Chapter 23
Unknown
Where are you? Are you ok?
Unknown
Jannie gave me your number. Don’t be mad at her. I just want to know if you’re ok.
Unknown
This is Laurin.
Laurin
Seriously, I just need to know you’re safe, that’s all. And where you are.
Laurin
So I know you’re safe. Not so I can stalk you or anything.
Laurin
That’s probably a stalker thing to say. You saw my bakery. You know I’m not going anywhere any time soon. I’m the mixer until we can replace the Hobart. My arms are gonna be so swole next time you see me.
Laurin
Was that awkward? That sounded awkward. Manon said it, and it stuck in my brain. Did you like my bakery? I know it’s not much, but did you like it anyway?
Laurin
Full disclosure I’m freaking out right now. I didn’t used to be a worrier, but then I had a daughter and all those times maman fretted that I’d driven my car into a tree bc I was an hour late came back to haunt me. You don’t need to say anything else, just tell me you’re ok.
Laurin
ok, Jannie says you rented a car and drove home and you’re there now. And this is the right number. How was the drive? Is there any damage to your place or anything? Let me know if you need any help.
Laurin
idk how I’d help you, but let me know if you do. Or if you don’t. Just respond to me.
Laurin
It’s been 4 days. This is ridiculous. Just say something already.
Laurin
Candace
Laurin
Candace
LAURIN
Candy
LAURIN
send me the middle finger emoji and I’ll get the hint, but otherwise I’m going to keep doing this.
LAURIN
Candy
LAURIN
You can’t ignore me forever, you’re literally going to see me again in a month. Grow the fuck up and say something.
LAURIN
I’m sorry. I promise I’m not mad, just worried. And I miss you. I wish you’d stayed a little longer. I understand why you had to go home, but I wish you’d given me a couple more days.
LAURIN
No, that’s a lie. I don’t understand. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t just give me a shot.
All I wanted was to talk to you. Would it have really been so bad to have a mature discussion about our relationship?
I get that it’s new and complicated and maybe impossible, and we might not have agreed on anything or decided then and there that it was just a fling and we should part as friends, but wouldn’t that have been better than lying to me and running off in the middle of the night?
LAURIN
You hurt me
LAURIN
You’re still hurting me
LAURIN
why are you being like this
LAURIN
Manon says I should stop but I can’t
LAURIN
she says I’m being creepy and harassing you and she’d get a restraining order if she was you. Please don’t do that.
LAURIN
I watched that episode of Summer Bakes. Manon compared me to that fils de pute so I made myself watch it to see how bad it was.
LAURIN
I can’t believe we all thought you wanted that. It’s so obvious that you were terrified before you even saw the camera. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry about anything I ever said about you two. I don’t think I said much, but I can’t believe I ever thought anything was consensual there.
LAURIN
Manon says that since I won’t stop with these texts, I need to tell you how dumb I am.
After I watched that awful episode, I punched a hole in the wall and sprained a finger.
It will be fine by the time I see you again.
And then I yelled at her like an ass when she was wrapping my hand up bc I wanted it to be you.
Like I wrapped your hand up. And she took my car keys bc she thought I was serious about hunting him down and punching a hole in his face.
LAURIN
I was serious.
LAURIN
I’ll do it if you want me to. My arms are swole now.
LAURIN
Did you watch that episode?
LAURIN
THE COOKIE EPISODE omg please never watch Summer Bakes. Any of it.
LAURIN
Anyway, you weren’t as sneaky as you thought you were :slight_smile: the camera caught you sliding the note on my station. It wasn’t one of those clips they play to death. I don’t know if most people would have caught it, but I did. And I don’t think I ever thanked you for it. Thank you, Candy.
LAURIN
You hate being called that, don’t you? I don’t know why I keep doing it.
LAURIN
No I do. I want a response out of you however I can get it. But that’s ok. Watching you, watching this season and some of the older ones, too, I really am starting to understand.
LAURIN
You’re beautiful and I don’t think you know that.
I always thought you were snooty and pretending to be humble, but I’m watching Twisted Treats and with that weird workbench they gave you, I see your fingers and toes tapping as you pretend like your upside apple cake isn’t the most amazing thing anyone has ever seen and now I’m thinking you really don’t realize that
LAURIN
How did you do that? IT’S SPINNING, CANDY. THE DAMN THING IS UPSIDE AND SPINNING WHAT IS THAT
LAURIN
Manon has informed me that 1) I’m misquoting 1D and 2) it’s creepy. I didn’t mean that the way they probably meant it. I shouldn’t have said beautiful. You’re kind and generous and a genuinely good person even when you don’t want to be, and you’re ridiculously talented.
