YOU PROMISED ME FOREVER -- Sequel to "DIFFERENT"

25 -- CAN'T MOVE FORWARD IF YOU KEEP LOOKING BACK

KWABS     ---     Cheatin' On Me

Lately I ...... I've been rolling with the tide, it swept me away, to another place ..... 

Lord knows, you ain't seen enough of me, Why did I fall asleep, on a love so deep .....

I fell apart, when I couldn't see, I was cheatin' on me .....

Broke my own heart, when I couldn't see. I was cheatin' on me ..... 

Our love is like a fading melody, 

A song I should have sung, a note I could have reached, 

A loneliness I found hard to describe, 

Instead of so many nights, I could have been by your side.

I fell apart, when I couldn't see, I was cheatin' on me, 

Broke my own heart, when I couldn't see, I was cheatin' on me.

Boy, don't you cry, you lived this lie,

You lived this lie.

Larry stood in the hallway outside the familiar apartment.  He hesitated for a second and sighed.  He had a headache from crying, and he just wanted to sleep.  He couldn't think straight right now, and he had lied to Laurent.  He didn't want to be alone, he needed to be with the one person he knew could help him sort out his feelings, get his head on straight.  He sighed again, then tentatively knocked on the door.

"Larry !  What are you doing here, buddy ?"  Larry's face was puffy, his eyes red, and he could see by the look on that face that it probably had something to do with Laurent.  

"I need ..... somewhere to think.  I need to be away from Laurent for a while.  Can I stay here for a bit ?"  A deep sigh followed his request.

"Of course you can.  Come in Lar".  This man loved Larry, he really did.  He had seen him go through so much, and would always do whatever he could to help him, and Larry was grateful for that.  Larry smiled weakly, hugging his friend as he entered the apartment.

"Thanks, Jack"  

--  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  -- 

Laurent found himself in the kitchen, reading Leyla's note.  Thank God for her and Chuck, he thought.  He realised that apart from all this going on with Larry, with them, with their marriage, he felt that they were being terrible parents right now.  God, they loved their kids, and as this afternoons shopping expedition showed, they wanted for nothing, not materially, physically, or emotionally.  They were loved beyond measure by both of them, he knew.  But lately, the arguing, the raised voices, the leaving.

The leaving.  

That said it all, really, didn't it ?  He had left, and Michaela was only now just beginning to forgive him, to accept him in her life again.  And now, she and Kayden had heard he and Larry arguing.  One thing they said they would never do in front of the kids.  And now, their daddy leaving, probably not coming home until at least tomorrow.  How the hell was he going to explain that ?  He would not lie to them, he would not.  He was not going to lie to anyone, ever again.  His phone buzzed an incoming text.  It was Larry.

---   I'm at Jack's.  He can help me get my head straight.  Tomorrow, you can help me get my heart straight.  I'll be back then.  Kiss my babies goodnight for me please.  I love you,  L x   ---

Laurent had smiled at the fact that he had gone to Jack's.  Jack had always had a great affection for Larry, he had fought for him, hard, and apart from Laurent, he was probably Larry's biggest champion.  If Laurent's ears were burning later, it would be because Jack was cussing him out, calling him a dick.  He deserved it.  He read Larry's text again.