“Yeah, I’m just gonna throw everything in my suitcase, nothing fancy.”
“Okay, I’ll go finish up. When you’re done, come upstairs and keep me company? Car should be here at eleven, so we have plenty of time.”
Neither of them wanted to admit to the sadness and apprehension they felt as her departure loomed so close. Busying themselves with daily tasks, they tried to push the inevitable away for as long as they could.
A loud, automated voice echoed across the pavement insisting all passengers keep an eye on their luggage. As Lauren watched the driver pull her bag from the trunk and place it on the curb, she felt tears well in her eyes. She tried to blink them back before Landon turned, but he caught her anyway.
“Oh don’t do that! I’ll be out to visit in a week, less than a week,” he said kissing the place where the tear had rolled down her cheek.
“I’m being silly, I know. I just feel so happy here with you...”
“Just remember that feeling when you’re back in your tiny apartment considering whether or not you want to move out here,” he grinned.
“That’s a low blow.” She poked him in the rib before wrapping her arms around his waist. Burying her face in his chest, breathing in his smell until she felt a little dizzy, Lauren didn’t want to let go. She wasn’t ready to get on that plane yet, not right when things were starting to get so good.
“I’m not the greatest at goodbyes,” he said kissing the top of her head. “Give me a call when you get in so I know you’re safe. I’ll see you in a few days, okay?”
Lauren took a hard swallow and put on a brave face. I can always cry in the bathroom after he’s left, she thought.
“Sounds like a plan. Hope you have a good rest of the day. Say goodbye to Henry for me, I forgot to in the rush out of the house. I don’t want him to be mad at me.”
“You’re such a sweet girl,” he said taking her face into his hands and kissing her softly.
She grabbed her suitcase and headed toward the check-in counter, sparing a look back. Landon stood in the open car door, one foot resting inside, watching her walk away. He’d pulled his aviator sunglasses down and looked the very picture of a California surf boy. Feeling her throat choke up again, she gave him a little wave and disappeared inside.
Where is all this ridiculous emotion coming from, girl? He’s gonna think you’re some stage five clinger who falls in love after sex. Even as she chastised herself, she knew it was wrong. Landon was falling for her just as quickly as she had for him. Now she just had to get all the other pieces to fit into place.
10.
An hour outside of New York City, just as all the last drinks were being served, the pilot addressed the cabin.
“Ladies and gentlemen, sorry for the interruption but we just received some news here in the cockpit. Apparently the wind and rain coming off the remnants of Hurricane Ida are hitting the East Coast a lot harder than first anticipated. As such, our flight has been rerouted to Albany International.” Many of the passengers in the cabin groaned in unison. “Again, we apologize for the inconvenience. The ground crew will do everything in their power to make sure you arrive at your final destinations without much delay. Thank you.”
Lauren shook her head and looked out the window, the gray clouds below apparently more ominous than they looked. She tried not to stress. There was nothing she could do from up in the air and at the very least, she was sure her dad would be able to come pick her up. There was a bit of a scuffle on the other side of the plane as a passenger started yelling at a flight attendant. Like they have control over the weather. She closed her eyes, knowing there was still quite a long journey ahead of her before she’d get the chance to rest again.
As the plane taxied to the gate, Lauren switched her phone on. A moment later, a flurry of texts came in from Landon.
I miss you already
...
I think you left a sock here. Henry has it. He misses you too.
...
Alright, cause I’m a crazy stalker. I just checked your flight status and saw you’re being rerouted. I went ahead and booked you a rental car so you could get back to the city. Let me know if you have any trouble with it.
With a pang of longing, she couldn’t believe how considerate he was. Lauren grinned at the fact he cared enough to help her out 3,000 miles away. Not that she ever wanted to play the comparison game, but Nick would never have thought to check on her progress let alone preemptively act on her behalf. She looked out the rain streaked window as she thought how to reply.
