Suited

Forty Seven

The Chairman had spoiled me with years of lay flat seats and free alcohol. Though I didn't drink much anymore, especially not in front of Lawrence, I would have loved a glass of a Tuscan red. I wondered as we sat at the gate before our first of three flights how I'd managed to get back to Italy and not have a single drink. It was almost blasphemous.

I turned to Lawrence and smoothed a stray hair out of his face. "Ragazzo?"

It was nearing eight here so two back home, and yet, he was napping. He quietly snored himself awake and I found that cute for some reason. Probably because he was leaned on my shoulder. He glanced around to look for me, a little disoriented before he remembered where he was and snuggled closer on the uncomfortable seat, unhappy at the armrest between us. "Yes, Sir?"

"Would you like wine?"

"Now?"

"No, at home. I figured since we're still here, we might as well get something nice."

"I don't know much about wine," he mumbled. Then he gasped. "You're a bartender!"

I supposed it made sense he forgot. It wasn't like he got to see that side of me very often, if at all. I was more skilled with mixed drinks but there's not much skill necessary in pouring a glass of wine aside from knowing what you're drinking and what vessel to put it in. As for savoring it, it's wine. Sip slow and say something pretentious so your stuck up peers think you're a genius. Lawrence wasn't like that but he could enjoy a good anything—let alone a good wine—and we'd be at home where he'd be safe.

We had an hour. That was plenty of time for me to go to the shop and spend an obscene amount of money on two overpriced bottles of the good stuff. One would go in each of our carry on luggage. I found two pretty wine glasses too. I put the receipts in my personal bag and hoped Air France wouldn't give us any trouble. They did not. The plane was on time and we were on it before our transfer to New York. I actually got some sleep between France and NYC. Not on the Baltimore flight though. Whoever dragged their poor infant on a 4:15 flight had a very cold room in Hell waiting for them. Why would you do that to a child?

Lawrence stripped of his clothes the second I shut the door. We were finally home and I had missed seeing all of him. I put the wine in his water fridge while he scampered upstairs with my carry on. He came back to get his and followed me up when I took the big suitcases. Honestly, the change of plans worked out quite nicely. It was early Monday morning and no one knew we were in the country. The sun was coming up while Lawrence was in the shower and I prepped his meds and a snack. Once I thought about it a little more, it was early to drink.

Lawrence was wearing briefs and one of my shirts with towel dried hair, a collared neck, and cuffed wrists. This version of him was much more normal and he was already looking a bit better when he came downstairs. I felt better looking at him. I let him know about the wine and decided we would have some of it for brunch, which would give us some time to sleep. I took my shower after we snacked. I'd forgotten that economy seating only came with pretzels.

When I was finally in bed, my eyes wouldn't stay shut. I tried holding Lawrence closer but that didn't knock me out as fast as I'd like, so I held him more. Lawrence and I didn't return to my parents' apartment. We went back to the hotel and I called my father from there. Aside from telling him we were leaving that night, I had some choice words for him for letting my mother get that bad. I loved my father, but this had been too far.

I was at my limit. My mother could talk crazy to and about me all she wanted but to talk about Lawrence was completely unacceptable. I'd made myself clear about that since the first time she met him. It wasn't just about my job; he was my partner. I loved him more than I loved most people in my life. In the beginning, I believed I loved my family more but that vision was shattered the moment my mother called him out of his name. I loved Lawrence more so I had to put his and my mental wellbeing first.