I Woke up Next to Lukas Podolski and Holy Crap We're Married

*Lukas POV*
It was shocking how fast the woman before me changed. One moment Reyna had a smile on her face, her new found easy going nature making her beautiful personality shine through and then it was gone. A curtain seemed to have drooped over her expressive eyes making them look lifeless and she froze in her chair as she locked all of herself behind a façade of nothingness. I tried to catch her eye to make her look at me but it was no use, it was like I had disappeared. Reyna stood and walked to the woman that she had called mother in an almost dreamlike state. I turned to keep my eye on my wife but I knew that she had to try to face her family on her own. I took note, however, of the women that had given birth to Reyna and that I had only known through stories and as an angry telephone voice.
Her mother was certainly well put together, brown hair perfectly positioned into a tight bun, makeup excellently put on to complement her, pearls around her neck and in her ears, and a black skirt and white blouse that looked expensive. It was somehow all wrong for a mother. The bun pulled her face in a way that had it look strict, her makeup made her face look like it had never smiled and would be disgusted if that ever happened, and her outfit was too polished. Behind her stood a small, blond haired man that was starting to bald. His suit was as expertly made as Reyna’s mother and I wondered a second who he was until his eyes lifted and I saw a familiar violet color. Reyna’s father was clearly not the head of the family. Everything about him hinted at submissiveness to Reyna’s mother, his shoulders were hunched with his hands in his pockets and head down. This is a very strange family, I thought.
“Mother, Father, what are you doing here?” Reyna finally managed to ask in a voice that was void of any emotion.
“Reyna! There you are!” cried her mother and before I knew it launched into a tirade. “We went to the hotel that you were staying at and the idiots couldn’t tell us your room number. Then we tried to explain that you had to be staying at the hotel as you were shooting a film there. They looked at us like we didn’t have brains. The rudeness of Germans is amazing!” I swear the way she spoke made it seem like she hadn’t even taken a pause. I had a feeling I knew why the people at the hotel had pretended to play deaf. Who would want to have a conversation with a woman like that? Since I had met Reyna I had lessen my prejudice against the stupidity of Americans but that woman had brought it back with full force. “God I hate this country! I can’t wait to get back to a civilized land!”
“Mother--,” Reyna tried to get a word in to say that she had moved in with me.
“And that is just the hotel! The airport was worse!” She went on and on for a few minutes about the horrors she had suffered at the hands of the Germans. I could see that a lot of the customers spoke English and had frowns on their faces. Reyna’s mother was talking so loudly and stood in the middle of the coffeehouse that all could hear her. Getting up I went to the manager and asked if we could use his office in the back. For once my fame was good for something as the man bobbed his head and gestured that it was to the right.
Going back to Reyna and her parents I broke into her mother’s rambling, “If you follow me we can go somewhere a little more private.”
Her mother’s nose scrunched up like she smelled something bad when she looked at me but turned and went to the office door without a word. Reyna’s father followed and I moved to Reyna’s side and gripped her arm. I knew that at any moment she could faint but would be unwilling to betray our relationship to her parents just yet and she wouldn’t appreciate me pulling her into me the way I wanted to. Reyna looked up at me in surprise like she had forgotten I was there and my heart screamed in anguish at the emptiness I saw in her eyes. She blindly let me guide her into the office and I closed the door.
“You can go,” her mother said when I came in. She practically screamed the words at me and said them slowly like I was an idiot that didn’t know English. You’re the idiot, I thought venomously. I just spoke to you in English a second ago.
“I’m fine right here thank you Mrs. Michaels,” I said trying to remain calm and not punch the hag.
“Why the nerve--.”
“Where’s John? What are you doing here?” Reyna asked cutting off her mother. Mrs. Michaels didn’t look too happy about it and her eyes were wide like Reyna had defied her in some awful way.
