Worth It (A Chris Evans Story)

Chapter 34: The one

*Flashback*

Chris sighed to himself as he stood in the corner of the room watching as both families all gathered after they had all exchanged presents. He had a sad smile on his face though as he stared over at devastated looking Lily. Jack had broken up with her yet again and this time he did it three days before Christmas, knowing full well how much Lily loves this time of year.

Now she was sat cuddled up on her mother's sofa surrounded by her family and in her new Christmas pyjamas pretending to have fun, but Chris could see right through her fake smile. She was miserable and she had been since Jack told her he had been with another woman, yet again. She'd been staying over at Chris's and he'd tried to cheer her up with fun sleepovers like when they were kids, but none of it seemed to work.

It was breaking his heart seeing her like this, especially at this time of year. Usually she'd be helping the kids open their new presents and teaching them how to use them, or helping the mothers in the kitchen or crying at The Grinch like she does every year. But no she was hidden in the corner of the room, attempting to hide her broken heart.

Just as Chris was about to go over and try to cheer her up, he felt a hand tug on his. He looked beside him to see Cora stood there smiling up at him. "Chris honey, can I borrow you for a second?" she asked.

"Of course" he smiled as she led them through to the kitchen where it was just the two of them.

"She's not doing well is she?" Cora asked as she handed Chris a knife, gesturing for him to cut the carrots before she went back to peeling the potatoes.

"I don't know what to do Cora, I hate that he keeps treating her like this" Chris sighed as he focused on the carrots.

"I know sweetie, but look she has to realise on her own and I promise you Chris she will" Cora smiled brightly before she put down her knife, "there's something I want to give you Chris"

"Cora you already got me a present you don't need to give me anything else" Chris replied as she took the knife from him and turned him to face her. She reached in to her pocket and pulled a small red velvet box, she opened it and turned it to face him, revealing a beautiful engagement ring with a sparkling rose gold diamond.

"Cora are you asking me to marry you? Because you know I love you but I know for a fact Mark has a cricket bat collection" Chris laughed lightly.

"Oh shut up and be serious for two minutes" she scolded him with a light slap to his arm, "it was my Grandmothers, when she passed she left it for me to give to my Daughter one day"

"Cora are you asking me to ask Lily to marry me right now?" Chris asked panicked as he stared down at the ring.

"No not now you idiot" she sighed as she rolled her eyes, "I want you to have it and I want you to keep it until the day comes when it's time for you to ask her"

"Cora I can't, you don't even know if..."

She cut him off with a hand over his, "Chris I know Lily, I am her mother and I know that deep down she knows that Jack is not the one for her and one day she is gonna realise that. I also know that she has the same kind of love for you inside her that you have for her. She may not know it yet, but I do. You are the one for her and one day all of that is going to come to light for her. When it does all of this heartache, these years of pining after her will all have been worth it"

Chris just stared wide eyed at the woman who had become like a second mother to him. He couldn't wrap his head around what she was saying and how she could be so sure that she was right. He looked at her with doubt in his eyes and she just smiled back up at him as she placed the box in his hand and delicately closed his fingers around it.

"Keep it, put it in the box you have full of Lily memorabilia"

"How do you...?"

"Oh please your mother and I found that years ago before you moved out" she smirked.

"You two went snooping in my room?" he asked shocked.

"Oh shush that's not important right now" she shut him down as she placed her hands over his, "one day you're going to need that ring sweetie, you and Lily are soulmates Chris and one day Lily will realise that too."

"How can you be so sure?" Chris asked as he stared down at Cora.

"Because a mother knows"

*Present Day*

It had been almost a year since Cora gave Chris that ring and there hadn't been a day where Chris hadn't imagined giving it to Lily. It had been on his mind twice as much lately, ever since he first confessed his love for her. Every time he was near her he wanted to run to his closet, grab the ring and just get down on one knee right there and then. But he restrained himself every time because he didn't want to put pressure on her. He knew she deserved time to fully recover from what Jack did to her and he didn't want her to rush that just because he was being selfish and wanted nothing more than to see that ring sat on her finger every day.

Now he stood there silent as he felt the mother's stares boring in to him. He knew he now had to explain his reasons for waiting to them and he did not think they were going to understand.

"Look guys..." he started but he was quickly cut off by Lisa.

"Honey we know what you're going to say, that it's too soon for you to ask her yet and we know why you may think that but we wanted to say we really don't think that it is" Chris just sighed as he listened to his Mom before Cora spoke up.

"You've been in love with her since you were seventeen years old Chris, it's not like you've only known each other a few weeks, you're not strangers honey, you two know each other better than anyone else I know" she smiled as she made her way around the island to where Chris was stood, taking his large hands in her much smaller ones.

"Honey I know why you want to wait and I think it's so considerate and respectful of you and it truly shows the man that you are but this life with you, it's just what Lily needs."

"It's what she deserves" Lisa added as she moved to stand on the other side of her son, "it's what you both deserve"

"You don't know how much I want this, I've wanted to ask her every day from the moment you gave me that ring Cora, but I don't want to scare her off after everything she went through with Jack I just want her to heal properly and I don't want to rush that"

"We know sweetie and we don't want to pressure you, but I want you to know nothing you could ever do would scare Lily off, you know my daughter would do anything for you Chris" Cora smiled sweetly as she reached up to place a kiss on Chris's cheek.

"Just think about it sweetie" Lisa added as she rubbed Chris's shoulder, "right why don't I make us all some coffee"

Chris smiled and nodded in reply as both mothers began moving around the kitchen. He was unable to move just yet though as his thoughts overtook his mind. Were they right? Surely it was way too soon? Although Cora was right and he had been waiting for this since he was seventeen years old. He'd spent so many sleepless nights imaging what his life with Lily could look like and now he finally had it, he damn sure wasn't going to let it go.

~~~~~

After she'd finished her last appointment Lily took straight off and headed for the mall, trying her best to think of a present she could get Chris but her mind kept circling back around to what Jess said. It had been on her mind all day and she was now struggling to think of reasons that she and Chris living together wasn't a fantastic idea. Suddenly she'd made up her mind and she knew just what to get him.

A wide smile was plastered across her face as she headed into the mall with a skip in her step, unfortunately her good mood was quickly interrupted by a voice she'd hoped she'd never hear again.

"Well I was hoping I'd run in to you."

~~~~~

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