The alarm from her phone was deafening and was enough to break Laney from her prison-wife dream. 6:30. Disgusting. But, Morgan was going to leave at 8-8:30 and she wanted all the time she could have with him.
Morgan squeezed her tightly before burrowing his head back into her neck, "I need to go apologize to those cops".
"Babe I had a prison wife dream"
He yawned, "What?".
"I was visiting you" she yawned wrapping her arms around him.
He laughed as he looked over her shoulder to look at the time and groaned. Laney put her hand over his eyes, "Don't look".
He moved her hand and gazed into her eyes, "You're so beautiful".
She blushed and ran her hand through his hair, "I'll be so mad if you ever cut this hair".
"Oh how come?"
"I like it, gives me something to hold on to"
He smirked and she turned red already knowing what he was about to say.
"Come to a show soon baby, I'll send the plane," he told her.
She laughed mocking his country accent, "I'll send the plane. Alright alright".
He chuckled, "You've gotten a small country accent now".
Laney grabbed his phone from the bedside table and handed it to him while she grabbed hers, unlocking it. And Morgan looked like he had seen a ghost while looking at his.
"What's wrong?" Laney asked him.
"You're so irresponsible this is why I never let our son near you in the first place," Morgan read aloud, "Josh is pissed at you and wants to set boundaries with you and our kid".
Katie.
"She's pathetic," Laney rolled her eyes.
"I think she just wants my money. But I dont want my son to think I'm a deadbeat," he sighed.
Laney placed her hand over his and began rubbing his thumb, "He wouldn't think that. I'm sorry".
He nodded and began dialing Katie, putting the phone on speaker. But Laney hit the end call button and snatched his phone, "Hey stop. Figure this stuff out with your PR first".
He looked taken aback but then eventually nodded as she got up and made her way to the kitchen to make some breakfast, with him trailing behind. Laney began to start making pancakes while he began to check his emails. Her phone started to ring making her look at the name flashing on the screen: Mom.
Laney picked up putting the call on speaker, "Hey mom".
"Your boyfriend got arrested?".
Laney glanced at Morgan who sighed.
"Yes but it's fine".
"Laney you can't be dating a criminal".
"Mom what's up with you? You're being irrational. You know he's a singer," Laney bluntly said.
She sighed, "Pen got a wind of the news".
Ah. The sister she never wanted but had. Or should she say the third parent.
"Her opinion is irrelevant," Laney scoffed, "She's pregnant".
"The baby is looking healthy... When are you coming home? Mia came over for some cookies earlier".
Laney couldn't help but feel sad when her mom said that. Mia would come over on the days that her mom would make cookies since they were little as an excuse to hang out with Laney. She missed hanging out with Mia.
"The holidays probably," Laney said.
There was a quick moment of silence as Laney poured the pancake batter on the griddle and began working on the bacon.
"Alright sweetheart. Well I miss you, take care," her mom said before hanging up.
Laney couldn't help but feel bad about her absence from being home. But it was necessary in order for her to have her own life. She didn't have the most conventional life, living with a boyfriend she had only been dating for six months, going on tour with him, and having her face painted in headlines. To add a kid in the mix, which thankfully her mom didn't bring up, it was just fast-paced.
She began plating the food as Morgan spoke, "What's on your mind?".
"We've been dating for six months," she told him, "Yet we live together".
Morgan's facial expressions displayed his feelings of confusion and concern, "Do you regret it?".
She hesitated before answering, "Our relationship is just fast-paced which is fine... I just want to be able to do normal couple things with you. Without worrying about headlines or anything bizarre. But I don't regret a thing," she finished her sentence and gave him a kiss.
"It's been sounding like you regret it," he defensively spoke.
"No, I just never thought about it," she said.
"We can do normal couple things. Come back on the tour with me and we can go wherever," Morgan explained as he took a bite, "These are good"
She thanked him and took a bite, he wasn't wrong. The pancakes were delicious. "I want to be able to paint though. I love you don't get me wrong but I want to be able to have time for what I want to do as a hobby too," she said chewing on her bacon.
"Paint on the plane," he suggested, "I'll set up a little spot for you".
"It's shaky in there".
"I really want you there. I'm going to get homesick. You can fly back here when you want I promise," he said.
She stayed silent for a moment thinking about it. Was it really worth it?
"I love my studio here," was all she said.
Morgan didn't have to say how he felt because Laney was able to sense the built up tension in the kitchen.
"I would want a hotel room to paint in but you're carrying my stuff. That's my compromise," she thought.
He nodded, "I'll pay for it with my own money. It means so much that you are willing to do this".
She nodded as she took some more bacon onto her plate while he put his in the sink and began cleaning the dishes. "Do you want me to come back with you today?" Laney asked. She was indecisive but she knew that she couldn't handle the thought of being alone.
His eyes softened with surprise, "Yeah but... I leave in an hour".
"Well my clothes are still on the plane," she stated, "I don't really have to do much. I'm going to shower".
As she walked into the bathroom and stripped her clothes off, she couldn't help but think about what she was willing to give up for him. The headlines really got to her, as she pondered in the shower while washing her hair she couldn't help but think.
Such an impulse decision with a long-term impact. She quickly got out and changed into some blue shorts and a black tank top. Morgan walked in and let out a whistle, "God damn I got lucky... Guess who gave me a call?".
Laney giggled as she grabbed her sneakers, "Who?".
"Bean... turns out my case is becoming a bigger issue than expected. The mayor wants me to speak with him," he explained.
Laney's jaw practically dropped, "What?".
"Well anyone could have done what I did. So they may let me off easier," he shrugged.
