Since You Been Gone

Chapter 18

Tris P.O.V.

After dropping Lucas off at his babysitter's house, I drive over to Christina's house. We decided we wanted to get all of our friends to spend some time together without Lucas. Honestly, I'm not even sure when the last it was that I spent time with everyone without Lucas. As I pull up to the small townhouse, I see that her driveway is already full of cars so I park on the side of the street like several other cars lining the road.

I get out my car and walk up to the house through the well groomed, emerald grass. I can't help but notice a strange car in the driveway that is caged in by Zeke's old pick-up truck. The car is neatly washed, the scarlet metal glimmering in the mid April sun. I also can't help but notice that the plate's black frame has the word rental wrote on it several times. Without taking too much time to dwell on the car, I walk up to the door and let myself in.

"Christina! I'm here!" I yell while kicking my riding boots off and adding them to the stack of other shoes, which oddly has three extra pairs-one is flip flops, one is ballet flats, another combat boots. I shrug it off and walk into the kitchen where everyone is already located, with the exception of Uriah. I notice a woman at the counter with short brown hair. Another woman with flaxen hair is wrapped up in Zeke's arms, his chin resting on her head.

"Oh my gosh! Lynn, Shauna, I've missed you two so much!" I say, running up to Lynn and wrapping her in a hug. Shauna breaks away from Zeke and walks over to my, enveloping my in her arms. She smiles when she leans back and stays next to me instead of returning to Zeke. "Where is Marlene?" I ask. She leans around me and looks down the hall and shrugs.

"I'm not sure. Once she and Uriah were reunited they ran off. For all we know Lucas might have a cousin soon," Lynn says after taking a sip from her soda. I giggle, adding on to the laughter in the room. I take a seat next to Lynn.

"Speaking of Lucas, how is he?" Shauna asks. I look at Tobias as if to ask him if he wants to answer the question. He seems to understand the look because he directs a miniature nod in my direction. I give her a warm smile before answering.

"He is doing really good. We've been trying to get him into the most prestigious daycare in Chicago. It has been kind of difficult, though. I never knew so much was required to get a two year old into daycare," I say. Shauna arches her right eyebrow, something she always used to do when she was confused. "I'm not really sure how a daycare can be prestigious. I guess the children there don't pick their nose and eat it? They just put it in a tissue," I say, earning a round of giggles.

"Okay, that is. . . an interesting theory. It wasn't what I was talking about, though. You said We're working hard to get him into daycare. Who is we?" she questions. I look at Tobias again and he gives me one of his mischievous smiles before aiming another nod in my direction.

"Um, Four and I have. We told Lucas a few weeks ago and since then we have been working together to get him into the daycare," I say. Tobias nods in agreement. We hear footsteps coming down the hallway and I turn to see Marlene and Uriah walking together hand-in-hand. I hop down and give her a hug and we exchange our greetings. Conversation drifts on until we have already ate lunch-ham rolls and potato chips, Christina's specialty-and ended up in Christina's living room. We're in the middle of talking about school when my phone rings. I get up to take it in the kitchen when I see it is Mrs. Patterson's number.

"Hello?" I answer, trying to keep my voice sounding professional. I start pacing back and forth, knowing that this phone call is pretty much telling me Lucas's future.

"Ms. Prior, it is so good to have the pleasure of talking to you once again," she says in a sweet voice like one would normally use to talk to animals or children. Pushing that fact away, I take a deep breath and continue the conversation.

"It is lovely talking to you as well, Mrs. Patterson," I say. I feel like my voice is strained due to how nervous I am about messing up. I can feel the nervous energy radiating off of me and consuming the entire room.

"Well, Mrs. Prior, you are probably wondering why I called," she says, I nod to reply but then I remember she can't see me. Before I can anything to respond she continues by saying, "I have confirmed that Lucas would be an excellent addition to our school. We would love for you to allow him to attend daycare with us," she says. I release a relieved breath I didn't realize I had captured.

"That's great! When can he start?" I ask. I hear her rummaging through papers before she causes the line to go silent. She tells me how she would love for Lucas and I to come in on Monday to observe classes and then he can start he next the day. After she explains all of the important information, we exchange goodbyes and she hangs up. Tobias peeks his head around the corner to the kitchen as I am putting my phone in my pocket.

"That was Mrs. Patterson, right?" he questions. I nod and lean back against the counter, letting loose another relieved breath. "What did she says?" he asks, walking into the kitchen and stopping a few feet away from me. I smile.

"He got in," I say. Tobias smile, the way his blue eyes sparkle almost seems like they are smiling as well. Tobias rushes forward and wraps his arms around me. I immediately do the same. Nothing seems feels strange between us, almost like this position is meant to be.

"Tris, that's great," he mumbles into my ear.

Yay, Daycare! Yay, Shauna, Marlene, and Lynn! And most important... Yay, Fourtris... kind of! I felt like this was more of a filler chapter but I felt somethig needed to be posted because I haven't been writing as much latetly and I felt bad. As a reminder, I did make an instagram so follow me @finnchellove.wattpad. Please comment and vote to tell me what you think of this chapter!

Disclaimer: I am not Veronica Roth so I am not the owner of Divergent.