One Wild Night

"I wonder why Lucy is yet to give us a call," Janet complained to her husband.

"Maybe she is busy, or she probably hasn\'t seen your text," Andrew said as he rubbed a hand down her arm in a reassuring manner.

"Hey, mom! Are you guys still coming today?" Jade asked the moment Evelyn received the phone call.

"Yeah. We just got to the airport. How are things going over there?" Evelyn asked curiously, and Jade brought her up to speed with the interview they had done.

"Oh, that\'s great! I guess Bryan has his head in the right place now?" Evelyn asked hopefully.

"Yes, I think so. As a matter of fact, Bryan and Tom are flying down to Heden as we speak. Bryan wants to resolve things with Sonia, and Tom wants to go on a date with Lucy. It\'s a surprise, so you can\'t let them know."

"Sure. It\'s not like I\'m going to pick up my phone to tell them anything or bump into them at the airport anyway," Evelyn said dryly.

"Do you need me to come to pick you up from the airport? I suppose you\'re stopping first at Tom\'s, right?" Jade asked curiously, wanting to know if she needed to go home to receive them since Tom wasn\'t around.

"You don\'t have to. I will have Adolf pick us up from the airport as usual. Is Candace and Jamal at Tom\'s? We picked up a couple of items for Jamal, and I can\'t wait to see him," Evelyn said, and Jade smiled.

While the men had busied themselves watching football and playing games, Evelyn and Janet had gone shopping for Jamal.

"No. They are over here at Harry\'s with Aaron but will be leaving for Tom\'s later in the evening. They are bonding," Jade said, and Evelyn smiled.

"That sounds lovely. We will stop over at Harry\'s to see them before heading home."

"Alright. We will be expecting you. Let me know when you get here. And give my love to dad," Jade said before hanging up.

"What did she say?" Desmond asked curiously, since he had been slowly walking beside her while Janet and Andrew were ahead of them.

Evelyn relayed everything to him as they hurried their steps to join Janet and Andrew, who were waiting in the queue to check-in.

As the elders got into the plane, a cab stopped in front of the airport, and Lucy and Sonia got out.

"I don\'t know why, but I still don\'t think this is a good idea," Lucy said as she took out her luggage bag, which she was yet to open since she arrived.

"Why? If this was you and Tom, wouldn\'t you be doing this?" Sonia asked as they kept walking in hurried steps.

Their flight was scheduled to leave in less than ten minutes, and they were in a hurry to get in on time.

"Of course I will. I mean, I\'m not just very comfortable with the whole surprise thing. The plan was to leave in the Jet tomorrow...."

"Don\'t you miss Tom? I thought you\'d be happy about going back to be with him instead of being stuck with me here," Sonia said, and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"That is not the point. Can I at least call Tom to let him know I\'m coming back?"

"No. What part of the surprise do you not understand? If you tell Tom, then it\'s no longer going to be a surprise. I\'m sure he will be pleasantly surprised to see you...."

"He isn\'t even in Ludus right now," Lucy explained with a sigh.

"I see. Is that why you are trying to dissuade me from going? Because your man won\'t be there?" Sonia asked, eyeing her suspiciously, and Lucy shook her head.

"Let\'s have it your way then," Lucy said as they stopped to check-in.

Once they were done and settled in the plane, Sonia turned to Lucy, "So how about you tell me everything now?" she asked with a pleasant smile as the plane took off.

While Lucy brought Sonia up to speed with the Jonas family story, in some seats ahead of them, Evelyn and Janet were engrossed in a story of their own as Evelyn told Janet how she had met Desmond.

"Sonia? Lucy?" Desmond called in surprise as he stopped by their seat on his way to use the restroom.

What were they doing on the plane when Tom and Bryan were headed to Heden for their sake?

"Desmond!" Sonia said as she exchanged a look with Lucy.

From the surprise on Lucy\'s face, Sonia could tell that, like her, Lucy had forgotten that the elders were also flying down to Ludus.

"Are my boys aware that you are coming?" Desmond asked curiously.

"No. We want to surprise them," Sonia said, flashing Desmond a smile, and he chuckled.

Wasn\'t this funny? He had heard from Evelyn that they were not to say anything to Lucy and Sonia about his boys\' surprise visit, and even though he knew it was safe to tell the girls now since it was obvious the surprise was not going to work anymore, he was in a mischievous mood.

They were all in for a surprise themselves. He only wished he could see the look on the faces of his sons when they found out they had surprised themselves. The surprises were about to be surprised.

"A surprise. That is nice. A surprise is always good. I\'m glad to see that Lucy worked her magic on you, and you\'re fine now," Desmond said, and Sonia smiled at him.

