Chapter 4: Proper place

Both of their families own a police car, but Felicita won't allow either of them to drive it by themselves. Which leaves Trisha with their old car as she gets on with a Girls' Night Out with Lucida.

"We should have gotten the keys first," Trisha grumbles.

"And get grounded," Lucida nods sarcastically. It's already a miracle that Felicita would let Trisha out during the night. (It's still 7 pm by the way)

Lucida doesn't care if it's still 7 pm; no one's using the DJ booth anyway!

The place is filled with only five people, including the bartender who's kinda regretting that he left the DJ booth free to anyone who gets inside the place.

She tries to make some cool beats but ends up overusing the dubstep. Oh well. At least she's enjoying it, and the military dude at the skeeball area is polite enough to pretend that he likes it.

Meanwhile, Trisha wants to get on with the karaoke bar but has to wait for this redhead to finish. To make the wait worth it, she's already mentally listing some songs in advance.

A client named Mithun Khan calls to cancel the painting that he commissioned her. This annoys her a lot, especially when she's almost done with the painting several days before the deadline.

Lucida comes home to see the cancelled commission already finished just a few hours after the call. She's impressed at how her mother's annoyance can be a good motivator.

These two are getting older and in love.

Ermilinda can't deny that much at least, but she knows that a part of her is still hesitating.

Though Lucida isn't exactly okay with this, she doesn't completely disagree with it. But though Ermilinda voices out her worries concerning Lucida's reaction, Leo knows that there's more to that.

"How about YOUR reaction?" He insists.

"What about it?" Then seeing his worried look, Ermilinda sighs. "I don't know, I thought I would be sure about this. Getting remarried was not on my mind for -- a long time."

Leo takes her hand. "You don't have to, you know." He tries to shrug, as a way to show that he's not completely nervous about all of this, but it ends up weakly, and they both stop dancing. 

Looking at their hands, she squeezes and grins. "I want to, though." 

On one of their dates, Leo suddenly goes down on one knee and before she realizes it, presents a box in front of her.

"I was thinking about it after that night," he admits. "And I don't have anything sweet or romantic to say right now, but -- " Leo swallows. God why am I stopping now, he curses at himself.

"Yes!" Ermilinda laughs. "You're too adorable for your own good!"

These two dorks are too adorable for their own good.

"He proposed with the most uninspiring pre-will-you-marry-me speech," Ermilinda gushes.

"You're getting married now?"

Hearing her mother talk excitedly about it still doesn't get Lucida out of her disbelief; she thought that only fictional people are capable of doing as embarrassing as what Leo did. 

Not aware that Lucida had already been told, Leo nervously sits down beside her and clears his throat. Then he turns around and notices Lucida's seemingly excited expression. It kinda scares him.

"Umm...your mother and I are getting married," he starts.

"I know! She already told me about it!" 

He looks at her carefully. "Are you...okay about it?"

"I am. Just promise to let me drink all the alcoholic beverage you'll serve at the party." 

Leo leans back on the couch, relieved. He thought that she was feigning excitement to not make anyone uncomfortable. Turns out she was actually excited for something.

"There'll be none," Ermilinda calls out from behind. The damn computer keeps breaking now.

Looks like Lucida is excited for a good reason. She gets her room back AND gets a new computer.

These keepsakes also get their proper place, right where Lucida wants it to be.

Aside from that, these two finally get to have a proper place to actually do it.

The house itself is not spared from the changes that have been going on in this chapter.

Featuring Ermilinda sprucing up her garden.

From this renovation, Ermilinda gets a proper studio where she could do all her creative process in peace. (Lucida bought that laptop for her, while Leo did his best to create a makeshift flower pot)

It also faces the ocean. She appreciates the view.

_______________________________________

Lucida finally gets her room back. It's one of the things that she's hoping to get from out of Ermi and Leo's budding relationship. That, and some new companionship for her mother. 

The wedding gets to happen in the next chapter. We're finally gaining some speed here.