"Lauren! Hey, man! Your phone is ringing!" Roy called back from the living room where he sat playing FIFA on the big screen.
"Who is it?!"
"Shoot!" Marcus cussed, groaning as his player failed to hit the ball into the goal but rather had it flying above the rectangular post. "I don't know! Come check it yourself!"
"Can you just fucking help me!?" Laurent snapped. He was lifting weights in the opposite room. His home gym.
Roy tilted his head to the side and Laurent's snappy attitude. "Man, fuck you! I ain't helping you."
Roy went back to his game as Laurent continued grunting from the heavy weight he was lifting.
Laurent's phone stopped ringing and Laurent felt relieved and not as guilty as he had been feeling when he had said no to Laurent.
The thing was, he was still very angry at Laurent. It had been one week since he returned from France and he had still refused to talk to Larry or admit he missed him as was just as hurt.
Now, Roy had no idea how Larry had gotten his number but Larry had called him everyday, asking to talk to Laurent, and to apologize on his behalf. But Laurent was too stubborn to listen to say anything and it irritated Roy.
When the phone started ringing again, this time Roy went to look from where it was on the coffee table.
Marcus.
"Yo! It's Marcus!"
"What?" Laurent asked in between deep breaths.
"Your phone, Marcus!"
For a moment, no sound came from the gym room. Then the heavy breathings continued.
"Let it ring."
"I should let it ring?" Laurent asked, to confirm what Laureng had said.
"Yes!"
Roy shrugged. Not my problem, he thought as he went back to his game, this time more eager to score that goal Brazil.
He grabbed the control and went on full striking and defence mood. Brazil was going down as long as he was concerned.
But Laurent's phone began to ring again. This time, Roy didn't bother with it. He drowned the sound and played his game willfully.
Again. And again. And again, Laurent's phone rang until Roy couldn't take it anymore.
"For fuck's sake, Laurent, did you steal this Marcus guy's Kidney!?"
"I asked you to leave it!"
"Well, it wouldn't leave me! I'm trying to bring the trophy home!"
Laurent didn't respond.
The phone vibratee this time and Roy went to snatch it from the table. It was a message and it previewed on the screen.
"Laurent, I think you need to see this," Roy said, frozen.
"See what?"
"This Marcus guy-"
"Fuck it, Roy! Don't you-"
"Larry's in the hospital!"
"No, he's not."
"Just fucking come read this, man," Roy yelled.
Laurent walked into the room eyeing Roy, he lookes at his phone in Roy's hand and snatched it from him.
He unlocked it and checkes the message.
"What did it say?"
Laurent ignored Roy. He dialled Marcus' number.
"Laurent-"
"What does it mean?" He asked interrupting Marcus.
Marcus hesitated, "Look, man, I don't know what he was thinking when he went out driving. We were both together at his place talking and was really wasted, crying and I tried to calm him down but he wouldn't listen. He grabbed my car keys and ran out. Got into my car and drove off-"
Laurent gulped. "Where's he?"
"He-he... He's in the emergency ward right now, Laurent. He's been in there for hours," Marcus choked. "Larry's in the emergency room now and I've never beem so scared, Laurent. He's my best friend. I promised I was to help him out. How am I supposed to fix things if he's like this? It's all my fault. I took too long and now, I'm going to lose my best friend."
"What is it?" Roy asked, puzzled at the horrified look on Laurent's face.
Roy snatched the phone from Marcus just as Laurent bolted from the room.
**
Laurent banged against the dashboard of the uber.
"Relax, man," The uber driver cautioned, checking his dashboard for any dent.
"Well, can you drive faster, dammit!" Laurent snapped.
"I'm not allowed to go beyond this speed. Sorry."
Laurent fisted his twists, itching and restless in the passenger seat.
It was almost 24 hours since Marcus had called him and he was about 5 minutes from the hospital Marcus had said Larry was in.
