"Wha-"
"I missed you too mom." She hugged her mother, stopping her from asking more questions. "I'm sorry you got so worried. I'm fine, baby's fine." She moved to her father. "Hi daddy." Hugging him.
"I don't know why she was so worried. Even aunt Rachel didn't have this much questions when she found us that time we ran away." Lucille stood in front of Nina. "How did thinking work for you?"
"It was good actually."
"Yeah? So Nick's been coming over."
"To do what?" Her expression changed. As did the tone of her voice. A hint of anger.
"Looking for you. He was here like every other day. He never stayed long though."
"Maybe that's because someone was staring at him and making him uncomfortable." Madison mentioned, looking at Nina.
"Who me?" Nina faked surprise. "If he was uncomfortable that's on him." Lucille nudged her, her smile back. "By the way, mom's keeping you here."
"What?" Her smile disappeared.
"Oh! I'm keeping my eyes on you."
"Mom, I'm not a teenager. You didn't even keep me locked up then."
"I wasnt there then, so I'm doing it now." Nina laughed.
"Fine. But I have to see the kids. Can I do that? On my own?"
"Fine. But not yet. Maybe in a few days."
"Poor kids must have been worried sick."
"Considering the fact that mom was panicking, I'm sure everyone is worried." Nina stated. None of them realised when Quincy left.
