DIFFERENT

37 -- Family

Oh, my Sweet Darlings !

All is well in the magic kingdom !  Prince Laurent is home again, with his Prince and Princess.  But who is the Mystery Caller ?  Read on, dearest, read on ..... 

Laurent awoke to the familiar sight and feeling of the early morning sun finding it's way around their bedroom.  Their bedroom.  Our bedroom, he thought, smiling to himself as he stretched.  He felt a heavy warmth tucked into his side, turning to see a sleeping Larry, his arm slung around his waist, his head back, mouth open, snoring contently.  God, how he'd missed waking up to this man like this every day.  Even the snoring.  He gently kissed the top of Larry's head, earning himself some smacking lips and a grunt, which made him chuckle.  He heard Michaela then, babbling away through the baby monitor, probably talking to her fingers or her toes again.  Laurent slid as gently and as quietly as he could from out of Larry's grasp, threw his sweatpants on quickly, and, rubbing his eyes, he headed for Michaela's room.

"Good morning, Princess !  We haven't done this in a while, have we ?"  Laurent's smile that greeted his daughter was almost as bright as the newly risen sun.  As she giggled at him making sweet faces at her, he gently picked her up out of her crib, swearing she had put on weight, to change her.  After he had changed her diaper, he carried her down the stairs to the kitchen for their breakfast, as she clutched her beloved bunny, talking to her all the while in french.  She was going to be a bilingual child if he had anything to do with it, and he doubted that Larry would argue.  He put her in her bouncy chair on the kitchen counter top, as they chatted animatedly together, tickling her tummy as he warmed her formula.  

Larry had been watching for a minute from the usual hiding place behind the kitchen door frame, and it reminded him of a similar morning, not so long ago.  And he realised his feelings were still the same now as they were on that morning, even deeper, even bigger and wider, even more, if that were possible.  He rounded the door with a smile, to be greeted by another equally as bright and loving.  Larry made a request as he approached Laurent in the kitchen.

"Turn around"  he ordered, winding his index finger in a clockwise motion.

"What ...... why ?"  Laurent smiled, amused at the request, but immediately knowing why.  He did as ordered anyway.  As he turned his back to him, Larry wrapped his arms tightly around Laurent's waist, pushing his body into his back, relishing the skin on skin contact, his chest to Laurent's back, his cheek against Laurent's shoulder and neck, leaving lazy, loving kisses there.  As they did, every morning since they had been together.  Except for the last four mornings.  He had hated it.  

"I've missed this" Larry mumbled into Laurent's back, as Laurent wrapped his arms on top of Larry's, bringing his knuckles to his lips for a tender, feather light kiss.  Laurent could feel Larry's energy change slightly, releasing a huge sigh at the same time.

"What is it ?"  there was no answer, just a tightening of the grip around Laurent's waist.  Laurent untangled their arms and turned himself around in Larry's embrace to face his love.  He could see ..... something..... in Larry's eyes.  He knew what it was, then.  OK. 

"We still need to clear it up, don't we ?  You want to know about the phone call, the one that started all of this .... "  Larry was looking up at Laurent almost shyly, sheepishly, as if he were apologising for needing to know.  Then he straightened himself up, pulling his shoulders back, looking Laurent directly, unflinching, into his eyes.  

"Yes", he said clearly, succinctly.  "Yes, I do.  I know it's not Caleb, and I don't think it's another ..... lover ......"  he trailed off, not even wanting to use the word.