18+ More Than a Fan (was Blue Eyed Angel) | TW/CW in OP (1 Viewer)

[ChiaraStar169]

TW: CHAPTER 14 AND SOME OF 15 (and maybe also 16, haven't decided yet) WILL CONTAIN SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, VIOLENCE, KIDNAPPING, AND MENTIONS THEREOF. For your sanity, I'll just post chapter summaries and put the actual chapters as spoilers.

@Scarapop @Blood_in_the_Ink @Harmony_Starz got a new one! I'm going to be writing this in tandem with my Jin one.

Chapter 1

Daisy Landon smiled as the ultrasound tech glided the paddle across her lower abdomen. She was at her 20-week anatomy scan for the twins she was carrying.

Daisy and her boyfriend, Jesse English, had been trying to conceive since their son Connor’s first birthday. It had taken almost two years for Jesse to successfully impregnate Daisy again, so when they got the news that they were expecting again, both partners were over the moon.

“Well, it looks like your baby is 100% healthy and growing like she should be,” the tech reported. “Her heart looks good, her body parts and organs are all developing very nicely, and you should be able do deliver in that 37-40 week window.” Then, she grew curious about something, but Daisy misinterpreted her expression as impending bad news.

“What did you just find?” Daisy stage-whispered, very noticeably concerned for the babies.

“Oh! No, nothing bad… but I’m picking up a third heartbeat. I’m going to look around for a little bit, but I suspect there’s a hidden triplet in there.”

Daisy’s heart skipped a beat. “Oh, my God, two babies?!” she cried. “Holy shit, Jesse! We’re having twins!” Daisy frowned when she saw Jesse with an emotionless face. “Babe, it’s twins! Aren’t you excited?!”

Jesse gave a smirk and shrugged as if to say he was indifferent. It was almost like he suddenly didn’t give a shit about this amazing new discovery.

“What’s the gender of the other baby?” Daisy asked.

“It’s another girl,” the tech said. “Do you see her?”

Daisy smiled and nodded when she saw the third baby on the ultrasound screen. “I do,” she said. “Jess, it’s two girls – you’ve always wanted at least two girls in our family!”

“Yeah, but… I didn’t expect twins,” Jesse answered.

Daisy rolled her eyes but chose to ignore him and asked the tech about her due date.

“Full term for twins is around 38 weeks. So, 38 weeks would put you at a due date of September 14th instead of the 28th.”

“I already can’t wait to meet them!”


When they got home, Daisy asked Jesse what his problem was with her having twins.

“You never make time for me,” Jesse complained. “It’s always about the baby, and never about me.”

“Well, let me tell you this,” Daisy argued. “The world does not revolve around Jesse English. You’re not the only person in the world, and not everything I say or do is going to be about you.”

“Of course it does! You don’t realize how good you have it, sweetheart. I make big money with that CEO job; how else am I going to provide for you and those twins?”

“Gee, I don’t know… maybe by actually giving a damn? You’re such a bigot who thinks he’s king of the world. And this is not about money or your job – it’s about our relationship and our family. In fact, speaking of which, it’s over!”

“You are NOT about to break up with me! We prayed for these twins, and now you’re throwing it all away!”

“I don’t care! Your days with me are numbered, because I’m kicking you out tonight!”

“Alright, fine!” Jesse said, putting defensive hands up. “But you’re never going to find another guy like me, I hope you realize that.”

Daisy gave her ex-boyfriend a cold sneer. “Exactly.”


“What do you mean, it’s over?!” Daisy’s friend, Lauren Lovelace, asked her when Daisy called. “You had so much to look forward to – the baby, the wedding… oh, how I was so anticipating the wedding! What happened?”

“He thinks he’s the only person in the world and that nothing matters except him.”

“Oh, my God, what a jerk! How long has he been like this?”

“Ever since that CEO job came along. I should’ve known he’d be trouble from the first date, though, what with him trying to hit on the waitress and all.”

Lauren laughed. “That’s a huge red flag, a very obvious sign that he’s going to be a bad partner. Hey, why don’t you move in with me and Matt?”

“Well, that would be an awfully big move, especially since Connor already has friends here in Tennessee.”

“Oh, no rush! Hell, you can even wait until after the baby is born. I wouldn’t want to make you switch OBs mid-pregnancy.”

“Yeah, that’s true. I’ll talk it over with Connor, see what he thinks. Okay, are you ready for the good news?”

“Absolutely!”

Daisy smiled and said, “I’m having twins.”

Lauren was ready to flip. She couldn’t believe the words coming out of her bestie’s mouth.

“Holy shit, really?!” Lauren screamed. “Oh, my God, that’s great! Are they both girls?”

“Yep, two girls. I also have a new due date – it’s September 14th.”

“Congratulations! I can’t wait to meet them!”

“Me either.”

As soon as she ended the call, there was a soft knock at the door to her bedroom.

“Mommy?”

“Come on in, Connor,” Daisy said. He sauntered into the room with his head hanging down.

“Is Daddy really leaving us?” the toddler asked, his voice shaking.

“Oh, sweetheart… come here.” Daisy patted the spot next to her and helped Connor climb up. “I’m afraid so, bud. Daddy and I had a huge fight earlier that ended in me breaking up with him.”

“Why did you have to do that? I thought you loved each other?”

“So, did I… but sometimes, love takes a nosedive, and all of a sudden, one partner feels the need to move on from the other.”

Connor sniffled, and Daisy gave him a tissue to blow his nose on. “But… I don’t want Daddy to leave! I love him!”

“I know you do, and the feeling is mutual… but yeah, it’s just going to be the two of us for now. But guess what? I love you, too.”

“I love you, Mommy.” Connor averted his gaze to his mother’s fat stomach. “Mommy?”

“Mmhmm?”

“Do you love my sissy?”

“Why, of course, I do!”

Connor blinked and took on a worried expression. “Then… why did you eat her?”

Daisy laughed at his silliness. “I didn’t eat her, goofball! She’s not even in my stomach – she’s somewhere else in my body, an organ called the uterus.” Connor was confused now, so Daisy decided to elaborate. “The uterus is a girl thing. It carries the baby for a long, long time until the baby is ready to come out.”

“But how does it get there?”

“Well… God created your sissy, picked me and Daddy as her parents, and here she is for four more months now.” Daisy pointed towards her uterus to show Connor. “You’ll learn more about it when you’re in high school. Capiche?”

“Ka-peach.”

 

[dark_tranquility]

Jesse English and Lauren Lovelace

Interestiing names

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Jesse English and Lauren Lovelace

Interestiing names

yeah, thanks! I used to use the most basic names, but not anymore! You will LOVE what I had Daisy name her twins.

 

[IGURO]

bookmarked!! will read later as I am too busy!!