“John’s at home in a much better place than here.” Mrs. Michaels fixed her cold glare on her daughter and came to the heart of the matter. “We are in this godforsaken country because we’ve come to get you out of a grave mistake! You wouldn’t listen to me before so I’ve come here to take you away from a marriage that doesn’t mean a thing and give moral support to your true fiancé—excuse me but this is a bit of a private matter so if you wouldn’t mind.” One of her eyebrows lifted as if to say get out but I wasn’t taking her bullshit.
“I have every right to be here.” I stood my ground next to Reyna and glance at her with all the love I could to make her feel brave.
“And who are you?” Mrs. Michaels practically snarled.
“I seem to be the mistake.” I extended my hand looking arrogant and self-assured in front of this bully. “Lukas Podolski, I’m Reyna’s husband.”
Her mother turned red in outrage and didn’t move to take my hand so I lowered it. Seriously, she was what gave the Europeans bad ideas about Americans: rude, snobby, pigheaded, and insane. Reyna’s mother opened and closed her mouth a few times as she glanced with even more hatred at me. I didn’t really care about her approval but I knew it meant a lot to Reyna so I would try to be civil.
“I’m sorry that you have had such a horrible time here but I am sure it will get better. The hotel couldn’t tell you Reyna’s room number because she checked out months ago to live in our house,” I said with a fake smile while Reyna was still lifeless by me. I took her hand but she didn’t grip mine back in return. This is a bad sign, I thought warning bells going off in my brain.
“Our house?” Her mother repeated it like she had a sour taste in her mouth.
“Yes.” I replied still polite in spit of everything. “Which is where you will, of course be welcome to stay for your visit. If you will follow me I can show you to my car.”
“My husband and I are not getting in the car with you anywhere,” the bitch had found her claws again. “Isn’t that right Mr. Michaels?” Who the hell called their spouse by their last name? This was the twenty-first century! The man in question just nodded and went back to staring at his feet. I couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for him. Well, as to her answer it suited me just fine, it wasn’t like I wanted her charming personality in our home. “And neither is my daughter!”
That on the other hand was not happening.
“Mrs. Michael I understand that this situation is a little strange but—.”
“Stop talking you Nazi bastard!” Reyna’s mother screeched. My mouth almost dropped and Reyna flinched next to me. “You think that you can charm your way into my daughter’s bed and bind her to marriage so easily for money and I would just let you!? You are out of your god damn mind!”
“Moth—.” Reyna whispered trying to get her mother to stop her attack on me.
“You are nothing more than a gold digger that uses their body to trap innocent American girls into giving them money and I will not let you ruin my daughter’s future with her fiancé because of you!” There was practically steam coming out of her ears. “Stick to girls from your country hombre!”
The whole situation was just so absurd. Why would I need Reyna’s money? Since when are Germans still Nazis? Hombre? Were we in Spain or Mexico the next minute? The women didn’t stop there but went on and on about my horrible character while Reyna just stood there. That was the worse. My own wife did nothing and let her mother beat her down and me and our life together. Sure it wasn’t perfect and we had things to work on and talk about but I had thought she was happy. I guess not, I told myself as I looked over to find Reyna avoiding my eye contact.
“Now, leave!” Mrs. Michael ordered pointing to the door.
“Only if Reyna wants me too.” I snapped at her no longer even trying to be nice. I moved to stand in front of Reyna and presented her mother with my back. “Reyna look at me,” I said in German. “Look at me please.” She raised her blank eyes at me. “You’ve made so much progress since coming to Munich and don’t let that woman take it away—”
“Stop that horrible sound and—.” Having had enough of Reyna’s mother, I snapped my head around and gave her a cold stare that conveyed all the hatred and contempt I had for her. She miraculously fell silent.
I looked back at Reyna and spoke once again in German so as not to be understood, “Your mother has no control over you unless you give it to her. Don’t let her destroy what we are working to build.”
Reyna’s almond eyes moved from her mother’s to mine and back. Still watching her mother she detangled her hand from mine.
