Seeing as to how their previous day of travel was shortened, they actually set an alarm to wake early and get back on the road. While both women were enjoying their time together, the driving part was starting to wear on them. Having a solid week in bed together sounded so much more enjoyable than driving most of the days away. An early breakfast replenished their spent energy from the night prior. They grabbed a few breakfast sandwiches from a drive-thru and got back on the road rather quickly.
Thankfully there were no additional traffic jams that day. To help pass the time, Bo and Lauren switched the driver role every two hours. They bypassed Chicago before noon, and as they day progressed they decided to try to make it back to Toronto that night. It would be the longest day of driving on their trip coming in around eleven hours, but the thought of spending the next few days in bed together motivated them. Bo let her mind drift over the memories they made from the trip thus far. She wished she could burn every memory into her heart forever because time spent with Lauren gave her that much joy. She hoped that not a single memory would fade over time. Soon they would be back in Toronto, getting back to routines and schedules, but now she had Lauren in her life in such a larger capacity than she did just a week ago. Bo did have that nagging feeling of inadequacy surface again, but figured she would approach that subject with Lauren when the time was right.
The closer they got to Canada, the quieter Lauren became. Bo had her own mind full of thoughts, so she couldn't fault Lauren for becoming lost in her thoughts either. She didn't want to press for information or make it an issue, but she was curious as to what was going through the brilliant doctor's mind.
Bo reached over to Lauren and grabbed her hand, pulling it into her lap while she drove.
She glanced over at Lauren, admiring her somewhat tight t-shirt that left little to Bo's imagination. "Whatcha thinking about?" she asked lightly.
Lauren hesitated before answering. "Oh, I was just thinking about how I'm going to explain to my boss about my no-show at the LA medical conference."
Bo nodded. "He knows about the plane, ummm…incident, right?"
Lauren shook her head. "He knows we landed in Utah, but that still won't explain why I didn't get on the next flight to LA. I've sort of ignored his calls. I did send him an email that I'd be back this week to discuss, but I was vague. Either I fess up and let him know about my fear of flying or I think up some other excuse that would sound better." Her voice cracked a little while she spoke. Bo knew this was difficult on her.
"Lauren, having a fear like this is nothing to be ashamed of. You experienced trauma from that very type of accident when you were so young. It's only natural to feel the way you do. And look how far you've actually come. You got on the plane. You were on a trip on a plane. You taking that step was incredibly brave. I don't even think you know how brave it was. And that your plane had to make an emergency landing was horrible, but give yourself credit for actually getting on the plane in the first place. If your boss holds any of this against you, then he's not worthy of having you work for him." Bo squeezed her hand.
Lauren listed to Bo's words carefully. She never thought of herself as brave, but Bo sounded fairly convincing. Lauren had so much to get off her chest that she started at the beginning. "You know, I hate that a bunch of terrorists stole my father from me. I hate that they crashed his plane intentionally and killed everyone on board. As a child, I learned very quickly how cruel this world can be, and so I became a doctor. A doctor who can help people rather than hurt them." Lauren's voice shook with anger. It was as if she was speaking about this vocally for the very first time. "I used to wake up at night when I heard a plane fly near by. For a fleeting moment, I would think that my father was on that flight and he was finally coming home. And then reality would creep back into my memory and I would know he was never coming back."
Bo felt Lauren's grip tighten on her hand. She kept her other hand on the steering wheel, her eyes focused on driving but her ears focused on Lauren's words.
Lauren's shaky voice turned to cries as her emotions exploded from within. Bo carefully steered the car off the highway and brought it to a stop safely away from the passing vehicles. Throwing the car in park, she leaned over and pulled Lauren into her arms, holding her in a desperate attempt to protect her from the very memories that haunted her. Lauren grasped at Bo's arms while she sobbed into her shoulder. Bo held her with determination, as if she willed some of her own strength into Lauren to help her through this emotion battle. There were no words that would help Lauren heal, so Bo remained silent while she held her in her arms. Seconds turned to minutes and Bo never released her grip. Bo's fought back her own tears, feeling heartbroken over the pain Lauren held so deep inside. If anything, Bo was glad she was letting her see this part of her. She was certain the depth of Lauren's privacy was exposed to very few, if any, in the past. The dozens of cars that drove past turned into hundreds which turned into thousands until Lauren's eyes had dried and her breathing returned to a steady pace. It was only then that Bo loosened her arms to allow Lauren to shift in her seat. Lauren's eyes were swollen and red, but to Bo she was still the most beautiful woman in the world. Bo handed Lauren some napkins they had tucked in the cup holder to wipe her face and blow her nose.