 

[dark_tranquility]

good that jesse got booted
such a negative self-absorbed loser
daisy don't need him uh uh

 

[ChiaraStar169]

@Joy_Senho @AuGamer1987 ready for another chapter? and btw I decided to makeLauren single instead of dating a guy named Matt. He's still in the story, but as an ex.

Chapter 2

Daisy gave birth to fraternal twins in early September and named them Jade Alexandra and Audrey Joanna. Jade is the more content twin, while, for the first few weeks, Audrey had a bad case of colic. As it turned out, Audrey had had a tongue tie that needed to be fixed, and immediately after that, she stopped being so fussy.

By May of the following year, Daisy was ready to move in with Lauren in Torrance. She had sold the old house to a couple in their late twenties with their young daughter. The parents had been very nice, but the little girl had been quite salty about their move from North Dakota, complaining that it was too hot.

“Psst, Connor…” Daisy whispered in Connor’s ear to wake him up from a boredom-induced nap. “We’re getting ready to land now.”

Connor stirred, rubbed his eyes, and righted himself in his seat. “Are we home?” he asked with a slight slur in his voice.

“Yeah, we’re almost at the Los Angeles airport. Put all your toys into your backpack.”

Connor did as he was told, and by the time he was done, the plane had come to a complete stop at the airport.

Daisy instructed Connor to follow her as she pushed the twins’ double carriage. When they eventually got to baggage claim, which was conveniently situated next to the pickup area, Lauren was already there, waiting for her bestie to arrive.

“Hey, girl!” Lauren greeted Daisy cheerfully. “How was the flight?”

“We had a layover in Dallas, and during the first flight, Connor threw an absolute fit because he didn’t want to leave. But the second one was way better, because he grew so bored that he fell asleep for the entire four-hour flight.”

“Yeah, maybe he was just tired,” Lauren said. “My Braxton gets like that whenever he’s bored or sleepy.”

Braxton is Lauren’s son with her ex-husband, Matt. The two of them coparent him, alternating every week, and this was Lauren’s off week.

Daisy laughed. “Well, it was almost time for his afternoon nap, so maybe that’s what it was.”

After she and Lauren retrieved the luggage from the carousel, Daisy, without looking, told Connor to grab her hand. But when she turned around, he wasn’t there.

“Connor?!” Daisy exclaimed, now growing more and more worried by the second. This wasn’t the first time Connor had gone astray, but since this was the busiest airport in the country, she couldn’t help but still feel anxious.

“He’s only three; he couldn’t have gone far,” Lauren reassured her friend.


Connor had had a method to his madness. He had never gotten over the fact that Jesse was now out of the picture, and gosh dang it, he was going to find him if it was the last thing he did!

Weaving around the legs of several people, who was all surprised to feel something down there, Connor meandered around the entire airport, trying to find any man resembling his dad.

Connor continued wandering for what seemed like hours and hours until – BAM! – he tripped over somebody’s foot and stumbled to the floor.


Luke Hemmings and his bandmates were on his way out of the airport with their luggage when he suddenly bumped into something… or someone. When he looked down, he saw a little boy struggling to get back up from falling. Luke bent down to help.

“You alright, mate?” he asked, offering his hand to the boy, who had a cute curly blond hairstyle.

Instead of taking the stranger’s hand, Connor slapped it away.

“Stranger danger!” he yelled, pronouncing his Rs like Ws. He started to run away, but Luke pulled him back by the back of Connor’s shirt.

“Hey, hey, hey… I’m only trying to help you!” Luke soothed as Connor tried to fight the guy off.

“You’re not my daddy!” Connor argued.

This statement broke Luke’s heart. The kid wasn’t just lost – he was also missing his father.

“Oh… what does he look like? Is he here?”

At this point, Connor was crying out of fear. “I’unno!” he wailed.

“Well, do you know where your mummy is?” Michael Clifford, the band’s guitarist, asked.

The little boy shook his head no.

“What does she look like?” Calum Hood, who plays bass, asked.

Connor shrugged.

“What’s her name? What’s your name?”

“Daisy,” Connor responded.

“Daisy? So, you’re a little girl?” Luke asked in confusion. “Or is Daisy your mummy?”

“What’s a mummy?”

“Your mother. Is Daisy your mother?”

Connor nodded.

“Oh, I see. Well, let’s see if we can find her, alright? Take my hand.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a Code Adam,” an employee announced over the PA system. “If you have found a little boy by the name of Connor English, please return him to Baggage Claim C. Thank you!”

Another employee translated the announcement into Spanish, and Connor looked up at his rescuer.

“What’s a ‘cold Adam’?” he asked. “Does Adam need a sweater?”

“That was a Code Adam, mate,” Luke said. “It’s a state of emergency when a child goes missing. I’m sure there is a bloke called Adam out there who could use a sweater, though. Are you Connor English?”

“Me is Connor… but I don’t know what English means.”

“English would be your surname; it’s how people differentiate between two individuals with the same name. Let’s go see Mummy!”

Luke knew exactly where Baggage C was, as he’d been to this airport plenty of times. When he got there, he spotted a distraught-looking brunette waiting by the pickup area. Connor saw her as well.

“Mommy!” he exclaimed. He broke free of Luke’s grasp to run towards her.

“Oh, my God, Connor!” Daisy cried, giving her son a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. “You had me and Lala worried sick! Don’t you ever do that again, young man!”

“But I was looking for Daddy,” Connor said.

“He’s not here, bud,” Lauren said. “He’s back in Chattanooga.”

Connor pouted and folded his arms. “Hmph!”

“Hello,” Luke flirted with the brunette. “I’m Luke.”

“I’m Daisy,” she said with a smile. “Thank you so much for bringing my baby back. You’re an angel!”

“Hey, no problem! You’re really pretty, by the way.”

Daisy maintained eye contact as she took in Luke’s appearance. He wasn’t a bad-looking guy, himself; he had spiky blond hair, striking blue eyes, and a lip ring. His face was long and narrow, and he had a tall, lanky frame.

“You, too. I love your eyes.”

“Thank you. I got them from my mum. Your earrings are gorgeous, too. Cat earrings?”

“Yeah… I’m a huge cat person. I’ve always wanted one, but my dad is allergic, and my ex-fiancé couldn’t stand them.”

“Oh, don’t you know what would be a brilliant first date idea? Going to a cat café! We could go to one today, if you’d like.”

“Oh, my God, he did not!” Lauren chimed in. “Dais, you just got asked out by Luke Hemmings!”

It was then that Daisy realized Lauren was right. Luke Robert Hemmings, her favorite member from her favorite band, had just invited her for lunch!

