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You would think most people would be devastated. He was a smart man. He knew what he was being told. But in that moment, when he was being told that his life, as he knew it, was forever and irrevocably going to change, it hadn’t been self-pity she’d seen. Or anger. Or any of the other mishmash of emotions that must have crossed his brain. It had been concern. Not for Lauren. Oh, she knew Daddy loved her. And it wasn’t concern for himself, either. In that most horrible moment of his life, he sat there, clutching his wife’s hand and looking at her with such profound love and sorrow. For her. Because her pain was more important to him than his own.
It was in that moment that Lauren knew that she and Tom would never look at one another like that. So she made up her mind. She asked him for a divorce. He fought her at first, but eventually, he relented. And then he’d come to see that she’d been right. He found his perfect match i
n Allie. And Lauren was happy for him. But at the same time, she wanted to be happy, too.
*~*~*
This was the part of the movie that always made Lauren cry. She stuffed popcorn in her mouth, while wiping the tears off her cheeks (a multitasking art form she excelled at, even if she said so herself). George Bailey was going to end it all. He was going to throw himself off the bridge simply because he might be sent off to prison for embezzlement. Sure, prison was no picnic. But it was the forties, and things seemed so much cleaner then. Not like the way prison seemed on Orange Is the New Black. That place, would definitely suck big time.
Besides, didn’t George know how much everyone loved him? She supposed that was the point of the movie. Learning to be grateful for the important things in life—friendship, family, love…boyfriends.
This morning she had a boyfriend. Her first official boyfriend in thirteen years. But tonight, she had nothing. Well, she had George Bailey, and that was certainly something. Jimmy Stewart was nothing to sneeze at, that’s for sure.
Her doorbell rang. It was past nine-thirty and she was in her pjs. She paused the movie and peeked out the window. It was Nate.
Her heart hiccupped in her chest.
He said he’d call, but instead, here he was. What if he was coming to tell her that he was getting back with Jessica? She’d have to be brave. She’d have to wish him good luck and all that. She could do it. If she had to. Because if that’s what he was coming over to tell her, then she’d have no choice.
She rubbed her tongue against her teeth to make sure there were no hidden popcorn kernels stuck anywhere and opened the front door. She ate him up with her eyes. He wore the same clothes he had on at the festival. Cargo shorts and an FSU T-shirt. Nothing special really, but he still looked wonderful. Hector was with him, too.
Nate saw the tears on her face and he didn’t wait to be asked inside. Instead, he put Hector on the ground, then he picked her up in his arms, kicked the door closed, and deposited her on the couch. “Thank God you’re here.”
Okay, this was good. If he was coming over to break up with her, he wouldn’t have swooped her up like that and she wouldn’t be sitting on his lap right now.
“Where else would I be?” she asked softly.
“I don’t know. But I was afraid you might not want to see me.”
“Is that why you didn’t call?”
He nodded.
“What happened between you and Jessica?”
“She’s under the delusion that we belong together. I told her it wasn’t happening. End of story.”
Relief flooded every cell in her body. “Something tells me it’s not going to be that easy to get rid of her, though.” He didn’t respond. Making some of that relief feel premature. “Where is she by the way?”
He didn’t meet her gaze. “She’s still at my place.”
“What?”
“You were right. She was waiting for me—damn it—she still has a key to my house,” he said, like he’d just remembered that. Nate blew out a frustrated breath. “I explained to her that my feelings had changed and, I think she understands. But she said it was too late to find a hotel for the night.”
“You mean, she refused to leave.”
He looked at her. “Yes,” he admitted. It was first time Nate had ever fudged information.
“Wow.”
“Jessica is ballsy,” he agreed. “It’s what makes her a good attorney.”
“I bet.”
“In which case, Jessica is now at my place and I find myself homeless for the night.” He quickly glanced around the living room. “Where’s Henry?”
“Spending the night at the Grant’s.”