“You should go,” she responded. My heart stopped at the words. I had foolishly thought she would have wanted me to stay.
I took a step backwards at the depth of physical pain it gave me to have her reject me. I nodded once and went out the door.
*Reyna POV*
The moment the door closed on Lukas I felt myself crumble inside. What was wrong with me? Why had I said such a thing when I wanted him next to me more than my next breath?
I looked up to watch my mother’s mouth curve into a satisfied smile…the first smile in ages and it was for something I had done that had broken my heart. Was that what my life had come to? Being willing to sacrifice the person I may love the most in the world for one corrupt smile from my mother? That smiled would fade in seconds and was likely not to appear again but Lukas would be constant, he would be there forever and I had pushed him into the street.
I was not doing this anymore.
I lifted my chin in determination and took a step towards the door. My mother’s nails dug into my shoulder as she stopped me.
“What do you think you are doing?” she asked. “We have to go check into a hotel and wait for Matt’s flight to get in.”
“Matt?” I gasped.
“Why of course dear, he is coming in a few hours and then we are going to all fly to Paris so you can get married.”
“You still want me to marry him after what he did to me?” I asked unsure if I had heard right.
“Really Reyna, you are over sensitive about everything.” My mother waved her hand in the air like all the hurt he had caused me was nothing.
“I am Lukas’s wife,” I said slowly.
“Minor detail that we will get rid of as soon as you sign a few papers.”
“No,” I said with more conviction than I had thought I had.
“What?” My mother frowned as her eyes rounded at my daring.
“Didn’t you hear me? I am Lukas’s wife.” I smiled remembering every feeling he inspired in me: confidence, happiness, caring, safety, and love.
“We are your family and I am telling you that you are going to marry Matt,” my mother looked as close to panic as I had ever seen her only because she wasn’t getting her way. She had always gotten her way. She didn’t care for anyone, never had, never would. I realized than that the two people before me might be my family because of blood but Lukas was my family by heart.
I took her hand off my shoulder, “I am sorry mother.”
“What is this?” she screamed grabbing my tattooed wrist. “It was that horrible man that made you do it wasn’t it? You see how conniving he is?”
“Yes he is but never in a bad way.” I stared at my mother straight in the eye. “Not like you.”
“Why you—!”
I held my hand up, “Stop and just listen for once in your life. You only care about you and your status. You boss dad, John, and me around as your slaves to make your life better and I am done. Lukas is the most amazing person I have ever met and if he wants me I will be his forever so when Matt comes tell him to take his thousand dollar ring and insincere apologies and shove them up his ass!” I took a deep breath. “I still love you all but unless you can accept change and Lukas I am done.”
My mother pursed her lips, “If you don’t marry Matt you are no longer a part of this family.”
“I am sorry than,” I said truly saddened but there was nothing more I could do or was willing to give for her to accept the real me. I turned my back on my old life and opened the door feeling a weight life off my shoulders, I was free. Rushing through the coffee shop I walked outside and saw that Lukas’s car was still parked in the front. I stood on my tepee toes and looked around for him through the crowded street knowing that he must have decided to walk a little to cool off from the mean thing I had said. I made at least three turns and couldn’t see his blond head. I bit my lip and chided myself over and over for letting him go which was when I spotted the paparazzi outside of Julia and Denis’s bookstore. Immediately I knew he was there but to push my way through them was folly. They would go crazy if they knew there was drama going on so I flipped my phone open and dialed Julia’s number.
“Hello,” Julia answered in a singsong voice.
“It’s Reyna,” I replied knowing she never check the caller ID.
“Oh my God what is going on?” Julia asked with worry in her voice.
I walked into an ally two stores down from the bookstore and didn’t waste time, “Lukas is there?”
“Yeah which is why I want to know what is going on,” her voice lowered like she didn’t want anyone to overhear. “He looks horrible and that’s hard for someone as sexy as him.”
“Julia!”
