What Happened at East Houston Street

Chapter 30

Lauren got off the train at Penn Station. It was almost 2am and the streets in Midtown were fairly empty. She rode the escalator up to the ground level and stopped at a small kiosk to buy a coffee. Sitting at a table near the doors, she took out her cell phone and sent an email to her boss, lying that she had been up all night with an upset stomach and, wanting to give him ample notice, probably wouldn't be in for the first few days of the week. She smirked at her screen as she typed, thinking about the real reason she was calling out sick from work.

As soon as she sent the email, she became sad. Worried that Stephanie wouldn't answer her call, she was at a loss as to how she could convince her to see her now that she was in the city. She decided to send a text, hoping that Stephanie would be awake to see it.

Hey, I've got some really big news that I didn't want to tell you over the phone. I'm here in NYC. I need to tell you in person. I'm at Penn Station right now, but planning on heading over to you. I hope you're awake. I know this will make you happy. I promise. I love you.

With butterflies in her stomach, she sent the message. She finished her coffee and stepped outside to a line of idling taxis. Getting into the first one, she said, "East 7th and 2nd, please." She sat back in the seat, excited to get her girl back.

Stephanie sat in the dark on her fire escape. She had finally stopped crying by the time her train had reached New Rochelle earlier. Her head was pounding, recovering from all of the tears she had cried for six hours. Now she sat with her arms around her knees, staring at the other fire escapes on the buildings across the way. Since it was the middle of the night, most of the windows were dark. With only a few lit scenes to watch, she was consumed with thoughts of the day before. When she had left Lauren's apartment, she was angry until she got to South Station. Once she was seated and the train started moving, she was hit with the realization of what she had just done. Panic began to set in and she hyperventilated until the Westwood stop. Other riders around her came over to ask if she needed help, but she waved them off, saying that she just had a fight with her boyfriend. That satisfied them and they left her alone. By the time the train stopped in New London and the passengers were allowed to get off for a short break to stretch their legs, it took everything in her not to cross the tracks and buy a ticket for the next train back to Boston. Fighting the urge to go back, she tried to distract herself with social media. As soon as she turned her phone on, 21 text messages from Lauren appeared on the screen. There were also four voicemails. Tears welled in her eyes and she instantly turned her phone off. She couldn't bring herself to read or hear anything Lauren had to say. She had already known what she said on those messages. She didn't have to see them to know that she was right. After another two hours, the train pulled into Penn Station. Taxis were scarce in Midtown, since it was a busy Saturday night with all of the tourists and partygoers making their way to an attraction or a club. Though she was tired from the long trip, she decided to walk home. With her travel bag slung over her shoulder, she waded through the crowds in Washington Square Park. She finally reached the East Village and watched all of the same-sex couples walking hand in hand. She spotted two girls, both with brown hair, engaging in a passionate kiss outside of a bar. She lowered her eyes to the ground and walked the next six blocks with her head down.

When the taxi pulled up to Stephanie's apartment, Lauren sat for a moment, collecting her thoughts. She still hadn't received a response from the girl. Looking up from her blank cell phone screen, she peered at the front door of the building. Taking a deep breath, she paid the driver and got out of the car.

The street was quiet since it was past 2:30am. She didn't want to be stuck outside in the dark, so she called Stephanie's number. After four rings, her voicemail greeting played. She hung up without leaving a message. Trying again, she held her phone with a shaking hand and took small breaths. The voicemail started to play again. She closed her eyes and hoped that Stephanie was sleeping, being the reason that she wasn't answering her calls. She couldn't bear to think that she had known she came all this way only to deny her. She couldn't bear to think that she wasn't answering because she didn't love her anymore. Shaking her head and panicking, she pressed the buzzer for apartment 5B, letting her finger push it for a few seconds longer than normal. Her entire body slightly trembled as she waited.

Stephanie was pulled out of her daze when she heard a faint buzzer noise coming from her apartment. Looking at her watch, she wrinkled her forehead, noticing the time. An unexpected visitor at this hour was alarming. She crawled through the window back into the kitchen and crept to the living room, stopping at the door. She pressed the talk button on the intercom and said, in a broken voice, "Who is it?" She hadn't talked to anyone since the train and her throat was strained from crying so much. When she heard Lauren's voice say, "Baby, it's me," she leaned her forehead against the wall and closed her eyes. Without responding, she pressed the button to let her in and opened the door, waiting to hear the ding of the elevator, indicating Lauren's arrival. Her heartbeat quickened and her legs felt weak.

As soon as the elevator door opened, she saw her girlfriend, with tears in her eyes, running towards her. Taking a step back, she couldn't help but smile, despite the heartbreak she was feeling. The two girls embraced. It was a hug filled with relief and need and lasted for minutes. Stephanie was the first to pull away, turning to head back into the apartment. Lauren followed with her head down, only stepping inside enough to close the door. She stood in the entryway and waited for an indication from Stephanie on what to do next. Her mind, just minutes ago filled with so much worry, was now blank.

The younger girl sat at the end of the couch and stared at her hands, not wanting to see the pain in Lauren's eyes. She was already hanging by a thread, physically and mentally exhausted. She didn't know what to say to her. Guilt crept in as she realized that she was the cause for all this mess. She started to cry. Lauren threw her bag down and ran over to her, wrapping her arms around the girl's neck. "Baby, it's okay. It's okay." She placed her legs on each side of her, holding her tight as she straddled her lap. Stephanie's cries turned into sobs, as she wrapped her arms around Lauren's waist. Feeling her warmth made her break down even more. She had always had that effect on her. The two held each other for a few minutes until Stephanie's sobs eased and she stopped crying. Lauren looked at her and her heart sank, seeing how exhausted she was. "Let's go to bed, babe," she gently prodded. "We'll talk about this when we wake up." Stephanie nodded, letting the older girl lead her to the bedroom, where she rubbed her back until she fell asleep.