Escape

Unlike Anze who slept soundly beside her, Lauren was wide awake. She smiled lightly as she rolled onto her stomach, putting her chin in her hands as she stared out the open window on the wall above the bed. The sound of steady rain was both relaxing and distracting, keeping her from falling into a deep sleep like her boyfriend. She sighed and sat up in bed, her eyes taking in the decorations of Anze's childhood room. She looked at all the hockey trophies, awards, and posters around her, and her smile widened.

Pulling on her robe, Lauren quietly left the room and moved throughout the house. The clock on the hallway wall told her it was just past four AM, and she made note to be as quiet as possible. When she reached the large kitchen—the center of the Kopitar home—she found she wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep. Anze's mother, Mateja, stood in front of the refrigerator, gathering things in her hands. She turned, sensing someone in the room with her. Smiling tiredly, she nodding at Lauren. “Could not sleep?” she asked, her accent thick as she talked in proper English, as she had learned it.

“The rain is keeping me up,” Lauren responded, moving toward the counter as she watched the older woman roll up the sleeves of her robe.

“Are you sure that is all keeping you up?”

Lauren smiled, shaking her head slightly. “I'm not looking forward to leaving, I guess. The past few weeks have been amazing and so relaxing, but I know me and Anze have to go back to our crazy, hectic lives. Him with hockey, and me with school.”

“You are always welcome here,” Mateja said, starting to mix ingredients in a large bowl. “I bake when upset,” she laughed, noticing the curious look on Lauren's face. Lauren frowned, but Anze's mother only waved her off. “I too know you have to go back to Los Angeles, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about it.”

Smiling, Lauren used the woman's earlier words. “You're always welcome in Los Angeles.” The woman stopped stirring the mix of ingredients and dropped the spoon. Her tired, green eyes not so unlike Anze's locked on the young woman's face, and they welled with happy tears. Lauren was wrapped in Mateja's arms before she could realize the woman had even moved.

She hugged back as the woman whispered in her ear. “The Kopitar family is so lucky to have you.”

Lauren was stunned silent, overwhelmed by the love she was feeling from her boyfriend's mother. When she had first met Anze's family, she had been nervous of not being accepted, but she quickly realized she had nothing to worry about. They loved her instantly, she knew. She fit in so well with them, but never had she been talked to like a member of the family. Mataja only smiled, pressing a hand against Lauren's cheek. “Do try to get some sleep, dear. Cranberry bread will be waiting for you when you wake up.”

Lauren grinned, nodding her head as she turned and left the kitchen, heading back up to Anze's bedroom. She quietly crept in and carefully scooted back onto the bed, not wanting to wake him up. As her head hit the pillow, Anze's voice startled her. “Where'd you go?” he asked, his voice raspy from dryness.

“Couldn't sleep, ending up chatting with your mom.”

“Is she baking?”

“So she does do that often?” she laughed.

“As long as I can remember,” he laughed, rolling over and wrapping Lauren in his arms. “Why's she doing it this time?”

“She doesn't want us to leave.”

“I knew she'd love us staying longer than a week like we planned, but I also knew it'd be harder to see us go. I think she was more excited to see you, though.”

Lauren smiled, her fingertips caressing across Anze's bare chest. “She told me your family was lucky to have me.”

“We are,” Anze responded immediately. “I am, Lauren.”

She smiled tiredly as she rested her head against his shoulder. Neither said another word. Anze wrapped his arms tighter around the young woman, tucking her in under his chin as the rain fell harder outside the window. He sighed, running a hand over his face, sleep taking over again. Lauren kissed his chest softly.

“Love you,” Anze mumbled as both fell asleep.

After three weeks in Anze's home country of Slovenia, the young couple knew reality was about to hit, and they were needed back in Los Angeles. Anze had a new season to get ready for; Lauren had a semester at graduate school ahead of her. Their time in the mountainous country had been nothing less than spectacular. Having never been anywhere outside of her home country of Canada and the United States, Lauren was anxious to take advantage of European countries' close proximity to each other.

After he had showed her what seemed like every inch of Slovenia, they ventured into Austria which resided to the north and Italy to the east. They traveled by train mostly, going from city to city like young couples their age would do. They didn’t plan; they just went. They spent entire days walking around until they were too tired to keep their eyes open. Finding lodging, they’d rest and start over again the next day. It was the backpacking trip Lauren had always dreamed of taking, and she couldn’t imagine it being any better than having Anze at her side.

