So sorry it's taken me an eternity to update! Life got in the way for a short while! I will try make it up to people by updating a little earlier on the next chapter though... I hope you all like this one, and thank you for sticking with me! :)
Lauren had woken early, splashed her eyes with cold water to reduce the puffy swelling from the previous night's tears. With a great amount of trepidation, she had checked her email. Several random emails were in her inbox, but nothing from Nadia. Lauren wasn't sure if she felt relief or surprise at no response, although there was also a small chance that Nadia hadn't read it yet.
While she was wishing that she could just sleep the day away, she knew that she needed to get ready, to face the world as much as possible, and get a few things done. She didn't want to make much of an effort in anything, and so felt that simplicity was the key. Rummaging through the set of drawers in the bedroom, she eventually found some black leggings that were her "lounge day" go to. Coupling them with a black tank top, and loose fitting, sheer, cream shirt, she almost felt presentable. She quickly tied her hair up, out of her face, grabbed her aviators and set out of the house.
The sun was beaming brightly, and it almost felt like a spotlight to Lauren, highlighting her lack of sleep and obvious upset from the night before. She was thankful that she'd remembered the aviators, not only were they shielding her from the sun, but they felt like a barrier to the world.
She couldn't function without coffee, and decided to go get one and spend a short time in the park, before setting off to see Evony. Before she'd arrived at the coffee shop, she'd text Kenzi, inviting her to the park. She'd relayed that she had a brief window of time if she wanted to see her. The text response had been typically Kenzi and short. Which brought Lauren to where she was now, sipping the strong coffee, sat on a bench, watching the squirrels jump around the park, and up nearby trees. It felt like a small respite in an otherwise chaotic world.
She took another sip as an elongated shadow fell upon her.
"Yo, Lo." Kenzi briefly held a hand up as a somewhat awkward greeting.
Lauren shielded her eyes, despite the sunglasses she still had on, and grimaced a little at the bright light blocking her vision.
"Kenzi."
Kenzi quickly slumped herself at the other end of the bench, her typically high heeled boots facing in towards each other, and groaned into her hands.
"I feel terrible!"
"That's what drink will do to you."
"Well, yeah…. That and well, you know…"
Lauren was surprised at the awkward tone Kenzi displayed, it seemed uncharacteristic. Lauren said nothing. Kenzi cleared her throat, dramatically and continued.
"Lauren… I am sorry about last night… seriously."
Lauren looked at her coffee cup, playing with the edges of the plastic lid, instinctively knowing that Kenzi wasn't looking at her either. There was a moment of silence.
"Okay." Lauren muttered.
"I mean, I didn't mean for that to happen. I had been drinking earlier, I'd had a bad day… an argument with the boy… and then I guess I took my frustration out on you, in a way." She paused, sighed, and continued, gingerly, "So did you end up talking to Nadia?"
"No. I sent her an email… but I've heard nothing back."
"An email? Seriously?"
"Yes. I didn't want to deal with it any more directly. Kenzi, in my head and heart, it's over. I don't want anything interfering with that. It was so hard for me to actually break it off in the first place…. To actually get to a place where I have some independence, and I'm not so reliant on Nadia. We've both changed as people, it's just not meant to be."
"Okay, I get it. I mean I'm happy that's the case, being Bo's love muffin has certain…"
"Love muffin?"
"Yeah…"
Lauren laughed, "Kenzi, please don't make me a love muffin."
"Holy donkey balls… I'm sorry again, I always put my-"
"I'm kidding! Your turn of phrase was just so… random." Lauren laughed and looked at Kenzi.
The brunette glanced back, noticing Lauren's eyes, even behind the shaded glasses. "Seriously, Lo… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you, or cause issues between you and Bo. I can be an over-protective asshole! And the truth is, that I really have no issue with you and Bo dating! I haven't seen her this happy in forever! And now I'm the cause of you two fighting and…"
"Kenzi. What you said, while I may not be overly grateful… it needed saying. I needed to get this done. The last thing I want is for the Nadia situation to come up later. I need to move on."
"With Bo?"
"Maybe."
Lauren jumped as her phone started to vibrate. Quickly glancing at the screen, she was expecting to see Bo's name appear, but it was blank. An email. Panicking, she placed the phone nervously on her knee.
Kenzi frowned, "Aren't you going to get that?" She looked quizzically at Lauren, before frowning. "Lauren? Who is it?"
Lauren stuttered a little, "I don't know? It's an email. It's probably nothing."
Kenzi could almost see the panic taking over the blonde. "Well, could it be… you know… that name that I should never speak of, ever again?"
"I guess… I should check." Lauren sighed and slapped the top of her thighs with her hands, "Why am I so anxious about this?! I mean, I don't understand?! It's just an email." Her thought process verbalized itself. She stood, determined and resolute. "Okay, I'm going to look… excuse me." She awkwardly started to stride away, phone in hand, nervously glancing at the screen.