 

[IGURO]

@Joy_Senho @AuGamer1987 ready for another chapter? and btw I decided to makeLauren single instead of dating a guy named Matt. He's still in the story, but as an ex.

Chapter 2

Daisy gave birth to fraternal twins in early September and named them Jade Alexandra and Audrey Joanna. Jade is the more content twin, while, for the first few weeks, Audrey had a bad case of colic. As it turned out, Audrey had had a tongue tie that needed to be fixed, and immediately after that, she stopped being so fussy.

By May of the following year, Daisy was ready to move in with Lauren in Torrance. She had sold the old house to a couple in their late twenties with their young daughter. The parents had been very nice, but the little girl had been quite salty about their move from North Dakota, complaining that it was too hot.

“Psst, Connor…” Daisy whispered in Connor’s ear to wake him up from a boredom-induced nap. “We’re getting ready to land now.”

Connor stirred, rubbed his eyes, and righted himself in his seat. “Are we home?” he asked with a slight slur in his voice.

“Yeah, we’re almost at the Los Angeles airport. Put all your toys into your backpack.”

Connor did as he was told, and by the time he was done, the plane had come to a complete stop at the airport.

Daisy instructed Connor to follow her as she pushed the twins’ double carriage. When they eventually got to baggage claim, which was conveniently situated next to the pickup area, Lauren was already there, waiting for her bestie to arrive.

“Hey, girl!” Lauren greeted Daisy cheerfully. “How was the flight?”

“We had a layover in Dallas, and during the first flight, Connor threw an absolute fit because he didn’t want to leave. But the second one was way better, because he grew so bored that he fell asleep for the entire four-hour flight.”

“Yeah, maybe he was just tired,” Lauren said. “My Braxton gets like that whenever he’s bored or sleepy.”

Braxton is Lauren’s son with her ex-husband, Matt. The two of them coparent him, alternating every week, and this was Lauren’s off week.

Daisy laughed. “Well, it was almost time for his afternoon nap, so maybe that’s what it was.”

After she and Lauren retrieved the luggage from the carousel, Daisy, without looking, told Connor to grab her hand. But when she turned around, he wasn’t there.

“Connor?!” Daisy exclaimed, now growing more and more worried by the second. This wasn’t the first time Connor had gone astray, but since this was the busiest airport in the country, she couldn’t help but still feel anxious.

“He’s only three; he couldn’t have gone far,” Lauren reassured her friend.


Connor had had a method to his madness. He had never gotten over the fact that Jesse was now out of the picture, and gosh dang it, he was going to find him if it was the last thing he did!

Weaving around the legs of several people, who was all surprised to feel something down there, Connor meandered around the entire airport, trying to find any man resembling his dad.

Connor continued wandering for what seemed like hours and hours until – BAM! – he tripped over somebody’s foot and stumbled to the floor.


Luke Hemmings and his bandmates were on his way out of the airport with their luggage when he suddenly bumped into something… or someone. When he looked down, he saw a little boy struggling to get back up from falling. Luke bent down to help.

“You alright, mate?” he asked, offering his hand to the boy, who had a cute curly blond hairstyle.

Instead of taking the stranger’s hand, Connor slapped it away.

“Stranger danger!” he yelled, pronouncing his Rs like Ws. He started to run away, but Luke pulled him back by the back of Connor’s shirt.

“Hey, hey, hey… I’m only trying to help you!” Luke soothed as Connor tried to fight the guy off.

“You’re not my daddy!” Connor argued.

This statement broke Luke’s heart. The kid wasn’t just lost – he was also missing his father.

“Oh… what does he look like? Is he here?”

At this point, Connor was crying out of fear. “I’unno!” he wailed.

“Well, do you know where your mummy is?” Michael Clifford, the band’s guitarist, asked.

The little boy shook his head no.

“What does she look like?” Calum Hood, who plays bass, asked.

Connor shrugged.

“What’s her name? What’s your name?”

“Daisy,” Connor responded.

“Daisy? So, you’re a little girl?” Luke asked in confusion. “Or is Daisy your mummy?”

“What’s a mummy?”

“Your mother. Is Daisy your mother?”

Connor nodded.

“Oh, I see. Well, let’s see if we can find her, alright? Take my hand.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a Code Adam,” an employee announced over the PA system. “If you have found a little boy by the name of Connor English, please return him to Baggage Claim C. Thank you!”

Another employee translated the announcement into Spanish, and Connor looked up at his rescuer.

“What’s a ‘cold Adam’?” he asked. “Does Adam need a sweater?”

“That was a Code Adam, mate,” Luke said. “It’s a state of emergency when a child goes missing. I’m sure there is a bloke called Adam out there who could use a sweater, though. Are you Connor English?”

“Me is Connor… but I don’t know what English means.”

“English would be your surname; it’s how people differentiate between two individuals with the same name. Let’s go see Mummy!”

Luke knew exactly where Baggage C was, as he’d been to this airport plenty of times. When he got there, he spotted a distraught-looking brunette waiting by the pickup area. Connor saw her as well.

“Mommy!” he exclaimed. He broke free of Luke’s grasp to run towards her.

“Oh, my God, Connor!” Daisy cried, giving her son a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. “You had me and Lala worried sick! Don’t you ever do that again, young man!”

“But I was looking for Daddy,” Connor said.

“He’s not here, bud,” Lauren said. “He’s back in Chattanooga.”

Connor pouted and folded his arms. “Hmph!”

“Hello,” Luke flirted with the brunette. “I’m Luke.”

“I’m Daisy,” she said with a smile. “Thank you so much for bringing my baby back. You’re an angel!”

“Hey, no problem! You’re really pretty, by the way.”

Daisy maintained eye contact as she took in Luke’s appearance. He wasn’t a bad-looking guy, himself; he had spiky blond hair, striking blue eyes, and a lip ring. His face was long and narrow, and he had a tall, lanky frame.

“You, too. I love your eyes.”

“Thank you. I got them from my mum. Your earrings are gorgeous, too. Cat earrings?”

“Yeah… I’m a huge cat person. I’ve always wanted one, but my dad is allergic, and my ex-fiancé couldn’t stand them.”

“Oh, don’t you know what would be a brilliant first date idea? Going to a cat café! We could go to one today, if you’d like.”

“Oh, my God, he did not!” Lauren chimed in. “Dais, you just got asked out by Luke Hemmings!”

It was then that Daisy realized Lauren was right. Luke Robert Hemmings, her favorite member from her favorite band, had just invited her for lunch!

so good omg
pls daisy get luke that hottie and completely forget abt that nasty old jesse ewww
also love the name jade

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Chapter 3

“No way!” Daisy exclaimed. “This must be a dream. Lauren… pinch me.”

“No, you’re not dreaming,” Luke said. “I really did just ask you out. So… today at one? I know a really good bistro that’s right next to a cat café.”