“What? It’s true. He walked in and his face had like the weirdest expression like a kid that dropped his ice cream or something so what did you do?”
“Can you open the backdoor I have to get in and talk to him.” I said feeling even worse. Stupid, stupid, I said over and over in my head.
“Yeah sure thing.” We hung up and I managed to walk the few feet and slip into the back door when Julia opened it for me without alerting the photographers.
“Where is he?” I said stepping into the main store.
Julia pointed to the section in the very back of the store, “As much as I wish Lukas was single you guys are too cute of a couple to break up.” She started to walk away and then glanced back. “Don’t tell Denis.”
“My lips are sealed,” I smiled despite my predicament. When she was back behind the counter whispering with her brother I made my way to where Julia had pointed. I found Lukas all the way in the back, out of hear shot of the front of the store. He was sitting on the floor with his elbows on his knees and his head leaning back to stare at the ceiling. Lukas’s mouth wasn’t in his usually teasing smirk and the whole picture felt wrong. His head snapped in my direction when he heard my heels click on the floor and I saw that there was a distance in his beautiful blue eyes. I stood there awkwardly for a few moments and then rushed to his side and knelt in front of him, placing my hands on his forearm. “Lukas I am so sorry. I didn’t want you to leave but when I am with my mother I lose sense of who I am and what I want and become her slave and I feel terrible.”
“Why aren’t you with her?” he said in a quiet tone while looking at my hand on his skin.
“Because I told her I was done and that Matt can screw himself because I am never going back to him.” I felt hope rising in my chest when I saw a spark of life in his eyes.
“You did this time but how do I know you will the next?” My heart started to pump loudly in my chest at the insinuation that I might be staying longer than my job required.
“I promise. I am sorry.” I gave him the most sincere smile I could.
He cocked his head to the side and I saw a wickedness in his eyes that almost had me fall backwards. “You are going to have to do better than that.”
Since it was the beginning of a bold new Reyna I could play his game. I grinned inwardly as I picked up one of his hands. “I am sorry,” I said kissing his hand and then moving it to his side. I picked up the other hand and kissed his forearm. “I am so sorry.” Once again I let it go so it was at his side. Next, I let my hand run from the bottom of his jean to his knee and leaned forward to force it down so that it was lying flat on the ground while the other was still up. “I am sorry,” I said looking into his eyes to see sexual curiosity there. I moved my body so that it was lying on top of his. “I am so sorry.” I kissed his cheeks, his neck, his nose, his chin and his chest all the while repeating that I was sorry.
“Just kiss me already Reyna,” Lukas growled grasping my head gently and pulling me in for a scorching kiss. He had no pity as his tongue grazed mine and tortured me into submission. His hand wasn’t idle as it wondered through my hair and body, outlining the contours and making me squirm in delight. When a particular trick with his tongue had me moaning I knew it was time to stop before it went too far in a public place.
I broke the kiss and looked down into Lukas’s half closed eyes, “Do you forgive me?”
“If I must,” Lukas smirked as I levied myself off of him and stood. He did as well and holding hands we made our way back to the front of the store.
“Thanks for everything guys,” Lukas told Denis and Julia.
“Come back soon and actually buy something instead of make out,” Julia answered as her brother elbowed her. “What it’s true! Reyna make sure to fix your hair before you go out there or they will know what you were up to.”
“Lukas what did you do to it?!” I hit his arm as I tried to fix the damage.
“Might I remind you that you came on to me, literally.” I blushed and hit his arm again hoping the brother and sister hadn’t heard.
“We heard,” Julia said confirming my concern.
“Can you not be a little more discreet?’ Denis rolled his eyes at his sister.
“Shhh but seriously Reyna on second thought I wouldn’t even bother. The paparazzi were sure to have heard your moans,” Julia told me.
My eyes widened, “I was not that loud! Was I?”
Lukas just looked very happy with himself as the siblings gave me a look that confirmed it all.
Damn Lukas!