The Hook-Up (Part Two)

Chapter 290

Bruno left a few days later. The family spent lots of time together knowing that everyday things were going to change. Whether it was the babies getting bigger and doing things that he was going to miss or his wife getting bigger and feeling horrible without him there to help her. They had unsuccessfully, however, avoided questions being asked about their relationship since the day Lauren had been spotted at the courthouse. No matter where she went there was someone new asking her about him, not only about their relationship, but also about his mother. Even though they had moments where things felt very normal and without loss she could still tell that it was still affecitng him. They all struggled to get through it with moments of silence and moments of rememberance. Even though all of the family members had their ups and downs they had somehow ralled around each other in a way that Lauren hadn't seen before. Bruno talked to her about it like it was nothing. Then she remembered that even though they had decided to spend the rest of their lives together, she had only been part of his for a little over 3 years, and every day she was learning something new about him. Late in the evening, a few days before he was to start his tour, she sat on the couch with her laptop and Ezra's head on her leg, sound asleep. She ran her fingers through her sons hair looking toward the open bedroom door brightened by the deep moonlight. She moved her laptop getting lost in her son's presence. She looked down at him seeing bits of pieces of both of them in him. She saw Bruno's stubby fingers in his hands and her soft skin with his dark undertones. She touched his nose and then his lips seeing a future of big billowing hair and loud comedic moments that mirrored what she had heard about Bruno's childhood. Through her dreams for her son she heard her phone start to ring. "Stay there, Ez..." she told him moving him quickly but carefully to reach the phone.

"Hey mama." she heard Bruno's sleepy voice.

"Hi." she smiled to herself.

"I can't wait to see you tomorrow. " he told her. "And the twins."

"And the little one." she said to him.

"Yes, and our little one." he responded trying not to yawn.

"Are you going to be able to sleep tonight?" she asked looking at the tv box to see that it was 11. It's 2 and you leave there at 6...." she told him. "And you have a show tomorrow. Why are you..."

"Stop." he told her. "I probably won't be able to sleep but talking to you is what I needed." he said to her. "I miss you so much and it's not even started yet."

"A lot has happened in the last year and a half, Bruno." she responded. "A lot has changed since the last time you did this. We were different people. We just found out about the twins and had just decided to get married and weren't even sure if that's what we wanted. But now, we've been married for a year, have two kids, are married and are sure that this is what we want. It's just so different."

"I just didn't think I would understand how Eric felt or even Kenji last year. Or everyone else with kids. And here I am now counting down the hours until I see them and you. " he admitted.

"I know, Bruno. I know. It's going to take some time to get used to it. And we're going to make it work. I'm coming with you this weekend and then during the 4th of July and then for Puerto Rico..."

"Puerto Rico too?" he asked. "You weren't sure the last time if you wanted to come to Miami..."

"Moms need a break every now and then too." she told him. "Plus it'll make things go faster for you. The 4th of July is just two weeks away and then you come home for a few days and then it'll be time for Puerto Rico and then it'll be over. And then we have a break. And I get to get extra fat and easy for you for when you come home for Christmas." she laughed.

"When you put it that way it doesn't sound that bad....but you're not going to come to Europe for the first few shows?" he asked her.

"Let's get through August before I decide on that, baby." she said looking down at Ezra.

"Okay. I guess that's fair." he responded shrugging his shoulders moving around in the bed to find a perfect spot yawning.

"Are you going to fall asleep?" she asked him. "Because I'm about to fall asleep."

"I just might." he told her. "But I don't want to. I just want to hear your voice." he said to her with another yawn.

"Stop being so cheesy." she said to him picking Ezra up to take him to bed. "Give me a second. I have to get Ez into the crib. He fell asleep on my lap tonight." she moved the phone around still able to hold a conversation with him while taking Ezra to his bedroom. After putting Ezra to bed she changed her clothes without telling Bruno and got into bed. They continued to talk to each other about nothing in particular.

"Laur...." Bruno interupted one of her stories a few hours later. "I have to go to the airport."

"What time is it?" she asked herself rolling over to look at the digital clock they had on a table. "Holy shit...it's 2:30?You have to go."

"That's what I said!" he replied. "I will see you in six hours, okay?" he told her. "Are you packed?"

"Yeah. I think there are a few things that are left." she told him looking at the messy pile of baby clothes and a hair dryer that needed to be packed for their weekend trip with Bruno.

"You're such a liar. Get packed." he joked with her looking at the door open seeing Ryan standing by the door.

"I am packed! I mean...maybe. Like a little..." she admitted.

"I love you Elle. I'll see you later today." he told her.

"I love you too. Have a safe flight." she replied hearing the phone hang up. She looked over at Geronimo laying his head on Gigi's body on the floor near the pile of things she needed to pack. Both dogs looked up at her a bit surprised that she was still awake. "Don't judge me, you two." she said to them turning off the bed side light trying to get a few hours of sleep before waking up to start the new day, the day that they would find out if she was pregnant with another boy or another girl.