I think you just saved me, thank you. Still on the plane but should be on my way soon. Miss you too!
Lauren’s plane was originally meant to land just before 10 p.m. at JFK. Adding to the stress of the situation, the Albany airport had been a swarm of confusion. It seemed at least two large planes had been diverted, several more meant to fly into New York City were grounded, and the airport staff didn’t know where to start. Getting her bag at luggage claim had taken nearly an hour but luckily Landon’s foresight meant she could skip the crowds at the car rental desk. It had been close to midnight when she finally hit the road.
After calling Landon quickly to thank him and let him know she was on her way, she emailed Faith to tell her she wouldn’t be in Monday. Her plan was to drive up to Lake George and crash with her parents. She called Nick as she sat in the idling car, annoyed that he hadn’t thought to contact her two hours after she should have landed. It rang a few times and went to voicemail. Maybe he’s working?
“Hey, it’s me. Apparently the storm was pretty bad down there so they bumped the plane to Albany. I managed to get a car and I’m gonna drive back to my folks for the night, but I should be back tomorrow morning.” She paused, knowing that her voice sounded irritated and cold. “Hope you weren’t too hung over, see you tomorrow.”
She’d sat for a moment at the airport exit, staring at the signs for the interstate. Lake George was an hour north, New York a little over twice that in the opposite direction. The easier choice would be to head to Lake George but she didn’t want to face the barrage of questions from her mother. Going south meant it’d be a long time before she could get to sleep. The rain had mostly subsided and she knew from driving the route countless times it’d never be more clear than midnight on a Sunday. A consuming desire to see that iconic skyline lit at night wheeled her car south, the open road just begging for speed.
Lauren glanced at the glowing speedometer and eased her foot off the gas. It was far too easy to cruise along at ninety on the dark, empty road. Taking a sip of the bitter gas station coffee she’d grabbed to stay awake, she smiled to herself. Music blasting, the humid night air whipping through the open windows, Lauren felt great. As she approached the city, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was hurtling towards her destiny. The next couple weeks would set her down a path she’d follow for at least the next few years of her life. She hadn’t felt this excited about her future since graduating from college.
The most difficult hurdle was her conversation with Nick. She had to get that over sooner rather than later. While she drove, she thought about what she wanted to say, how she wanted to say it. More than anything, she wanted to be able to finish the relationship amicably. Maybe they wouldn’t be friends afterward but she didn’t want to feel awkward if they ran into each other back home. Telling him about Landon was still out of the question. In truth, Landon had little to do with them breaking up and it would only hurt Nick to know what’d happened.
“I still feel a little shitty about that, especially after this weekend...” she muttered. She couldn’t absolve herself of that guilt. Talking to him as soon as possible was the best way to handle it. To carry on pretending everything was alright, even for a day, would just be salt in the wound. We’ll talk tomorrow.
Lauren was torn from her thoughts as she realized how close she was to the lookout. The night obscured the familiar landmarks along the highway but she noticed how quickly she was closing in
. Glancing in all her mirrors and seeing no headlights behind, she slowed to a normal driving speed, ready to savor the view. She looked up and spotted a few twinkling stars, the swirling winds of the storm kindly leaving clear skies behind. Just around this bend, just over that hill, and she was there.
It was amazing how many lights burned bright in the city that never sleeps. Nearly 3 a.m. and the city still hummed with life. As the skyline spread across the horizon, it occurred to Lauren that she stood at several crossroads; her career, her personal life, all her wants and desires. A few days ago, she’d felt overwhelmed and hurt but as she gazed on the city, she felt happy. Crossroads aren’t so scary when you know which path to choose. Now it was a matter of taking those first few steps and for the first time in years, she was confidently making those decisions. Even if they turned out to be bad, she knew she was capable of fixing it. Like a flash, all this washed through her. She knew to an outsider her life looked like chaos but inside she was calm. She’d come to New York to find success and in a way, she had, even if it was taking her to California.
