IT'S NOW OR NEVER

LUCY

I gasped out loud, snapping my eyes open. My whole body is sweaty and my heartbeat rings in my ears. I can't believe I had a sex dream. I could still feel his lips on every inch of my body.

I shudder at the thought.

I miss him so much. We rarely see each other in the office as he had back-to-back meetings this week. It sucks that we don't spend some quality time together. That's why I decided that it was time to tell the kids about my relationship with Alex. I'll tell them this evening.

I stretched and quickly got out of bed. I went into the bathroom, brushed my teeth and made my way to the kitchen, where the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air.

Gemma greeted me with a warm smile.

"Good morning, Gemma," I said, returning the smile. "I hope you've prepared something delicious for breakfast."

Gemma chuckled, her eyes twinkling with affection. "Of course, dear. I know how much your boys love pancakes. They're waiting for you at the table."

After a quick breakfast, I helped Nick and Jay get ready for school. I kissed their foreheads before they hopped into the car.

As I drove them to school, the boys chatted animatedly about their day ahead, their laughter filling the car. I glanced at them in the rearview mirror, my heart swelling with love.

After dropping off the boys at school, I headed to the company. I greeted my colleagues and made my way to the office, where Nat was waiting.

We chatted for a while, and gossiped some more about the latest happenings in our office.

As the day went on, I found myself stealing glances at my phone. As the clock ticked closer to lunchtime, my phone buzzed with a new message. It was from Alex.

Alex – Paying attention to this meeting is hard when all I can picture is you kissing me.

I couldn't help but blush when I read the text. I bit my lip to suppress my smile and tried to play it cool.

Lucy – Never in my dreams did I think I would tell my boss to concentrate on the meeting.

Alex – Well, it didn't stop you from biting your lip and blushing.

I straightened myself up and looked around, trying to spot him.

Lucy – You are here, aren't you?

Alex – No, but I wish I was. So I could kiss you for real.

.

.

.

^_^ <3 ^_^

My heart raced as I stood outside the school gate, waiting for the final bell to ring. I know I decided to tell them this evening, but I'm kind of afraid of their reaction. There wasn't even a situation like this before where Jay and Vicky had to meet the person I'm seeing and it freaks me out.

The bell rang and soon all the kids started to come out. Vicky and Jay finally burst through the school doors, their backpacks bouncing on their shoulders.

"Mamma!" Vicky exclaimed, spotting me and rushing towards me with a broad grin. "You won't believe what happened today! We had a special science experiment in class and we got to make our own volcanoes! I even got a prize for the tallest eruption!"

Jay chimed in, his eyes shining with pride. "It was awesome, Mom! And in art class, we painted these really cool pictures. I made a landscape with mountains and a beautiful sunset."

My heart swelled with pride and joy as I listened to the animated accounts of their day at school. I couldn't help but smile as I walked hand in hand with them towards the car. The chatter continued throughout the journey, distracting me momentarily from the weight of the upcoming conversation.

Once we arrived home, I watched them scamper off to their room to freshen up. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what was to come.

As I stood in the quiet hallway, my mind raced with thoughts of how to bring up this subject. Should I tell them now? Or should I wait until after dinner? Or maybe during our favorite TV show? I groaned and went to my room to fresh up as well.

After re-heating the dinner Gemma prepared for us, I set the table and called Vicky and Jay. We had a light-hearted conversation about our plans for the weekend. I savored the moments, knowing that everything would change once I shared the news.

After finishing the meal, we gathered in the living room, snuggled up on the couch and turned on the TV. After some time, I kept glancing at them, trying to read their moods.

''What is it mom?'' Jay asked, still looking at the TV screen.

''Huh? What? Nothing.'' I said and tried to act like I was focused on the show.

''I know you have been trying to tell us something since evening.''

I looked back at Jay and this time he was looking back at me. Vicky looked back and forth from his brother to me, looking confused.

Okay Lucy, this is the moment you have been waiting for. It's now or never. Just tell them.

''I like Alex'' I blurted out.

I groaned. I'm just telling my kids about my relationship, but why do I feel like I'm telling my parents? My heart ached at the thought of my parents, wondering how they would react if I had ever introduced my boyfriend to them.

Jay and Vicky both looked stunned at my revelation. I smiled nervously at them and continued. ''A-And we have been seeing each other for a few weeks. We are in a relationship.''

Vicky's face lit up with excitement and he bounced up and down on the couch. "Oh, that's amazing, Mamma! I really like Alex! Does this mean he's going to be around more often?"

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Vicky's response was exactly what I had hoped for. "Yes, sweetheart. Alex cares about both of you too, and he would love to spend more time with our family."

Jay, on the other hand, appeared thoughtful, his expression unreadable. "Okay," he said quietly, his eyes focused on a spot on the carpet.

My heart sank slightly. I reached out to Jay, placing my hand gently on his shoulder. "Jay, is everything alright? I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything."

Jay looked up, his eyes revealing a mix of emotions. "I'm not sure, Mom. I mean, I'm happy if you're happy, but I guess I need some time to process it."

I nodded, my hand still resting on Jay's shoulder. "I appreciate your honesty. It's completely normal to feel a little unsure when things change. Just know that your feelings matter, and I'm here for you."

Jay offered a faint smile, his guard starting to soften. "Thanks, Mom. I just need some time, but I'll try."

I pulled Jay into a comforting hug, my heart swelling with love. "That's all I ask, Jay. Take your time, and remember that my love for you will never change."

''What about me?'' Vicky asked, trying to snuggle between us. I laughed and pulled him into the hug.

''I love you too'' I said and kissed his forehead. ''Oh, by the way, Alex is going to spend the weekend with us.''

Jay looked up and frowned.

I smiled nervously. ''Haha, guess I forgot to mention that?''