Tea Parties and Feather Boas (Luke Kuechly)

Chapter Eight: Surprise Visitors

One week turned into two, then three and Luke still hadn't recovered from his concussion which meant he was around the house more. Isla was thrilled, she and Luke spent extra time together getting into all sorts of trouble. Lydia was certain half the time the 24-year-old man lowered his mental age and maturity level to that of his four year old's as they played secret agent with nerf guns and had countless tea parties in the course of those few weeks.

Of course, Luke still attended many of the team meetings and practices and traveled with them to games but he also made his daughter a priority. She was always number one on the list of important things and people and Luke would quit football without so much of a bat of an eye if he had to choose between the two. Anybody would tell you that.

Although Isla was on top of the world with the unexpected attention that came from her dad's concussion, Lydia was getting almost irritated. Luke and Isla left messes everywhere and she felt compelled to pick it up, not to mention they were very loud and sometimes all she wanted was a moment of quiet. She figured most of it stemmed from feeling useless at the moment. With Luke around more often than she was used to, she wasn't needed for her actual job and that bothered the woman more than anything else.

One thing Lydia was liking about this, however, was the fact that she and Luke now spent almost every night after Isla was put to bed, talking, playing a game, or doing something together. Did she like the fact she liked it? No. Could she help it? Maybe. Did she want to? Not a chance.

Luke had noticed the slight on edge demeanor of the Georgia born nanny, wondering what was causing the unusual mood. Then came the realization she probably needed a day off. It was something neither had taken into consideration at the beginning and she had yet to ask for a personal day in almost three months of working.

One Tuesday morning, around week three of Luke's concussion, Lydia woke up in a panic. Her alarm clock hadn't gone off and she had promised to make Isla pancakes. No doubt the little girl was waiting for her. The nanny threw her bed head of hair into a ponytail and grabbed her robe, tying it as she made her way downstairs only to find Isla in her father's arms as they made pancakes. The smell drifted towards Lydia, making her mouth water.

Neither Luke nor Isla was aware of Lydia's presence in the kitchen. Isla chatted idly while her head rested on her dad's shoulder as he flipped pancakes. The scene in front of the woman was enough to make her heart swell. They both looked so relaxed and Lydia admitted to herself she wouldn't mind waking up to this for the rest of her life.

All too soon, Isla's head picked up as she caught sight of Lydia. "Miss Lydia, you're up!"

Luke turned around, spatula and daughter in hand. "Morning sleepy head, how'd you sleep?" He smiled, a thin layer of flour dusting his apron and a part of his hair.

Lydia giggled. "I slept fine. I'm sorry I overslept though. I could've sworn I set my alarm."

"Oh you did, I just cut the breaker to your room for a second this morning so it would reset," Luke grinned, hiding that he had actually gone in and unplugged her alarm. Truth was he'd fought hard not to run his fingers through her hair and kiss her when he'd walked in that morning.

"Why would you do that?" Lydia laughed slightly.

"Because I'm giving you to the day off. I realized last night you hadn't had one yet."

"Are you sure?" Lydia asked, not having expected this at all.

"Positive. Go out, enjoy yourself have-" Luke was interrupted by the doorbell. "I wonder who that is."

"I don't know... I'll go check."

"No, I'll get it. You sit down and eat your pancakes," Luke grinned handing her a plate with a  stack of three pancakes on it and putting Isla down so she could eat too.

Lydia easily gave in, sitting at the table net to Isla,  happily eating her pancakes. Luke untied his apron, hanging it on a hook on the pantry door. The doorbell rang again. "I'm coming, I'm coming," he sighed, brushing the flour out if his hair walking to the front door. "Hello?" He opened the door.

A couple in their early 50's stood smiling on the front porch. "Can I help you?" Luke asked, curious as to who they were, having never seen them before in his life.

"I'm Sarah-Grace, and this is my husband, Jonathan," the woman spoke with a deep southern accent. "We're looking for Lydia. She doesn't know we're coming."

"You're her parents?"

"That's us," Sarah- Grace smiled.

Luke was surprised, to say the least. "I'm Luke, her uh, well boss," he stuck out his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Luke," Jonathan replied, shaking his hand firmly.

"Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?" Lydia asked as she entered the foyer, shocked.

"We came to surprise you," Sarah-Grace smiled, looking over her daughter's attire that consisted of a robe, pajama pants, and a serious case of bedhead ponytail. "But what do you think you're doing wearing that? Your employer is here. Come on let's go get you dressed," Lydia's mother said, grabbing her hand and walking towards the stair case.

"Mom," Lydia groaned.

"It's not a big deal, honestly. We were having breakfast and-" Luke interjected, taking note of his own PJ pants and white v-neck shirt.

"It's still not appropriate," she replied pulling Lydia up the stairs.

Lydia followed, knowing it pointless to try and change her mother's mind.

Luke stood in confusion. Everything he'd known of Lydia was that she was not one to give in like that to people.

"Sorry about that," Jonathan apologized. "My wife can be pushy and a little nosy. I'm also sorry to barge in like this."

"It's fine," Luke smiled politely, wondering if he could get any good stories from the people who had raised the woman who he couldn't seem to get off his mind. "Where do you all plan to stay?"

"We have a hotel reservation about 10 miles from here," Jonathan replied.

"Mr. Miller, why don't you and cancel that and just stay here? I've got plenty of space and I just gave Lydia the day off."

"Are you sure? I mean- wait... Mr. Miller?"

"That's your last name isn't it?"

Jonathan shook his head. "It's Lancaster, not Miller."

Then confusion hit Luke.

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A/N

So, what do you think the reason behind the different last names is?? Stuff is gonna heat up the next few chapters!!!! Also sorry for the three week wait.