Page 40 of Madness

I rush to my car, heart pounding as I drive to Little Sprouts. I'm the last parent to arrive, and guilt gnaws at me as I see Roman sitting with Miss Jess, looking small and tired.

"Mommy!" he cries, running to me. I scoop him up, peppering his face with kisses.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, buddy. Did you have a good time?"

He nods sleepily against my shoulder. Miss Jess gives me a kind smile. "He did great for his first day. We'll see you both on Monday?"

I nod, grateful for her understanding. As we drive home, Roman already dozing in his car seat, my phone buzzes. It's Dakota. "You free to talk?"

I smile despite my exhaustion. "Give me 20 minutes to get Roman to bed?"

"Take your time," he replies. "I'll be here."

Tucking Roman in, I reflect on the day. It was hard, no doubt. But we did it. Roman survived his first day at the new daycare. I managed work. And now, I have Dakota's call to look forward to.

One day at a time, I remind myself. We can do this.

22

COINCIDENCES

DAKOTA

Istare at my phone, thumb hovering over Lauren's name. The urge to hear her voice again is almost overwhelming, but suddenly, a phone call doesn't feel like enough. Before I can overthink it, I'm grabbing my keys and heading out the door. I can get there in twenty minutes. No problem.

The late-night traffic in LA is mercifully light. As I drive, my mind wanders back to this morning - sneaking out of Lauren's house, the new songs forming in my head, the productive writing session with Brad. It's been a whirlwind of a day, but Lauren's been at the center of my thoughts throughout.

I stop at an all-night grocery store, picking up a modest bouquet of daisies and carnations. Nothing too over-the-top, I think, just something to brighten her night after a long day.

As I pull up to her house, doubt creeps in. What if she's already asleep? What if Roman's still awake and I'm intruding? What if this is too much, too soon?

I shake off the doubts and make my way to her door. Taking a deep breath, I knock softly.

There's a moment of silence, then the sound of footsteps. The door opens, and Lauren stands there, eyes wide with surprise. She's in pajama pants and an old t-shirt, her hair pulled back in a messy bun. There are dark circles under her eyes, and she looks utterly exhausted. But to me, she's never looked more beautiful.

"Dakota?" she says, her voice a mix of confusion and pleasure. "What are you doing here?"

I hold out the flowers, suddenly feeling a bit sheepish. "I, uh, I wanted to surprise you. See how your day went in person."

Lauren's eyes soften as she takes in the flowers, but I can see the self-consciousness creep into her expression. She runs a hand over her hair, tugging at her shirt. "I'm a mess," she says with a nervous laugh. "I wasn't expecting... I mean, I just put Roman to bed, and I haven't even showered yet, and-"

I step forward, gently cupping her face with my free hand. "Hey," I say softly, cutting off her rambling. "You look perfect to me. I'm the one who showed up unannounced, remember?"

She leans into my touch, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "You're sure? I mean, this isn't exactly how I pictured our next meeting going."

I chuckle, leaning in to press a soft kiss to her forehead. "Lauren, I've seen you at 6 AM with bedhead and morning breath. Trust me, this? This is perfect."

A smile finally breaks through her worry. "Well, in that case," she says, stepping back and opening the door wider, "come on in. But be quiet - I just got Roman to sleep, and if he wakes up now, I might cry."

As I step inside, I can feel the weariness radiating off her. But there's also a warmth, a sense of home that I've missed all day. I hand her the flowers, watching as she brings them to her nose, inhaling deeply.

"Thank you," she says softly. "They're beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you," I reply, then cringe internally at how cheesy it sounds. But Lauren's smile widens, a blush coloring her cheeks.

"Smooth talker," she teases, then yawns widely. "Sorry, it's been a long day."

I nod, suddenly unsure. "I can go if you're too tired. I just... I wanted to see you."

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