The Only Exception

Part One - Chapter Ten: Telling the Parents

Lionel took a deep breath as he helped Lucia out of his car, they had come to tell her parents that they would be getting married in a few days’ time; though they wouldn’t tell them the complete truth.

Lucia didn’t want her parents to know about the agreement since there was no way that they would allow her to go through with the wedding if they knew that she was doing this by contract.

Lucia was wearing a blue frill shirt and high waist skinny jeans with busted knees paired with white converse all-star high top trainers for the meeting with their parents.

“Okay, we both know the story,” Lucia said as she looked at Lionel, they quickly headed up the steps to her parents run down home; they had already decided on the story that they were going to tell them and the blonde hoped her parents would be happy for her.

Lionel knocked on the door as he took Lucia’s hand, in a few days she would be his wife and he wanted to make her happy; he could understand why she didn’t want her parents to know the truth.

Annabelle opened the door with a smile on her face, she glanced at Lionel slightly surprised to see him; she knew he’d been spending a lot of time with her daughter recently but she hadn’t expected to see him.

“Leo it’s lovely to see you,” Annabelle said as she ushered the pair into her home, she looked at her daughter wondering what was going on; she knew that Lucia wouldn’t have brought the footballer home with her if it wasn’t important.

Lionel nodded his head as he laced his fingers with Lucia’s, he smiled as he watched Annabelle’s eyes widened before she ushered the couple into the living room; he knew that she would want to know what was going on.

“Andres… Lucy is here and she’s brought Lionel,” Annabelle called as she shouted for her husband, her eyes looked at her daughter curious about what was going on; she knew Lucia had feelings for the footballer especially when she was younger.

***

“So what is going on here?” Andres asked as he looked at the footballer, he knew that this wasn’t just a social visit and Lucia would have warned them if it was something important instead of just dropping in.

Lionel shifted nervously, he knew that it was time to tell Lucia’s parents that they were getting married; there was no point in dragging this out longer than needed.

“Leo and I have some news,” Lucia said carefully as she took the footballer’s hand, she felt nervous and she suddenly felt self-conscious about the 9ct white and rose gold diamond halo ring that lay on her finger; she had been surprised when he had turned up with the ring days before.

Annabelle and Andres shared a concerned look, they didn’t know what news that the two could share with them; they hoped that the footballer hadn’t gotten their daughter pregnant.

“We’re getting married,” Lucia said as she carefully dropped the bomb, she smiled at Lionel as he squeezed her hand; she knew this wasn’t going to be easy especially since they had no idea that she was really doing this for them.

Annabelle’s jaw dropped while Andres choked as they stared at their daughter and the footballer that was sat beside her; they hadn’t been expecting her to announce anything like that when they hadn’t even known that the couple were together.

“You can’t be serious,” Andres spluttered as he stared at his only child, he didn’t know what was going on and he hoped that this was a joke; he didn’t like the idea of not knowing that his daughter was getting married out of the blue, he just hoped that she wasn’t doing something stupid.

“We are señor, I’m sorry if this seems like a shock… I wanted to protect Lia from my fame,” Lionel said as he went along with the lie, he could tell even now that Lucia was right to keep the contract between them and away from her family.

Lucia nodded her head in agreement, she didn’t know how they would take the news that the wedding would take place in a couple of days; she nibbled her lip nervously as she felt Lionel move closer to her.

“When is the wedding?” Annabelle asked softly, she eyed her daughter knowing that there was something that she wasn’t being told; she hated to think that Lionel was buying her daughter’s love in some way.

Lucia looked at Lionel, this was the part that she had been worrying about most knowing that her parents wouldn’t be happy about the rushed marriage but the last thing they wanted was the press spoiling the big day.

“The 23rd,” Lionel said knowing just why Lucia was worried, they both could tell that this could go wrong if her parents didn’t agree; he didn’t want to cost Lucia her parents, they meant the world to her and where the reason that she agreed to marry him.

“We know it’s soon but we don’t want any paparazzi ruining our big day,” Lucia intercut knowing that her parents were worried, she hoped that they wouldn’t make too much of a fuss since it wouldn’t change anything now; she was going to marry Lionel.

***

“Are you sure about this?” Annabelle asked as she looked at her daughter, her brown eyes watched the footballer as he walked back to the car; she knew that her daughter was going to end up hurt.

Annabelle worried that Lionel was taking advantage of the fact that Lucia had feelings for him, she knew that the blonde would deny it if she asked but she knew something was going on.

“Of course madre,” Lucia said smiling, she knew that it would take a while for her parents to adjust to this and she just hoped that they wouldn’t try to stop her; she had signed the contract and Lionel had already arranged for her father to get the best treatment possible.

Annabelle sighed as she pulled her daughter into a hug, she knew she was being silly since she could see that Lionel loved her daughter; she didn’t know that the footballer was unaware of his own feelings but she knew that Lucia would be happy.

“You’re my little girl, I can’t help but worry about you,” Annabelle whispered making Lucia smile as she pulled back, there were things that she had to do since the wedding was quickly approaching and Lionel had to speak with his agent about his impending extension and how they would release the news that he had gotten married.

“I love you,” Lucia said as she pressed a kiss to her mother’s cheek, she wasn’t going to allow them to suffer anymore and Lucia already had Lionel’s word that he wouldn’t just help her father but her mother as well.

“I love you too… por favor be careful,” Annabelle said as she looked over at Lionel, she watched the footballer knowing that if he did anything to hurt her daughter then she’d find a way to hurt him.

Lucia stared at her mother for a moment and nodded her head, she knew that her mother was always good at sensing things; it was a talent that her father had said that she had inherited.

“I will,” Lucia said as she took a deep breath and moved towards Lionel, she really hoped that she had made the right decision.