DIFFERENT

20 -- Q's & A's

My Dearest, dearest !!

Prince Larry said yes !  Life is good in the Bourgeois-Read kingdom , is it not ?  Is "Happily Ever After" within their reach, at last ?  There are still obstacles to overcome, but .......read on, dear reader, read on .......

As he stood idly in the shower of Dr. Marshall's medical suite, his mind drifting to a faraway land of his own making, Larry came to the conclusion that he had never been so happy in his life.  It just kept getting better and better.  It should be illegal to be this happy, he grinned to himself.  Considering what his body had been through recently, his check up had been great, he and Laurent had seen their baby for the first time, and it was overwhelming.  And Laurent still wanted him to be his husband.  Still.  And he had said yes this time.  How could he say no ?  This amazing man had taught him to value himself, and he was no longer in that dark place, because of him.  So, yeah, Larry Christopher Read-Bourgeois !  HA !!  

Emotions too big for his heart and body spilled out of him and mingled with the warm water raining down on him and his baby, the gentle thrumming of the showers drops hitting his stomach, calming the little one more by the minute as he stood there.  But he couldn't stay there all day, unfortunately.  His mind wandered to the other things that needed to be addressed today.  One down, two to go.  No big deal, right ?  Only an auditorium full of people asking him not-so-bad questions, then a conference room full of mostly stupid people asking him even more stupid questions.  The medical Q & A didn't bother him so much, they were mostly Dr. Marshall's colleagues, and he knew what to expect.  He knew it was merely a fact finding mission for them, he at least hoped they would not be too judgemental.   As for the Press Conference, well, that would be a whole different ball game.  Larry sighed deeply, knowing it was time to make a move, Laurent would be waiting for him so they could get some lunch, and as usual, he was ravenous.  

Laurent was indeed waiting for him in the reception area of the clinic.  Before Larry made his presence known, he watched Laurent from a distance for a while, standing near a corner wall, so Laurent wouldn't see him.  Larry could see his face clearly, and watched quietly as Laurent leaned his forearms on his thighs, his leg bobbing up and down impatiently, as he played with the myriad of rings and bracelets that adorned his fingers and wrists.  The twists he flipped back from his face, so fast and so casually, that was so damned sexy, Larry could have melted into a puddle of goo right where he stood.  And the smile, THAT smile, the broadest, most beautiful fucking smile that adorned his face.  Hopefully caused by the thought of him or their child.  He could only think it was, as Laurent wiped an errant tear away from his face as he gazed at his feet.  He was so in love with this man, and the mood he was in right now, he felt as if nothing could hurt them, their love, or their family, as he committed to memory the scene before him.  As he wiped away his own tears, he made the move towards Laurent, smiling.

"Feel better, mon cheri ?" Laurent asked.

"Yes, thank you, much.  I'm hungry, are we going to get some lunch ?  The Q & A isn't until two."

"Well, duh ?!  When are you not hungry recently ?"  Laurent pulled Larry in to his body, clasping his hands behind his back, Larry placing his palms on Laurent's chest, feigning hurt feelings, but failing miserably.  "What would you like, cheri ?  Italian, sushi, oh no, you can't have sushi, sorry !"  Laurent hissed apologetically, forgetting Larry couldn't have raw fish.  He loved raw fish.   "What about a salad ?"  He knew the reaction he would get for that suggestion.

"Salad ?!  The fuck you get that idea, Lau ?  Since when do I eat salad ?"  Larry slapped Laurent's chest playfully, an "ow" playing on his lips.  They laughed together, and hugged tightly for more than a few seconds, more than happy in each other's embrace, relishing the moment for as long as they could, knowing it might be a while until they could indulge in each other again.