“Okay! I’d love to. Let me give you my friend’s address.”

Daisy dictated the address to Luke, who punched it into his phone’s GPS for later.

“Luke, let’s go! Oh, hello, ladies!”

Luke turned around and realized it was Michael who said this.

“Michael, I just met the love of my life,” Luke announced. “This is Daisy.”

“And Lauren,” Lauren said. “We’re huge fans of yours!”

“Nice to meet you, Lauren,” Michael said flirtatiously. “I’m Michael.”

“She knows,” Daisy said. “She was the one who pointed out that Luke had just asked me out.”

Michael dropped his jaw and looked at Luke. “Luke, you dog! Where are you going, and when?”

“Just out for lunch and to a cat café,” Luke said. “Nothing fancy. I’m picking her up this afternoon.”

“Oh, that sounds fun! Oi, Lauren – would you like to go out today as well?”

“We could do it tomorrow,” Lauren suggested. “Since Daisy is going out with Luke today, I’d need to get a babysitter if we did the same.”

“Yeah, and I don’t feel comfortable leaving my three kids with a stranger on my first day in town,” Daisy added.

“We can do that,” Michael said to Lauren. “Do you like golf?”

“I do, but I’m not very good at it,” Lauren admitted.

“Well, I could teach you! I’ll set up a tee time at the golf course and call you when I’ve done it.”

“Greatly appreciated. Here’s my number…”

“Will do! Enjoy the rest of your day, ladies.”

“You, too,” Daisy said.


At one on the dot, Luke rang the doorbell. He’d changed his clothes in favor of a cleaner outfit and done a quick shower and shampoo. When the door opened to reveal Daisy, he could see that she’d done the same.

“Hey, Luke,” she said. “I’m just getting Lauren used to my twins and teaching her to care for them, but I’m almost done. Come in!”

“Oh, okay,” Luke said, taking a seat on the living room couch. Connor was coloring on the other side of the couch, and he looked up when he sensed a presence near him.

“Hello, Connor,” Luke greeted him with a smile. “It’s me, Luke. I’m taking your mummy out for a date, alright?”

“A date?” Connor repeated.

“Yeah, so I can get to know her a bit better. Is that okay?”

“She don’t need no other man; she gots me!”

“Connor Landon English!” Daisy scolded from the kitchen. “Don’t say that!”

“BUT YOU’RE MINE!” Connor screamed, getting ready to throw a fit. He was about to hit Luke in the family jewels, but Luke was able to stop him by grabbing his wrist.

“No!” Luke said sternly. “Hands are not for hitting.”

When she heard this, Daisy rushed into the living room to see what was going on.

“Connor, what am I to you?” Connor just stared at her in confusion. “Am I your girlfriend?”

“No,” Connor said meekly. “You my mommy.”

“Exactly. Just because you’re the only boy in my life right now, doesn’t mean I can’t see others. Now, be nice to Luke and say you’re sorry.”

Connor turned to Luke and said, “Sorry, Luke.”

“Thank you, young lad,” Luke said, smiling again. “Are you ready, Daisy?”

“Yeah, just about,” Daisy said.

“So, is there anything else I need to know?” Lauren asked Daisy.

“No, I think that’s all. Just call me if you ever run into trouble.”

“Will do! Have fun, you two.”

@Joy_Senho @AuGamer1987

 

[ChiaraStar169]

@KAZUCHI @AuGamer1987 do you want me to just go ahead and post the rest of what I've got, or do you like it in small doses? I've got like nine more chapters to post to catch up

 

[dark_tranquility]

@KAZUCHI @AuGamer1987 do you want me to just go ahead and post the rest of what I've got, or do you like it in small doses? I've got like nine more chapters to post to catch up

imo post the rest

 

[ChiaraStar169]

@KAZUCHI @AuGamer1987

Chapter 4

“So, why is a pretty girl, such as you, single?” Luke asked Daisy after they placed their orders at the restaurant. Luke had decided on his order without even looking at the menu, but Daisy had needed his help selecting a dish. In fact, the waiter had to check on them twice because she was so indecisive.

“My ex-fiancé was the problem,” Daisy said. “We basically got in a fight because he thought he was the attention-seeking king of the world. It ended with me kicking him out and moving here with Lauren.”

“I see. I hate the arrogant type, so I’m glad you dumped him.”

“Me too. What about you, why are you single?”

“My ex-girlfriend was a clingy, overly needy little bird. I dumped her four years ago – good riddance!”

This description rang a clear bell for Daisy. “Oh, you must be talking about that Azalea chick,” she said. “Yeah, I hated her, too. The whole fandom did, actually.”

Luke laughed. “Rightfully so. I don’t usually condone hatred towards celebrities’ lovers, but you guys were right to hate her, simply because she was such a bird. Speaking of fans, how long have you been one?”

“Lauren introduced me to y’all four and a half years ago when she gifted me your ‘Someowhere New’ EP for Christmas.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. At first, I wanted to regift it because, to be honest, I just wasn’t into your music genre… but then, Lauren twisted my arm with your pictures and convinced me otherwise.”

“I was going to say, what’s wrong with a little punk rock?”

Daisy giggled nervously. “Yeah, well… my brother is really into that, and it kind of put me off because I kept hearing it all the time when we lived with our parents.”

“What song turned you on, then?”

“It was ‘Out of my Limit’. There was something about the way you sang it that somehow flicked a light switch inside me.”

“Ooh, that’s one of our favorites, too! Have you seen us in concert before?”

“Oh, that was another thing Lauren did to get me into you. She dragged me to a One Direction concert to see you open for them. If I wasn’t already into you with the album, your stage presence sure would’ve done me in. A lot of people didn’t like your corny jokes like ‘this song isn’t about taking the short way home’, but I really enjoyed them.”

“Which show did you attend?”

“Atlanta. I’m from Dayton, Tennessee, and Atlanta was the closest tour date.”

Their food arrived, and they thanked the waiter and continued the chat.

“Oh, you’re from the south! I wondered, with that charming accent of yours.”

“Yeah. You’re from Riverstone, right?”

“Indeed, from Riverstone. Well, Ashton is from Hornsby, but the rest of us are from Riverstone. Do you work at all?”

“I used to work at a flower shop.”

Luke laughed. “Ah, that’s fitting, considering your name!”

Daisy giggled as well. “Oh, yeah, I never thought of it that way! I guess I got too caught up in my job that I never noticed.”


They finished their meals by 2:30, the time Luke had arranged the cat café reservation for, so immediately after he paid the bill, Luke and Daisy went next door to get some coffee and play with the cats and cats.

“Yeah, I’ll have two caramel macchiatos, grande,” Luke said to the barista.