Laurent's eyes burned with angry, regretful tears. Tears he wasn't hiding, not from the uber driver, not from anybody. In that moment, he didn't care what anyone thought.
All he cared about was Larry. He was going to lose Larry the love of his life. All because he had been too much of a chicken to stay by his side and fight for their love. He'd given up on their love because he had been too worried about what everyone thought about their relationship. He had disregarded the most important thing which was Larry and what Larry felt for him.
Walking out on Larry had been the biggest mistake Laurent had made in his life. He had had to make several mistakes, life changing decisions that had turnsd out to be threatening mistakes but none of them was as painful and as regrettable as ignoring Larry, leaving him and pretending he didn't love him when in truth, Laurent had spent every second of each day aeaiy from Larry, thinking about Larry, what he was doing, if he had eaten, if he had his bunny smile out or if he was sad because of him, if he had gone back to dancing, or was he not ready yet. He had thought about Larry a lot, too much.
He should have said something. He shouldn't have hurt Larry this way. The blame was all on him. If anything happened to Larrg he would never forgive himself. He would never be able to continue living his life because then his life would be meaningless, worthless.
When the Uber stopped in front of the Hospital, Laurent jumped out of the car and began to race towards the building.
"You can't run-"
"Get out of my way!" Laurent pushed the security man aside and raced into the building.
He stopped abruptly at the front desk. He breathed, "Please, Larry Bourgeois."
The nurse began going through the computer records-
"Laurent?"
Laurent looked up and found Marcus holding a burger and ice coke in his hand. He ran to him.
Marcus looled shocked and uneasy for the first minute.
"Larry! Where's Larry?" Laurent demanded.
"Upstairs, 2nd floor, Room 54."
Laurent didn't wait for Marcus to come with him, but bolted to the stairs and ran up the steps.
Arriving at room 54, Laurent barged in and rushed for the bed, not bothering with whomever was in the room.
Larry lay looking lifeless on the bed, machines beeping around with tube and wires plugged everywhere in his body.
Laurent's tears fell uncontrollably. "Oh My God," He cried. "Larry."
Laurent ran his hand over Larry's face, eyeing his beautiful baby.
"Larry, what happened?" He asked, not expecting an answer but hoping to God that Larry woke up that instant and hugged him.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, baby. It's all my fault. I left and I shouldn't have. I broke my promise to you and I'm so sorry. God, baby, please talk to me. Look at me, Larry. Open your eyes!" Laurent cried louder. "You can't do this to me! I still have a lot tell you! I have a lot to show you. Baby, what about Les Twins? Please Larry, look at me for God's sake!"
Laurent felt a hand go around his waist, he turned and found their mother standing next to him, tears in her eyes.
"It's okay, baby," She consoled, crying. "He's going to be fine."
Laurent shook his head. "No, mum. This is my fault, I caused it all! I shouldn't have given up on him!"
"It's not your fault-"
"Yes, it is! Larry's here because of me. Everything started because of me. Because I missed you, I missed home and I waimted to come back to France. None of these would have happened if we had stayed in America! It's all ny fault! And if anything happens to Larry- I'll kill myself."
Mama B pulled Laurent into a hug, and sobbed. "I'm sorry. It's my fault. I shouldn't have torn you both apart. I should never had done that. When you two were younger, the signs were there. Everyone knew how much you both loved each other. Your bond was so tight and you never left any place without Larry, not even the bathroom. We had to do something. We had to separate you both, so my best friend promised to help and took you away."
Laurent leaned away at arms length.
"Larry fell seriously ill and I got scared. We thought he was going to die, but after a few weeks he came back to normal. I knew Marcus was street wise, so I had Marcus over all the time so he could toughen Larry. I had no idea what I had done was nothing. When you both came back and I heard everything I got mad that I failed. I fwlt like a bad mother. I didn't mean to break my boys apart or to hurt you both. I have come to realise I'm a bad mother. I'm sp sorry. Forgive me, my babies. I'm sorry."
