Page 77 of Loving Lauren
Sierra felt tears prick at her eyes. Months ago, her parents had struggled to even say Lauren’s name. Now they were talking about redecorating guest rooms and including them in family plans.
As they drove back to Sierra’s apartment later that night, Lauren reached over and took Sierra’s hand.
“That went better than I expected.”
“My mom called you family. She’s never done that with anyone I’ve dated. Dad is talking about redoing the bedroom for when we visit.”
“Your mom saved me leftovers, too. Specifically, for me. With a little note about reheating instructions. She drew a heart in the corner.”
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, processing the evening.
“I love you. Not just for who you are, but for how gracefully you handle all of this. My awkward family, Salem’s judgment, the Inner Circle’s chaos. You just... fit.”
“I love you, too, and I love that your family is trying. I love that they see how happy we make each other.”
“They do see it. Finally.”
Back at the apartment, Salem greeted them with his usual dramatic meowing, clearly offended by their absence. Lauren immediately pulled out the treat bag, and Salem’s attitude shifted to pure adoration.
“I can’t believe you’ve turned my cat into a bribery victim.” Sierra laughed.
“Hey, it’s working. Sometimes love requires strategic treats.”
Salem rubbed against their legs.
They settled onto the couch together; Salem sprawled across both their laps like a furry bridge connecting them. The gallery photos from the anniversary celebration were spread across the coffee table, and Sierra kept picking them up and looking at them with an expression of amazement.
“I still can’t believe you organized all of that.”
“I had help. The Inner Circle is a powerful force.”
“We are back, aren’t we?” Sierra whispered. “All of us. Different than before, but better.”
“So much better.” Lauren pressed a kiss on Sierra’s temple. “We know what we’re capable of losing now. And what we’re willing to fight for.”
Outside, the city hummed with late-night energy, but inside Sierra’s apartment, everything was peaceful. Complete. Like all the scattered pieces of their lives had finally found their way back into place, forming something stronger than before.
Chapter 49
The therapist’s office smelled faintly of peppermint tea; a quiet little space tucked above a bookstore downtown. Sierra sat on the couch with her hands folded in her lap, knees brushing against Lauren’s. It felt strange at first, sitting side by side like teammates instead of across from each other like adversaries.
They’d been coming here for weeks, both together and in their own individual sessions. It wasn’t magic, but it was work they’d committed to... steady, necessary, healing.
“I want you both to talk about what you fear most,” Dr. Alvarez said gently, glancing between them.
Sierra took a steadying breath. “For me, it’s that you’ll leave again. That one hard moment will feel too big, and I’ll come home to silence instead of you.” Her voice cracked a little, but she forced herself to hold eye contact with Lauren. “I need to know you’ll stay, even when it gets messy.”
Lauren’s fingers twisted together, knuckles pale. “My fear is... that loving me will cost you too much. I’ll hurt you just by being myself.” They swallowed, eyes glassy. “The night I saw youwith Josh, I panicked. I didn’t ask questions, I didn’t trust you. I just ran. It was easier to destroy everything than risk being abandoned.”
Sierra reached over and laced their fingers together. “But I wasn’t leaving. I never was.”
Dr. Alvarez nodded. “That’s the work right there. Naming the fear and then learning new ways to sit with it together instead of apart.”
When the session ended, Sierra and Lauren stepped out into the late morning light. Neither spoke for a long moment, but their hands stayed linked as they walked down the block. The silence felt different than before, not heavy, but steady.
Lauren finally gave a small, shaky laugh. “So, do you still want to look at that apartment?”
Sierra smiled, squeezing their hand. “Yeah. I think we’re ready.”
