A few weeks had gone by and tour was just four days away. Laney and Morgan had been making trips back and forth from his house to her apartment to gather her things that she wanted to move into his house so after work she could go to the house and get on the plane. She didn't think it would work but that pitch for Eleanor worked magic with Eleanor wanting to clear up office space anyways, as she was given the option of working two weeks out of office.
Laney shipped a bunch of clothes to Morgan's house that she bought from online which he claimed wasn't necessary but she couldn't have been prepared enough. Because: What would this tour life look like?
Morgan and her hadn't talked out specifics other than that they were excited and some general things about crew and his rehearsal times. She knew that she had breakfast time with him and could peep into his rehearsals but she also had to work, even though it was remotely.
With her working and him preparing to be on the road for a few months at a time, there was no break. It was more stressful than anticipated. They both were so in their own world that there were barely any words spoken to each other except about their schedules and saying goodnight and bye.
"Damn it Laney you got to move these boxes," Morgan yelled from the front of the house as she was sorting through her clothes on the ground.
She immediately got off the floor and went to the front as Morgan walked by her with his guitar not even acknowledging her. She stacked the empty boxes from the front door on top of one another and moved them to the side.
Walking back to the room she slowly walked by him putting his guitar down and pouring himself a glass of whiskey and water. She couldn't help but feel like something was missing that used to be there. It made her sad, especially because tour would be hectic as it was.
It may have not been the best idea for her to talk to him due to how stressed he was but it was important that he knew how she felt. She just didn't know when. She rerouted herself to the kitchen to grab herself a coffee as she heard his footsteps.
"When are you going to move your clothes?" he hollered from what seemed like the closet.
It was like something snapped, "Are you done bitching at me?".
Her own words shocked her as much as they shocked him.
"Excuse me?" he scoffed as his footsteps began to trail to the kitchen.
Laney regretted her words but she couldn't help but go off, "You have been just bitching at me and been talking to me only when you want me to move something or something of mine is in the way. No other conversations and I am trying my best here".
He took it with a grain of salt but he also knew she was right. Despite the sacrifice of leaving her apartment behind and her work behind, he hadn't been appreciative enough towards her.
He stood there for a moment just staring at her, "I'm sorry. Im trying my best too".
It was her turn to be stunned by him. She grabbed her coffee and walked towards the back door to go to the dock. And he immediately sighed regretting his words.
Laney had started to cry as she walked towards the lake. Tears blurring her vision as she sat down to decompress. She didn't expect to feel so hurt and for him to respond so coldly. And she just let it out, crying as she stared at the lake.
Morgan poured himself another drink as he watched her walk off. He was stressed out about tour and living up to people's expectations. Would she leave him if it became too much?
He debated on calling up Thomas for some advice as he pondered going outside to talk to Laney. But instead he got in his truck and drove to one of her favorite places to get her a milkshake. He was hoping he wouldn't have to verbally apologize to her and this would do it.
As the truck drove off, Laney picked grass near the lake. Maybe she should go in and talk to him again. She walked inside the house to see his keys gone off the kitchen table and his shoes gone.
"Morgan?" she called out.
No response. It was eerily quiet as she started to walk around the house and look around. With every door she opened, there was no response.
He was gone.
Laney opened the front door to look at the driveway, and his truck was pulling back in. For a second, it seemed like he had left her.
As he hopped out the front seat of the truck, she just stood in the doorframe.
"Where were you?" she asked coldly.
He grabbed a strawberry shortcake milkshake from the front and handed it to her, "Getting you this".
She gave him some side eye while taking a sip, these were her weak spot. It was hard not to falter. But she turned around and walked back into the house paying him no attention as he followed her back into the house in silence.
The two sat across from each other at the kitchen table and the tension was thickening.
"Are you going to apologize?" Laney finally asked.
"This is my apology," Morgan gestured to the milkshake.
She dryly chuckled, "Wow. Not even a sorry".
He stayed silent as he tried to muster up the words but nothing came out, not even a peep.
"You've been a real piece of work lately and to barely talk to me unless you're criticizing me is crazy," she scoffed, "But I won't talk to you either".
Laney walked away as Morgan began to panic a little. He let her walk away once and couldn't let it happen again. As he heard her keys jingle, his eyes widened, "Laney".
She stopped in her footsteps as she was almost halfway out the door and Morgan quickly ran to her, "Where are you going?".
She blankly stared at him, "A drive".
His heart sank as a million thoughts went through his head. Beads of sweat began to form on his face and the house suddenly began to feel hot. He couldn't be left by her again.
"Laney no stay," he said starting to panic.
"Morgan I want to go on a drive to have some space," she sighed as she turned away.
He instinctively grabbed her hand, "Laney no".
She looked back at him in shock but that shock soon became concern once she noticed him sweating. She faced him and put her keys down slowly, "Hey... what's going on with you right now?".
His breathing started to get heavier and heavier and she put his clammy hand in hers, "I'm panicking and I can't stop".
She took her shoes off and spoke, "Look I'm right here. I won't go anywhere".
He squeezed her hand as his heart began to race and his vision began to blur, "Laney. I-I can't see".
"Focus on me," she softly said as she began to rub his back with her free hand.
The tears in his eyes made it a little bit of a challenge and Laney began to connect the dots of his panic attack, she understood the reasoning now.
She gave him a kiss on the lips and he quickly returned. It had been a few days since they had kissed... maybe even a little over a week. The flame that was once there had recently burnt out, losing not only its spark but itself altogether.
He wrapped his arms around her engulfing her as he just wanted to hold her, "Thank you I love you. I'm sorry for being a dick Laney girl".
She wrapped herself around him, "I'm not going to leave you like that again. I want you to know that. Unless you cheat".
He shook his head, "Never would".