"Thank you," Sonia said, and he could tell she wasn\'t just thanking him for what he had said but also for taking her side and comforting her while she cried earlier

"It\'s good to see you again, Lucy. You look good," Desmond said, and she flashed him a smile.

"Same here. Are my parents on the plane?" Lucy asked as she looked ahead of them.

She was ashamed to admit that she had forgotten to return their calls. Although she would most likely have gotten around to calling them after she was settled in the evening, but at the moment, the thought had escaped her.

"Yes, they are. Your parents are over there," Desmond said as he showed them where his wife and the Perrys were seated.

"But I suggest you surprise them too. Don\'t let them know you\'re on the plane. I will keep your secret," Desmond said with a wink before excusing himself to use the restroom.

He couldn\'t wait to see all their shocked faces in a couple of hours; Desmond thought with a chuckle as he walked away.

Away from there in Harry\'s apartment, Jade raised a brow when she noticed how Harry kept staring at her as they both settled on the couch after arranging his kitchen and putting groceries in their place.

They had both decided to go grocery shopping on their way back from the company and had arrived home to see that Candace and Jamal were napping with Aaron in his bedroom.

"What?"

"I\'m still waiting for you to tell me about this double date plan of yours. Who are you bringing with you?" Harry asked, and Jade giggled.

"Why are you so bothered about that? Don\'t tell me you are jealous," Jade teased, enjoying herself.

Of course, she had no one in mind for the double date she had suggested. It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, and she needed some time to work out the details, but seeing Harry\'s worried reaction, she was beginning to enjoy herself. Now she wished she had someone she would take with her. If for nothing, to see how Harry would handle his jealousy.

"Is there another male in your life?" Harry asked, and although Jade wanted to taunt him, she decided not to when she saw the seriousness in his eyes.

"No. But I could come up with one just for the date," Jade suggested, and Harry shook his head.

"I don\'t think that is necessary. I plan to tell her how I feel about you during the date, so it\'s best you don\'t go through that stress. I will handle things with Aurora," Harry said, but Jade had other ideas.

"It\'s not that I don\'t trust you to handle it, but you were there when I told her about the double date, and she liked the idea. I would hate to go back on my words," Jade said with a shrug, and Harry sighed.

"I\'m saying this because I do not want any sort of drama later on in our relationship like your brothers have in theirs. I don\'t see any reason to bring in any guy...."

"Alright. Fine. I see your point. But I don\'t have to bring anyone to show up on your date, right? My date could be held up at work by a slave driver boss, and the three of us can end up having lunch or dinner or whatever alone," Jade said, and Harry shook his head.

"Don\'t you think she would be upset?" Harry asked quietly.

Although he had no intention of going into a relationship with her, he liked Aurora, and he didn\'t want to offend her.

"Who? Aurora?"

"Yes. How do you think she would feel when she eventually gets to know we are in a relationship? She would feel like you were trying to make a fool of her by setting her up with me. Don\'t you think so?" Harry asked, and Jade pressed her lips together thoughtfully.

"I could explain to her. It wasn\'t intentional," Jade said with a wince.

"I think you should let me meet with her alone. It\'s best I make her believe I\'m the one who is interested in you and trying to get you to date me. That way, she won\'t be mad at you. It would be too embarrassing for her when our relationship becomes official, and she remembers how you showed up on the date," Harry said reasonably.

"Or we could just say it\'s an arranged marriage, and my family is forcing me into getting involved with you," Jade said with a pout, and Harry chuckled.

"So you\'re saying I should let you meet with her alone?" Jade asked, and Harry nodded.

"That\'s the least price you can pay for putting me in such an awkward situation," Harry said, and Jade sighed.

"Alright. I will come up with an excuse not to join you," Jade said thoughtfully.

She could always find another reason to be at the venue that day without joining their table. She would be too restless to do anything else with her time when she knew her man would be on a date with another lady.

Perhaps she could convince Lucy and Candace to have a date with her on that day? It won\'t be bad to bond with Harry\'s twin sister and cousin while they all kept their eyes on her man, would it? Perfect!

"What are you planning this time?" Harry asked wearily when he noticed the mischievous smile on her face.

"It just occurred to me that I need to bond with Candace and Lucy since they\'re the important females in your life apart from me. Also, it occurred to me that they\'re both going to end up being my sisters in-law. I have to hang out more often with them, what do you think?" Jade asked with a happy smile when Harry kept looking at her suspiciously.

"Do whatever makes you up," Harry said, and Jade nodded.

"I intend to. Thank you," she said as she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.