One last time/Zauren

7.

"Don't leave me!" Lauren said in a baby voice. She wrapped her arms around my torso and laid her head against my chest as I walked around the bedroom trying to make sure I had everything. "Do you have to?" she questioned looking up at me and batting her lashes. "You know I have to. I
know it will feel like centuries, but I'll be back." I kissed Lauren on the forehead and gently removed her grip. Lauren pouted as I pulled my phone charger out of the outlet beside the bed.
"I don't go back to work for a few more days," Lauren stated about her vacation schedule. "I'm going to be bored and alone now."

"You'll be just fine," I kissed her on the lips and squeezed her in a hug. "And never say you're alone, Depp's going to be here." I gestured to the yorkie that was curled up in his dog-bed.
I pulled the lever up on my suitcase and gave Lauren one more passionate kiss to hold her up during the week. "I love you, okay?"

"I love you too," Lauren nodded as I made my way out. "Drive safely please."

I picked up one of my best mates and my co-worker, Liam, the one who gave us a microwave that we desperately needed for our house warming party the other day. Liam had a car of his own, but I figured we're both going to the same place and it's a three hour drive, who do it alone. "Hey mate," Liam said getting in the car after shoving his suitcase in the trunk. "Hey. Are you ready for this drive?"

"I'm ready for the drive, I'm just not prepared for Hester to talk our ear off in these meetings," he groaned, seat belting himself. I laughed. Hester is the boss man. He likes to talk and talk constantly and he doesn't realize that he eventually stops making sense but still drones on. Liam was the first to be on board with moving to the United States. He didn't think hesitate to say yes for a minor second.

Liam had a girl back at home called Danielle. Danielle moved to California to go to a dancing school and it left Liam in absolute shambles. In a way, I think moving was also his new start. He'd been in relationships here and there, but nothing that stuck.

"I can't believe you're officially off the market. Well done proposal I've got to say. You and Lauren are lucky to have one another," Liam said. I couldn't help the smile that overtook my face when at the mere mention of Lauren's name. It's nice to know that after all this time she still has that affect on me. "Thanks mate. That's nice of you to say. I don't know who I'm going to have as my best man. Niall's almost certain it's going to be him, but I haven't even gotten around to choosing what I'm going to wear tomorrow," I gestured to the suit jackets, and crisp button downs hung up in the back seat. Liam laughed, "Well if it sways your decision in the slightest, when you do come around to making the big choice, I'm going to make you my best man," Liam winked.

It took a little while before we got to the hotel. I was exhausted from driving so I wanted to head right to sleep, but Liam decided to spend his hours at the casino downstairs with some of our other colleagues. I woke up to my phone ringing and I rubbed at my tired eyes and saw Lauren's contact picture of her holding up an oreo. "Hello?" I answered tiredly.

"Oh sorry, did I wake you up?" her voice was raspy and cheery.

"No," I lied.

"How was your ride to the hotel?"

"It was good, long, but good."

"Cool, uhh, so I wanted to tell you something." her voice became hushed.

"Everything okay? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but Depp may have peed on your favorite slippers. The ones you love but I just hate and I put them on the floor to wash and Depp chewed on them.. so they're completely destroyed."

"You're kidding me.."

"No. I'm not."

"Why would you let Depp do that? I feel like you did that on purpose."

"Are you serious? The dogs not even potty trained. This is the first home he's lived in. Is it my fault that he hated those slippers and actually acted on it? No." I took in a deep breath, trying not to get riled up about a pair of dingy slippers that were once white but now led gray.

I remember my first fight with Lauren. It was four months into our relationship and both of our careers were launching into full effect so we rarely had time to hang out with one another and I was convinced Lauren was going to fall in love with one of the male dental hygienist that she worked around all day, and so we argued about that and she told me I should trust her more and we didn't speak for a week. Things got resolved when I played hookie and showed up at her door with all her favourite things.

Lauren and I never got into fights so serious that we feared our relationship was in jeopardy. It was small disagreements here and there, and now that we live together they're like did you use my shaver?! don't leave the toilet seat up! do the dishes. but I did them yesterday.

"It's not your fault.. I'm sorry," I let out a breath.

"Thank you. Now, I'll let you get back to work things, and I'll buy you a new and improved pair of slippers."

"I love you so much," I said.

"I love you too."
*
"We're gonna take five, and then when we get back we're going to elaborate more on the expansion of these advertisement ideas. Okay?" Hester said. We nodded our heads and he walked out the door. "Why couldn't I get a different job?!" Liam groaned throwing his head back on the cushion swivel chair.

"Hey." I looked up to see Chace Falcòn staring at me from across the table. "Do you and Liam have plans for tonight?"

"I was going to gamble," Liam sat up in his seat.

"Screw gambling." Chace leaned in like he was telling us a secret, he shot a look back at the door before saying. "It's Jeff's birthday and I have a little get together planned for him. Everyones invited except for Hester," he nodded. "It's in the white room." The White Room was a club nearby our hotel. It had quite a reputation. I rubbed at the back of my neck. "Yeah.. I don't know.."

"Live a little," Liam nudged me. "We'll go."

"Really? Awesome. It's at eight promptly, I rented out a room inside so everyones got to be there." Jeff walked back in the door drinking from a "coffee" thermos, but we all knew it was spiked with some sort of hard liquor.

"What are you guys talking about?" Jeff asked taking a seat.

"Just about how stupid this meeting is, and how stupid the next two days of conferences are going to be," Chace lied. Jeff rolled his eyes.

"Dude, tell me about it! I am not excited for this bullshit especially today. It's my birthday, you know."

"I've got just the remedy," Chace smirked patting Jeff on the arm and shooting a wink over to us.