When she woke up later that morning, Anze’s arms were wrapping tightly around her as he held her close to his chest. Stretching her neck, she pressed her lips against his stubble-lined jaw, waking him. He smiled tiredly at her as his eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the brightness from the sun shining through the window, no sign of the overnight rainstorm.

Lauren registered noise coming from kitchen as Anze’s mother and father. She mumbled that they should get up, but Anze only grunted and shut his eyes again, making Lauren laugh. “Don’t feel like it.”

“We have to get up and finish packing,” she told him, scratching her nails lightly down his bicep. “Our flight is in five hours.”

Anze sighed, sitting up in bed as he ran his fingers through his hair, trying to tame the curls. Lauren sat up, too, brushing some of the unruly curls away from his forehead. “Your parents can come to Los Angeles whenever they want, you know.”

Grinning, Anze kissed Lauren quickly before throwing on a t-shirt and telling his girlfriend he’d meet her in the kitchen. Shuffling into the bathroom, Lauren brushed her teeth, washed her face, and brushed her hair before throwing it up into a bun. She quickly dressed, and then headed toward the kitchen where she saw Anze at the table with his mother, his father, and his younger brother, all laughing and talking with each other.

Taking the open seat between Anze and his brother, Gasper, she was quickly handed a couple slices of the bread Meteja made very early that morning, along with a cup of coffee. Before she could realize it, an hour had passed as she sat at the table with Anze’s family, and as she came to realize, her family too. Before long, though, Mateja ushered them away from the table reluctantly, telling them they needed to get ready to leave.

Packing all of their things moved along rather quickly, despite Anze’s clowning around as Lauren did most of the work. Finally calming down after Lauren threw a hair brush at him, he relented and packed up everything he was taking back to Los Angeles.

“You’re coming to LA in a few weeks, right?” Anze asked his brother as they family stood outside the house. Lauren smiled as she loaded their things in the trunk of Anze’s father’s car with his help.

Gasper nodded, hugging his brother quickly. “I want to take surfing lessons.”

“Oh, that sounds fun!” Lauren added, grinning at the younger Kopitar brother. “I’d be up for that.”

Anze laughed, being wrapped in a hug from his mother. After kissing his cheeks, she moved to Lauren, giving her the same hug and kisses. “We’ll see you soon,” she said, her eyes tearful as she realized the young couple was all ready to leave.

“Of course,” Lauren smiled, hugging her back before she was ushered into the car. Anze’s fingers entwined with hers as they sat in the back seat, his father driving them to airport. The hour long drive was relaxing and filled with the beautiful scenery of the mountainous country. Anze’s father pulled to a stop along the curb just outside the doors to the airport. Climbing out with the young couple and helping them load their luggage on a cart, he hugged his son and Lauren, bidding them goodbye and telling them to be safe.

With a final wave behind them, they walked into the airport, checked their bags, went through security, and found a couple of seats. Their flight would board in an hour and take them to London where they would take a connecting flight to Los Angeles. People bustled and moved around them as they relaxed, flipping through magazines.

“Thank you for bringing me home with you,” Lauren said, closing her magazine and turning slightly to face Anze. He opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off. “I loved spending time with your family and traveling through Europe with you. You’ve made this the best summer I’ve ever had.” Anze grinned. “I love you,” she told him, kissing him lightly.

“We can always come back next summer,” he told her. “Do it all over again.”

“I’d love that. I’ve never seen a more beautiful place,” she sighed, turning back to magazine.

“Good place for a wedding, don’t you think?” Anze asked, making Lauren freeze and turn to look at him with wide eyes. He only smiled, his green eyes locking with hers as she opened and closed her mouth a few times. Laughing, Anze leaned toward her and kissed her. “You can just nod, if you’d like.”

Lauren laughed, nodding her head as she heard the overhead announcement that their flight was beginning to board. Standing and gathering their carry-ons, Anze held his hand out for Lauren. She smiled and stood, keeping her hand locked with his.

“That sounds perfect,” she told him as they walked toward their gate. “Next summer might just top this one, then.”

Handing their tickets to the attendant, they walked down the long hall until they reached the plane. Finding their seats, Anze turned to her. “I think so, too,” he grinned, kissing her again.