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

Chapter 12

"How has my wife been?" I asked Tom before he could say anything.

He looked at me and looked very apologetic.

"She loves you," he then said.

I looked at him intently. This I knew but it was always about how she loves more than just me.

"I don't know if things could ever be repaired," I responded, "if she ended up wanting me... I would not know how to continue."

"...I'm going on tour," he then said, "I'm going to Asia and Australia for a few months."

This was surprising news. Then my heart sank. 

Was Lauren going to make this big a decision without me and somehow want to go with him? I hoped not. But if she wanted to.... Who was I to stop her?

"That's good... with the Heartbreakers,  I presume?" I asked him.

"Yes, me and the band," he nodded.

We stared at eachother a moment and then spoke at the same time.

"I asked Lauren to come," he said.

"What does Lauren think?" I said at the same time.

"She hasn't given me an answer," he said in response to my question.

That gave me some hope.

I needed to make things up to her and a part of me hopes she's gotten Tom out of her system, literally. Maybe by now she is tired of him and realizes she longs for me.

After we talked a little bit about his plans while he was out there and some of the venues he'd be visiting, Lauren stepped out to talk to us.

"George," she greeted me kindly.

"Lauren," I responded, "I've missed you."

"I want to go home with you," she said and Tom looked away upon hearing this.

Finally some happy news.

"I'm sorry," she said to Tom, "you've been amazing and so kind to let Ethan and I stay with you but seeing my other kids today has opened my eyes."

"You know I understand," he then said, "I mean I will miss you deeply but that is your decision."

This was the best outcome. I just wanted her home and then from there we could figure out what to do about this whole mess.

"Can we speak alone?" Tom then asked her and I walked inside to grant him that wish. They've already been living together it wouldn't hurt to let them have some alone time before they'd be apart for quite some time.

Upon going inside I found Ollie and Bob Dylan talking about his tour so I joined them.

Bob was leaving in the next few days on his own tour and these guys knew what life on the road is like.

"What are your plans for after the summer?" Bob asked him.

"I don't know," he then said, "I'm honestly just going with the flow but I know I don't want to be away from my fiancé much longer. This has been hard the last few weeks."

"When we return in a few days, I'm sure your mother would love to have Molly over to start planning some sort of ceremony," I said.

Ollie's eyes grew bright and hopeful.

"Is mom returning?" He was quite happy.

"She just told me she is coming home," I nodded. During the weeks we've been here recording all of the guys soon knew that Lauren and I weren't under the same roof. Bob knew without having to tell me he knew.

"I'm happy for you, man," he gave me a sincere nod.

....

That evening Lauren and Ethan returned to our home with all of the kids.

They all went to sleep early after their travels and the celebration that tired them out.

I waited up for Lauren to finish tucking In Ethan and then she joined me out in the living room.

"I'm glad you're here," I said to her, admiring her beauty.

"Tom told me about Pattie," she then said and just stared at me.

"I wasn't going to keep that from you," I assured her, "you haven't wanted to speak to me."

"I'm not upset," she said, "I have had time to reflect on everything that has transpired since you created this mess."

"If I hadn't given you reason to pursue something with him you never would have known how you felt. You needed a pass to see what your feelings were."

She nodded.

"I appreciate that now," she said simply, "and I'm glad you were able to let out your own frustrations with another woman."

"That was literally nothing, I assure you," I said to her.

"Well I'm glad because you are my husband, you are the man I fell in love with all those years ago. You are the man that was there for me during my most vulnerable and you are the man I want to grow old with for the rest of our years."

This brought tears to my eyes.

"You're the woman I want in my bed until my final days," I agreed with her, "I want to see our babies grow older and get married and have their own families."

"I'm grateful that we have our children," she smiled thoughtfully.

I then picked her up delicately and carried her upstairs to our bedroom.

"Take me home," she said softly into my chest.

That I was going to do.... only she didn't specify which home she wanted to go to.

I decided in the next few days we would travel to New York to visit her family and friends there, knowing she would be grateful of the gesture.