Leather and Lace - A Lauren Woods Spinoff (Part 3 in series)

Chapter 16

"Please," I said to him, "just let me try it."

"I'll give you pills," he said, "and that's it... or you can smoke a joint with me."

I had never experimented with drugs of any kind and I knew it was a dumb idea but I needed to try something to relax me.

He grabbed a rolled up paper filled with a substance and then took out a lighter.

He took a hit and then passed it for me to grab.

I then took a hit and then gave it back. I instantly felt different.

"You are beautiful, Lauren," Tom said to me and looked into my eyes, "you don't want to have your beauty fade and for your light to be stomped out."

I grabbed his joint back from him and took another hit. I deserved this.

I felt high and I temporarily felt like I had escaped my misfortune.

We both sat there together just so relaxed when Stevie came in.

"What are you two doing?" she asked and then I started giggling.

"There's my best girl friend..." I said, "my Stevie."

"Did you get her high?" Stevie asked Tom and he started laughing with me.

We were both giddy and she didn't know what to do with us.

She sat there and just laughed along.

"I mean as long as you're happy, that's all we all want," Stevie said leaning her head onto my shoulder.

"This is what I needed," I admitted to her.

We spent the rest of the afternoon together and I realized that these two were the closest people in my life. Other than my husband.

Tom sent me on my way back home that evening with a small bottle with pain medication. He told me to take it sparingly and made me promise to be careful.

...

At night when I shared a bed with my husband he asked me sincerely if I was okay. I contemplated telling him about my day with Tom and Stevie but decided against it. I didn't want to make him concerned.

"I'm going to have to fly to London," he then told me, "I know the kids will be with George and Olivia... will you and Ethan be okay or should you guys come with?"

"We will be fine," I assured him, "someone can stay with us, Stevie maybe?"

"She's coming to London with me," he said, "Its a last minute business trip."

"She didn't tell me that," I said to him.

"It is last minute and she's going to do some vocal mixes with us. Do you want to stay with George?"

I shook my head no.

"Tom," I said, "he can stay with us..... he's not going to London too is he?"

He gave me a look and then asked what I did today that made me so happy. I have been really down lately almost to the point of Glyn wanting to fly me away from everything.

"I was at my old Fashion studio," I lied, I had been wanting to get back to designing and being immersed in that world once more so this wasn't a far stretch from the truth.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He then sat up in bed.

"I don't want to excite you, I'm still not ready," I admitted, "I want to get my feet wet but there's too many expectations on me."

"I agree," he agreed, "way too much pressure... continue at your own pace. I can see it has made you happy. If you need to visit just to put a smile on your face go more often."