What up, people
So based on the response to the last chapter, everyone seems mostly okay with the pacing and the format of the storytelling. I'm glad, because frankly I'm enjoying writing this story - this is really the first time I've tried to write a purely romance/relationship story with no real other plot, and I'm glad that you guys seem to be having an okay time with it.
Hope everyone likes this chapter. Enjoy!
"This is ridiculous. Give me one good reason why we need to do this so early in the morning," Kenzi groused, standing behind the bar in the Dal.
"We do this every year, cranky," Dyson answered her. "And every year you whine and complain."
"Then maybe you should take that as a hint and stop making me come," Kenzi shot back.
Dyson rolled his eyes and laughed.
"You're a part owner of the bar, Kenzi. You have to be here," Bo said, making notes on the pad she was holding.
"We know what we have, we're all here all the time. I don't see why we have to do inventory," Kenzi complained.
"Because the holidays are going to be here before you know it, and we all know that our schedules start getting sketchy, and we don't want a repeat of three years ago, do we?" Bo answered.
"That was a one-time thing," Kenzi said with a wave of her hand," and besides, it wasn't even that big of a deal."
"We ran out of liquor, Kenzi," Dyson replied.
"But it's not like we had to close or anything, I took care of it," said Kenzi.
"By going to every liquor store in a thirty mile radius and buying liquor at full retail price, yes, you did handle it. And we barely broke even," Bo noted.
"We didn't take a loss, though…"
"Just do the inventory, Kenzi," Dyson said.
"Why do we have to get up so early to do this every year?" Kenzi continued to complain.
"It's two in the afternoon," Tamsin said, walking out of the back room.
"When Tamsin is calling you out for sleeping too late, it's time to reevaluate your life," Dyson said with a smile. Tamsin punched him in the upper arm as she walked past. "Ow," he said, still smiling.
"Alright, you have a case of stirring straws in the basement, and more than enough napkins," Lauren said, coming up from the basement.
"Oh, hey, by the way," Kenzi said, sitting on a bar stool and looking at Bo, "when are you going to move your stuff out of the apartment?"
Bo glanced over at Kenzi. "What do you mean, 'when am I going to move my stuff'? I live there."
"No, you don't."
Bo sighed. "Kenzi –"
Before Bo could continue, Kenzi cut her off. "When was the last time you stayed there?"
"I paid half of the bills last month. That's all that matters."
"Just move some stuff to my place," Lauren said. "We're going to have to do it eventually anyway."
"How romantic," Tamsin said, laughing. "Is that how you ask your girlfriend to move in with you?"
"We're looking for an apartment, alright? We don't live together yet," Bo said, continuing to sort the items under the bar.
"You live together now, you just don't have joint lease," Ciara said, walking into the main room of the bar.
"Another country heard from," Lauren said.
"I'm really looking forward to this constant argument being over," Bo said, looking at Lauren.
Lauren laughed, kneeling down beside Bo to help her sort boxes. While the rest of the gang continued to talk, Lauren waited until everyone was looking away before leaning over and giving Bo a kiss on the cheek. "I'm looking forward to it, too."
Bo looked over at her and smiled. Just then, the door to the Dal burst open.
"Ladies and gents, I have found the one!" Vex announced loudly, strolling into the bar.
"How come you don't have to do inventory?" Kenzi said, looking at Vex.
"Because I'm an investor – I give you children money, and in turn I don't have to do demeaning tasks," Vex answered.
"Speaking of demeaning, who is this one you're talking about?" Tamsin asked.
A tall man with dark blond hair walked into the bar behind Vex. "Uh, I think that might be me?" he said, uncertainly. "And, as I keep telling you, Vex, I'm married."
Vex waved his hand. "Temporary obstacle, love."
Lauren stood up from behind the bar when she heard the other man's voice. "Michael?" she said.
The man started grinning broadly. "Hey, Lo."
Lauren darted out from behind the bar and wrapped him in a tight hug. "What are you doing here?"
"Jenn had to go out of town, and nothing much was going on at work, so I thought, hey, why not come see Lauren for a few days?" he said with a smile. "Plus, Vex told me you were working in a bar, and I didn't believe it."
Lauren laughed and turned to the rest of the group, keeping a hand on Michael's arm. "Everyone, this is Michael, my older brother. Michael, this is Tamsin, Dyson, Ciara, Kenzi, and Bo."
"Hi, everyone," Michael said with a wave and smile, and Bo noted how similar the quirk of his mouth was to Lauren's.
Everyone responded with their greetings, and Lauren ushered Michael to a barstool.
"Drink?" Dyson said, grabbing him a glass.
"Oh, so for him we have plenty of liquor," Kenzi said, rolling her eyes.
"We aren't out of liquor, do you understand what 'inventory' is?" Bo asked.
"Whatever."
"Give him a shot of something, lower his inhibitions," Vex said to Dyson. "I always have had a thing for blonds."
"You have a thing for anyone with a pulse," Tamsin replied.
Michael gave Lauren a bemused smile. "Wow. Interesting group."
