FREE FLYING HEARTS -- A collection of short stories from Tonig73

Fluff And Mush In Cahoots ...

The next day, Laurent had begged for Larry's forgiveness, non stop, for probably a full straight hour.  How sorry he was, how he should have trusted him.  How he knew he would never do anything like this to him, or to anyone else.  That he would never be so stupid again.

He told Larry all about Alex, from the night they met at his rehearsal dinner, and what they did there, to the last time they were together, and how unhappy Alex was, Laurent telling him it was over between them.  That he'd done it so they could be together.  Larry didn't quite know what to think.  His brain couldn't make the comparison between the two Laurent's, because he didn't know the first version, the Alex version.  The man in front of him was completely different to the man Laurent was describing.  

"It's because you changed me for the better" he told him.  And it was true.  Larry made Laurent want to be a better man, a better partner, a better father, a better human being.  And he was, because of him.   Laurent had sincerely, almost tearfully, asked for Larry's forgiveness.  If he didn't, Laurent didn't know how they would figure things out.  He didn't even want to think what might be around that corner.  

"You don't need to ask for forgiveness, Laurent.  You already have it."  Laurent knew in that moment, that whatever else he did, it would never, ever, be enough to deserve this man. 

***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***

Laurent's guys had been working overtime.  Up until he let them know of his suspicions, and he wasn't going to tell them he knew it was Alex because of a dream, they had been researching several of Laurent's former cases.  Men, and women, that he'd sent to jail for along time.  Some of whom were roaming the streets again, perhaps bearing a grudge for the man who'd had the audacity to demand they be put behind bars.  But it wasn't any of them, and all trails went cold.  

But Alex .....

Putting a more concerted effort into researching his activities since Laurent had insisted they part ways, they came up with a jackpot of information, texts, calls, and a meeting with a shady individual not far from Larry's shelter.  Enough incriminating evidence to have him, and the others, arrested, and held for a minute or two.  

"Do it."  Laurent had told his main man.  "Let him stew for a bit, I'll be there tomorrow."  He had other things to attend to.  

***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***

He and Larry had had a great afternoon with the girls.  They all did their usual stuff, swung on the swings, slid down the slides, talked on Larry's bench.  And it was officially Larry's bench now.  Laurent had surprised him with a bronze plaque to that effect, bolted onto the back of the seat.   

"You two seem awfully touchy-feely today" Cassie remarked.  They were.  Since the night when Laurent had planted himself behind Larry in his bed, they could hardly keep their hands to themselves.  Surreptitiously, of course, they didn't want the girls seeing too much.  But what they did see, made them smile big, and giggle a lot.  Cassie had tried to explain, from her point of view anyway, that it was no big deal for two men, or two women, or two people who were just trying to figure out who they were, to love one another.  It just so happened that the girls dads loved one another, and that love is love is love, whichever way you cut it.  The girls listened dutifully, rolled their eyes like they already knew this little nugget of information, who didn't ?  They were just happy they got to be sisters.  

"It's a bit hypocritical though, don't you think ?"  Cassie quizzed Laurent.  He knew it was.  Hiding in a closet of his own making, because he was scared.  He was scared of nothing else in this world, except people knowing something he'd always been taught he should be ashamed of.  And so he was.  Scared of losing his job, his career, his reputation, the respect he had more than earned.  He was scared it would all just disappear.