Handle With Care - Book 4 in "What is Life" series

Chapter 9

The night before heading back to England with the family we once again went to spend time with Tom before leaving. Only this time I was feeling different about my wife and our friend.

Lauren was especially attached to his presence which I don't blame her for. He is her deceased husbands best friend.

The kids were doing their own thing and exploring his house with Annie watching her younger brother play and it was just Tom, Lauren and I drinking in the den. I may have had one too many.

"I'm excited for this project," Tom said to me.

"Thanks for being a part of it," I said to him sincerely.

"Do you have to go back?" He turned his gaze to Lauren, "I'm going to miss you and Ethan so much."

I often wondered why Tom hasn't settled back down after his divorce and romance with Stevie Nicks years ago. It's like his expectations and standards are so high and he can't ever attain that.

It's like Lauren is his standard and he can't have her.

"Tom why haven't you found a woman to warm your bed at night, yet?" I randomly posed the question.

He started to laugh as he took another sip of his brandy.

"That's an interesting question," he said, "one I cannot discuss in front of a lady."

"Lady my ass," Lauren said, "I'm interested to know too."

"I sleep with so many women I can't keep track," he admitted to us, "there's no problem there. It is nice not being tied down."

He was living the true rockstar life. A life I haven't been able to live.

"Can you guys be honest with me a second," I said to them both. I always wondered if they had ever been together romantically when she was with Glyn and separated from me. I wondered what had bonded them so close.

"Have you two ever...?" I started to ask.

They looked at each other and burst into unified laughter.

I waited to hear a response and then Tom looked at me.

"There was an almost," he said, "drugs were involved."

I remembered back to before Glyn's passing when we were all in LA and the kids were young. I was with Olivia at the time and Tom had brought Lauren to me about how she was trying to go down a slippery slope and wanted him to get her drugs.

We had an intervention before she fell down the path like Tom himself had and then Glyn.

"It was not like that," she shook her head in his direction, "but I was briefly interested."

Oh so there's the truth. At least she could be honest.

I wondered if she still saw him in that way after all these years. I wondered if my wife would ever cheat on me with him.

I shouldn't be thinking about this but our history has been such a roller coaster of infidelity on both of our parts.

"George," Tom then sat up straight, "I promise you my protection of Lauren and the love I have for your wife is in no way disrespectful to you. Your friendship is so important to me."

I wanted them to explore their feelings with each other. I needed to push them into it. It was something I'd be okay with because I will never know that she doesn't long to be with another man unless she gets to explore that.

"I slept with someone," I decided to lie.

Lauren's face grew confused and then upset. This was out of the blue and she didn't think I would lie about such a thing. But I needed to. I knew she would want to stay here when the kids and I left.

"With who, George?" She felt betrayed, "here you are asking for us to be honest about literally nothing and you're the one being unfaithful?"

I was starting to feel bad about making this up.

"With who?" Tom then calmly asked.

"One of the assistants at Jeff's studio," I gulped, "it was a late night recording and she... wanted me."

She looked into my eyes and then left the room in tears.

"What is going on?" Tom then asked me unable to understand why I would come out with this information right there.

"I want you to sleep with my wife," I said to him.

"George," he said realizing how absurd it was, "we have this project coming up and I don't want to cause any rifts between us. You're one of my best friends."

"I didn't sleep with Jeff's assistant," I admitted, "I just made it up to push her into your bed."

"Are you on something?" He asked me in disbelief, "...or under the influence maybe? You do realize she's upstairs crying and heartbroken..."

I know she has feelings left unexplored for him and I need her to explore them. We've been through so much and I needed her to get it out of her system before she lives the rest of her life chained to me once more and then we will end up growing apart again.

"No, but I'm leaving with the older kids and Lauren is staying here with you."

"You are a lunatic," he said but he didn't say no.

"Please," I said to him.

....

The kids had no idea why their mother was sad as we left to return home. She had stayed strong for them and told them she just had some things to take care of in Los Angeles and they believed her.

Tom also played his part in encouraging her to stay there with him to get away from my "betrayal."

I trusted Tom and if this little escapade turned into something more between them then it was going to anyway.

"Is Mom okay? I was hoping she'd come back home to celebrate with Molly and I before I have to head on tour."

"Yes," was all I said to him. He didn't push the subject any further.

When I got back I met with Jeff and told him what happened at Tom's and how Lauren was still there with him.

"What would you do that for?" He couldn't seem to understand, "are you all there in the head?"

He had the same reaction that Tom had.

"I mean at this rate you should sleep with someone so you can live with yourself knowing you basically told Tom to be with your wife while you're away."

He was right. This whole thing was stupid. I was being stupid. But I still wanted them to explore their feelings and see where things go.

I decided that night to call an old friend.

"Hello?" She answered in her angelic voice.

I had been so focused on Lauren that I hadn't explored anything in years.

Maybe I needed this for me as well.

"Hey... uh it's George... Harrison. I.... Uh can we meet somewhere... catch up, maybe?"

I didn't know how to approach the subject. The number I had dialed was for Pattie Boyd... my old fling from the sixties. She is now married to Eric Clapton, another one of my good friends.

"Eric is away on business," she said, "come over and see me."

I accepted her offer and went inside with intentions to be with someone other than my wife for a night.

"What really brings you here?" she asked, wearing a see through shirt and short shorts. I knew she wasn't going to say no to the offer i had for her, otherwise she would have covered up.

"I was looking for human.... contact,"I smirked at her and she came over and immediately sat in my lap to which I was quite pleased.

"Dare I ask where Lauren is?" She then stopped before leaning toward me to continue.

I didn't know how far down this rabbit hole I wanted to go but I was already here.

"In Tom Petty's bed," I told her.