19. Lauren
CHAPTER 19
LAUREN
A nne Bartlett was in shock. From the moment she was rescued until after Lauren had called the police, she didn’t say a word. She stood in the elevator, still shaking, eyes wide. While they rode down, Lauren put her arm around her mom and squeezed her tight. “I love you, Mom,” she whispered. And her mom burst into tears.
When the police arrived, they told Lauren they would escort her mom and her to wherever the two of them would feel safe until they could be interviewed. Lauren appreciated it. She felt terrible leaving Wesley behind, but he had been so sure and insistent. She realized trusting him was the best course of action right now. So she did, and she rode in a police car to her mom’s house. Then she waited while the house was swept, which reminded her of every time Wesley had swept her own apartment to ensure her safety. She reached over and took Anne’s hand while they waited.
They were allowed to enter the house a few minutes later, and they were offered some time to decompress, which Lauren accepted on behalf of both of them. Her mom’s house was outside of the city, but close enough for a comfortable commute. To Lauren, it had always felt normal, but seeing it now with a bit of perspective, she could see the level of affluence she had enjoyed growing up that Wesley probably hadn’t. And though the home was probably less comfortable than a two-parent household, it was the very best her mom could have given her. Lauren was feeling incredibly grateful as she sat her mom down on the living room couch.
“Can I make you something to eat or drink?” Lauren asked.
Her mom nodded but gave her no answer beyond that, so Lauren made the decision for her. She went into the kitchen and steamed some milk in the home espresso machine. Then she added chocolate and whipped cream, the exact drink her mom would make for her when she’d had a bad day at school. She brought the drink to her mom and sat it on the coffee table in front of her.
Anne slowly lifted the mug to her lips and sipped from it. “It’s good,” she said quietly. “Thank you, Lauren.”
Lauren sat beside her and laid a hand on her forearm. “Are you okay, Mom?”
Once again, Anne’s arms began to shake and tears welled in her eyes. Lauren took the mug from her and set it back on the coffee table before she could spill it. “I’m so sorry,” Anne whispered, and it broke Lauren’s heart to hear it.
She threw her arms around her mom’s neck and hugged until her mom hugged back. “It’s okay, Mom. You’re okay. I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“But you were right,” Anne muttered. “You were right about everything, and I wanted to tell you. It was stupid of me, but I ran out to find you because you needed to know. I was wrong. Then I got myself kidnapped, and you had to come and rescue me.”
“You didn’t get yourself kidnapped, Mom. Don’t say that. It wasn’t your fault. No one’s going to blame you, so you aren’t allowed to blame yourself.”
Her mom just shook her head, seemingly unable to take in anything that wasn’t the admonishment she felt she deserved. “I didn’t even get to apologize. I could have died without telling you I was sorry.”
Lauren wanted to argue because that was far from what Anne should be worrying about. Instead, her mom should be relieved, celebrating that she had survived the ordeal. But Lauren could tell arguing was going to get her nowhere just now, so she sat still and listened.
Anne took a deep breath and clung tightly to Lauren’s hands. “I wanted to tell you I was sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten involved in your audition, especially not to ruin it for you. And I should have trusted you to choose your own bodyguard. Those things are both true. I don’t want to excuse myself, but I just wanted you to know why, and maybe you already do because you were always there, watching and learning. And you know how much harder you have to work to get recognition as a woman. You know how hard they’ll hit you if you dare to wear the wrong outfit or smile at the wrong man. And I know you saw the way they unfairly judged both of us for your perfectly normal teenaged behavior.”
Lauren could barely believe what she was hearing. Her mother had never admitted that what Lauren had done as a teenager had just been normal, that the shame she’d been subjected to for a little rebellion and experimentation was unreasonable. It meant so much to her that her mom was basically telling her the tabloids were in the wrong rather than Lauren herself. She was just a kid, finding herself the way kids so often do. This level of understanding was not something Lauren was used to, especially not from her mom.
“They want perfection from you,” her mom said. “If you’re a woman, you have to give them perfection. I understood that going in. It was a price I chose to pay, but you never did, and you shouldn’t have to. I shouldn’t have expected it of you. And I’m so sorry.”
“Mom…” Lauren began, but she didn’t know what to say. Here was everything she had wanted to hear from her mom, but she’d never thought she would. She didn’t even know how to say how much it meant to her. So she gave up, hugged her mom, and just said, “You know I love you, right? No matter what we fight about or how much we misunderstand each other, I’ve always loved you so much. You’re my mom. I almost lost you today. I couldn’t have lived with myself if I had.”
“I’ll find a way to make it right,” Anne whispered.
Lauren squeezed her and let her go. “Don’t worry about that right now,” she said. You just try to relax. We can talk more later.”
The fact that that was true — that she could talk to her mom later — and that it very nearly wasn’t true cut Lauren deeply. It was going to be a long time before she got over it, maybe never. But one thing she knew was, because of this incident, she was unlikely to ever take her mom for granted again, and the way her mom was talking right now, it seemed like the sentiment went both ways. Lauren would just have to find a way to believe they were both safe now, though this day was going to be one that haunted her dreams for years, she knew. Maybe it would all come to some good in the end.
