Leather and Lace - A Lauren Woods Spinoff (Part 3 in series)

Chapter 25

The first thing I did upon returning home to George was telling him that I needed time alone with him. Glyn came and picked up our son Ethan to take care of him, and my parents were going to stay home with our three kids.

George did not question anything and was prepared to leave the next day where we would travel just me and him to Hawaii.

No kids, no distractions. Just the man I used to be married to. The man that I think I love.

We both knew it was what we needed and I was going to be honest with George about how Glyn was trying to win me back but that my heart was leaning toward George.

We spent all the time we could with our kids before heading on the jet to take us on a romantic getaway.

We booked a villa and didn't plan on leaving it at all so no one would know we were there in Hawaii. The last thing we needed was the press catching wind and ruining our time together.

When we arrived in our disguises we walked up to the room separately and then we finally could be ourselves.

I jumped into his arms and he swung me around.

"This is nice isn't it?" He asked me.

I kissed him and he kissed me back. It felt so new and fresh we were two completely different people than who we were 15 years ago when we began dating.

"It's perfect," I said about both him and the kiss we shared.

"I'm glad you wanted to come here just the two of us," he said setting me down, "of course we will miss the kids but they will be fine and we need to focus on what this is between us."

"I just want my forever love," I said looking into his eyes.

"Do you think that can be me?" He asked staring right back.

"I want to grow old with you," I said nodding, "it's always been you."

I waited to hear his response but he broke eye contact and walked to the window.

I once more just waited for him to speak again as he took his time to compose his thoughts. Then he finally spoke.

"John and you were close when we went through our divorce," he said, "and I would call him and confide in him that I didn't want to lose you and he told me to let you decide what was right for you and so I let you...."

I started to tear up at the mention of John.

George came and sat beside me and put his arm around me as he continued.

".. do you know what he said to me? Something I'll never forget.... he called me one day and we talked and he said 'everything will be okay in the end, if it's not okay.. then it isn't the end."

I began to sob and I turned to his chest and let it out. He rubbed my back to soothe me.

"We will always have this tight bond because of what we have been through together," he said once more, "I have always wanted you. I have always needed you. I plan to be loving you until my last breath."

"Then I need to be honest with you," I said to him, "Glyn professed his love to me the other night at the show and he wants me back desperately. I'm stuck here needing to make a decision and completely shut one door and move freely through the other."

"And what does your heart tell you?" He asked, holding my hand and looking into my soul.

"If you asked me this on December 7th of last year I would say I was madly in love with Glyn. I would tell you there was no chance with us....."

That was the day before the shooting.

He squeezed my hand as I continued.

"...once John died a part of me did as well. I needed to reevaluate what I wanted in life and I realized all along it's been you. You've protected me and you never stopped loving me through all of it. Even when I ran off and got married to another man."

"I am not so innocent myself," he said kissing my hand, "Olivia will always have a part of my heart but I owed it to her to be honest and to be truthful and to break things off because you're the woman I have always loved."

I pulled him close to me and he kissed my neck.

"My sweet Lolo," he said.

It gave me chills. He is everything I want and need in a life partner and he is going to be mine until we're old and gray.

....

One month later:

Shortly after our return home from the best getaway we could have imagined, we traveled back to England to settle down with our kids. They started back up at school and we got them into a routine.

I left Glyn heartbroken with my decision to leave him and he ended up deciding to stay in Los Angeles. He decided he wouldn't take Ethan from me in any way and would visit when he could.

Similarly, Olivia stayed in Los Angeles and has taken on the entirety of Liv & Lo with me just being a fashion correspondent from across the pond. She ended up being happy for George and I and for that we were both grateful.

On this particular day I got up and had a bad feeling about something. Something felt off to me and I went immediately to my son and picked him up. He was fine and my heart was beating fast. 

I went downstairs to find my three other children dressed and ready for school and eating breakfast with their father. 

Everyone was okay. I felt relieved. 

"You look like you've seen a ghost," George pointed out as he came and put his arms around me and Ethan.

"I just didn't sleep well," I told him, brushing it off.

"You look great though," he smiled at me.

"I am so happy we are a family again," Darry then said to us, "this is the happiest we have all been."

Our son Darry was so mature for his age. They all were really, and it was mostly due to George and his cool, calm and collected nature. 

The kids finished eating and I pulled George to the side to be honest with him. 

"I think I had a nightmare," I told him, "because I woke up and had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach."

"I thought we were going to manifest positive energy," he then said to me with a smirk, "I think you need to start meditating again."

This was something George still did often to this day. I haven't been into this since our divorce. It was a part of George and who he was and when we weren't together I couldn't get myself to choose practices like meditation or following his religious beliefs. 

Now a part of me was ready to return to this escape from reality. It would take away the feelings of uncertainty I had about what the future held. 

As I chose to follow his guidance and try meditation, George then took the kids to their tutor that they spent their school days with. They were all excited to go, even Ollie who most days would rather be playing music.

When he returned he found me outside.

I was in the garden with Ethan letting him look around at the colors and feel the fall breeze before we would go back inside. When George approached, there was sadness in his eyes. He looked like he was afraid to tell me something.

I knew something was wrong. 

The strange feeling I had a few hours earlier must have happened for a reason. I braced myself and stood firmly in place, trying to become one with the earth.

I then closed my eyes and began to cry as he just held me. 

I begged the gods above to spare me of more pain as he broke the news to me. 

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A/N:       There is only one chapter left, after all the twists and turns. 

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