Chapter 205: Missing you too

Lucas’s heart leaped into his throat.

“Oh, fuck.” The word escaped before he could stop it.

Slowly, he looked down and stared at his phone. Then stared wider, and it was indeed Alex.

“Oh dear, it was really Alex calling.” He whispered, his eyes still on the screen.

For some reason, a smile appeared before he could stop it.

His chest warmed. His heartbeat became louder. He breathed out once and swiped the answer button.

“Hello, Alex.”

There was a short silence.

Then Alex’s voice came softly through the phone. “Baby… how are you?”

Lucas closed his eyes briefly. That sweet word again. That word that always made his stomach flutter.

His lips curved unconsciously. “I’m alright.” He swallowed and asked, “And you?”

Alex sighed. “Well… there is one problem I don’t know how to handle.”

Immediately Lucas sat straighter.

“What is the problem?” His voice softened with concern. “Maybe I can help?”

Alex went quiet for a second.

Then he said, “Well… there’s this boy I’m in love with.”

Lucas froze.

Alex continued softly. “I miss him so much.”

Lucas’s heart pounded in his chest.

“But he had partial amnesia, and he can’t remember me.”

Lucas’s fingers tightened around the phone.

Alex laughed faintly but there was pain under it. “I’m really scared of losing him.”

Something inside Lucas tightened painfully. His chest hurt unexpectedly, because he knew.

He was the boy. He was the reason Alex sounded like that.

Then Alex spoke again, his voice very low, filled with emotion. “Baby…”

Lucas’s breath caught.

“Please help me and remember us?”

His voice cracked at the end.

A tear escaped Lucas’s eyes before he realized it. He quickly wiped it, but another followed. His throat tightened. He whispered softly, “I’m sorry…”

A suffocating silence followed.

Lucas sniffled.

“I’m sorry for forgetting us.” He pressed the phone closer to his ear. “If there’s a way to help me remember… please tell me.”

Alex stayed silent.

Lucas took another breath. Then suddenly said, “Let’s meet tonight.”

Alex froze and his heart thudded violently.

Lucas continued quietly.

“I’m taking the guards out for a drink. Let’s meet at Pointview Lounge.”

There was complete silence.

Earlier Mavis had mentioned the outing to Alex, but hearing Lucas invite him personally, it hit differently.

Alex smiled helplessly.

“Baby…” His voice became lighter. “Should we call it a date?”

Lucas laughed quietly through his tears as another one rolled down his cheek.

Somehow, he couldn’t stop it. He whispered, “Yes, Alex.”

There was a pause before Lucas added, “It’s a date.”

Alex covered his mouth. His eyes became hot. Then softly, he said, “Then let me buy you dinner too… please, baby.”

Lucas smiled.

“Alright.” Then added quietly, “As long as it’s somewhere Derby won’t see us.”

Alex smiled.

“It’s a date, baby.”

Sweet silence followed

“I love you so much… my Lucas.”

Lucas laughed quietly again. His eyes burned with joyful tears. He wiped them off.

Then whispered, “Oh Alex…” His voice trembled. “I wish I could really remember us.”

He took a shaky breath. “I can’t understand what’s happening to me.”

His hand moved to his chest. His voice softened. “My heart is beating so hard right now, and it’s scaring the shit out of me.” His voice cracked.

Alex immediately sat upright.

“Oh dear…” His voice turned gentle. “Baby… are you crying?”

Lucas sniffled and smiled helplessly. “I’m sorry. I can't help it.”

Another tear escaped.

“I can’t stop the tears.” He swallowed. Then admitted quietly with closed eyes.

“I think I'm missing you too.”

Alex closed his eyes.

That sentence nearly broke him.

His voice softened instantly. “Please don’t cry, okay?” His own throat tightened. “You’ll remember us.”

He smiled sadly.

“Everything will be alright.” Then quietly, he said, “I wish I were there right now to hold you.”

Lucas became quiet. Then suddenly asked, “Alex, where are you now?”

Alex’s eyes widened. He nearly said cottage, but his brain screamed. Don’t say cottage.

He recovered quickly and stammered, “Office.”

Lucas smiled lightly.

“Okay…” His voice became softer. “You can hold me later tonight… hmm?”

Alex nearly melted. His smile became impossible to hide.

“I will, sweetheart.”

Then softly he added, “Let’s meet earlier, around seven?”

Lucas nodded before realizing Alex couldn’t see. “Hmm.” he hummed.

Then quietly, “Okay.”

Alex smiled and confessed again, “I love you, baby.”

Lucas laughed softly. His face flushed again. He liked hearing it a lot. He wanted to say it back. The words reached his throat, but seemed to stick there.

Alex seemed to feel it. He laughed quietly too as his voice became warm.

“Baby…don’t worry. You’ll tell me you love me too soon because I know you’ll remember.”

Lucas  nodded and then whispered, “Okay, Alex.”

Alex smiled, and the mood shifted gently with a softened tone.

“So, baby, tell me about your day.”

Lucas blinked.

Alex continued, “Did you eat well? Did you go out? Visit your sister?”

His smile widened. Just tell me something.”

Lucas laughed softly. Then slowly and comfortably, he started talking.

From waking up late to dodging Derby’s marital talks. Then talking with Emily on the phone. Then friendly talks with the guards and said he would miss Mr Macho, their gardener.

He decided not to talk more but Alex wanted to hear more from him. So he asked, “I guess the gardener must be a nice person.”

“Yes, old Macho is a nice man. Lucas responded.

“So is he out of town or something else?” Alex pressed on.

“Yes, he said he needed to visit home but his cousin would be replacing him for a month. In fact, his cousin is already here.”

“Oh that's okay, but tell me more.”

Silence followed.

“So have you met the cousin?” He pressed on.

“Yeah, I met him not quite long ago.”

“So, is he the same age as the old Macho?” Alex asked, his lips curving in a smile.

“No, not at all. He is much younger than Macho.” As Lucas talked, his heart skipped as Vince's image flashed on his face.

“Much younger? Is he cute?”

“Yeah, he is very cute. He seemed like a nice guy. His name is Vince"

Without thinking, Lucas started talking about his meeting with the gardener's cousin.

Alex listened quietly, smiling happily, because for the first time,

Lucas was talking to him freely. It wasn't because of memory or obligation, but because he wanted to.

Lucas stayed curled on his bed as he continued. His earlier tears had eased. Now his voice sounded lighter and more comfortable.

Alex listened quietly from the gardener’s cottage, smiling at every little thing Lucas shared.

Then Lucas casually said, “And then when he handed me the tea, our hands brushed.”

Alex’s smile paused.

Lucas continued quietly. “That instant, my heart skipped somehow.”

Alex froze.

Lucas kept talking. “It wasn’t even long but…”

Alex sat upright immediately.

“Baby wait.”

Lucas stopped.

Alex swallowed. “Are you saying you felt something for him?”

Lucas blinked.

“What?”

Alex kept his tone light but his chest tightened unexpectedly.

“You said your heart skipped.”

Lucas sat up instantly.

“Oh no, Alex.” His voice became quick. “Please don’t sound like that.”

Alex stayed quiet.

Lucas rubbed his forehead.

“I just…I just…”