22. Coincidences – Dakota
22
COINCIDENCES
DAKOTA
I stare at my phone, thumb hovering over Lauren's name. The urge to hear her voice again is almost overwhelming, but suddenly, a phone call doesn't feel like enough. Before I can overthink it, I'm grabbing my keys and heading out the door. I can get there in twenty minutes. No problem.
The late-night traffic in LA is mercifully light. As I drive, my mind wanders back to this morning - sneaking out of Lauren's house, the new songs forming in my head, the productive writing session with Brad. It's been a whirlwind of a day, but Lauren's been at the center of my thoughts throughout.
I stop at an all-night grocery store, picking up a modest bouquet of daisies and carnations. Nothing too over-the-top, I think, just something to brighten her night after a long day.
As I pull up to her house, doubt creeps in. What if she's already asleep? What if Roman's still awake and I'm intruding? What if this is too much, too soon?
I shake off the doubts and make my way to her door. Taking a deep breath, I knock softly.
There's a moment of silence, then the sound of footsteps. The door opens, and Lauren stands there, eyes wide with surprise. She's in pajama pants and an old t-shirt, her hair pulled back in a messy bun. There are dark circles under her eyes, and she looks utterly exhausted. But to me, she's never looked more beautiful.
"Dakota?" she says, her voice a mix of confusion and pleasure. "What are you doing here?"
I hold out the flowers, suddenly feeling a bit sheepish. "I, uh, I wanted to surprise you. See how your day went in person."
Lauren's eyes soften as she takes in the flowers, but I can see the self-consciousness creep into her expression. She runs a hand over her hair, tugging at her shirt. "I'm a mess," she says with a nervous laugh. "I wasn't expecting... I mean, I just put Roman to bed, and I haven't even showered yet, and-"
I step forward, gently cupping her face with my free hand. "Hey," I say softly, cutting off her rambling. "You look perfect to me. I'm the one who showed up unannounced, remember?"
She leans into my touch, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "You're sure? I mean, this isn't exactly how I pictured our next meeting going."
I chuckle, leaning in to press a soft kiss to her forehead. "Lauren, I've seen you at 6 AM with bedhead and morning breath. Trust me, this? This is perfect."
A smile finally breaks through her worry. "Well, in that case," she says, stepping back and opening the door wider, "come on in. But be quiet - I just got Roman to sleep, and if he wakes up now, I might cry."
As I step inside, I can feel the weariness radiating off her. But there's also a warmth, a sense of home that I've missed all day. I hand her the flowers, watching as she brings them to her nose, inhaling deeply.
"Thank you," she says softly. "They're beautiful."
"Not as beautiful as you," I reply, then cringe internally at how cheesy it sounds. But Lauren's smile widens, a blush coloring her cheeks.
"Smooth talker," she teases, then yawns widely. "Sorry, it's been a long day."
I nod, suddenly unsure. "I can go if you're too tired. I just... I wanted to see you."
Lauren reaches out, taking my hand and squeezing it gently. "Stay," she says simply. "I'm tired, but I want to see you too."
After putting the flowers in some water, she leads me to the couch, and I can see the mix of exhaustion and happiness in her eyes. I know, without a doubt, that this surprise visit was the right call.
We settle onto the couch, Lauren curling into my side as I drape my arm around her shoulders. She grabs the remote, flipping through Netflix options.
"Something light?" she suggests, stifling another yawn. "I don't think my brain can handle anything too complex right now."
I chuckle, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Sounds perfect. How about something classic?"
As we scroll through options, a comfortable silence falls between us. Lauren's warmth against me is soothing, and I find myself relaxing for the first time all day.
We settle on an old episode of "Law & Order." It's familiar enough that we don't need to focus too hard, but engaging enough to keep us awake. As the episode progresses, it becomes clear that it's about a pair of seemingly unrelated deaths that turn out to be connected.
The episode unfolds, and Lauren shifts against me, her body tensing slightly.
"You okay?" I ask softly.
She nods, then hesitates. "Yeah, just... this episode. It made me think of something."
I raise an eyebrow, encouraging her to continue.
Lauren takes a deep breath. "It's probably nothing, but... You know how we both mentioned losing Miles and Chloe about three years ago?"
I nod, recalling our previous conversations. "Yeah…"
"Right," she confirms. "I was pregnant with Roman at the time. Miles and I... we were fighting a lot."
A thought strikes me. "You know, I don't think we ever actually compared dates. I know it was May 6th for Chloe, but..."
Lauren's eyes widen slightly. "May 6th? That's the same day Miles died."
My heart rate picks up, but I try to keep my voice calm. "Really? That's a coincidence."
Lauren nods slowly. "Yeah, it is. I never got many details about what happened. Since we weren't married, I wasn't really considered family. And in LA..."
"People OD all the time," I finish for her, a bitter taste in my mouth. "Not a lot of investigating goes into it."
"Exactly," Lauren says softly.
"I always assumed Chloe was at our dealer's house when it happened. I was on tour, and..."
"And I was staying with Shannon," Lauren finishes. "I never knew exactly where Miles was that night. I just got the call from a friend of his that said he died at St. Francis Hospital."
“St. Francis?” I ask, the coincidences becoming too real. “That’s where—” I don’t even say it. Of course, that was where Chloe died, too. Or, at least, where she was pronounced dead.
We fall silent, the weight of these realizations hanging between us. The TV drones on in the background, forgotten. My mind is racing, curiosity burning inside me, but I force myself to remain outwardly calm.
"It's probably just a coincidence," I say, trying to sound convincing. "I mean, what are the fucking odds, right?"
Lauren nods, but she looks uncertain. "Yeah, probably. With everything going on with the pregnancy and the grief, I guess I never questioned it too deeply."
We sit in silence for a moment, both lost in our thoughts. I'm itching to ask more questions, to dig deeper, but I don't want to upset Lauren or disrupt the peace we've found.
"Do you think it matters?" Lauren asks softly, her tone more uncertain than anxious.
I shrug, pulling her closer, even as my mind whirs with possibilities. "I don't know. Maybe it's just a sad coincidence. But if you ever want to talk more about it, about Miles, I'm here."
She smiles up at me, gratitude in her eyes. "Thanks. Same goes for you, about Chloe. When you're ready."
I press a kiss to her forehead, pushing down my burning curiosity. "For now, let's just focus on us, on the present. The past... it'll still be there if we ever decide to look into it more."
Lauren nods, snuggling closer. "I like that plan. Us, in the present."
As we turn our attention back to the TV, I feel a tumult of emotions. There are so many questions about that night three years ago, more now than ever before. But right now, with Lauren in my arms, those questions can wait. We've both been through enough. For now, this moment, this connection we're building, is what matters most.
But in the back of my mind, a spark has been lit. May 6th. Someday, I'll need to know more.