Chris emerged
from the bathroom that night with his mouth minty fresh and his face scrubbed
clean. He saw Michelle on the balcony
with the door open and she was staring forlornly out into the night. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms
around her waist before resting his chin on her shoulder.
“You ok?” He asked quietly.
“Yeah, I just… I feel really bad for JC and
Laurie. They’re so perfect together,
this wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“Honey, sometimes things happen for a reason.”
Chris told her softly. He ran his hands
up to her shoulders and gave them a light squeeze. “Let’s just go to bed and we can try to figure everything out
tomorrow morning.”
“And everything will be better?”
“No,” he chuckled.
“I said we can try to figure everything out. Now are you coming to bed or are you going to sleep out here?”
“I think I might sleep out here,” she teased. “The air is so warm… and it feels so nice…”
“No, I don’t think so.” Chris picked her up and
threw her over his shoulder.
“Chris! Your wrist!” She exclaimed.
“It’s fine.” He said and carried her inside.
**********
(The Next Morning)
Even though
she had spent the night in Chris’s arms, Michelle awoke feeling very
tired. Her first thought was that she
needed to check on Laurie. When she
started to slide out of Chris’ grasp, there was a muffled snort and he
tightened his hold on her.
“Where’re you goin’?” Chris mumbled.
She looked at him carefully; she was positive he
was still asleep. “I’m going to check
on Laurie.”
“No, stay here with me.”
“Chris,” she managed to wiggle out of his
reach. “I’m just going to see how she
is and I’ll be right back.”
There was a loud snore from the figure on the bed
and Michelle knew he was still sound asleep.
She slipped into her slippers and her robe because she knew it was early
enough that she wouldn’t run into anyone.
She grabbed her keycard as well as the master keycard and quietly left
the room.
Eric and Dre were playing cards on a small table by
the elevators and they grunted in response when she said good morning to
them. She walked further down the hall
to Laurie’s room and knocked lightly on the door. When there was no answer after several minutes, Michelle looked
around and then slid the master keycard into the slot. She waited for the green light and then
pushed the door open.
The room was empty. The bed hadn’t been slept in and the closet doors were open,
displaying their bare innards. Michelle
frantically looked in the bathroom, but all of Laurie’s accessories were gone
as well. She ran back into the hallway
and closed the door behind her.
“Eric, did Laurie leave before or after you guys
changed shifts?” She asked frantically.
“She left a couple of hours ago, said she had some
things to take care of. I assumed you
all knew about it.”
Michelle sighed in exasperation.
“Ok, obviously you didn’t.”
“Brilliant deduction Scooby.” She tossed the master
keycard on top of the cards in play and went back into her own room.
**********
“Chris!” She stormed over to the bed and shoved his
shoulder. He grunted and buried his
face deeper in the pillow. “Chris, wake
up dammit!”
He snorted and lifted his head. “Huh?
Wassa matter?”
“Laurie’s gone.”
“She’ll be back in the morning,” he mumbled and
rolled over.
“It IS morning.” Michelle grabbed his shoulder and
roller him over to face her. “Laurie’s
GONE. Her room is completely empty.”
Chris finally managed to grasp what she was saying
and sat up. He rubbed the sleep out of
his eyes and looked at her after he managed to get them focused.
“Where are you going?” He asked.
“I’m going to check the apartment and the office.”
She told him as she tugged her windpants on.
She slid her shoes on and quickly tied them up.
“Hah, you used the bunny loop.” He laughed and
immediately regretted it. “Have you
checked your cell to see if she left a message?”
Michelle bit her bottom lip and reached for her
phone. The only message she had was one
from her mother. She saved it and put
her phone in her pocket.
“She didn’t call, I’m going to find her.”
“Here’s a thought – why don’t you try calling HER
before you run all over hell’s five acres looking for her.”
“I tried, her phone is off.”
“Take Lonnie with you.”
“No, you guys are going to need him later, you have
soundcheck and I don’t know how long I’m going to be.”
“Just promise me you’ll be careful, please?” He
pleaded.
