Relapse (Michael De Santa x OC)

Live and Let Live

Michael sat in his car and watched. She had moved farther from Downtown Vinewood and closer to Vespucci like she had mentioned to him on occasion more than once. It bothered him that he couldn't remember that, if he did, he'd narrow it down to this place and take care of the rest himself without paying some amateur computer whiz a few extra bucks for an address. He couldn't think about that now. The tricky part was that it was near the freeway so he had to park a bit further than he had intended. Especially since she could recognize his car. It was 10 am so he couldn't figure out if someone was in the house or not. He checked for a car but the house had a garage connected to it and its sliding door was closed. What also bothered him was the fact that she had gone through all this trouble to get away from him like he was some sort of psychopath. He let that float around in his chest and started the engine to drive away but then a cab stopped in front of the house and Laura emerged from it and entered the house.

It seemed like it was just out of a dream to see her there even if it was for a few seconds. It was like just the sight of her had ignited so many feelings he had thought he had dealt with. He only realised then that he couldn't talk to her and even if he did manage to make it across the street to that door he wouldn't even find the right words. Michael had thought of everything and had accounted for everything except how to actually get her back in his life again and the more he sat in that car, the more distant it seemed and he hated it. Eventually, he had to drive away this one time and headed straight home. His phone rang and it took him a while to answer and saw it was Tracy. With a sigh, he answered and spoke to her as she pleaded him to come help her mother from the grasps of faux modern fitness gurus. Turns out he had a busy morning after all. He would talk to his family. He didn't know if them coming back was what he wanted anymore because he didn't know what he wanted.

****

Laura was out on her patio since she had moved her easel there. The ocean was a great subject to draw when it was coupled with the changing colours of the sky at different times of the day. She was just working on one and was adding some depth to it as she spoke to Dave. He was on loudspeaker.

"Today is just not looking up to be my day. Long day ahead of me and a long line at the Bean Machine. I finally got my coffee and it wasn't even what I ordered but I was just too exhausted to argue with this kid. God, why are the youth just running around with so much misguided rage and exasperation. I mean, I'm the one who should be feeling that especially with the job I have."

She couldn't help but laugh at that.

"C'mon, don't laugh at me, Laura. I'm really suffering here. You're supposed to be making me feel better."

"Oh yeah? Alright then, first thing I would probably yell at that kid with the state of mind that I'm currently in."

"Really? What else?"

"I'd get you a cookie to calm your tits, Dave. You're quite the Mr grumps today." She said teasingly.

"You know? That would have improved the situation drastically now that I think of it. You gotta get me that next time."

"I'll try my best to shower you with treats the next time I see you." She said and added a darker shade of blue to the painting. Laura leaned back to look at how it looked.

"Speaking of that, when will I next see you?"

"You tell me. How's your packed schedule looking like?"

"I actually don't know. I have some things to deal with soon but I think I'll have the night of."

"Alright, get back to you with that?"

"Of course. Whatever you're comfortable with, I told you that but do allow me to drop you off something to eat?"

It wasn't the first time he had done this. He would sometimes get some food on his way back from his errands and he'd stop by to leave some food for her. She didn't mind it, the variety of foods was exciting, sometimes he'd bring something from a place she never tried before.