DIFFERENT

36 -- Building Bridges

There is sadness in the magic kingdom, and our two handsome Princes have their beautiful relationship marred by such devastation and mistrust.  Will they find their way back together ?  Will Prince Laurent's Prince and Princess be back in his arms again soon ?  Dear Reader, read on ...... 

Laurent hadn't slept for the third night in a row.  He'd had maybe six hours sleep in the last three days, and it, as well as the constant turmoil his heart was in, and the constant headache he had from trying not to cry, was taking it's toll.  Apart from the fact that he was trying to sleep on the thinnest mattress he's ever experienced on a fold out sofa bed in Jack's spare room.  ---   Typical bachelor life  ---  he thought.  Jack rarely had overnight guests, so why bother too much ?  Laurent concluded.

Throwing on some sweatpants and a T shirt, he quietly padded out to Jack's kitchen to make some coffee.  The rising sun cast a watery orange glow around the walls of the apartment, as Laurent took his coffee over to the large windows to look out on the beginning's of the day.  

---   How could he have been so stupid ?   ---  He admonished himself, again, with this particular question, at least a hundred times a day.  Did he not know what he could lose ?  Obviously, he hadn't given it much thought at the time, but now the realisation had kicked him in the ass, and had a vice like grip around his heart.  As he unblinkingly stared out into the middle distance at nothing in particular, his phone dinged an incoming text.  He glanced at it quickly, wondering who would be trying to reach him before six a.m.  The name that appeared made him look again.

Larry.

Laurent had texted Larry several times a day, every day, since he left.  Never receiving a reply, never knowing if his texts were being deleted, read or unread.

Good Morning, and, Good Night.

I miss you guys.

I miss you.

Please give Michaela a hug and a kiss from her Papa.

I'm so, so sorry, mon amour.

Please forgive me.

Can we please talk ?

I love you.

I love you.

With everything I have in me, I love you.  

Laurent inhaled deeply, releasing a long steadying breath, as he looked at the name on the screen, wishing that name would manifest itself as it's owner, to hug him, and kiss him, and tell him it'll be OK, and that he forgives him.  With another cleansing breath, Laurent opened the screen, his heart thumping in his chest.

Larry ; I can't sleep.  I had a feeling you couldn't either.

Laurent ; You're right, I couldn't.  I can't, without you.  I miss you, Larry.  I miss my Princess.

How do we fix this, Lau ?

We talk.  I talk.  I tell you everything you want to know, and I apologise every day for the rest of my life.  And we go from there.

I don't want you to apologise anymore, Laurent.  You've done that already.  Saying it again doesn't make things different.  But we should talk.  Can you come here, today ?  Noon-ish ?

I can do that.

Bring your stuff.  I can't sleep without you.

See you then.  Je t'aime, mon amour.

I love you too.

--  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --

Laurent was on tenterhooks for the rest of the morning, pacing around Jack's apartment like a wild cat in a cage.  He had just settled on the sofa, or as close to settled as he could get, when he received a call.  A call he had to take.  He had to get this sorted, once and for all.