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moodycowplant · 3 days ago

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112. A Taste of Home🏠.

The day of dinner with Conrad was approaching fast.

That morning, Lana woke up feeling under the weather again.

The nausea had returned, though not as intense as before, but now a fever had joined the mix. Still, she didn’t want to postpone the dinner any longer than they already had.

She needed Conrad by her side—ASAP.

Summoning what little strength she had left, she dragged herself through the motions of waking up, hoping the symptoms would ease as the day went on.

She reached for her phone, blinking against the screen’s brightness. A message from Conrad was already waiting for her.

"Good morning, my love. How are you feeling today? I hope a little better. Thinking about you. Got a long day ahead, but I’ll be counting the hours till dinner. Miss you. ❤️"

Lana smiled softly and typed back:

"Morning, my love. Hope your day goes smoothly. I miss you more. Can’t wait to see you tonight. ❤️"

She hesitated before sending it, deliberately leaving out any mention of her fever. If he knew, he’d insist on rescheduling, and she wasn’t willing to let that happen.

With that settled, she pushed herself out of bed, dressed, and went to the bathroom to go through her usual morning routine.

By the time she made it downstairs, the whole family was already up.

"You sleep well, dear?" Nova asked, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Yeah, seems like," Lana murmured, but Nova’s hand was already brushing against her forehead.

"You’re burning up, honey."

"It’s fine, Mom, just morning sickness," Lana said quickly, waving it off with a dismissive gesture. "I’ll be alright. Don’t worry."

She hugged Nova before she could protest.

The day passed in a blur. Lana fought to stay afloat, exhaustion hit at her with every step, but thankfully, as the hours dragged on, the worst of the sickness began to fade.

By the afternoon, the house was alive with the familiar chaos of meal preparations.

Nova had taken charge in the kitchen, and as always, the whole family had found a way to get involved, whether they were actually helping or just making things more complicated.

"I’m pretty sure your dough is too runny," Valerio commented, poking at Clary’s mixing bowl with a smirk. "Not sure your pie for Conrad is gonna hold up."

"You can’t cook at all, Valerio. Shut up," Clary shot back. "It’s called "Clary's pie for Conrad", not "Valerio’s pie for Conrad", okay?"

"Whatever you say, chief," he teased. "But I’m telling you, you need more flour."

"You don’t know what you’re talking about. Mom, tell him!" Clary turned to Nova with a dramatic huff.

"Not you two again," Nova sighed, shaking her head. "Valerio, let her be. Clary, honey, add a little bit more flour."

She poked at the dough, confirming Valerio’s suspicion.

"TOLD YA," Valerio mouthed silently, smirking.

Clary didn’t bother replying. She just stuck her tongue out at Valerio before returning her focus to the dough she was preparing.

"Honey, what can I help with?" Joseph asked, approaching Nova.

"Joe, sweetheart, please set the table and grab some drinks from the cellar. Thank you, love you," Nova said, pecking him on the cheek before returning to her cooking.

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Dinner was ready just in time.

Everyone had dressed up and was eagerly awaiting their guest.

Nova and Joseph were still upstairs, Valerio was in his room, and Clary was circling the dining table, making sure everything was in order—especially the pie she had made for Conrad, which she had carefully placed in the center.

Even though the family was excited to meet him, Lana felt her anxiety growing with every passing minute as the clock crept toward the agreed-upon six o’clock time.

A knock at the door.

Lana bolted from her spot and hurried to the front entrance, her heart pounding.

The moment she opened the door and saw Conrad’s bright smile, her anxiety vanished in an instant.

Her heart was still hammering in her chest, but now for a different reason—for love.

"Hi there, gorgeous," he said, immediately pulling her into a tight embrace and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek.

She melted into him, burying her face in his shoulder, inhaling his familiar cologne. Surprisingly, the scent didn’t make her feel sick—it made her take a deep, appreciative breath.

"I missed you so much," Conrad murmured against her hair.

"I missed you too, Conrad, you have no idea," she whispered, holding onto him like he was her lifeline.

"Oh, I can tell by the way you’re clinging to me," he teased, gently prying one of her arms loose to kiss her wrist.

"Shall we? I don’t want to keep your family waiting." He gestured toward the door and nudged her forward.

"Y-Yeah, sure." Lana tried to regain her composure.

Her hand hesitated on the doorknob for a moment before she took a deep breath and pushed it open.

To her surprise, the entire family was already gathered in the foyer, waiting.

Lana swallowed hard.

"Uh, guys, this is Conrad. Conrad Rice." She gestured between him and her family. "Conrad, meet my family. My father, Joseph Snow. My mother, Novelia Snow. My brother, Valerio. And my little sister, Clarissa."

