"Lauren!"
"Hi Scott."
"You must be freezing! Come in, please!" He opened the door wider to let her in, wondering why she had come to his house.
"Thank you, Scott."
"Are you alright, Lauren? You look as if you've been crying." And so she did. Her eyes were red, her cheeks tear-streaked.
"I...I guess so. I just had to get away from Harry for a little while."
"You can talk about it, if you want."
"Harry...he asked me if I wanted to buy that house with him...I can't afford it on my own. And I said yes, but I don't know. There's something...something missing. I can't describe it. I just wish...I mean..."And Lauren broke down again, crying and shaking. Scott held her and let her lean on him. He wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to do. He loved Lauren, and here she was at 1:15am crying in his arms about Harry.
"Lauren..it will all work out. You're a beautiful, intelligent, wonderful woman. The students look up to you and so do the teachers. Steven and I too. You're just so wonderful.....And if there's something missing with Harry, I say get it or let him go. because you deserve to have it all, Lauren."
"Oh Scott, thank you. But I just...I can't leave Harry. I do love him...I think. maybe I'm just being too judgemental, a perfectionist."
Then Scott Guber said the most painful words of his life. "Lauren, If you love him, you have to go back to him." He winced and let go of her. It broke Lauren's heart to see Scott's face. he was looking at the floor, eyes tearing, lips tense.
"I suppose you're right. But can I sleep here tonight? I really don't feel like dealing with Harry right now." she looked hopefully into his eyes. He straightened up and smiled.
"Sure Lauren, you can take my bed. I'll sleep on the couch."
"No, Scott, I don't need the bed. You take it."
"I insist."
"Hey...it's sweet of you to offer, but you take the bed or I'll sleep outside on the steps."
"Oh...I guess you win then. But if you change your mind, just wake me up."
"Alright. But let's not go to bed just yet. I told you my problems. Now you have to tell me yours."