Laurel's New Beginning

Laurel's New Beginning
Laurel

I woke up Sunday with a pounding headache, but a happy skip to my step. I left a sleeping Maddie in my bed to make my way to the kitchen, where Maybell sat at the bar, sipping on a tea. She gave me a bright smile as she got up. I immediately rushed over to her to grip her elbow and put her back in her seat.
“Don’t get up, Maybell. I’m okay, I promise. Sit and enjoy your tea,” I told her.

“Good afternoon, Laurel. How are you feeling today?” she asked, eyeing me closely.

“I feel good. Lighter,” I answered. “How are you?”
“Less worried than I have been all night,” she laughed. “I was worried about you. You cried most of the night.”

“I know. A lot happened yesterday,” I replied as I began to pull sandwich fixings out of the fridge. “But it was all stuff that needed to happen.”

She nodded understandingly. “Good. I’m glad. Does that mean we are celebrating?”

I nodded as I giggled. “Oh yeah! We definitely are! I can’t believe that everything’s finally over!” Emotions filled me, almost instantly threatening to choke me as I rushed around the bar to hug her tightly. “I’m going to miss you, Maybell.”

She hugged me back before tucking my hair behind my ear when I straightened. “I’m going to miss you too, Laurel, but we both always knew that you didn’t belong here. You belong with Mason, and I’m happy that you are finally going to be able to go home. To your home.”
I sighed dreamily. “Mason. I miss him so much.”

“I know you do. So do you have any plans today?” she asked curiously.

“Hmm. Not really. I’m going to take a drive later and see what Mason’s up to. I want to go home to him, but he hasn’t texted me, and I kinda just really want to know if he’s waiting for me or not,” I told her.

“Oh, he is,” Maddie laughed as she walked into the room. You have no idea how much that man loves you.” She slanted her eyes at me. “He knew who I was when we showed up for our consultation.”
I froze for a moment before shaking my head. “Impossible. I don’t remember giving him any identifying information.”
She laughed as she wandered over to the bar to steal my sandwich before settling next to Maybell at the bar to eat it.

“He definitely did!” she confirmed.

I crossed my arms over my chest as I narrowed my eyes on her. “What else did you conveniently forget to tell me?”

“Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just that Caleb might be your sister’s savior.”
“WHAT?!” I hollered. “AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ME?!”
She laughed. “Sure didn’t. No one should be getting in their way if he is. If he is, they should figure out what’s really between them for themselves. I know that Caleb has been looking for his girl since she left the hospital. He’s obsessed with her. Between you and me, I think that night left a hole in his heart that no one will be able to fill until he sees her again.” She paused to take a big bite of my sandwich. “To be honest, I really want him to find her. He’s a good man that would treat a woman better than a goddess. How cool would it be if she is who he is looking for and when they see each other again, they fall in love and have lots of little Caleb’s with Lauren’s bad attitude!”

I groaned as I shook my head. “Please don’t wish any more Lauren’s on the world. It’s already likely to implode with just her!”

She burst out laughing. “She is kind of a bitch!”

“Eh. Lauren takes some time to get used to, but she really is good hearted. Maybe if Caleb is her savior, he can help her be softer and more demure,” I joked.

Maddie snorted and started choking on my sandwich, causing Maybell to thump her on the back until she was able to breathe again.

“Oh my God, Laurel! That joke almost killed me, literally! I don’t think Lauren has a demure bone in her body!” She gave me a sly look. “Neither do you apparently, since you’re pregnant and all.”
I rolled my eyes as my lips curved up in a smile. “I’m very virginal. Immaculate conception and everything!”

“Mhmm. Surrrreee!” she laughed. “And I’ve never sucked dick!”

My eyes widened. “What is a dick?”

“When a mommy and a daddy love each other very much, the daddy shares a very special lollipop with the mommy. When he does, she’s allowed to blow one bubble with it, and ta-da, you were born!” Maddie explained with a very serious face.

“Oh my, where are my pearls when I need them?” I exclaimed.

She giggled before leaning across the bar to hug me tightly. “I’m so happy to see you feeling better, Laurel. I was really worried about you.”

“Thanks, Mads. So, I was wondering about something,” I said slowly.

“Okay. What about?”

“What’s going to happen when I go home? Do you want me to keep working for Joey?” I inquired. “I mean, I will. I just wanted to know.”

She shook her head. “Nah. I’ll be his personal assistant. If no one is in the office we can have sex on every surface without someone walking in.”

I stared at her wide-eyed, knowing she was completely serious about what she said. What surprised me was that she wasn’t embarrassed to say it at all. Finally I nodded.

“Seems… fitting,” I mumbled.

She beamed happily at me. “It is. So, are you going to go see Mason tonight?”
“I don’t know if I’m going to see him or not, but I’m going to go by and see if he’s home,” I answered, making her frown at me.

“What? Why drive all the way out there and not see him?” she asked.

“Maddie, I wish I could just go home, but I have responsibilities and–”

“Well, you’re fired. Next!”

I rolled my eyes. “WIth everything that happened yesterday, I really need a few days to process everything. If I’m here doing that, then I have a circle of people that I can lean on that were with me. Not only that, but Ramira is here. I have an appointment with her on Tuesday and I want to talk to her about how I’m feeling, but I promise you that if Mason really is waiting for me, I’m not going to wait too much longer.”

“I get it, Laurel, I really do, but please don’t deny yourself happiness, because you’re afraid of feeling things. You got this and with him by your side there’s nothing you can’t do,” she told me gently.

“I know. Can we talk more about this tomorrow after I’ve had time to think about everything?” I asked.

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll get out of your hair now, but please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you need anything.”
“I won’t. I promise.”

“Good.”

She got up, stretching before she walked around the bar to kiss my cheek. “I love you, Laurel, and I just want to see you happy. You light up when you talk about Mason. The few times I saw you after you visited with him, you smiled more. I want that to be your everyday.”

I gave her a bright smile. “It will be.”

“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow. Be safe.”

“I will thank you. Maddie?”

“Yeah, Laurel?”

“I love you too. I really appreciate everything you, Joey, Ramira, and Jane have done for me.”
She pretended to sniffle as tears filled her eyes. “You better stop before we both start crying.”

I laughed as I shook my head. “Oh stop it! Go home to Joey you virgin!”

She laughed as she waved at me before walking out. Maybell and I remained silent as I made myself another sandwich and put the fixings away. As I was eating it, she studied my face.

“You know she’s right, Laurel. As much as I want you to stay here so I can take care of you, you belong with Mason. He deserves to be a part of your life, your pregnancy, and your child’s life,” she said.

“He will be. I love him, Maybell. I’m not choosing anyone else. I won’t ever choose anyone else. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get ready to go. I have somewhere very important to go tonight.”
She laughed as she waved her hand. “Go get ready, Laurel. Do you need anything for the ride?”

“Snacks? I just ate and I’m still famished. I guess I never realized how little I ate, but now life feels different. I don’t feel the same restraints,” I confided. “I finally feel free, and when I do go home, I’m never leaving. And that will be my choice.”