October to October

{Chapter Thirty-One}

  "I see my future right there," Lauren said as she and Joan walked towards Lauren's house. "You know, never talking to my parents except occasionally on the phone as they plead with me to 'see the light' or something equally moronic."

  "Yeah..." Joan said, and she looked uncomfortable as she did every time they talked about Lauren coming out. "I guess I can't understand as my family didn't love me in the first place so it wasn't a shock to be without them. It was nice really."

  "You don't mean that."

  "Alright I miss some of them, but you've met my parents."

  Lauren met Joan's parents a week into their relationship, and she was surprised by how cold they treated Joan. Wren was right. They treated Joan as if she was a neighbor they casually knew. There was no love; just a lot of hurt on Joan's side, and Lauren saw it although Joan put on a brave face. Joan hadn't said anything after they ran into her parents at the grocery store, and instead they lay in bed while Lauren stroked her back, and didn't say a word as Joan pretended to sleep next to her. It hadn't been a good day. 

  Lauren's parents loved her though. Joan was right. It was different. Lauren had a lot more to lose. It was a scary thought, and Wren's troubles only magnified it.

  "My group of friends is already splintered so I can't do any more trouble there," Lauren said with a smirk as she and Joan walked up the driveway. "Ruth, Monroe and Hope all blame me for introducing Wren to Henry, and they can't believe I accept Wren living with him before they're married."

  "How dare you accept your friend, and make her feel loved."

  "I know right? I'm a terrible person."

  "Why else do you think we're together?"

  "Hey girls," Lauren's Mom said as she came out the front door to greet them. "A lot of people are already here. Your little cousins are asking for you, Lo. They want you to play with them in the pool. They've exhausted Ruth already."

  "I have triplet, ten year old cousins. Two boys, and a girl," Lauren explained to Joan as they walked towards the back yard. "They think I'm their personal entertainment every time they come over."

  "But you're my personal entertainment."

  "Not here," Lauren said with a laugh. "Someone could hear you say shit like that."

  Joan pretended to zip her lips. "I'll stay quiet. I promise."

  Lauren rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

   As suspected; Lauren's cousins kept her busy most of the day while Joan joined in occasionally, but mostly she sat by the pool and talked with Ruth. Ruth was full of concern about Wren, and she secretly disapproved that Joan was letting the couple live together under her roof although she was glad that Wren had somewhere to stay. 

  Joan wanted to get away from Ruth, but it was either Ruth or talking to Monroe and her frat boy boyfriend Glenn. Neither were a good conversation option. 

    Lauren and Joan headed back to the purple Victorian after they watched the fireworks together; side by side on one of the pool lounges. Lauren had wished she could hold Joan's hand, but it was still romantic sitting there in the dark, and watching the bright lights in the sky. They had sat next to each other but not touching. They never could outside of the house. They couldn't even cuddle in the hammock in Joan's own back yard.

 "I'll race you back to the house," Joan said as they walked in the muggy, July heat back towards her house.

  Lauren grinned. "I'm too tired to run, and it's ridiculously hot."

  "Then I'll easily beat you," Joan said, "and last one there is a rotten egg, remember?"

  "I spent all day with ten year old kids, and now you're acting like one," Lauren complained as Joan set off in a quick sprint. "Wait up!"

  They were laughing, and exhausted by the time they reached Joan's house.

  "We really need to work out more," Lauren said. "You shouldn't feel like you're about to die just from running down the street."

  "I know. I can't run for shit."

  "Well, you're a smoker so that's expected, but I used to play tons of sports in high school. Now I can't even sprint."

  "I smoke occasionally. I'm not what you call a smoker though."

  "You smoke at least once a day, Joan. I can taste it when we kiss sometimes. You're a smoker."

  "Alright, alright, but I need a drink."

  "And a drinker," Lauren said with a smirk at the small bar that Joan had set up in her kitchen.

 "That is mostly Henry's stuff for his parties," Joan said with a roll of her eyes. "I rarely drink 'cause it gives me headaches, but I do like a glass of wine now and again. Are you going to reform me?" 

  "It's too much trouble," Lauren said with a sigh. "Go ahead and smoke your one cigarette a day."

    "It really is just one," Joan said with a smile as she poured a glass of red wine. "Do you want one? You look like you might need one after a day of chasing after ten year old kids."

   "I might take a few sips," Lauren said as Joan poured her a small glass. "I am twenty now, after all."

    Lauren's birthday was at the end of June, and they'd celebrated with a big dinner at Joan's. Krishma helped cook, and they danced the night away to terrible pop music in the living room that Joan decorated with big, blown up pictures of Lauren through the years that she'd gotten from Lauren's Mom. It had been the best party anyone ever threw for Lauren, and she cried when she saw all the effort Joan put into it. 

  The parties were good, but Lauren's favorite time with Joan was them hanging out at the house by themselves. They had a quiet Fourth of July evening as they sat drinking their wine, their bare feet propped up on the same chair and tangled together, and the sound of fireworks outside.