As it always did, the skyline slipped out of view far too quickly. Lauren couldn’t help but feel sad as she remembered the last time she’d driven down this road. She and Nick had been happy, on a different path, standing together against everything life could throw at them. Now, only a few short months later, Lauren drove towards the inevitable end of their relationship. How many times had they driven over that spot together? How far had they gone for each other only for it to end this way? This is going to be so difficult, she thought turning up the music in hopes of drowning out her melancholy.
Half an hour later, she pulled into a parking spot a few streets away and wearily rolled her suitcase back to the apartment. She was almost glad to climb the flights of stairs because it meant sleep was close. Quietly shutting the front door, she immediately noticed a light pouring out from under the door of her bedroom. Some intuition told her to step lightly down the hall. Nick shouldn’t be up this late, regardless of how long he’d been at work but part of her half expected him to be waiting with another bouquet of flowers. As she approached ,she heard Nick’s low voice followed by a woman’s giggle. Lauren stopped dead in her tracks.
Oh come on, what the fuck am I supposed to do here? Do I really want to bust in like a crazy girlfriend and make a scene? I was planning on breaking up tomorrow anyway. Should I just go sleep on the sofa and avoid the confrontation?
Exhausted, her brain not functioning properly, Lauren wished this surreal scene wasn’t happening. As she leaned against the wall just outside the door, she heard the unmistakable squeak of bedsprings. It wasn’t the moaning, the laughing, the confirmation he was actually cheating on her that ignited her temper. It was the realization that he’d brought a girl back to their room to fuck on her mattress. It was a slap in the face. A cold anger bubbled at the surface, an anger she could control but chose not to. It was almost as if she watched her hand reach for the doorknob and open the door by its own accord.
One light illuminated the bedroom but it was more than enough to see by. Nick stood, bent over the side of the bed, the muscles in his bare ass tensing with each thrust. Legs were splayed to either side, bright red stilettos rocking in the air. Lauren noticed unfamiliar clothes scattered on the floor, presumably hers. Now that she was in the room and witnessing it first hand, she felt an almost sick satisfaction. Catching him in the act was upsetting, sure, but at least this way he couldn’t deny it.
“This is an interesting way to welcome me home. I preferred the flowers from last time.”
Lauren slammed the door behind her and stood, her face fixed in an expression of trite amusement. In all the years they’d been together, through all the football games in which she’d cheered him on, she’d never seen him move so quickly. He leapt away from Rose clutching at his groin, eyes wide with terror. Thrown off balance by his sudden departure, Rose toppled off the side of the bed, landing awkwardly on her ass with a thump. She blinked dumbly and made no move to cover herself. Lauren could smell the alcohol and sweat oozing from them, a putrid sour stench.
“Classy,” she muttered looking at the woman on the floor. Her eyes rose to Nick. He looked frozen, perhaps thinking that if he didn’t move he could melt into the scenery. His mouth opened and shut several times until Lauren had enough. “Speak!” she spat at him.
“I...I thought you weren’t coming back tonight,” he stammered.
“Oh, okay! Carry on then. I suppose you’d also like an apology for interrupting your fucking evening.” Her voice was cold and without fury, startling even herself. She looked down at Rose who had at least managed to pull the bed sheet around her body.
Nick searched the floor, spotting his boxers and nearly toppling over when he bent to grab them. “That’s not what I meant. Christ Lauren, I’m sorry.” He seemed to fold in on himself. His shoulders slumped, his face dropped. Nick knew there was no talking through this, no going back and the gravity of the situation clearly weighed heavy.
Lauren just shook her head at him, looking back to Rose. “Get your things and get out. I’m tired, I’ve had a long day and I’d rather your naked ass just disappeared. I’ll give you two a minute to say goodbye.”
