Larry had gone back to his hotel that night, feeling that his husband had totally and utterly betrayed him. It was a hard feeling to get used to, and he didn't want to get used to it, why should he ? It hardened his heart, and he neither liked it, nor wanted it that way. Nine years ! He couldn't fathom keeping a secret from Laurent for nine hours, let alone nine years. Maybe Laurent hadn't considered it a secret, and it hadn't even crossed his mind that Larry would consider it as such. There was no lie, maybe by omission. There was no question that required his answer, to which he could offer a lie. After Larry had found out about Laurent and Caleb's kiss, as always, he had questioned himself. Was he enough for Laurent ? Had he driven him, with his selfishness and his mood swings and his hormones, his pettiness and his need for attention, into the arms of another man ? But for nine years ! This was going to take some working out, wasn't it ? Some working on. Did he want that ? Did they both want that, to work on their relationship, their marriage ? Larry did, he knew he did. Even after what had transpired in Phillip's office only just a few hours ago. And tomorrow he and Dr. Matthews would pull out of Laurent, why. Why he felt he needed to do what he did. Like he thought, maybe Laurent didn't even consider it was something he needed to tell Larry about. Larry had friends, acquaintances, lunch and dinner dates, business meetings with individuals Laurent neither knew about, nor cared to know about. Was Laurent just that genuinely, had no clue, ridiculously naive about the consequences of what he was doing ? He would love to think so.
But Caleb was different. He was Laurent's ex, and they were very much in love, back in the day. He had never, ever kept anything from Larry about their relationship, however, or how he felt about Caleb. If Larry asked, Laurent would give him a genuine, honest answer, even though he wouldn't like those answers sometimes. Only, since the kiss, he had assumed it was done. Over. So he never asked the questions. No answers, no lies. Had he unconsciously done that ? Not even asked the questions, simply because he didn't want to know the answers ?
Assume nothing, Larry.
At the forefront of Larry's mind was a terrifying, unnerving thought. Surely, in nine years, 36 meetings, something had to have happened. A glance, a touch that ignited something in either, or both of them, that had led to more. Like his own recent debacle with Leon, and he cringed when he thought about it now, a drunken night out, when neither of their brains could be responsible for their bodies actions, and Caleb, or even Laurent, had taken advantage of the situation, and the other had welcomed it, wanted it, and had let it become more. Or just curiosity, to see, to feel, what it would be like to be together, to be intimate, like they used to be, after all that time. He wondered, but he didn't know. And he wouldn't, until tomorrow.
Larry looked at his phone. Missed calls and texts from Laurent. Begging his forgiveness, no doubt. He opened the last text that Laurent had sent, just to torture himself some more.
--- OK, well, I get it. You don't want to talk to me, and I don't blame you. I fucked up royally, didn't I ? Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me. I've had so many chances, and I know I don't deserve another. But I know you can, your heart is as big and as wide and as deep as the ocean. Mariana Trench deep. Fathomless. Your heart is one of the reasons I love you so much. I'm sorry I hurt you. See you tomorrow, I will tell you everything you want to know, and more. I know I need to gain your trust again, and I will. Just give me that chance, please. I Love You. L x. ---
He seems optimistic, Larry thought. That's a good thing, isn't it ? Maybe he'd have enough optimism, then, for the both of them.
He put his phone down on the night stand, turned out the light, got settled in his warm and cosy bed, and cried himself to sleep.
YOU ARE READING
YOU PROMISED ME FOREVER -- Sequel to "DIFFERENT"
Fanfiction5 years later, Laurent and Larry Read-Bourgeois and their two children, are living a seemingly perfect life. An unexpected, and traumatic event leaves them lost and bewildered, their perfect life now a nightmare. They keep their life, but can they...