Laurent hugged her. "I'm sorry too, mum. I didn't want to fall fir Larry. I wish I could change everything but no matter how hard I try.. No matter how hard I pray, nothing happens and I just love him more."
"It's not your fault, baby. It's no ones's fault. They say the heart wants what it wants. Yours wants Larry. And Larry's want yours."
Laurent felt grateful. He hadn't felt that way in a long tine but his heart warmed.
"Thank you. Thank you, mum." Laurent continued to chant as he cried in disbelief.
Why hadn't she said all these earlier? Why hadn't she realised all of these before the accident? Why now?
Laurent turned to Larry, holding his hand. "Larry, I'm sorry. Get up now. I'll never leave you again. I'll never let anyone come between us. I love you so much, baby. I love you, please."
Laurent buried his head on the bed and sobbed, painfully.
The door abruptly burst open and Marcus walked in. He looked from Mama B to Laurent.
"Larry?" He called, eyeing the other people in the room. "Get up, man."
Laurent looked at Marcus, then back at Larry who was still laying there.
"Yo, Larry, get up," Marcus repeated, this time yhe bed moved and Larry sat up on the bed.
Laurent took a few steps back.
"L-Larry?"
Larry wiped his face. "Laurent."
Laurent looked confused. "What is going on?"
"Well," Marcus started. "I came uo with the jdea."
"What are you talking about!? You told me Larry was in an emergency state, that he got into an accident! That-"
"Relax, Lau," Larry said.
"It was all a trick to get you here," Marcus confessed.
"What?"
"I had to make you realise you were making a mistake. That you were going to regret it if you didn't come back to Larry. And I was right. Even you, Mama B."
"You lied to me?" Laurent wiped his face. "How can you scare me like that!?"
"Laurent, please," Larry flubig his legs from the bed and got to his feet. "I tell him for do it. I was desperate. I miss you, and I no know what else I for do! I wsmt you for see that you no mean anything you say for me! That you make a mistake! Can you no see it now!? That you love me? Even Mama see it finally."
"You lied to me!"
"Why is that an issue?" Larey aske softly. "It non matter how I get you to figure your mistake. Now you do. Can you non see it?"
Laurent covered his face with his hands and began to cry.
"Marcus, I don't like this," Mama B said warningly to Marcus.
"Sorry, ma'am."
"Lau, I sorry. I non mean to make you fear-"
"Actually we dis mean to make you fear so you could realise your feelings for Larry sooner."
"Marcus, non, please." Larry waved him off.
Larry walked over to Laurent placing a hand on his back.
"I sorry, baby. I so sorry, please. I just need for show you something. I no ever so this again I promise. Please non be mad. Please."
"I was so scared, Larry. You shouldn't have done this. It's not fair," Laurent cried.
"I sorry." Larry apologized.
Laurent threw his arms around Larry in a hug.
Larry hugged back.
"I'm sorry, Larry. I love you so much."
"I love you too, baby. I sorry I hurt you. I sorry for everything you go through because of me, and how mama treat you. I so sorry."
Laurent shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for letting others dictate what I should do in my life and whom I shoukd spend it with. I'm so sorry, baby. I'll never ever leave you again. Ever. I promise."
Larry smiled, hugging him tight. "Me too."
Mama B joined the hug. "I'm sorry, babies. I'm so sorry."
"It's okay." Larry said, kissing her head.
"Me too!" Marcus cheered childishly, sneaking between Laurent and Mama B.
"Asshole," Laurent muttered, pinching Marcus who squirmed laughing.
Larry leanes to the side, placing a kiss on Laurent cheek.
Laurent smiled, then reciprocated. "I live you, Lar," He whispered.
"I love you too, Lau," Larry said.
Mama B stepped aside pulling a squirming Marcus with her.
"You never going for leave me?"
Laurent shook his head. "Never."
Larry giggled, then snaked his hands around Laurent's waist. "Me too, Lau. Me too."
The End.