Saved By Steven (finished)

9. Breakdown over clothes

Lauren stripped of her dress. She turned on the shower and got in. It was nice and hot. Lauren felt herself getting clean and she actually started to feel better. After what seemed for like forever Lauren turned off the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. She sat on the edge of the bathtub. I didn't wear any underwear. What am I going to do?

Lauren sat on the bathtub five more minutes. Then she got up and ,for some reason, walked downstairs. She walked into the living room. The six man, Mick, Brad, Joe, Joey, Tom & Steven, were staring at her. What am I doing here? Why have I gone downstairs?

"You okay?" Mick said.

"Underwear." Lauren said.

"Sorry?"

"Underwear?" Lauren said, sounding a bit more agitated and frustrated.

"Honey, what's wrong with your underwear?"

Lauren started crying. Mick tried to calm her down, but she didn't listen. She kept saying underwear. Mick didn't understand her and felt miserable.

"Let me try." Steven said after five minutes.

"Be my guest."

Steven got on the floor in front of Lauren, who had collapsed.

"Sweetheart." He said. "What's wrong? Why are you so upset?"

"Underwear." She sobbed.

"What's the problem with your underwear?"

"Underwear." She said again.

"Is it dirty?" Lauren shook her head.

"You don't have any clean ones?" Lauren shook her head again.

"You didn't wear any?" Steven whispered so nobody could hear.

Lauren nodded.

"Okay, I'll take care of it." Steven said putting his hand on Lauren. "Could you do me a favor? Breath."

Lauren looked at him. "Can't"

"Yes you can. Just looked at me. Breathe in, and out."

Lauren did the same thing Steven did. After ten minutes Lauren calmed down and collapsed on the floor entirely. Steven got up and signaled Mick to get out of hearing range of the others.

"What's wrong with her?" Mick asked

"She didn't wear any underwear yesterday, so she doesn't have any today."

"That's it?"

"Yeah, do you have a shirt and shorts she can wear?

"Sure. I don't understand why she's getting so upset over it."

"May I ask what caused her to have this bad month? Maybe that is the reason for this breakdown?"

Mick told the story to Steven, who, after Mick had finished, went back to Lauren. He laid down on the floor, next to Lauren. He wrapped an arm around her. She wasn't moving, blinking, barely breathing.

"Sweetheart? Mick told me. I'm sorry." And he kissed her on the cheek.

Lauren turned to face Steven. She didn't say anything. Steven picked her up and carried her to the couch. Making sure the towel didn't slip. She crawled into him, hiding from the world. This feels save. Steven put his jacket around her, to make sure she was covered up and went on to plan the show, stroking Lauren's hair, letting her know she wasn't a burden and she wasn't alone. God, I'm still wearing a towel.