Lauren cleared her throat, her vocal cords a bit strained from the crying. "I never realized how much I was holding that in." Bo nodded, remaining quiet.
Lauren smiled, "Thank you for what you said about me, about being brave. It…no, you…give me strength."
Bo smiled again, saying nothing.
Lauren waited for a reply, and when none came, she continued. "Say something, anything, so I know that I haven't freaked you out."
Bo took Lauren's hands into her own and looked her straight in the eye. "I love you Lauren Lewis. I love your smile, I love your brilliant mind, I love your incredibly gorgeous body, I love the way your eyes sparkle when I look at them, I love the way your hands feel in mine, I love the words you speak and I love the depth at which you feel emotions. I'm sorry you've had to experience such pain in your life, and I thank you for sharing that part of you with me. I promise I will do everything I can to help lessen the pain you feel now and to protect you from any more in the future. I will cherish every minute I have to spend with you. I will shower you with love and affection for as long as I breathe this air and beyond." Bo's own tears ran down her cheeks. There was no fighting it. She really was 'all in'.
Lauren absorbed every word she said as it penetrated her skin and drove straight to her heart. "Wow Bo, I, wow, god, I love you so much. I'm definitely the luckiest girl the world." Lauren whispered.
Bo shook her head. "No, I am the luckiest girl in the world because you love me."
Their silence spoke volumes. They dried their eyes once more on the last remaining napkins and after another heartfelt embrace sealed with a lengthy intimate kiss, Bo returned to her pilot duties and navigated the car back on the freeway to get them home.
Bo drove the remainder of the trip. It was dark when they pulled in front of Lauren's place. It was only in that moment that Bo remembered the plants. They were probably all dead. Damn it. She left in such a hurry that she never thought to pass on the plant responsibilities to someone else, although that would most likely involve Kenzi in some way and that would have been a bad idea. Lauren had fallen asleep, her head resting on the car window. Bo quietly grabbed the bags from the back seat, took a few steps to the front door and fumbled to get the key to work. Pushing the door open, she tossed everything inside to the floor and shuffled back to the car to get Lauren. She crawled in through the driver's side door and nudged Lauren's shoulder gently. "Lauren, baby, we're home." Home. Such a lovely word.
Lauren stirred, blinking her eyes a few times before nodding that she understood and exited the car. Bo followed her inside, locked the door and trailed two steps behind Lauren up the stairs to her bedroom. Lauren stripped out of her own clothes and collapsed in the bed. Bo followed suit, snuggling up to Lauren for the night.
From all the driving and emotions, both women didn't wake until mid-day. Their bodies as well as their minds needed sleep, and thankfully not a sound woke them too soon. When Bo did wake, she was alone. The sheets were still warm so she knew Lauren had not been too far ahead of her. The smell of coffee lingered in the air. She stayed in the bed for several minutes, snuggling Lauren's pillow and breathing in her scent. Sleeping with Lauren every night on this trip made her never want to be without her again.
Bo heard the bedroom door squeak. She opened her eyes and saw Lauren wearing a very transparent robe tied loosely together while carrying two cups of coffee.
"Oh coffee in bed being delivered by a Goddess!" Bo moaned. "I'm never leaving now!" Bo sat up and scooted back to sit against the headboard. Lauren carefully handed Bo her coffee mug and sat down next to her on the bed, her feet left dangling over the side. She leaned in and gave Bo a quick peck.
"Good morning gorgeous."
"Good morning Goddess," Bo replied softly. She sipped her coffee. "Thank you for this." She held up the coffee mug.
"You are welcome. How did you sleep?"
"Really well, thanks. How about you?" Bo replied.
"Amazingly well. I realize I sleep better when you're with me."
"Same here, love."
Lauren looked away briefly, her lips parted slightly as if she were about to speak. When nothing followed, Bo placed her hand on Lauren's shoulder.
"Lauren, whatever it is, you can say it to me." Bo's hushed tone reflected her sincerity. She took another sip of her coffee and waited patiently for Lauren to speak.
"Bo, thank you. Thank you for everything you have done for me. These past several days, well, they could have been downright disastrous." She put her coffee mug on the night stand and scratched her head. "I know I have some things to work through, and you are well aware of that now that you have seen me at some of my most vulnerable moments. But through all of this, your support never wavered." Lauren's voice cracked slightly. "When I told you I loved you, I meant it. I do love you. I love you Bo Dennis. And if you can be patient with me just a little while longer, I promise that I'll work through the pain of my past, and I'll be a better Lauren Lewis for you."
Bo immediately interrupted with her sexy smile and confident tone. "You're already a perfect Lauren Lewis, doctor."