"Nice to finally meet you, Conrad," Nova said warmly, stepping forward and lightly touching his arm in welcome. "Lana’s told us so much about you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Snow. I’ve heard so many good things about you as well," Conrad replied, smiling.

"Please, call me Nova. ‘Mrs. Snow’ makes me feel ancient."

"Sure… Mrs.—I mean, Nova," he corrected himself awkwardly, earning a chuckle from her.

"Welcome, Conrad. It’s a pleasure," Joseph said, extending a hand.

"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Snow," Conrad replied, matching his formal tone as they shook hands.

"I’m next!" Clary announced, shoving past Valerio and grabbing Conrad’s hand. "Hi, Conrad! I’m Clarissa, but you can call me Clary. You are so handsome! My sister is a lucky one." Without waiting for a response, she began tugging him toward the living room. "Come on! I made you a pie!"

"Oh! Uh—hi, Clary! Nice to meet you," Conrad laughed, barely getting the words out between her nonstop chatter.

"Clary, let him breathe," Valerio said, stepping forward and gently pushing her aside.

"Hey, man. I’m Valerio. But I’m sure you already know that." His smirk was accompanied by a side-eye at his little sister as he extended his hand.

"Of course. Lana speaks of you with great fondness. Happy to finally meet you, brother," Conrad replied, shaking his hand.

"Alright, now that introductions are done, let’s not let dinner get cold," Nova announced, gesturing toward the dining table.

As everyone moved toward their seats, Conrad reached into his pocket. "Wait—Mrs. Snow, I brought something for you."

"Just Nova, dear. And oh, how thoughtful of you!" She accepted the carefully wrapped package with a smile.

Conrad had brought small gifts for everyone, based on Lana’s stories about them. Clarissa was particularly thrilled with her new makeup kit.

"Oh my gosh! How did you know? This is the new collection! Alycia is going to be so jealous! Thank you, Conrad!" Clary squealed, throwing her arms around him.

"Alright, everyone! Now, seriously, sit down! Dinner is waiting!" Nova interrupted, laughing at the chaos.

Once everyone had settled, plates were filled, and conversation flowed.

Conrad, in solidarity with Lana, drank juice the entire evening, always keeping an eye on her to make sure she was comfortable.

Valerio, seated across from him, watched him closely—almost like he was assessing his every move.

Clary, ever so bubbly, was determined to hold his attention.

"So, Conrad, dear, tell us more about yourself," Nova said gently, looking at him. "Where are you from? Who are your parents? Lana mentioned you study with her?"

Lana stopped chewing with a slight worry flickering in her eyes as she glanced at Conrad.

She knew this topic might be sensitive for him.

"Mom, too many questions at once," she interjected.

"Ughm—" Conrad quickly chewed, swallowing his food so he could answer properly. "It's okay, Lana," he reassured her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I’m from Chestnut Ridge, born and raised there. My father is a politician and businessman, and my mother is... well, his wife," he said with a small, amused smile, showing that he was okay with turning it into a joke. "She mostly took care of everything at home and runs a couple of charity funds." His voice softened. "We’re not very close, though. Definitely not like what you have here in your family." He offered a small, slightly bitter smile but quickly regained his composure. "And yes, Lana and I study the same specialty, but I’ve branched out more into comedy."

"Ah, that’s interesting. So you plan to lead your own shows in the future?" Joseph asked, quickly engaging in the conversation.

"That’s certainly in my plans, Mr. Snow. But for now, I’m more focused on writing scripts for other comedians."

"Dad, Conrad actually landed a huge gig recently! A well-respected studio hired him to write a script for one of their best performers, right, honey?" Lana said proudly, glancing between Conrad and Joseph.

"Impressive," Joseph nodded in approval. "Really impressive."

As the dinner continued, the atmosphere grew more relaxed. Everyone slowly adjusted to Conrad’s presence, and he, in turn, felt warmed by their welcoming spirit. He started to relax, letting himself enjoy the evening.

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Midway through the meal, right before dessert, Lana suddenly felt a little dizzy.

She excused herself and stepped away from the table. Conrad immediately noticed and, with concern across his face, followed her.

By the time they reached the bathroom door, the dizziness had passed, and the wave of nausea seemed to subside.

"Are you alright? Need anything? Water, maybe?" Conrad asked with his worry evident as he touched her face, checking her temperature.

"I’m okay. No need, I feel better. Thank you," she said, panting slightly while leaning into him. "I guess I just needed a bit of fresh air."