She gave Luke the price of the two coffees, and after Luke paid up, she let them into the cat room.

“Thank you,” Daisy said to the barista, linking arms with Luke as they stepped into the room. This room was filled with cats of all ages, playing with various toys and sleeping on cat trees. There were also some customers sitting around and drinking their coffee and others playing with and cuddling cats. Daisy selected a pair of seats next to one of the cat trees.

“So, how old is your son? Two?” Luke prompted Daisy.

“No, he’s three – but he does still have some of the terrible twos in him. I sure hope this won’t be the case when Jade and Audrey turn two.”

“Well, my cousin is a four-year0old girl, and I can tell you from experience that girls are someowhat easier than boys.”

Daisy raised an eyebrow at “someowhat”. “Someowhat easier?”

“Yeah, well…” Luke chuckled. “All kids have their moments, but little Zoe wasn’t nearly as bad as Connor.”

Daisy gave her date a look of judgement. “You only saw like five minutes of him. How can you make a judgement like that?”

Luke decided Daisy had a point. He wasn’t usually one to be judgmental of other kids. “Touche,” he said. “Sorry about that. I’m not usually this judgmental.”

Daisy relaxed her suspicious look. “You’re okay. Just don’t do that again. Actually, Connor is the sweetest boy you could ever meet. He just gets protective of me because he’s been the only male in my life for a few months now.”

Unbeknownst to them, a gray tabby tuxedo cat was watching them with very curious eyes. Smokie had been abandoned here when she was fresh out of the nest. Her mother’s owners had found loving homes for all six of her siblings, leaving her the only child left. Smokie couldn’t wait to find her forever home.

Smokie listened as the lady with the twang and the man with the strange accent chatted with each other. The lady sounded friendlier. Well, they both did, but there was something about the lady’s voice that soothed her.

Luke and Daisy had just received their drinks when Daisy heard a soft, questioning meow to her left. When she looked in that direction, she found the culprit in a curious cat who wanted to say hello.

“Hey, kitty,” she said softly, patting her lap as an invitation. Smokie took the invitation and pounced on the lady’s lap. Then, to Daisy’s delight, she started purring. Luke laughed at this.

“I guess that pussycat just chose you as its new human,” he commented. “Is it a boy or a girl?”

“I don’t know,” Daisy said. “I’m trying to see the name on her collar.”

Daisy spotted an employee and waved her over, and the employee smiled.

“Hi, can I help?” she asked cheerfully.

“What’s this cat’s name?” Daisy asked.

“Oh, that’s Smokie. She’s been here for about six months now. It looks like she already likes you, too!”

Daisy looked down just in time to see Smokie giving her a slow blink. Then, she did the same to her. Smokie was still purring when Daisy stroked her chin.

“Why don’t you try playing with her?” Luke suggested. This voice sparked the employee’s curiosity.

“Oh!” she said as an epiphany filled her mind. “Holy shit, Luke Hemmings?!”

Luke smiled at his fan. “In person. Unfortunately, I’m on a date right now with Daisy here, but if you want a picture or something, you’re more than welcome to once we leave here.”

The employee clapped her hands together. “That sounds perfect!”

While Luke and the employee were chatting, Daisy was playing with Smokie. Daisy had found a string toy with a toy bird and feathers dangling from it, and Smokie was having an absolute ball with it.

“Dais, Rachel here wants to know if you want to adopt Smokie,” Luke said.

“Oh, yeah – definitely!” Daisy replied. “She seems like a very sweet kitty. What’s her story?”

“She was the last of her litter to be adopted out,” Rachel said after she gave Daisy a cardboard cat carrier. “Try as they might, Mama Cat’s owners just couldn’t find a home for her, so they left her here. We’re so glad she picked you!”

“Me too. So, she’s six months old?”

“Ten,” Rachel corrected him. “She came in at like sixteen weeks. Great choice, ma’am!”

“It’s Daisy,” Daisy said. “Daisy Landon.”

“Okay. The adoption fee is $65.”

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Chapter 5

Savannah Colton, Rachel’s younger sister, pulled up to her daughter Liliana’s daycare center at 3:00 sharp, ready to take her home for the day. She’d spent the morning and half of the afternoon at work, cashiering at a grooming salon.

When Savannah reached Liliana’s room, the one-, two-, and three-year-olds in her playgroup were doing arts and crafts and coloring. Savannah knocked on the door, and the facilitator let her in.

“Liliana is over there, coloring a picture,” she said, pointing towards the back window.

When her name was called, Liliana picked up the picture she’d just finished coloring and proudly toddled up to her mother, who gasped in awe of her work. She hadn’t colored within the lines, but at least she had chosen pretty colors.

“Oh, my goodness, how pretty!” Savannah cried. “We should put this on the fridge! Are you ready to go?”

Liliana nodded emphatically, her reddish-brown pigtails bobbing up and down as she did so.

Savannah had buckled Liliana into her car seat and was barely inside the car when her phone rang. She put the call on speaker so she could multitask.

“Sav! Are you done with work yet?” Rachel asked excitedly.

“Yeah, I just got Ari from daycare,” Savannah told her sister. “What’s up?”

“There’s a celebrity here right now, and he’s from a favorite band of yours!”

“Who, Billie Joe from Green Day? Why would he be at a random cat café?”

“No, no… your other favorite band! 5Sauce!”

Savannah laughed. “Yeah, right! You’re just pulling my leg, trying to get a rise out of me.”

Back in high school, Savannah used to get bullied for her fandoms all the time. The most prominent was her One Direction fandom, and they constantly told her falsehoods like that “they died last night” or “Zayn is related to bin Laden”. It happened so very frequently that Savannah had developed skin tougher than an iron gate. She became immune to such extreme rumors, and what what her sister had just claimed to be true, was one of her “extreme rumors”.

“No, I’m telling the truth! There really is a member of 5SOS right here, right now! Come on over before you miss him!”

“Rach, you already know I’m immune to such rumors.”

“It’s NOT a—”

Savannah ended the call before Rachel could say “rumor”.

Rachel sighed when she realized her sister had just hung up on her. “Sorry, Luke. I guess she doesn’t believe that you’re actually here.”

Luke laughed. “Yeah, we get that a lot when we’re out and about. What’s her name and number? I’ll pass it on to whomever is her favorite member. That will be sure to make her believe I was here!”

“Sure thing!”


On the way back to Daisy’s house, after they went to get Smokie microchipped, Luke called Calum with the name and phone number of the employee’s sister.

“Oi, Lucas,” Calum greeted him. “How was your date?”

“It was fantastic,” Luke marveled. “I’m bringing Daisy home right now. And guess what? She says she wants to see me again! Right, Dais?”