She walked back out to the living room on shaky legs, the long day and sudden excitement taking their toll. She couldn’t bring herself to shout or even really condemn him considering everything she’d just done back in San Francisco. Wanting to bring an end to the scene, Lauren sat on the sofa and chose to minimize the drama. A few moments later, Rose appeared from the hall, heels clacking against the linoleum kitchen floor. Lauren noticed her pause for second and look over to the sofa before leaving, almost as if she wanted to say something and had thought better of it. Nick came out shortly after, fully dressed and wearing an expression that genuinely made her feel sorry for him.
Lauren stood as he approached. “It’s late. You’re sleeping here and then packing up your stuff and leaving in the morning. I think we can both agree this is over?” He nodded, not meeting her eyes. “Right.”
She glanced at the bags still piled in the kitchen from her trip and couldn’t bear the thought of unpacking. Leaving them there, she closed the door on the bedroom. She tore the sheets off the bed and flung them in a pile on the floor before realizing she didn’t have any clean ones to replace them. I don’t care anymore, I just want to go to sleep, she thought as she wrapped herself in a blanket on the bare mattress.
11.
A loud bang jolted Lauren from her deep sleep. For a moment she was confused, half expecting to wake up in Landon’s living room where she’d just been in her dream. It was only when she managed to focus on Nick standing in the door the events of the night before came flooding back. He held her laptop in one hand looking hungover and furious.
“Oh good! You’re awake. Maybe you have time to answer a few questions for me.” He flung himself down in her chair, balancing the computer on his lap.
“What are you talking about?” she responded groggily. Remembering everything that’d happened the night before and seeing him so angry, Lauren was even more confused.
“Landon DeWitt.”
Hearing that name come out of Nick’s mouth cleared her sleepiness better than a triple shot of espresso. She took a deep breath and sat up, pulling the blanket around her shoulders. “What about him?”
“Oh I don’t know, how you’ve been fucking him? I can’t believe you. You’ve been giving me so much shit about Rose and you were fucking this guy behind my back? And apparently you’ve been at it longer than I have!” His blue eyes were icy although the dark circles betrayed how tired he must’ve felt.
She tried to ignore the flash of anger she felt at those words. “Look, I really don’t want to go through all this. Can we just skip all this and go our separate ways?”
“Fuck that. I’m not letting you off the hook that easy. You’ve been making me feel so guilty about just flirting with another girl and here you are, run
ning around behind my back for months. Yeah, I’m not just going to ignore that.”
“You’ve really upped your game if that’s all you’ve been doing with her. You two flirted all over my bedsheets last night, which I expect you to clean by the way.” Lauren rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hands. When she looked at him, it was like he was a completely different person. She probably appeared the same to him. If they couldn’t even recognize each other, how could they hope to ever communicate?
“No, you can’t just turn this around on me. I want to hear you say it. I want to hear you say that you’ve been cheating on me too. Then I’ll go.”
“You really want to know the truth? Seriously? The truth is, you fucking dumped me on the side of the road and didn’t speak to me for weeks. When I met Landon, you weren’t even in the picture anymore as far as I was concerned. I actually broke things off with him when you came crawling back because I was dumb enough to believe you’d actually change. I suppose if you’d read through everything on my computer you could’ve probably figured that out.”
“Oh you can fuck right off with that attitude. I turned on your laptop to leave you a message before I left this morning and an email from this son of a bitch popped up. One thing led to another and that’s how I figured it all out.”
“Would you have preferred to find out by seeing him balls deep inside of me? Seriously Nick, you don’t have a leg to stand on here. I decided I was going to break up with you anyway, so this whole argument is pointless. I’m done. We’re done.” Lauren stood and got dressed in the same clothes she’d worn on the plane. Obviously not getting the desired response, Nick abandoned his attack and took a different approach.
“I can’t believe any of this. We were so good together, Wren. We can’t leave it like this. I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I’m sorry you found out the way you did, sorry this whole thing happened. If you hadn’t been so distant and busy all the time—”
Playing with Power - Book 4: New Adult Office Romance Page 7