"Your sickness is back? Why didn’t you tell me? We would’ve—"

"Yeah, we would’ve canceled?" she cut him off with a knowing smile on her lips as she kissed his cheek. "That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you—because you would’ve canceled it."

"Ah, Lana…" He shook his head, sighing. "Please, just promise me you’ll make your health a priority. I’m begging you."

"Okay. But I wanted to see you, to be close to you. I didn’t want to postpone it."

She got into his embrace, seeking warmth and comfort.

"So, how am I doing?" he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"Great. I saw their looks—they all like you," she said with a smile, tilting her head up to meet his lips in a gentle kiss.

"You think? I don’t know about your brother, though. He looked at me like—" he trailed off, mimicking Valerio’s piercing stare.

"What, Valerio? Nah, he’s cool. He liked you, I’m sure," she giggled. "He’s just overprotective and too serious sometimes. Don’t take it personally."

"Okay, if you say so."

"Mhm," she murmured before deepening the kiss.

"Lana, ugh... your family is right across the room. Slow down," he chuckled against her lips, slowly pulling away.

"I don’t care, I missed you," she murmured, leaning back in.

"We shouldn’t make them wait," he said, gently nudging her face away with a smile before wrapping her in a deep hug.

She let out a breathy sigh. "Mmhmm, alright."

"By the way, I spoke to my parents—I want you to stay with us for the time being. So, you’re staying here with me," she said with a playful giggle.

"Lana, I—" he started, but she gave him a childish pout. "Ugh… How can I say no to those eyes of yours? Sure, I’ll stay," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they made their way back to the table.

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As soon as they returned, Clary rushed up and grabbed Conrad’s hand, dragging him toward the table.

"Conrad! Lana, let him be for a moment—he's gotta try my pie. Hey, Conrad, please try it," she said, pushing a plate with a chocolate pie closer to him.

"Yeah, Conrad, try it. Or, she would never stop yapping about it," Valerio teased, smirking at Clary.

"Oh, shut up! You’re just envy that I can make a pie like this and you can’t," she shot back.

"Of course I am," Valerio laughed, then turned to Conrad, silently urging him to just try it already.

"Okay, okay, it’s impossible to say no to such a delicious-looking pie," Conrad said, taking a bite.

Clary leaned forward, practically watching his every chew. "So? What do you think?"

"Mmm, delicious! Thank you, Clary. It’s really tasty—I appreciate the thought. Chocolate pies are my favorite," he said sincerely, still savoring the bite.

"Told ya he'd love it! And the flour was just enough!" she grinned at Valerio before grabbing a slice for herself.

Valerio shook his head with a soft smile, finding the whole thing adorable.

The rest of the evening continued smoothly.

The family gave Conrad their full attention, asking about his hobbies, plans, and sharing their own stories.

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By the end of dinner, Conrad helped Nova and Joseph clean up while Lana went upstairs to rest as her dizziness returned.

As Conrad finished loading the dishwasher, Nova suddenly appeared behind him, startling him slightly.

"Oh, I’m sorry, dear, I didn’t mean to startle you," she said with an amused smile. "I just wanted to say thank you."

He raised an eyebrow. "For what, Mrs.—I mean, Nova?" he corrected with a smile.

"For loving and taking care of my daughter. For coming here, talking to her, making sure she’s okay. And for my future grandchild," she added with a knowing smile.

Conrad swallowed, emotions welling in his chest. "I should be thanking you, Nova—for your daughter. She’s amazing. I can’t imagine my life without her anymore."

"I’m really happy to hear that, Conrad. I see what she sees in you, and I understand why she was so enthusiastic about you. Welcome to the family, dear. We’re glad to have you." She pulled him into a warm hug.

His heart got lost in a mix of joy and emotion.

Feeling welcomed by this family was a blessing.

"Thank you, Mrs.—I mean, Nova," he said, hugging her back. "I’d better go check on Lana."

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When he reached Lana’s room, she immediately hugged him at the doorstep, kissing him deeply. "I’ve missed you so much."

He returned her kiss, matching her intensity.

When they finally pulled apart, she handed him some clothes to change into.

After he returned from the bathroom, he found her standing by the mirror, her hand gently resting on her belly.

Conrad stepped closer, waving at her belly. "Hello, little one. It’s me, your dad," he said with a soft smile. "Your mom and I can’t wait to meet you. We love you so much."

Kneeling down, he brushed his lips lightly against Lana’s belly before tilting his head up to meet her gaze.

"Thank you—for this. For the chance to be with you, be a part of your life, your family, to be a father, and to be loved. I can’t express how much this means to me. I love you, Lana."