The Hook-up

Chapter 187

"D?" Bruno asked after the brief kiss.

"Why do we always do this? Why can't it just be normal? I hate doing this to her. You make me happy. You calm me down. I want Lauren because she's my wife and I said I do. I love her. I could never unlove her. But, there's something about the two of us that makes things better when you're here." Bruno said exposing all his vulnerability.

"I don't know, Bruno. I see what you see." Damaris told him. "I see that you love her and want the best for the four of you. But there comes a point where the best isn't always right." she told him.

"Can I think about all this?" he asked looking out the cab's window.

"Take your time, Bruno. You know I'll be here." Damaris told him. "I'll always be there for you."

**

"I'm ready!" Lauren ran into her mother's living room finding a spot in between her sister and mother holding a bowl of popcorn. "I know he's already done it and this is delayed but I cannot wait. He is going to be so damn good." Lauren gushed feeling her sister and her mother hold her hands tightly.

"Are you nervous for him?" Rose asked.

"I am shaking. If I was there. Well, I know I wouldn't have been able to handle it." Lauren answered. "It's kind of a good thing I couldn't go." she laughed hearing the opening lines of the cold opener. "Oh my god."

The three of them sat together watching her husband be the person he was around Lauren. He was funny, personable and passionate. He made her smile, he made her warm and fuzzy and made her want to sit on he couch with him and just let him hold her while he told her stories about his music. "Are you okay?" Larissa asked her sister after a commercial break.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." she said shrugging her shoulders. "I need to check on the babies just to make sure they're okay." she said jumping up to get away from the conversation. She went into the room illuminated by a night light bending over to see her twins laying next to each other in a tight embrace. She felt herself start to get emotional almost starting to cry thinking about what they didn't have, their father. He's right. This is hard. I don't know if I can do it. It's just that he's going to blink and they're going to be walking talking little things. She thought to herself trying not to make any noise. I just want him to be standing here with me. Watching them. Telling me that they are beautiful babies and that Ezra has her nose and Everlee has her mouth and ears and that he wants to stare at them for the rest of the night.

"Lauren?" she heard her mother come up behind her quietly. "You're missing some of it..." she said standing next to her daughter. "You know..there was a time when your dad was in New York and London a lot when you were a baby. I cried just like you did. Every night. I didn't know how I was going to be able to take care of you and your sister without help. I wanted him to be there for me, just like you want your husband to be here now."

"What did you do?" Lauren asked. "Nothing I do makes it better. Ever."

"I spent a lot of time with you and your sister. I knew every little thing about you by the time you were two. I knew that you always fell on your right side when you walked, that you could sleep through anything and that you loved Michael Jackson music."

"What did that do?" Lauren asked.

"It took my mind off of your father." Rose said to her daughter. "You need to take him off your mind. Find out who your children are."

"I do know my kids." Lauren answered a bit confused walking out of the room careful not to wake them up.

"Just think about it, Lauren. It could help." Rose told her taking a handful of popcorn from the bowl watching the lights dim and Bruno's face appear on the screen. Larissa and Rose watched Lauren's face go from white to red beaming with pride.

"Oh my...." she said moving up in her seat almost in tears from the song. "I don't...." she started trying to wrap her head around the emotions and the words he was saying. She felt her sister give her a side hug comforting her. "This is our song." she said hearing the end of it watching him walk away as fast as he could. "I need to talk to him." she got up from the couch walking to the backyard to make her phone call.

She dialed his number waiting for the call to connect hoping to hear his voice, but instead getting his voicemail. "You were amazing tonight. I love you and I miss you. I think I'm going to go back to the house. I will see you soon."