Kenzi promptly walked over to the bench and sat down. She tried to resist, but it didn't take long before she glanced over at Lauren. Kenzi wasn't sure if Lauren was reading any email, but she was staring at her screen in concentration. Lauren rose from the bench that she had perched herself on, and started to restlessly pace up and down the pathway. Kenzi took a deep breath. She could see that the situation was tense, and Lauren was clearly stressed, and had clearly been upset by events the previous evening. She wanted to approach the subject, but the truth was that she almost felt intimidated by Lauren. They had little in common, and so Kenzi didn't find conversation easy with her. Previously, she had been able to use Bo as a common ground. Defending Lauren to Evony had been a simple service, looking out for Bo's interests as much as anyone else's. She'd allowed gossip and time spent at the gallery to form a separate opinion of Lauren, with Bianca filling her in on rumored indiscretions with Evony, and her unresolved relationship with Nadia. After a scolding from Bo, she had admitted it was an unfair assumption to have made, and promised to make amends and try to find a common ground with Lauren. And now, here she was, looking at Lauren anxiously engaged in reading something, which had possibly come about from Kenzi's interference. She felt an obligation to help make things right again.
She heard Lauren let out a frustrated cry, and witnessed her throwing her phone on the grass by the bench.
Kenzi jumped up, and quickly strode to the bench, picking up the discarded phone, brushing it down her clothing to clean off the debris from the ground.
"See… no damage!" She handed it to Lauren, who reluctantly accepted the phone back. "Is everything okay? Can I help?"
"No. No, everything is not okay Kenzi." Lauren took a deep breath. "I have to go back."
"Where?"
"I have to go and see Nadia. So if you're serious about helping me… help me find a way."
"To go back to your ex? But why would I do that?"
"No! Not like that. I just need to go. I just don't know how I can afford it?"
"Bo. Bo would give you the money."
"No! I can't ask Bo for that, I couldn't do that to her."
"Okay, yeah… that was a bad idea. And I barely get paid from The Shadow Thieves, never mind have money to cross the country… I don't know?! Oh wait! I do know! Evony!"
"Evony?"
"Ask her for an advance! On the artwork for the album or something?! I mean, you're totally going to get that, and I can help with that!"
Lauren paused, thinking over her situation, and what to do next. "Kenzi, I need to sort this out. Can we just talk some other time, when I can think more clearly? I need to get a flight today if I can."
"And Bo? What about Bo? Are you going to tell her?"
"Oh god, I don't even know what to say." Lauren's voice displayed a clear panic. "I don't want her to get the wrong idea… but I have to deal with this… this… it won't go away. And as much as I feel like things are over with Nadia… I still care about her."
"Do you want me to say something? I don't really understand what's going on… but…"
"No… no, it should come from me… I just… I have to go see Evony. I'll figure something out… Okay?"
"Ummm… yeah, I guess… whatever it is…"
"Kenzi, I genuinely do care about Bo. You know that, right?!"
"Well, I guess so… I mean, yes… I guess…"
"I do. I really do. Please just trust me, and please try to keep her grounded. I have no idea how long I'm going to be."
"You're coming back though, right? Right?"
"I plan to, yes… but I just need to understand what's going on."
Kenzi frowned, she was prepared to take a leap of faith and trust Lauren in this, despite the other woman clearly not wanting to divulge the contents of the email that she had just received. "Okay… please at least try to talk to her before you go… I'd rather not see her before you've spoken to her. I get foot in mouth syndrome most of the time, and I wouldn't want to say… you know… the wrong thing."
Lauren sighed, clearly in partial frustration, "Kenzi, I really can't even think about this now… please… I need to go."
Kenzi awkwardly saluted Lauren in acknowledgement. "Sure thing, Captain!"
"I'm sorry, but really I have to go." Lauren briefly touched Kenzi's arm, but then with almost a pleading expression, turned and started to walk away quickly.
Kenzi watched her walking away, before sighing and slapping her hands by her thighs. She wanted to know what was really going on, but saw no way of chasing Lauren, or approaching the subject without causing a potential scene or more discord between the two of them. She decided to leave her curiosity behind and try her best to avoid Bo before Lauren had spoken to her. She hoped that Lauren wouldn't delay though as she had agreed to go and see Bo in the afternoon at the bar. It was a combination of being supportive and making sure her friend was okay after the previous night's drama, but now it was something that she was dreading.
"Lauren! Darling! You look positively awful!" Evony kissed each side of Lauren's cheeks in a typical European style greeting.
Lauren didn't acknowledge the statement, she just sighed heavily, and quickly wrapped her arms around Evony, bringing her close for a uncharacteristic hug. Evony's body stiffened under the bear hug, her arms straight by her side. As Lauren's grip didn't loosen any, Evony started to relax a little. She heard the blonde whimper a little, and that was when she awkwardly placed her arms around the other woman, trying to offer some comfort.
