A Love Like This (Stauren) {Book 1: Completed}

Chapter 24

*Lauren's POV*

I smiled widely as I made coffee for Steven and I, but I wasn't smiling because of the coffee. It was because I knew something that Steven didn't, but he would know soon. The coffee machine beeped twice, signaling that it was done, so I poured the liquid into two mugs before turning off the machine.

Careful not to spill the drinks, I slowly made my way down the hallway and into Steven's office where he was on his laptop. "I brought you something," I said and handed him the full mug.

"Thank you." He leaned his head back and I bent down to kiss his lips.

I rubbed my hands up and down his arms and looked at what he was doing. "Whatcha doing?"

"Planning....a vacation," he answered while typing something.

"Really? Where to?" I asked, suddenly excited.

"The Outer Banks. Emmie has been begging to go to the beach and now since she's been fully healed for a month, I thought we should go," he said and sipped his coffee.

"Well I'm excited," I told him, making a smile spread across his face. "I'm gonna go lay in bed." I kissed his cheek before walking out of the room.

"Wait, Lauren!" Steven called, making me like my head back in. "Why did you make coffee if it's nighttime?"

"It's decaf, genius," I said sarcastically and went into the bedroom. I purposefully laid on Steven's side of the bed and buried my face in the pillow, taking in the scent of Steven's shampoo. "Hmm."

I pulled out my phone from my pocket and went on Twitter. I was in a good mood so I decided to reply to some fans tweets 'cause it always makes them so happy.

"Lauren?" Emmie whispered from to doorway, making me look up. "I don't feel good." She held her stomach and whimpered.

I sat up on the side of the bed and held my arms out, Emmie quickly running into them. "It's okay, I'm sure it's nothing." I put my hand on her forehead. "You're a little warm, honey. Here, just lay down and I'll go get you some water. Just try to relax."

"M'kay," she whimpered and I hurried down to Steven's office.

"Steven, I think Emmie's sick," I said and he swiveled around in his desk chair. "She's got a fever and her-"

"Lauren! Daddy!" Emmie yelled out and then there were heavy footsteps rubbing down the hall.

Steven and I rushed down the hall and into the bathroom where Emmie was throwing up in the toilet. Steven knelt down and held her hair back. "It's okay, Em," he said soothingly and rubbed her back. He grabbed a washcloth from the sink cupboard and wiped her mouth when she stopped throwing up. "You feel a bit better?"

"Yeah," Emmie mumbled and looked at the ground.

I got a cup off the vanity and filled it up. "Here, drink some water."

"Lauren, you should get some sleep, I got her," he said and picked Emmie up. Steven kissed the side of my lips and walked out of the bathroom after flushing the toilet.

I closed the door and fell back in the bed with a sigh. Poor Emmie.

~•~•~•~•~

I woke up early with Emmie the next morning to help take care of her so that Steven could sleep. Emmie was finally sleeping on the couch and I was watching TV.

I stuffed a spoonful of Cheerios in my mouth and started to slowly chew them. After a moment, I stopped chewing when I felt a weird feeling in my stomach. "Uh oh." I quickly put the bowl down and grabbed the bucket next to Emmie, throwing up all my breakfast. I paused for a moment before going to wash my mouth out in the sink.

"You okay?" Steven asked while coming up behind me, rubbing my back.

"Yeah," I answered and he leaned in to kiss me. "Wait." I gently pushed him back.

"What?"

"I just threw up," I chuckled.

She sighed and ran his finger through his hair. "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry that Emmie got you sick!" He said. That's when I smiled.

This is it.

"It's not Emmie that made me sick," I said with a smile. I took his hand in mine and gently placed it on my stomach.