The Hook-up

Chapter 156

"Aww. He makes it all better with three words." Lauren told her sister showing the small card with I love you written on it in his own blocky handwriting. Larissa rolled her eyes still upset at her brother-in-law. "What?" Lauren asked taking a hold of Everlee who had just started sucking on her aunt's arm. "Come on, mama. You're hungry..." Lauren said to herself sitting down on the couch to feed the baby.

"I'm going to leave this stuff here." Larissa told her sister setting down the cat seat and baby bag.

"Yeah. Uh-huh." Lauren answered not paying attention to her sister.

"I'm going to wash your dishes..."Larissa said knowing that Lauren was lost in her daughter's eyes while they sat together. About thirty minutes later Lauren yelled for her sister to ask a question.

"I'm right here...." Larissa answered standing right behind her.

"Shh...she fell asleep. Do I burp her even if she's asleep? What if it wakes her up?" Lauren asked.

"Pat her really gently. It should clear her up pretty quick." Larissa answered patting her niece's back lightly. "Just like that." Lauren moved her hand around her daughter;s back hearing a small noise escape her lips.

"It worked!" Lauren laughed quietly holding Everlee close to her as she started to walk toward the bedroom. "Can you grab the bassinet?" she asked Larissa who was following behind her.

"Hey, Laur...he didn't pick these did he?" Larissa asked pulling one of the bassinets smoothly against the wooden floor.

"No." she said flatly trying to ignore the topic her sister was bringing up.

"Who got them, then?" Larissa asked.

"One of his friends." She said to her sister without an opportunity to have a conversation about the items as she placed her daughter down gently rubbing her stomach to wake her up and then get her back to sleep so she wouldn't scare herself when she woke up away from her mother. Lauren saw Everlee throw her hand up startled by her mother. "Shhh..." she soothed her daughter seeing her instantly fall asleep.

"Do you want to take a nap? You should..." Larissa told her sister as Lauren sat down on the couch.

"I probably should. I'll set my alarm. You can go if you want to. I know you're as tired as I am because you've been with me. " Lauren sympthasized with her sister.

"I will have my phone with me. Please call if you need me." Larissa said reaching for her keys. "And of he's not home by 10 call me."

"Why?" Lauren asked looking a little confused.

"So I can kick his ass. I'm surprised that his sisters haven't showed up yet. Aren't they working on something themselves?" Larissa asked.

"He hasn't told me about it all, but it sounds like something. I haven't had a chance to really talk to them. I know they were busy for most of the time that I was in the hospital. They all came together yesterday during the evening. " Lauren shrugged laying down on the other side of the couch. "I just don't know. But we're gonna make it. Even if it's just the three of us."

"Oh, no. Don't even say that shit." Larissa said rubbing her sister's feet.

"I know. I know. I'm going to try to keep myself positive." She said closing her eyes.

"Okay, sissy. Good night." Larissa answered standing up. "Try to sleep."

**

Bruno stepped out of his car later that evening grabbing his phone and keys slowly opening the door to see that the flowers he had left his wife were placed neatly near the dining room table. "Lau..." he started to yell as he usually did when he came home. "ennnn..." he whispered forgetting that Everlee was home with them. He tapped his feet dancing to the song that he had started to write that day. "Laur?" he asked turning the corner to see her sitting in the rocking chair in a dimly lit room rocking Everlee to sleep. He smiled at her walking toward the two of them. He leaned down kissing Lauren's head and then Everlee who looked up at Bruno confused.

"She can't see that far, yet." Lauren told him.

"Oh. Is she almost asleep?" he asked her.

She nodded her head standing up to place her in the bassinet that was sitting next to her.

"She's not sleeping in here?" Bruno asked confused.

"No. She's coming in the room with us. I have to get up every few hours so why would I have he all the way down here?" Lauren asked.

"I don't know. Maybe I could take care of her tonight." Bruno asked a bit sad that he didn't have any time with her.

"Are you going to be home tomorrow?" she asked him.

"I don't think so." He said to her. "But I am going to go to the hospital with you...."

"You just have to be home more." Lauren said to him turning off a light next to her. She slipped herself under the blanket of the bed.

"I'm trying..." he said sensing that they may have an argument.

"If you can't you can't. That's the way it is." Lauren said turning around facing the opposite direction that he was facing. She closed her eyes ignoring Bruno's movements around the room as he started to change close and took a quick shower. After falling asleep quickly Lauren was awakened by Bruno's soft voice near her. He heard him singing a song that she had never heard but sounded perfect as he sang in to his daughter. She stayed awake until he finished singing to her daughter feeling his arms wrap around her. She moved her body down to wiggle perfectly into his arms. "I have to get up in 45 minutes." She whispered to him.

"Then go to sleep. Laur." He laughed at her. "Quit listening to me. I get nervous."

"Shut up. You do not. And that song was perfect." She answered not hearing anything he said after that until her alarm went off close to an hour later.