So, Here I Am

Chapter Seven The Day Out 2

They arranged to meet at a coffee shop just around the corner from where the Twins were having their interview.   It was a beautiful clear, sunny, but cold London day, and everyone was in a really good mood.   Maggie could feel as if everyone just needed to chill, and partake in some silliness today.  The mood was light, and there wasn't a hangover in sight.

"What would you guys like to do today, what would you like to see, experience ?" Maggie asked, as they all looked at each other.   "Soraya knows London pretty well, any ideas ?"

"I think the usual would be still be pretty good?", she says, Maggie knowing what the usual meant.  It meant the usual tourist things, but their favourite ones.   Did they guys trust them to just go with the flow, leaving it to the girls to choose where they went for the day ?

"It's gonna be busy, and you'll enjoy it I promise" said Soraya.

Larry looked at her then and said "well if I don't, you're gonna have to make it up to me ...I mean, us ".    Already started.   Cheeky.

First stop, The London Eye. The guys didn't do too well with heights, but once they were up there, and concentrated on the view, they weren't too bad. "Wow", exclaimed Laurent, "It's amazing up here. No noise, except Larry talking incessantly!" he said mocking his brother. "Similar to the Eiffel Tower"

"This is a wheel, that's a tower, how is it similar, Lau?" retorted Larry, a little put out by his brothers obvious affection for him.   This was going to be a fun day, Maggie thought, looking over at Soraya, both smiling at one another, as if the same thought had crossed their minds at exactly the same time.

Second stop, a river cruise up the Thames, passing several landmarks, including going under London Bridge.   Sitting close together on the top deck, enjoying the sun, Larry and Soraya went to the bow of the boat and pretended to do the Titanic scene, where the two lovers stand on the railings, their arms wide open to the wind.  They were laughing and giggling like school kids, and it was lovely to see them enjoying themselves, thought Maggie to herself.

"They seem to like each other" said Laurent, sitting close to Maggie, his arm around her shoulders, hugging her to him, with the pretense of keeping her warm in the brisk wind.

"Don't they.  Kindred spirits, perhaps" she says.  She turns to look at him, and is taken completely by surprise, as he catches her mid turn, and kisses her softly, slowly, gently.  His lips are warm and soft, and she is entranced by his gentleness and the sublime taste of him.            The kiss lasts quite a while, and neither of them seem in a hurry to finish it, so they just continue, oblivious to everything going on around them. Larry and Soraya are on their way back now, but they take a seat several rows behind Laurent and Maggie, not wanting to interrupt their moment.

"Seems like a plan" says Soraya, looking at Larry now.  He doesn't need to be propositioned twice, and leans in to kiss her.  They share a more passionate kiss than their companion couple, and giggle like children when they break from it.   Next stop lunch.

"Ooh, yeah" says Larry, already hungry.

"I told you, you're part pig!", laughed Laurent at his brothers infinite capacity it seemed, for food.

"Where ?" the guys were interested.

"Street Food Union !" the girls chimed in together.

"It's a huge indoor food court, and they sell really good street food, it's amazing !" says Soraya

"Lets go !" insists Larry, already making his way down the street to the nearest tube station.

After lunch, while they were absolutely full to bursting, they could barely waddle anywhere, so they found the nearest park, and just sat on a bench, and watched the world go by until their discomfort had dissipated slightly. They sat as two couples now, with the girls in the middle of the bench, their "men" on the outside, arms around their "women".                                                       "This is so nice, to just sit and do nothing for a while, listening to the birds, people watching" said Laurent, wistfully.                                                                                                                                               "You O.K. bro ? You're starting to sound like a girl" Larry goads his brother, laughing at his sensitivity.   Laurent isn't deterred.                                                                                                                       "No, I mean, we don't get to just sit and watch and listen, and just be in the moment anymore. It's really nice. Thank you for suggesting we do this, Soraya.   And thanks for coming with us, Maggie" he gave her a very sweet kiss on her cheek, maybe a little embarrassed at his own feelings in that moment, but he felt he had to share it.   Both the girls say "Aawww!", and Larry just rolls his eyes to the heavens.