The Hook-up

Chapter 60

Bruno stood in the middle of the house not sure how to react to her leaving. She usually stayed to finish the argument. "Lauren!" he shouted seeing her turn out of his driveway away from the house. He reached for his phone texting her.

I'm sorry I didn't mean it. I didn't mean any of it. Please come back.

He knew she wouldn't respond to his texts but he tried anyway still holding onto the phone as he walked into the loft looking at the sweet things he had finished writing about her. He glanced over at a bag of things they had brought back from Hawaii after looking over the words humming them to himself. He bent down reaching in the bag for a small box. He opened it looking at the sparkling ring he had bought to ask her to marry him. He didn't know when or what he was going to say to her. He just knew that she was the one he wanted to be with her, forever, or at least...maybe for now. He thought to himself. We can do it. He continued to think as he looked down at the ring knowing that it was exactly what she would like. He placed the ring back in the box burying it back where he had it before. He laid back on the ground closing his eyes trying not to cry asking himself what he had just said to her knowing that she was too busy with work to even go out with him on some days. But, then the thought always came back to him, that maybe it wasn't work. Maybe it was something else she was doing. It wasn't all about him like she continued to tell him. She has to have someone else for when I'm gone....he thought to himself. Just like I do. But I can't....he said sitting up wiping his eyes. My parents would be so pissed at me. They love her. My sisters would hate me. Everyone....he continued to think about everything moving back to the chair where he was writing earlier just putting down everything that came to mind. "It's like a heart attack..." he said to himself writing about his heart pounding and the feeling that he needed to run away from everything that was going on but knowing that running away wasn't the right answer. He put the pen down, grabbed his phone, keys, and wallet going to his car. He got in the car knowing exactly where she would be. He got on the highway driving almost 45 minutes in traffic to a middle class neighborhood toward a home he had been in a few times, all for good reasons. He winded through the widened streets for houses of 4 cars and 4 children. He turned down the semi-familiar street seeing the shining black car he had just bought her in the driveway. He stopped the car taking a deep breath trying to figure out what he was going to say. As he looked off to the side of the car he realized he needed something else. He remembered seeing a small flower shop a few exits away. She needs more time. He said to himself turning around to find the flowers. He stopped at the small empty store with his sunglasses still on and walked up to the table.

"How can I help you?" the college aged girl asked.

"I need the most expensive and most beautiful flowers that you have. I really messed up." He told the girl.

The girl turned around nodding her head walking toward some flowers. "Will these do?" she asked pointing to some purple and yellow flowers mixed in with some pink small flowers.

"Can you add something blue too?" he asked. "That's her favorite color."

"I think...." She pointed to another set of flowers watching him nod his head.

"That's good." He said to her. "When will they be ready?" he asked feeling a little nervous glancing at his phone seeing a text message from Ari.

Are you coming today?

"Shit." He said without thinking.

"Excuse me?" the girl asked.

"I'm sorry. I just forgot I needed to be somewhere today. But you're fine. Take your time, honey." He said sweetly forgetting that she didn't know who he was.

"Umm...okay." She cringed.

I don't think so. But go into the house. There's some stuff y'all can use.

He watched the girl move the flowers around picking out and moving them perfectly. She brought the giant thing of flowers to him. "Did you need these delivered?" she asked pointing to the fees and the ability to get them to anyone anytime.

"No, thank you." He said handing her his credit card. She glanced at the name gasping a little.

"Oh..sorry..." she smiled a bit uncomfortable by her reaction.

"It's okay." He said to her taking the receipt.

"Good luck, Bruno." She said waving as he turned toward the door.

He got in the car driving back to Lauren's sister's, Larissa's, house. He stopped seeing her nephew in the driveway with a basketball. He got out of the car smiling at Nick, Larissa's oldest 8 year old son.

"She's not going to want to see you." He said walking with Bruno to the door.

"Mommmm!" Nick yelled with Bruno lagging behind him.

"What Nick? Your mom....." Lauren walked toward the door seeing Bruno at the door. "I don't remember telling you where I was going..." she said in an upset tone pushing Nick out of the way toward the back of the house.

"Lauren...you're really predictable." He said with a smile clutching onto the flowers feeling his palms getting sweaty.

"I don't want those." She said to him. "But you can put them on the table. Maybe Riss will want them."

"Can I talk to you?" he asked her politely.

"No. Not yet." She said walking toward the door leading him out the door.

He stopped at the door turning to her trying not to cry as she pushed him out of the house. "Laur...I...I want everything. I don't know where that came from....it's not the right time but I'm going to do everything I can for you....." he said feeling her look down trying not to cry. She closed the door behind him stopping at the front porch.

"I was scared, Bruno. You were going to get mad at me if we didn't do anything when we were there. I knew you would have gotten so upset....and the doctors...Bruno..." she sat down on the edge of the concrete. "They said I would never have kids. How does this even happen?"

He sat down next to her remembering the day that she cried herself to sleep because she would never be able to have his children. And now, she was sitting right next to him positively pregnant. He took off his sunglasses showing her his puffy eyes taking a hold of her hand. "Lauren....I don't understand it either. But, it's going to be okay. I'll push the album back a little. I'll be there for everything. I have to go to Brazil in a few days, but after that....you and that baby are all that matter....." he said moving her hand to her stomach looking into her eyes as a few tears ran down her eyes.

"Is this going to change everything?" she asked.

"I think so." He smiled wiping the tears away from her cheek.