Calum could hear a lady with a twang in her voice confirm this claim. Then, he thought he heard a cat meowing in the background, but he wasn’t sure. Immediately thereafter, he heard her saying, “It’s okay, Smokie… we’re almost home.”

“Did you get a cat?!” Calum exclaimed.

“Yeah, for Daisy. We went out for lunch, and then we stopped by the cat café to see the pussies. One of them found Daisy, randomly pounced into her lap, and the rest is history!”

“Aw, how sweet! Smokie, is it?”

“Yes, she’s a gray tabby tuxedo. She got a bit timid when we were bringing her out to the car, but I’m sure she’ll come around.”

“Aw, she sounds so adorable! So, what’s up?”

“Well, one of the employees has given me a name and a phone number to pass on to you. It’s the contact info for her sister, who is apparently a huge fan of ours.”

Calum guffawed. “Me? Talk to a girl? Nah!”

“Cal, you’ve talked to fans and other girls plenty of times before! Why should this be any different?”

“Yeah, my mum and sister! Besides, if I call her and end up somehow falling for her, I’m just going to want to date her. I don’t need another girl in my life!”

“Dude, you’re 21 years old and already a dad to an almost-two-year-old. It’s time to join the dating club again! At least humor me, take her name and number, and ring her!”

Calum sighed in defeat. “Alright, but don’t count on it working. I’ve already been screwed over by one fan.”

The fan in question had been a schoolgirl he used to date, then aged fifteen. They’d ended up having sex one night, and she’d become pregnant because of it. They had broken up shortly after the sex, and Calum hadn’t found out about it until the girl had randomly dropped her baby off at his house.

Literally the morning after, the girl claimed that Calum had raped her, rather than the two of them having sex out of love. This sparked a whole shitstorm of accusations from fans, the media, and even the cops, one that lasted all the way until the baby’s six-month birthday. Calum has been hesitant about dating another fan since then.

“Calum, she’s NOT going to screw you over! Just do it!”

“UGH!” Calum groaned as he realized he wasn’t getting out of this. “Alright, give me the deets.”

“Her name is Savannah Colton…”

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Chapter 6

Savannah was assembling ingredients for dinner that night when her phone rang, presumably the caller she was expecting. When she answered it, there was a male voice on the other line.

“Hello, this is Calum Hood from 5 Seconds of Summer,” the guy greeted her. “Is this Savannah Colton?”

Not only had Savannah been bullied in high school, but even her ex-boyfriend would make fun of her favorite musicians. But with him, it was about 5 Seconds of Summer, especially Calum.

“God, Jason!” she cursed. “Quit trying to be Calum. It never worked then, and it’s not working now!”

“Jason? Nah, this is Calum. Look at the number, love.”

Savannah gave an exasperated sigh, but she looked at the number on her screen just to humor the guy. Lo and behold, it wasn’t the calling code for the Champaign area, but for Greater Los Angeles.

“Calum?! How did you get this number?”

“Luke told me. He was at your sister’s workplace, but you didn’t believe her when she told you.”

Savannah then felt a mix of emotions. She felt bad for not believing Rachel and letting her past get to her, first off, but she was also in shock that Rachel would have the balls to just give her number to a member of one of her favorite bands like that. And not to mention the balls Calum had to actually contact a fan at will.

“Calum…?” was all she could manage. She took a moment to regain her composure and finally added, “Oh, my God, I’m so sorry – I thought you were my ex!”

Calum laughed. “Nah, you’re good! It’s not that often that a fan gets a call from her idol. You sound cute, bgy the way.”

“Thank you,” Savannah said. “Why don’t you bguess what I look like?”

“I think that should be for you to know and for me to find out. Luke has just started dating someone as well; perhaps you’d like to double-date?”

And now he was asking her out! Savannah pinched herself to make sure this wasn’t a dream… and it wasn’t. Calum Thomas Hood had not only called Savannah, but he’d called to ask her out! She was up on cloud nine right now.

“I did hear about Luke and a new girl. Daisy, is it?”

“Yes, another fan called Daisy Landon. So, how about that date?”

“Oh, I’d love to! Maybe a beach day next weekend?”

“That would be fun! We could sunbathe and chill, go swimming, make sandcastles…”

“Absolutely! I’m thinking Saturday?”

“Yeah, Saturday sounds good. Let’s meet up there about eleven that morning.”

“Okay! I’m looking forward to it already.”

“Me too.”


The next morning, Daisy was awakened by a soft meow from Smokie. Daisy had doubled her bedroom as Smokie’s domain until she was ready to explore, and she spent the night in the cat bed that Luke had bought her at the pet supply shop. Luke had bought everything that came from there because he still considered it part of the date.

Daisy opened her eyes to Smokie, staring her in the face, licking her lips to show her hunger. She meowed again when she had her owner’s attention.

“Oh, is that how it’s going to be?” Daisy asked sweetly, patting her head and scratching her chin.

Smokie jumped off the bed, and Daisy followed just in time for Connor to knock on the door.

“Don’t come in, Connor!” Daisy called. “I’ll talk to you when I finish feeding Smokie.”

“Why?” he asked. “I’m hungry!”

“Because when you get a new pet, like a cat, you have to keep them confined to one room for a few days until they get used to their new home.”

Daisy finished feeding the cat, put on a robe, and came out of the room.

“Confined?”

“Yeah, it means the cat has to stay in my room until it’s time. What would you like for breakfast?”

Connor shrugged. “I’unno… oatmeal?”

“You have oatmeal every day. How about something even healthier, like eggs and bacon?”

“Fried? With yellow cheese?”

“Sure thing, bud. Let’s wake up your sisters first.”

When Daisy and Connor went into the girls’ nursery, Jade was already up and playing with the sensory toy at the end of her crib. Audrey, however, was still asleep, with the right ear of her bunny plushie in her mouth.

“Good morning, girls!” Daisy greeted them. “Jade, are you already up?”

Jade stopped playing and looked up at her mother with a one-toothed grin.

“Are you happy to see me?”

Daisy watched as Jade pulled herself up and leaned against the rail. “Mm… mm… mmmaaaahh…”

“Oh, my goodness, Jade! Are you trying to say ‘mama’?! Say ‘mama’!”

“Mmummm,” Jade vocalized.

“Well, that’s close enough; you’ll get it sooner or later. Let’s get you and Audrey out of bed.”

Daisy lifted Jade out of her crib and was almost done changing her diaper when Lauren came in.

“Hey, Luke’s on the phone for you,” she informed Daisy, getting Audrey out of her crib. “I put it on speaker so you can do your thing while you chat.”

“Hi, Luke?” Daisy greeted her caller.

“Yeah, it’s Luke,” Luke said. “How are you? How did you sleep last night?”

“I slept okay,” Daisy admitted. “What about you?”