"You have no idea," Lauren said. "So how long are you in town? I feel like I haven't talked to you in…God…like six months."
"That's because you haven't, because you never call," Michael answered with a playful smile. "I'm just here for a few days, until Tuesday. Jenn had a conference."
"Are you staying with me?" Lauren asked.
Michael shrugged. "I mean, I know I didn't call or anything, but I wouldn't say no to a couch."
"Bo, looks like you have a houseguest," Kenzi said. Bo shot her a warning glare.
"What?" Michael asked.
"Lauren and Bo live together," Tamsin chimed in helpfully, failing to see the death glare Bo had made at Kenzi.
"Oh, really?" Michael said, turning to Lauren with a slight smile. "Funny, you never mentioned you were living with someone."
"That's because she isn't," Bo said. "Please ignore…well, everyone."
Michael gave Bo a warm smile. "So you're the famous Bo I've heard so much about," he said.
"Michael…" Lauren said, under her breath, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
Bo looked at her, seeing her embarrassment, and felt amused. It hadn't been lost on her that Michael had noted he hadn't talked to Lauren for six months, and yet he had already heard about her. She filed the information away for later.
Michael turned back to Lauren. "So, the real reason I wanted to come see you is because I wanted to show you something," Michael said.
"What?" Lauren asked.
Michael set down his drink and pulled a black and white picture out of his pocket.
Lauren hesitated for a moment, looking at the picture. "Is that…?"
Michael grinned broadly. "Congratulations."
Lauren squealed and pulled Michael into a hug. "Hey, want to fill us in?" Tamsin asked.
Lauren held up the picture, and everyone pressed in slightly closer to look at it.
"Is that –" Ciara started.
"— the inside of your wife's vagina?" Vex finished.
Tamsin turned at looked at Vex for a moment. "It's a blessing to all women that you didn't go into obstetrics."
"Into what?"
"Exactly."
"You're going to be an aunt?" Bo said, smiling widely.
"I'm going to be an aunt!" Lauren said, her smile threatening to split her cheeks. Michael laughed at her obvious excitement and she pulled him into another hug.
Lauren and Michael left the bar a little bit later, heading back to Lauren's house. Before she left, Bo pulled Lauren aside. "Hey, do you just want to call me later?"
Lauren looked at her, slightly confused. "About what?"
"About…well, nothing, I guess, just when Michael goes to bed, to say goodnight, or whatever."
"What are you talking about? Aren't you coming home?"
"Well, I mean…I guess I just figured you guys would want some time alone to catch up. I didn't want to be in the way."
Lauren smiled and leaned in, giving Bo a light kiss. "When you're done here, come over. We'll hang out, I'll make dinner for us all. Okay?"
"Are you sure?"
"If he wants to hang out with me, he gets to hang out with you," Lauren said, giving Bo another light kiss. "We're a package deal." Lauren's tone was still wired and giddy, and Bo found herself smiling back, infected by Lauren's good mood.
"Hey – you're going to be an aunt," Bo said.
"I know. Crazy, right?"
"You're going to be an awesome aunt."
Lauren grinned wider and gave Bo a final kiss. "Come over as soon as you're done, okay?"
"Okay."
Bo arrived at Lauren's house a few hours later and was greeted by the smell of Lauren's cooking. She had gotten used to it – Lauren was a really good cook, and somehow, no matter what she made, it made the whole house smell delicious.
She offered to help, and laughed when Lauren had said no in a tone that almost sounded afraid for her own safety. Instead, while Lauren worked, Bo and Michael sat at the counter and the three talked.
Bo was surprised; she had somehow expected the conversation to feel awkward, or stilted. She didn't know Michael, after all, and with Lauren's attention diverted by the food she was worried that she and Michael were going to lapse into long phases of uncomfortable silence.
She was pleasantly surprised, however. Michael and Lauren really weren't that much alike – that was clear fairly quickly – but despite this, Michael was friendly, and pleasant, and easy to talk to.
"So," Bo said, turning to Michael, a glass of wine in hand. "Tell me what Lauren was like when she was little."
Michael glanced at Lauren with a smirk, and Lauren turned to him, giving him a warning gaze. He took a sip of his own wine, then sat the glass down and cleared his throat. "If I were to describe Lauren: The Early Years in one word, I would say…goth."
Bo nearly choked.
Michael laughed at Bo's reaction and put his hand up. "Okay, okay, so she wasn't really goth, but she did have an AC/DC tee shirt."
"Really," Bo said, glancing at Lauren.
"I was a normal teenager," Lauren said, with a roll of her eyes.
"I wouldn't go that far," Michael said. "You did have a rebellious streak."
"Now this I definitely want to hear," Bo said, smiling at Michael.
"Hm," Michael said, thinking as he took another sip. "Well, take for example her first kiss. Now, for some girls, a first kiss might be at a school dance, or after some innocent movie date, but for Lauren –"
Lauren turned quickly, wooden spoon in hand. "How do you know about that? I never told you that story."
"Please, I read your diary constantly," Michael said.
"Michael!"
"Oh, like you didn't read mine," Michael answered, rolling his eyes.
