Run Away

"Is this really happening right now?" Eric squealed as he jumped into the passengers seat of the car.
"I realize that this is the most busy time right now at the goddamn mall, but it hit me this morning, as I was pulling out shit to make her for breakfast. At least I got her to go to lunch with my mom so I can get this done. You're the only one who knows, besides mom and pops. Don't fuck this up for me Eric." John smiled behind his sunglasses as they drove to the mall.
"This is the most important thing ever John. We've waited for this, you know. For years." Eric said, tapping his fingers on his leg, anxiously.

Lauren sat in John's parents house, waiting for her to return from the kitchen.
"I've got a few more gifts for you, Lauren." Jenny smiled as she handed Lauren a bottle of water.
"Thank you Jenny. I'm so exhausted today." she sighed, putting her hand on her extended belly.
"Pregnancy does that to you. Trust me." Jenny smiled as her eyes gazed upon a recent family photo that hung on the wall.
"Was it as hard as I think it's going to be?" Lauren asked, cracking open the ice cold bottle, and taking a sip.
"I'll tell you this. It's different for everyone. For me, I was ecstatic, but there were days..." she looked down, half smiling, "days where I was overwhelmed by everything. But you quickly snap out of it. It's not as hard as it looks, I promise. Things will come naturally."
"John Cornelius O'Callaghan The Sixth." Lauren said it out loud, giggling.
"As a mother, you know things." Jenny started, crossing her legs.
"What do you mean?" Lauren asked, knowing from Jenny's body language that this was going to be something important.
"When you and John were five years old, I watched you two play with toys from the other room. It was a warm summer day, and it was too hot outside to go anywhere but the pool, but you both wanted to stay inside that day. You two sat so peacefully, coloring, playing with dolls, building things with blocks. You and John were special children. John argued with a lot of his friends, but you? You and him never fought. Over toys, over sharing, over anything. You two always put each other first. I knew then and there, my son found his soulmate in the girl a few houses down. I laid in my bed that night, talking to his father about what I had figured out, and you know what he said? He asked me how I didn't figure this out sooner." Jenny laughed.
Lauren couldn't fight the tears in her eyes as she listened very intently to Jenny and what she was saying.
"Jenny, I've had good times, and I've had horrible times. Your son has been my rock. My everything. If I didn't have him in my life, I honestly don't know if I'd be here. With my dad... My depression... Everything. He stood by my side, tall and strong, and held me up when I felt like the Earth was caving in beneath my feet. As I grew up, I knew the boy from a few houses down was always going to be special. I always knew he had something beautiful inside of him. He is perfection. Everything anyone could ever ask for." Lauren couldn't continue. She was crying so hard now that she couldn't speak another word.
"When you were in that hospital, John already knew what was happening. He knew how. He knew why. He's on a long journey to forgive himself, even though everyone around him already has. I feared my son would lose the only person who kept him from going under. With his drinking, I feared he would slip away with you. But then you woke up, and so did he." Jenny reached across and grabbed her hand.
"I love him." Lauren choked out. It was all she could say.

John pulled into the driveway of their house, noticing Lauren's car was back. He had just dropped Eric back off, and he was tired from a long day of pushing through mall people. He parked his car next to hers, got out, and walked to the front door. He stopped, perking up his ears.
"Is that music?" John asked himself under his breath.
He could hear the sound of music coming from behind the door. Loud. He swung open the door, as the music poured into his ears. He walked in, closed it, kicked off his shoes, and found Lauren in the kitchen, covered in flour, music blasting.
He giggled at the sight of her.
"Hey sunshine." she smiled at him, flour streaking her clothes and hair.
She reached for the remote and turned the music down.
"What are you doing?" he smiled, walking over to her, and kissing her.
"Making cookies. See?" she giggled, pointing at the other end of the counter, where he saw three rows of sugar cookies in the shape of Santa hats, snowmen, and candy canes.
"You're adorable when you're all covered in flour." John smiled, kissing her again.
"You're adorable when you're doing anything at all." she laughed, poking his nose.
"How was your day?" John asked her, walking towards the stools across from the counter and sitting down.
"It was wonderful, how about yours? Did you enjoy your man date with Eric?" she smiled.
"I did." he said, patting the stool next to him.
She walked over and sat down, her hair falling out of her loose ponytail.
"When are those done?" John asked, pointing at the oven.
"About 5 minutes, why?" she asked, picking up his hand and playing with his fingers.
"Because I'd like to take a shower with my beautiful girlfriend, and lay down on the couch and watch a Christmas movie." John smiled.
"Go get our after shower clothes ready while I wait for these to be done then." she said, kissing him on the cheek and hopping off of the stool.
He stood up and walked into their room.

"Not so much soap!!" she laughed as he squeezed a very large handful of shampoo into his hands.
"Don't be a soap nazi." John laughed, rubbing the shampoo into her hair.
"Don't get it in my eyes, Mr. Butthead." she smiled, sticking out her tongue.
"I won't, Mrs. Butthead." he flashed a crooked smile at her, and giggled at her blushing.
"After all these years, that smile still makes me feel like a giddy school girl." Lauren laughed, rolling her eyes at herself.
"You make me feel like a goddamn giddy school girl." John laughed picking up the shower head and removing the soap from her hair.

They laid on the couch together, halfway through How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
"Lauren?" John looked down at her.
Asleep. She was dead asleep. John closed his eyes and joined her, drifting off with her in his arms.

~~~~~~~~
"Lauren, open the door." John screamed, pounding on her bedroom door.
He could hear the sound of loud metal music pouring from under the door.
"Go away John!" she yelled.
"I won't. That text is scaring me just open the door." John jiggled the handle again.
The music stopped, then silence. Then a muffled scream.
He kicked open the door and found her sitting in her bed, blood dripping down her arm, multiple gashes across her arm.
"Why did you do this?" he asked, running over to her, and throwing his arms around her.
"You're getting blood all over your shirt." she said, burying her face in his shoulder.
"Why?!" he asked, tears rushing down his cheeks.
"If I'm dead, I can't feel a thing, John. Don't you understand?" she sobbed into his shoulder.
"You're turning 18 in two months. Life is just beginning. Our life is just beginning. This is so selfish of you." he kissed the top of her head and pulled away, standing up.
"I'm going to get a washcloth and a wrap for your arm." he sighed, wiping the tears off his face.
~~~~~~~~~

"Ahhh! John wake up!" she shook him, her voice shaking.
John's eyes shot open, instantly worried something was wrong.
She pointed at the wall towards a big spider.
"Kill it. Kill it." she couldn't move.
John shot up and grabbed a shoe, smooshing it into the wall.
"Grosssssss." Lauren shuttered.
"Fuckers." John laughed, going into the kitchen to grab some paper towel.