“Same here. Hey, remember Rachel from the cat café, and how she was going to set her sister up with Calum?”

“I do,” Daisy said, remembering how sweet the employee was during the transaction of adopting Smokie. “She’s a nice girl.”

“Well, Calum was reluctant to at first, but he asked her out! I was wondering if you’d like to double up.”

Daisy was shocked by this news. “Calum Hood with a fan?! I thought he’d sworn off dating fans after that fiasco with the last one?”

“I twisted his arm. So, do you want to make it a double date? They’re meeting up at the beach.”

“That sounds fun! When are they going?”

“Next Saturday at eleven; they’re going to the beach.”

“Okay! Saturday is the twins’ first swimming lesson, followed by Connor’s first soccer practice, but Lauren can take them to that. Right, Laur?”

“I sure can!” Lauren confirmed.

“Splendid,” Luke said to Daisy. “Well, enjoy the rest of your day! And Lauren, Michael said he’s coming at ten to pick you up.”

“That sounds good. Tell him I’m looking forward to it.”

“He figured you would be. Later!”

“Bye,” Daisy and Lauren said in unison.

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Chapter 7

Lauren was getting ready for the day when Connor came into the bathroom to talk to her.

“Whatcha doin’, Lala?” he asked. “And who’s Michael?”

“Michael is the name of my date,” Lauren said, concentrating on her makeup routine. “He’s a very good friend of Luke’s, just like I’m very good friends with your mommy. What I’m doing is getting ready to go out with him.”

“Oh.” Connor shifted his gaze to a comfy-looking robe hanging on the bathroom door. Then, he yanked it off the hook and wrapped it around his little body. “Lala, look!”

Lauren laughed at what she saw when she looked down. “Are you going to pretend you’re Lala?”

Connor giggled and ran out of the bathroom to show his mother.

“Mommy, I’m Lala!” Connor announced to Daisy when he found her. She was playing a game of peek-a-boo with the twins.

Daisy looked at her son and laughed. He was wearing Lala’s robe and house slippers, although the slippers were on the wrong feet, and he hadn’t put his arms through the sleeves of the robe.

“You’re silly!” she remarked. “Are you going on a date today?”

“Yeah, with you!”

“And where are we going?”

Connor thought about it for a second. “Can we go to the zoo?”

“Well, sure! We can go after your nap this afternoon.”

Lauren was coming downstairs when the doorbell rang. She opened the door, and Michael greeted her with, “Hey, cutie.”

“Hey, handsome,” Lauren returned. “Bye, Dais!”

“Have fun,” Daisy called after them as they turned around to leave.


At the first hole of the golf course, Michael offered to go first to show Lauren how it’s done, which she accepted.

“You have to position your body towards the green,” Michael began, adjusting himself so that he was facing a certain way. “Then, you do the same with your club.”

“Alright,” Lauren said.

“Then, you gear up for the swing by slowly taking the club back and then gently bringing it to the ball. You’ll probably need to do it a few times until you get the hang of the swing. And then…” Michael swung at the ball with full force, sending it several feet into the air and probably a good distance away. “Did you see that?”

“Uh-huh,” Lauren said. “How do you know where the ball has landed?”

“Just by where it’s going; that’s why I was gazing off into the distance for a bit after I hit the ball. So, I’m in the fairway, which is a good thing.”

“The fairway?” Lauren repeated.

“Yeah, it’s grass that’s low enough for an easy hit. The high grass is called the rough. Alright, your turn.”

Lauren stepped up to the tee and followed Michael’s instructions. But when she hit the ball, it didn’t go past the tee, and she stumbled backwards into Michael’s arms.

“You alright?” Michael asked. “I think you could use a little practice there.”

Lauren blushed and looked down shyly. “Yeah, well… I told you I wasn’t very good.”

“It’s okay, that’s what I’m here for! Here, let me get behind you.”

Lauren got butterflies just thinking about her idol being in close proximity to her body. Then, she felt a chill up her spine as Michael breathed on her neck.

“Okay, so align your body and your club towards the green…”

Michael helped her reposition herself, and then, he guided her arm during the backswing.

“Now, you need just enough force to hit the ball like I did; this requires a lot of arm strength. Think you got it now?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Michael backed away and told her to go for it. When she did, the ball went flying like Michael’s did, but it landed in the sand trap a few yards away.

“Ooh! You hit the bunker! Now you’re going to need your sand wedge.”

“What’s that?” Lauren asked.

“Just what it sounds like – it gets the ball out of the sand. And then, when you get on the fairway, you’ll use one of your irons, then the pitching wedge and finally the putter.”

“Oh, okay.”

Using the technique Michael taught her, Lauren swung at the ball. She managed to get it out of the bunker and onto the fairway.

“Great job!” Michael praised. “See, you’re getting it!”

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Chapter 8

By the ninth hole, the two of them were sweating like pigs. Lauren had ended up in last place by several miles, but Michael advised her just to practice so she could get better.

“We didn’t really get to talk during our game,” Michael said as they ate ice cream afterwards. “That’s why I suggested this. So, tell me about yourself.”

“I have a son who I co-parent with my ex-husband,” Lauren said. “His name is Braxton, and he’s turning four next month.”

“Why did you get a divorce?”

Lauren shed a tear just thinking about it. “We used to fight a lot, and one day, he’d decided he’d had enough and filed for divorce. Brax was just a baby, and we’d only been married for a year.”

“I’m sorry your marriage didn’t work out. But I’ll bet you’re glad you’re single now, because otherwise, you wouldn’t be on a date with me.”

“That’s very true. Do you have any exes?”

“I’ve dated before, but none have really turned into relationships,” Michael said. “God only knows how far this one will go.”

Lauren knew he was joking about the last part, because she saw a smirk on his face. “You’re funny; I like that.”

“What else do you like about me?”

“You’re really helpful and supportive. You have an amazing personality, and your looks and talent don’t hurt, either.”

“Same to you. Well, you don’t play guitar in a band.”

“No, but I used to. A few friends and I had one in high school, but we broke up after we graduated.”

“Oh, that’s a shame. You know, 5SOS was once on that brink because we didn’t have a lot of fans, but then we decided to get ourselves a drummer. After that, we finally started to gain traction… and here we are today!”

“Yeah, I did hear that you guys struggled at first. All your fans are proud of you for that, me included.”

Michael was flattered by this statement. “Why, thank you!”

Lauren was opening her mouth to say something else when her phone started ringing. It was Matt, as indicated by the caller ID, so she excused herself and answered it.

“Hey, Matt,” she said. “Are you about to drop Braxton off already?”

“Yep, it’s that time,” Matt said with a smile. “Isn’t it, bud? Do you miss Mommy?”

“Yeah!” Lauren heard Braxton cheer in the background.