Michelle sat down on the bed and ran her hand down
his arm. “I will. I’ll call you as soon as I know anything.”
“I love you.” He leaned up and kissed her. She gave him a hug.
“I love you too.”
**********
“Where’s your other half?” Justin asked as Chris
entered the common room for breakfast.
Chris looked around. JC was probably still dead to the world and Joey was likely
sleeping off his hangover. He sat down
and chose something to eat.
“She’s gone to our apartment to see if Laurie is
there.” He said quietly and took a sip of his orange juice.
Justin’s spoon stopped halfway to his mouth. “She’s not in her room?”
Chris shook his head. “I should have let Michelle check on her last night.”
“Does C know?”
“It’s probably better that he doesn’t find out
right now.” Lance finally spoke. “He
had a really rough night and it would only upset him more.”
“Besides, there’s no need to mention it to anyone
until Michelle gets back to me.”
Lance looked at Chris quizzically. “Didn’t you and Michelle give Laurie the
week off to spend time with JC?”
Chris’ eyes widened. “Yeah…”
“So?” Justin shrugged.
“So what if she just took off to be by herself?”
Lance suggested. “That’s always a
possibility. No matter what, there’s
nothing we can do about it – it’s obviously something she doesn’t want to deal
with right now.”
“Can’t say I really blame her,” Justin muttered
with a mouthful of cereal.
“I’m going to stay out of it as much as I can.”
Chris said. “I mean, I’m obviously
concerned about her well being, but as far as her relationship with JC goes…
the whole situation has changed.”
“Yeah,” Justin agreed sourly. “Now we’ll have a miniature Alexandria
running around.”
Chris and Lance shuddered at the thought.
**********
JC sat up and sighed when he heard Lance and Hannah
leave the suite. He had tossed and
turned all night and he felt like he hadn’t slept at all. He rubbed a hand over his face and wanted to
curl up in the hotel’s blanket and just forget the last twelve hours had even
happened. And now he had to go back to
his own room and face Alexandria.
He found the shirt that he had discarded the night
before and tugged it over his head. He
squeezed his eyes closed and tried to shake the mental images of Laurie’s hurt
expression, but it continued to haunt him.
With a heavy heart, he left Lance’s suite and walked across the hall to
the room he shared with Alexandria.
Much to his surprise and dismay, Alexandria was
awake when he entered the room. She was
laying on the sofa with a cloth over her eyes and her hand resting lightly on
her abdomen. She looked up when she
heard JC clear his throat.
“How are you feeling?” He asked and sat on the
floor next to the sofa.
“I have a headache and I just finished puking.” She
snapped and turned her head toward him.
“Where the hell were you all night?”
“I was watching a movie with Lance and Hannah and I
fell asleep.” He lied. “I’m sorry.”
Her expression softened slightly. “Did you tell them?”
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“They didn’t really have much to say.” JC
shrugged. “It’s not the best timing in
the world but we’re married, so we’re almost expected to have a family sooner
or later.”
“I figured they would be happy for us.”
“Well what did you expect?” He raised his voice a
little. “They’re in shock right
now. Hell, I’M in shock right
now.” To himself he added. “And I
lost the best thing that ever happened to me because of it.”
“Oh I’m SO sorry for inconveniencing you by
carrying your child.” She told him sarcastically. “I was under the impression that you would be thrilled.”
“Alexandria,” JC said tiredly. “Please don’t start with me, I’ve had a very
long night.”
“YOU’VE had
a long night?” She scoffed. “I’m pregnant,
I spent the night ALONE and I was hungry and you weren’t here to get me
anything to eat.”
“Dria, that’s what ROOM service is for!” He bellowed and then lowered his voice. “There was nothing stopping you from picking
up the phone and ordering something.”
Alexandria waved her hand. “It doesn’t matter anyway, I’m going to the
house today.”
“You’re not coming to the concert?”
She glared at him.
“Do I ever?”
JC counted to ten before he replied. “Do you need a ride out there or are you
going to drive?”
“I’ll need a ride – and if you could pack my things
for me that would be great.”
“Fine.” He said.
Anything to shut her up.