LAURIN
But I do really like your face and your boobs. In case you weren’t sure.
LAURIN
They edited your wedding cake so well. Have you watched that episode?
LAURIN
Manon is killing me. She did something to my phone and she’s seeing all my texts.
She says it looks like I meant they covered up the mistakes.
What I really meant was when the disaster happened, the way they edited that whole thing.
Did you know the cake board was bent? That’s why it slid like it did.
It’s really obvious from the edits, and they had some good shots of us working together.
We look so good together. Everyone talks about it in the fan groups.
LAURIN
I miss you.
LAURIN
Sorry
LAURIN
maman asked if you’re eating well. I said yes, so please be eating well. If she sees you’ve lost more weight, she’ll yell at me, and I’ll feel bad. I don’t like lying to her. Don’t make me a liar.
LAURIN
I told her you like turkey, as well. Please like turkey. She asked what you’d like on Christmas, and I said the most American thing I could think of. Do Americans eat turkey on Christmas?
LAURIN
You’re having Christmas dinner with us. You’re not obligated to bring gifts or anything, but you’re going to be in town and maman invited you and she always gets her way. I think she knows we slept together.
LAURIN
Manon knows, too.
LAURIN
I guess that’s obvious
LAURIN
I used to have this nightmare all the time.
It was after I stopped playing football, but in the nightmare, I was on the pitch, and everyone was running around me, and the ball was heading my way so I ran for it, except I couldn’t.
The pitch was normal grass everywhere except where I was standing.
It was like swamp or quicksand or something idk but every step was harder to take and I kept sinking further and further.
I just had that dream again I wish I could talk to you right now
LAURIN
I DIDN’T MEAN TO SEND THAT TEXT :scream:
LAURIN
What did you think of hells Belle’s banh mi in Around The World? The judges liked them, but didn’t they look a mess? I can’t believe she beat your pate chaud. I know it’s just one episode, but it really bothers me.
LAURIN
Vivvy drew you into a picture at school today.
I’m not trying to freak you out or anything, I think she just overheard us talking about you coming over for Christmas and Christmas is all they talk about.
Ms. Lori said Vivvy cried bc the white crayon was too light and the pink was too pink and the orange was too orange. You may have to dye your hair
LAURIN
Don’t do it until after Christmas Eve though. I think Mike will kill me if you do and he finds out I’m the one who told you to do it. I still want it all to match too :wink:
LAURIN
unless that’s not safe downstairs. I think you were too busy coming all over your stockings when I asked that before.
LAURIN
attached image vivvydrawing.jpg
LAURIN
Manon got these new silicone mats that were supposed to be amazing and I hate them. I try not to use the word hate that often, but I hate these mats.
LAURIN
IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT, STOP READING THESE MANON sorry, she won’t stop. I’m trying to have a private conversation with you, and she thinks that it’s better that she responds than no one, and it’s not. I’m sorry she saw the stocking comment. She’ll pretend she didn’t, don’t worry.
LAURIN
I need the recipe for your champagne cookies for Santa.
Vivvy insists. If you’re not willing to give the recipe to me, you need to bring a batch down with you.
Vivvy thinks she won’t get the Lego bakery set from Santa if she doesn’t give him those cookies, and I already got it for her.
Please give me one more year of Santa. And cookies.
LAURIN
attached video vivvynutcracker.mp4
LAURIN
I’m going to stop, I promise. But a dad’s gotta share his kid’s triumphs, right?
She got picked bc she’s the smallest in her ballet class, but that’s the second biggest theater company in Atlanta she’s getting to be on stage with.
You should have seen the bouquet of flowers the director gave her. I thought she was going to topple over.
LAURIN
I’m going to see you in a week. Are you excited? Nervous? Completely sick to your stomach? I’m a little of everything. My best game days, I usually threw up beforehand. I had a reputation for it. I’m not proud.
LAURIN
I’ve been thinking a lot about that night in my bedroom.
You’re on birth control. I don’t need to ask, I just know.
You wouldn’t have done that if you weren’t, bc you’re a planner.
No way you’d chance that. But I keep thinking if you had a Christmas present for me, and it meant that maman was going to force us to get married and Vivvy got to be a big sister, I’d be good with that.
As long as it meant you were staying here with me.