"You didn't have one," Lauren pointed out.
"Oh. Yeah. Huh, I guess you're right," Michael said, smiling.
"You are such an ass," Lauren said, shaking her head.
"Speaking of ass," Michael said, turning back to Bo, "did she ever tell you about the time she –"
"Michael!" Lauren said, cutting him off.
"Hey, not fair, I want to hear the stories!" Bo protested.
Michael laughed and put his hands up. "Alright, alright. How about I tell you about the time –"
Lauren cut him off again. "No. I get to pre-approve the stories you tell my girlfriend. You know way too many embarrassing things."
"She's seen you naked, Lauren, how many secrets do you have?"
"I like the way he thinks," Bo said, grinning at Lauren.
"I hate you both," Lauren groused.
Bo and Michael laughed. "Alright, fine, if I can't tell her stories, then I'm doing this," Michael said, standing up from the chair and crossing the living room.
"What are you doing?" Lauren asked, glancing at him as she stirred.
"Well, you are so predictable, so that means that your photo albums are right…ah ha!" Michael pulled out two boxes stuffed with pictures.
Bo walked over and sat beside him on the floor as he opened the boxes, revealing old photos.
Bo started leafing through them, her eyes catching on one she clearly knew was Lauren based on the bright smile and innocent eyes. "Oh my God, you were so adorable!" Bo said, looking at the pictures.
Lauren groaned. "Come on, that's a box of bad hair and seriously questionable fashion choices. Put it away."
Michael and Bo laughed, continuing to go through the pictures.
When dinner was done, Bo, Michael, and Lauren returned to the floor, going through the pictures together. Bo laughed as she saw young Lauren growing up before her eyes, and as she listened to Lauren and Michael banter back and forth about amusing stories from when they were kids.
At 10:30p, Bo caught sight of Michael yawning out of the corner of her eye. When Lauren got up to take a glass to the sink, Bo followed her.
"Hey," she said. "I think I'm going to get ready to go."
Lauren turned and looked at her. "What? Why?"
"You guys need time to catch up, and I don't want it to get weird because I'm here or anything. Plus, you don't have a guest room, and if I leave he can just sleep in your room with you."
"You don't have to go, Michael isn't weirded out by you being here, and he's fine on the couch. Trust me. I've seen him sleep sitting upright on bleachers. He can sleep anywhere."
Bo smiled softly. "I know. I just feel like you guys might need a little space. You haven't seen him in a long time."
"I don't want you to go," Lauren said. It wasn't said plaintively, or desperately – it was simply a statement, a fact.
Bo smiled and leaned in to give Lauren a light kiss. "I'll stay if you tell me some of the stories you wouldn't let Michael share with me."
"So, I'll see you tomorrow?"
Bo laughed. She turned back to where Michael was sitting on the floor, crossing back over to him. "Hey, Michael, it was really nice to meet you. I think I'm going to head home."
"Don't feel like you have to leave on my account," Michael said, standing up. "I don't want to run you off."
Bo smiled. "You aren't, really, I brought some work home I need to get to."
"Okay. I hope we can get together some more before I leave," Michael said. "Maybe I can sneak some of those stories past Lauren."
"You can't," Lauren said.
Bo smiled. "Yeah, that would be great."
"Are you free for lunch tomorrow?" Michael asked.
Bo glanced at Lauren, and seeing that Lauren seemed okay with the idea, she turned back to Michael. "That sounds great. I'll call you guys in the morning."
"Come on, I'll walk you out," Lauren said.
Bo finished bidding her goodnights to Michael, and she and Lauren stepped outside.
"I wish you weren't leaving," Lauren said, running a finger through the front of Bo's hair.
Bo smiled. "You guys should catch up."
"I know, I just…I don't like you sleeping somewhere that I'm not, that's all."
Bo grinned and leaned in, giving Lauren a kiss. "Dinner was incredible. Thank you for cooking."
"Anytime."
"Are you okay with me hanging out with guys tomorrow? If you all want some time to yourselves –"
Lauren cut Bo off with a kiss. "Please come with us."
Bo smiled. "Okay."
They leaned into one another and kissed for a bit longer. "I love you," Bo said, quietly, when they broke apart.
"I love you, too," Lauren answered, her forehead against Bo's.
"You should probably go back in. He's going to be wondering what happened to you."
Lauren nodded. "Hey, I know this is corny but…text me when you get home, okay? Just so I know you got there safely."
Bo smiled. "God, you're cute."
Lauren smiled and kissed her again, saying goodnight.
When Lauren walked back inside, she felt slightly bereft. Yes, it was one night, and yes, she would see Bo again in roughly twelve hours, but it wasn't the same was waking up beside her, as seeing how clear her eyes looked when she first opened them in the morning.
Her thoughts were tangled on Bo as she saw Michael sitting on the couch, with the TV turned on. She dropped down beside him.
"So," Michael said, his eyes on the TV, "did I just spend my first evening with my future sister-in-law?"
Lauren was quiet for a moment. "I hope so," she answered.
Let me know what you think