The Hook-Up (Part Two)

Chapter 237

Bruno felt Lauren jump out of his arms within seconds of the screams. "Laur..." Bruno called out to her.

"I've got it." she said frustrated by his interest. Bruno got out of the bed watching her reach into the crib soothing Everlee back into a more manageable cry. "Hush little baby..." she sang to her daughter ignoring, or forgetting, that Bruno was behind her. "Come on baby doll..." she said to her daughter trying to get her to quiet down moving her hands to her daughter's gums identifying where she was hurting. Her free hand moved to her daughter's forehead sighing.

"Do you need anything?" Bruno asked her still standing back letting Lauren take control of the situation.

"Can you go into the bathroom? On the counter is the baby tyelnol and some gum stuff.." she said still half asleep walking into the kitchen to get a bottle. She got the already made bottle sitting down on the couch with Everlee in her hands. "It's okay, my love..." she soothed her until Bruno came into the room holding several things in his hand.

"Did I get the right thing?" he asked her.

"Yeah. You're right." she said taking the tylenol from him setting down the other things on the table. "I'm fine. You can go back to sleep...."

"Do you do it this way everytime?" he asked sitting at a chair in the small dining area away from her.

"Yeah." she answered shrugging her shoulders. "I kind of figured it out a while ago." she said standing up hearing the faint cries of her son.

"Let me have her, Elle. Go get him...I'm here..." he said sweetly to her holding out his hands. I trust him. He won't hurt her. It's okay. She reassured herself letting go of her watching him adjust his arms to hold her. She watched him look into Everlee's eyes holding onto her bottle watching her watch him intently. "I love you, Everlee..." he said to her rocking her back and forth watching her eyes close to his voice. While he was with Everlee Lauren soothed Ezra back to sleep quickly. Just startled by all the noise that woke him up, she sat in the small rocking chair in the room to rock him to sleep. She walked back into the living room to see Bruno watching Everlee.

"She's such a drama queen." Lauren said to Bruno taking her from his arms.

"Aww, be nice." Bruno laughed at Lauren going back to the bedroom to see her place their daughter in the crib next to Ezra. "You're amazing...." he said taking her hand leading her back to the bedroom.

"They're going to wake up in like three hours." she told him.

"Well then I guess we should go back to sleep." he said laying down in the bed leaving her space where she was before.

***

The two continued to talk and try to figure out exactly how they were going to work things out. Bruno went to his lawyer with Lauren's paperwork to figure out what he was going to do with them. The lawyer told him not to counter file since she had given him a deadline of June 22nd. Even though there was not a note about dissolving the divorce if they were able to reconcile, it was implied and he was going to try his hardest to keep her with him.

In between rehearsing, doing radio and TV interviews Bruno tried to find time to show Lauren that he was trying his hardest to be the best he could be. He decided to go get her for lunch and talk to her about going to an event he had planned in Las Vegas. He walked into the small office to say hello to the receptionist who guided him to her expansive office. "Thanks." he smiled at the receptionist leaning against the door to see how long it took her to notice him. "Mrs. Hernandez?" he asked her trying not to laugh at how intently she was typing.

"Yes?" she asked not looking up from the computer.

"Laur, come eat lunch with me..." he said sitting down next to her surprising her a little bit.

"Oh. Umm. Not now." she said with a frown.

"Or at least come get some coffee?" he tried to compromise with her.

"Brunooo...I have to finish this." she half whined. He shot her a I'm trying you're not trying look at her hoping that she would understand where he was coming from.

"I get it." she smiled putting down the pen that was in her hand. "Okay. Let's go eat." she said standing up dramatically wearing bright pink pants and a white shirt with her hair up in a French braided bun.

"How did you do your hair like that?" he asked touching the back of her neck.

"Flipped my head upside down." she shrugged feeling him reach for her hand to hold it on the way out the door. She didn't let go of him leaning slightly into him as they walked toward his fancy classic car that he was driving.

"You know...I have only been in this car like 4 times..." she said sliding into the seat.

"We'll have to change that." he told her driving onto the highway to a small restaurant that they went to on a regular basis. As they drove Lauren looked over her phone trying to answer some e-mails.

"Oh crap." she groaned reading an e-mail.

"What?" he asked seeing her concern.

"I forgot I have a volunteer thing to go to on Saturday." she told him.

"Do you want me to watch them? You can go..." he asked her.

"It's kind of a date thing...." she said in a sad tone. "I hate going to those things by myself."

"Lauren!" he half laughed at her.

"What?" she looked at him a bit confused.

"Umm.." he pointed to himself triumphantly.

"There's going to be a lot of people and I don't know if you...or I...I don't know. I don't know if I want to do that yet." she admitted.

"Oh." he responded a bit shocked by her answered.

"Let me think about it for a little bit." she replied. I don't know if I'm ready yet. "I don't know if I'm ready. I don't know what everyone will say. I just don't know."

"I didn't say yes, yet." he said laughing at her.

"Bruno!" she pushed him playfully as they walked into the restaurant. Instead of pulling away after the push he pulled her closer to him kissing the top of her head sweetly.