Double Affair | LT ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Twists and Turns

AUTHOR'S POV

It's been a few days since Laurent was faced with the agonizing fear that Larry has been in danger and at the hands of Anthony. Shawn is right in that they need to figure out a plan to get Larry away with no harm. He's aware that his constant attempts to reach out to him would make Anthony suspicious...but naturally Laurent couldn't hold back from trying. He's careful about when he does and it's usually whenever he believes Larry is alone. Larry has responded but it's the bare minimum mainly because he knows that Shawn told Laurent about the incident at the market so he doesn't say too much due to the fear of it causing an even bigger mess. Laurent has sensed from Larry's responses that he's hiding something and from the instant Shawn described the look on his face in that market Laurent hasn't stopped imagining it. Larry is always happy and carefree with his million watt smile brightening anyone's day so to think of him being timid and afraid breaks his heart. It's also been extremely hard for him to not feel guilty. Sure Larry made his choice to go back to Anthony and they could have fought for their marriage instead of just throwing in the towel...but Laurent still can't help but blame himself tremendously. When he thinks about what he now knows was infatuation with Anthony being in love it makes his stomach turn. In retrospect, it only makes sense for it to have been infatuation for he could never love anyone as much as he loves Larry. That only begs the question as to why it seemed so easy for him to gravitate to Anthony still. The sex was better than he would have thought it would be...but sex shouldn't have been the only reason and that's what he's racking his brain with lately. He and Larry were so good before Anthony. They had typical married couple problems but how much of Laurent as well as his therapist and Shawn saying it was merely the excitement of something different with Anthony is what's constantly ringing in his mind. Perhaps there was a deeper issue that he wasn't aware of. That combined with the extreme guilt he feels about Larry being in a dangerous situation has driven him to a place he didn't think he would ever come back to. He's sitting across from Dr. Cote and much like his first visit he spent the first several moments silent as he just didn't know where to begin. She's patient and her spirit is inviting as usual which ideally would make it easy for anyone to open up to her...but Laurent is feeling so much turmoil on the inside he can't bring himself to say anything yet. Little does he know, Dr. Cote is faced with a struggle herself as she's certain Larry is involved in what Laurent presented her with during his first visit. She's grateful that he came back to talk to her but she has the task of telling Laurent what she knows and bracing herself for the reaction. Without question she's sure that this is the reason he's here today just by the look of despair written all over his face. She doesn't push him to talk, rather, waits patiently for him to begin. When he does she's surprised at his first choice of words...

Laurent: "I need to apologize to you". 

Cote: "What is the apology for", she asks softly. 

Laurent: "The way I left the first time I came to see you. You helped me realize a lot and I thank you so much for that. It's just at the time I was too upset...but not at you. I was mad at myself because...."

Laurent's outpouring of words stop abruptly and as he exhales in despair there's a shakiness to it as if his emotions are on the brink of spilling out. Dr. Cote doesn't say a word. Instead she stands to her feet and walks over to the mini fridge in the corner of her office to retrieve a bottled water for him just as she did before as she can tell that what brought him here will be painful to discuss. She walks back over but she can't observe his face because his head is hanging low. When he feels her presence next to him he slowly lifts his head and looks at her. Tears have already brimmed his eyes and as he gently takes the water from her hand he whispers, "thank you". She gives him a soft smile and nod then walks back over to her chair. He takes a few sips and after he screws the cap back on he feels calm enough to continue...