The Hook-up

Chapter 162

After leaving a message for Lauren Bruno quickly dialed Caitlin. The phone rang several times until she picked up. "Hello?" he heard her.

"What happened?" Bruno asked angerly. "She's gone. Nothing happened."

"She's my best friend, Bruno. I had to tell her." Caitlin said in a calm tone with a baby crying behind him.

"Is she with you?" he asked.

"She's with me." Caitlin answered flatly.

"Let me talk to her." He demanded. "Let me talk to my wife." He said more softly. "Please."

"She doesn't want to talk to you right now." Caitlin answered.

"You didn't even fucking ask her..." Bruno turned seeing that Geronimo was scratching at the door. "Hold it." Bruno yelled at the dog.

"I don't want to talk to you!" he heard Lauren yell.

"Put the phone on speaker. She doesn't have to say anything...." He pleaded.

"We're at her dad's house. Everyone is here...." Caitlin said.

"I don't care." He heard the sound of the speaker going on. "Lauren....I'm not perfect. I really don't know what to say except that I'm sorry."

"What made you stop?" she picked up the phone talking to him.

"My conscious." He said with a sense of determination and emotion in his voice.

"So you have one of those?" she asked sarcastically.

"Yeah. I have one of those." He answered without the same sarcasm that she had.

"I saw her text messages." She said calmly. "I knew you were going....I just didn't want to say anything."

"Boo, why didn't you say anything?" he questioned.

"It's not even worth it anymore. I've just given up. I think I'm going to stay here for a while. I'll let you finish the album and then we can talk after." She explained.

"No. You can't do that. Lauren I need you. I need to talk to you when I get home, I need to hold the babies, I need to help you..." he felt himself almost shaking from the pain her words caused him.

"You don't need me. And I'm not arguing. I'm tired and I want to go to sleep. It's almost 2 in the morning and they both are asleep. I want to sleep too."

"Okay. I love you, Lauren." He sighed knowing he had lost the argument for the night.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow." She answered ending the phone call.

Bruno looked at the phone seeing the picture of his wife holding both their children smiling at him fade into the past. He ran his fingers along the screen feeling tears come down his cheek. "I really fucked up, Geronimo." He said to himself walking to let the dog out. "I really messed up." He repeated over and over again walking to the kitchen to grab a bottle of Jack pouring a good amount into a glass cup drinking it straight. He made a face downing the beverage pouring himself several more before sitting down on the couch to turn on the tv.