By the time the police came to question them, Anne’s tears had dried and she was looking much better. It was as though she was also struggling to believe they were safe now. Lauren understood, and she was determined not to push things too much, which her mom seemed to appreciate.
Just before the sun set, yet another person knocked on the door, and a police officer went to answer it. The place was crawling with security and police, so that didn’t surprise Lauren at all. What surprised her was whose voice she heard talking. It was Wesley. She leaped up and ran to him. He was mid-sentence, talking to the man who had opened the door, when Lauren threw her arms around him, colliding with him so hard that the wind was nearly knocked out of him. He stopped everything and wrapped his arms around her in turn.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Lauren said.
“I told you I would be.” He smiled down at her and ruffled her hair. It felt almost like everything was right between them, like any arguments they’d had before had just faded into a background they would never find their way out of. “Can I take you home?” he asked.
“Yes, please.” Lauren went to say goodnight to her mom, glad security was all around her now. And now that they had three of the people involved in her kidnapping, they would hopefully start cracking down on the rest.
* * *
Back at Lauren’s apartment, Wesley insisted on sweeping the place as usual. They had only caught some of the people involved in the kidnapping plot, and while those who were caught were likely to rat out their coconspirators, it would take some time. Wesley was leaving nothing to chance, and Lauren did appreciate it. What surprised her more than anything was the way he stuck around afterwards.
“Can I make you something warm to drink?” he asked. Lauren gave him a questioning look, but Wesley just shrugged. “You just spent the whole day taking care of your mother. I thought you might like your own hot chocolate or something. It’s time to let someone take care of you.”
With the way he said it, Lauren could feel her face turn bright red. “Thanks,” she said. Then she added, “farm boy,” with a quick smile.
“Get ready for bed, princess. Your hot chocolate will be ready when you’re done.”
Lauren decided to take a shower. The day had exhausted her, but she also needed to feel normal, and her tense muscles could use the relaxing steam that would come with it.
She took an overlong shower, and it felt amazing. Every once in a while, she would hear a noise and jump, but she reminded herself it was probably Wesley. And the second she remembered he was in her living room and that he was there to protect her, she felt safer than she had ever felt in her life. She changed into her most comfortable pajamas, and started to head to her kitchen, but Wesley met her in the hall. He was carrying a hot chocolate and The Princess Bride .
“Hop into bed if you like. I’ve got everything you need.”
She wanted to say, You are everything I need , but that would probably have been a bit much. It would be easy to fall into the trap of getting too clingy right after a traumatic experience. Lauren was determined not to make that mistake. He was being nice to her because he felt sorry for her, and that was it. It would be a mistake to read too much into it.
When she climbed into bed, he handed her the hot chocolate and started fidgeting with her bedroom entertainment system. Once the movie had started and she was comfortably sipping her drink, he sat beside her at a respectable distance. He didn’t ask her if she wanted him to stay, but she understood why. The experience they’d both had that day was enough to make anyone not want to be alone.
“You were amazing today,” he said, completely out of the blue. “I wanted to tell you that.”
Lauren laughed quietly, “I thought I was impulsive and reckless.”
“You were perfect.” He bowed his head and muttered, “You’re always perfect.”
She wagged a finger at him. “Don’t say that, man. You’ll regret it one day.”
Wesley seemed to perk up at that. “Speaking of one day.” He turned to face her. “I’m hoping one day is something I can look forward to. What do you think?”
“Huh?” She wasn’t entirely sure what he was going on about.
“Today, we made a great team, don’t you think? I think so. I mean, why break up the band?”
Lauren laughed at his awkwardness, though she adored it, too. “I think you’re mixing your metaphors a little there.”
“Right.” He nodded, adorably serious. “And I’d like to mix them with you by my side. That’s what I’m trying to say, I guess.”
“What about staying professional?” she asked, teasing him.
“Professionalism is overrated,” he answered. “Let’s stop the act and make it a reality. I mean, would you… would you let me stick with you as a real boyfriend, rather than a fake one?”
Lauren sipped her hot chocolate and gave him a sideways glance. “Are you asking me out, farm boy?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “Yes, that is definitely what I’m doing. Just… waiting on your answer.”
The answer, to Lauren, was easy. She set down her hot chocolate, leaned over, and kissed him. She was safe and warm and kissing the man she was finally ready to admit she loved.
Once he had what she felt was a clear enough answer, she sat up on her knees to straddle him and kiss him deeper. She let her fingers slip over his buzzed hair and enjoyed the way it prickled against her skin. Finally, she sat back and looked directly into his perfect, blue eyes. “Is that answer enough for you?”
“More than enough,” he said, his voice low and husky. “But I’m greedy, princess, and I still want more.” He pulled her in and kissed her again, and she never wanted it to end.
“Stay the night?” she asked when she could catch her breath.
“Obviously,” he murmured. “Someone has to keep you safe.”