The Hook-Up (Part Two)

Chapter 275

Lauren squeezed into the small airplane seat holding Ezra close to her chest in a wrap. Her hands were full of baby diapers and her purse. Bruno sat down next to her holding onto Everlee the same way. He took the bags from Lauren putting them in the over head compartment not saying anything to her. He had retreated the second they dropped on the dogs with Ryan. He said his good byes to the dogs but then just stopped. She wasn't going to get upset at him or question what he was doing. She wasn't going to ask him anything. She was just going to be there. After sitting down she reached over taking his hand feeling the claminess of it. She squeezed his hand not letting go through the flight. He still didn't say anything throughout the flight. She flipped through her phone letting her mother and sister know what was going on. She checked the lights and the locks through an app on her phone and even logged into On Star to check their cars. She did everything to avoid the conversations they were going to have. She felt Bruno's hand escape hers halfway through the flight readjusting a sleeping baby on his chest. "Laur, no matter how many times you look at the OnStar our cars are safe. They're at home..."

"I know." she said to him leaning her head against the chair closing her eyes.

"Go to sleep, babe. We'll be there soon." he said moving his hand back to hers after svcratching his head.

"You should too..." she told him leaning over to kiss his cheek. "I know it's hard."

"I don't think I can." he told her looking over to see his sisters and nephews all fast asleep.

"Lift up the arm rest..." she told him moving the heavy arm rest from between them. "Lay on my shoulder. It will help." she told him watching him lay his head on her shoulder the way she would when she wasn't feeling well. So this is what he does when he takes care of me....she thought to herself using her free hand to run her fingers through his hair. Without even blinking she could hear him fall into a deep sleep the same way their children were. She took a bit longer to fall asleep moving the babies around to make sure they were safe as they continued to fly over the expansive ocean.

"Bruno....Lauren...." she heard someone start to wake them up in what felt like a few minutes.

"Huh?" she turned to see Tahiti pointing to the light that had indicated that they needed to put on their seat belts.

"Bruno..." she said soflty hearing both the babies start to wake up at her voice.

"Shhhh...." he said in his sleep starting to hum something to keep Everlee from crying. She pushed him a little to get him to wake up.

"Sit upppp...." she groaned watching him open his eyes.

"Yeah. Okay." he said watchng Everlee open her eyes and let out a high pitched scream that could have woken up the whole western hemisphere.

"Everlee!" Lauren exclaimed quietly handing Bruno Ezra who tried to sleep through her screams waking up crying himself. "Evee...shhh..." she bounced her daughter as much as she could pressing her against her chest kissing her head. "Eveeee...."

"We almost made it..." Bruno smiled at Lauren trying not to laugh at their children who were going through teir own mental breakdowns.

"They need to be changed too...." Lauren told him a bit nervous seeing a flight attendent coming up to them. "Excuse me...." Lauren leaned over. "How much longer until we land or until we can get up?" she asked seeing the name tag on the girl's name tag. Everlee.

"In a few minutes, ma'am. This is a rough patch. But soon." Everlee responded.

"Bruno..that's the girl who has Evee's name..." she whispered to him. "She was on the same flight as us that one day..."

"If you say so, Lauren." he told her.

**

"Oh my god. I am so glad I got them changed...." Lauren told Tahiti after they left the airport bathroom. "They were the most disguisting babies ever...."

"Hey! That's my only niece you're talking about!" she laughed taking Everlee from Lauren's hands. "My sweet little baby niece. Whose mom is being a meanie..."

"I am not!" she told her sister-in-law.

"I know." Tahiti said to her with a smile leading her out to where everyone else was.

"We're going to the hospital, baby..." Bruno told Lauren setting a bag down. "But go to the hotel with Hailey and the kids so they can go to sleep." he instructed her. He watched Lauren yawn in response to his question.

"I said I wasn't leaving your side...." she said emphatically making everyone turn around a bit shocked by how serious she was. "I was serious." she said to him a bit more quietly so that everyone else could go on and talk about what they were going to do leaving them to have their conversation.

"Laur....I don't want you to get sick and they're going to be so tired and cranky tomorrow..." he told her. Shit. He's right.

"I'm only 14 weeks Bruno. I'm fine. Not even everyone knows right now..." she told him moving a bit closer almost whispering.

"Laur..I want you to be there but I can't even handle having two of the people I love sick..." he explained to her. "I know you want to be there."

"Bruno, we'll get them to fall asleep and if I'm going to get sick that's the best place to be. Not at a hotel." she countered.

"Fine." he sighed letting her win.

"If you don't want me to go...." she answered stepping away.

"No. Please...." he said takng her hand reaching for her ring. "I want you to be there."

"Come onnnn!" Presley whinned from the other side of the car.

"Okay!" Bruno and Lauren yelled together picking everything up to drag it to the car to go to the hospital.