"Lauren? Honey, what's wrong?" Lauren continued to softly cry, and eventually Evony straightened her arms, forcing them out of the embrace. Evony studied the woman's face, studying her eyes carefully. "Lauren?" Her tone took a stern edge. "Did she give you a STI?!"
Lauren drew back sharply, and laughed a little, "God, no!"
"Do I need to kick Flo's ass with my impeccably heeled Jimmy Choo's?"
"No! This is nothing to do with Bo… and it's Bo, Evony! Bo." Lauren sniffed. "No, I'm sorry I'm in a bit of a state. I didn't know who to talk to…"
"Bo, schmo… whatever… you can do better! Anyway, darling! What's wrong?" Evony started to lead Lauren to the chaise in the room. "Come, sit with me."
Lauren let herself be led to the seat, and sat down, Evony perching herself by her side, with a hand on the top of her shoulder. Lauren wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. "I decided to end things officially with Nadia, and sent her an email last night."
"Okay, well that's good right?!" Evony winked, "And you want to ask me on a date?!"
Lauren laughed at the playful banter, before continuing, "She's really sick again, Evony."
"Who? Nadia? You mean she's not in remission?"
Lauren teared up again, "No… I don't know. I got an email earlier from Ciara."
"The other woman?! That bitch!"
"No, no… nothing like that… She just sent an email, I didn't even know who it was from at the time, as I didn't recognize the email address. But as I read on… she just said she's really sick again and has been in hospital. I guess that's why I haven't heard from her."
"Lauren, listen to me… It's over between the two of you. You made that clear before she went. She's the one who wasn't letting go. You don't have any obligation to be there for her, emotionally or physically."
"Well, maybe I don't, but that doesn't mean that I don't care about her. We went through so much… and to think of her going through that again… Alone."
"She's not alone! Doesn't she have this Ciara woman? She chose her over you Lauren!"
"Evony, please… I just need to be there. I need to make sure she's okay."
Evony sighed and raised a single eyebrow in frustration. "Well, I know there's no point trying to stop you. What does what's her face," Evony saw a look of frustration pass over Lauren's eyes at her words, "Bo… what does Bo think about it all?"
Lauren bit her bottom lip slightly, "I haven't told her yet… I mean, I think it would be best if I just went now and tried to cause as little fuss as possible."
"Really? Well won't she notice you're gone? You've basically been joined at the va-" Evony stopped again, seeing the look on Lauren's face again, "hip-ish area for the past few weeks."
"Well I told her I wanted a break, last night. Potentially, I could go there, and be back before she knew it."
Evony frowned, "Hmmm… well as much as I hate to be the voice of reason here… I think you should tell her. It would be a lot worse if it came from someone else. And honey, what if you don't come back?"
Lauren contemplated on Evony's words for a moment. "You're right. I don't know what's going to happen when I'm out there. And I wouldn't want Bo to feel like I just abandoned her, she doesn't deserve that."
"Look, I don't want to encourage this madness between the two of you, but I also don't want to see you get in a worse situation that you have to here… especially as it's me who's going to have to pick up the pieces, and I'd rather them not be body parts if she comes looking for someone to blame for this! You go sort out that… you know… that, shit… I'll book you a flight."
Lauren looked at Evony blankly, "Really?" Her voice cracked a little with the emotions bubbling under the surface. "You'd do that? For me?"
Evony leaned back, brushing her hand through the air nonchalantly, "Oh please! You're gonna owe me so much after this! I'll have you scrubbing my floors in a special uniform!" She laughed a little too much for Lauren's liking, before adding. "Now, really… you go, I'll take care of the flight for this afternoon. Sort your shit, pack, and I'll have a car come pick you up."
Lauren, without thought or hesitation, grabbed brought Evony's face to her own, and their lips together in chaste appreciation of the gesture. After a few seconds, Evony broke it off and licked her lips gently, "I need to do this kind of shit more often!" She raised her eyebrow.
"That didn't mean…" Lauren started, then realized she could end up in a bigger mess trying to explain. "I mean… Just thank you. Thank you." She placed a hand over her heart in sincere gratitude.
"I know. Get going Bambi, you won't have much time." Evony stood, and made her way to her desk. "I'll make sure I get you there safe and sound… you need to make sure you get back here with a clear head and your work-face on."
Lauren jumped up, and started to walk out of the room. "You can be sweet sometimes, you know."
Evony rolled her eyes, "Oh please! I just know how to keep my investments profitable! Stop with the flattery or you'll get me a reputation!"
"I won't let on that you're not completely made of stone!" Lauren blew a kiss at her, before rushing out of the room. She had a lot to do, the first stop needed to be Bo, and she had no idea what she was going to say or do when she saw her.