“We’ll be there in about five minutes,” Matt said.

“Oh, I’m actually on a date… but my friend Daisy can watch him for the time being.”

“Daisy? Doesn’t she live all the way in Chattanooga?”

“Not anymore. She and her ex had a falling out and broke up. So, you can drop him off, but I won’t be there until later. Okay?”

“Alright, I’ll tell Braxton. Thank you!”

“You’re welcome.”


Daisy was doing some household chores while Connor played in the playroom when she got a call from Lauren.

“Hey, how’s your date going?” she wanted to know.

“Fabulous,” Lauren said. “He took me golfing and then out for lunch.”

“Wonderful! So, what’s up?”

“Can you do me a huge favor and watch Braxton for me? I forgot today was also the day he comes home from his dad’s house, and Matt is on his way as we speak.”

“Of course! Is there anything I need to know?”

“Nothing special. Oh, but he is allergic to peanuts, so don’t give him any of those.”

“Oh, that’s not good! Should I not give him a PB&J, then?”

“No, absolutely not. He does like turkey and cheese with mayo, though, so give him that.”

“Sounds good! I’m looking forward to meeting him.”

Just then, the doorbell rang. When Daisy answered it, she revealed a fairly short guy, maybe 5’8, with his son. The son looked to be around Connor’s age, and his dad was probably older than Lauren by a good number of years.

“Hey, are you Daisy?” the man asked.

“Yeah, Daisy Landon,” Daisy said, offering her hand for shaking. The man accepted it with a warm handshake. “You’re Matt, right?”

“I sure am, and this here is Braxton. Say hello to Daisy, little man.”

“Hi, Daisy. Where’s Mommy?” Braxton asked Daisy.

“Mommy will be back soon, okay?” Daisy said. “But come on in! I have a son your age who I’m sure would be more than happy to play with you. Go down to the playroom to meet him.”

Matt reached into his pocket for Braxton’s EpiPen and gave it to Daisy. “This is for his peanut allergy.”

She then thanked Matt, and they said a quick goodbye before she shut the door.

Braxton spotted another little boy coming upstairs from the basement, and Daisy watched his face light up as if this was Christmas Day.

“Hi, I’m Braxton!” he greeted the little boy.

“I’m Connor,” Connor returned. “Do you want to play with me?”

“Yeah!”

Daisy giggled in adoration. “Have fun, boys. Lunch will be ready soon.”

When it was time for lunch, and Daisy had made Connor a PB&J and Braxton a turkey sandwich with cheese, she called both of them to the kitchen to eat. She put each sandwich in opposite places at the table, and the boys sat down. When she finished making her own lunch, as well as some avocado slices and cheese for the twins, Daisy joined them.

“How do you like your sandwich, Braxy?” Daisy asked.

Braxton took a bite and immediately spat it out.

“What’s wrong?” Daisy asked. “Your mommy said you love turkey and cheese!”

“Dat’s not turkey,” Connor said. “I gots turkey.”

Daisy went pale. “Then what did I give…” She looked at Braxton, who now looked quite pale himself. “B-Braxton?! Are you okay?”

“I don’t feel good…” Braxton said in a whisper.

Daisy grabbed Braxton’s sandwich and broke it in half to see which one she’d given him.

Peanut butter.

Daisy’s fingers flew over her phone’s keypad as she dialed 911. When the operator answered, she called for an ambulance, saying that her babysitting charge was having an allergic reaction to peanut butter.

“No worries, ma’am,” she said. “Do you have an epinephrine injector?”

Daisy couldn’t decipher the medical term the operator had just used on her. “A WHAT?!” she shrieked.

“An EpiPen. Do you have an EpiPen?” Daisy gave her affirmative. “Put it on his throat and bring him to the door. The paramedics will be there in a jiffy.”

She hung up and took the operator’s advice, and sure enough, the ambulance arrived within minutes. She then spent what seemed like the next hour going over Braxton’s symptoms before they finally whisked him away.

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Chapter 9

Michael was pulling onto Lauren’s street to drop her off when Lauren saw an ambulance with the sirens blaring, going in the opposite direction. She didn’t think anything of it – it was probably her elderly neighbor having another medical emergency. The old woman was nearing her hundreds, so it was a wonder she was even still alive.

When he idled in her driveway, Michael led Lauren to the door and then looked into her eyes.

“I had a great time with you today,” he told her. “What about you?”

“Same here,” Lauren said, also looking into his eyes. She had a sudden intense urge to kiss him, but she wasn’t sure if he felt the same.

But he did also have that urge, as Lauren realized when he cupped her chin in his hand. But just before their lips touched, Lauren heard the door fly open and Daisy shout her name.

“Thank God you’re here!” she said in a panic. “I accidentally switched the boys’ sandwiches, and Braxton had a severe allergic reaction to it!”

A chill ran up Lauren’s spine as she pulled away from Michael. “What?!” she exclaimed. “My baby’s in the hospital?!”

Daisy gave her friend a rueful expression. “Yeah, he’s going there. I’m sorry; it was a rookie mistake, I swear!”

Lauren shed a tear before she responded. “You’re just lucky we’ve been friends since high school.”

At the hospital, Lauren couldn’t sit still in the waiting area. They had taken Braxton straight to the PICU, and it sucked for Lauren that she couldn’t be there with him, at least until his condition was stable enough. She spent five or so minutes vacillating between pacing the floor and twiddling her thumbs.

It seemed like hours later when a doctor came to talk to her. He had a smile on his face, giving Lauren a sense of relief.

“Mrs. Lovelace?” he asked her.

“Yeah, I’m Braxton’s mom,” she said, shaking his outstretched hand. “Were you able to save him?”

“Yeah, he’s definitely on the up and up. We gave him some epinephrine and IV fluids, and he’s responding very well to them. Because his reaction was so severe, we will have to keep him all day and overnight for observation, but I’m thinking he’ll be good to go by morning.”

“Can I see him?”

“Yeah, come this way.”

The doctor led Lauren through a door and down a hallway before they reached Braxton’s room. When he opened the door, Braxton was eating some ice cream and watching “Lilo & Stitch” on the small TV in the corner.

“Hey, Brax!” Lauren greeted her son. They exchanged hugs before she added, “Is that ice cream good?”

Braxton nodded.

“Good! So, the doctor said you have to stay here overnight.” Braxton pouted and put his thumbs down. “I know… I know you hate hospitals, but they want you9 to get better as soon as possible so I can have my sweet little boy back.”

Braxton reached his arms out, and Lauren took it to mean he needed a hug. “Aw, I love you, too!” she said as she hugged him.

Lauren stayed with Braxton until he went to sleep for the night, then switched off with Matt. When she got home, she called Michael to let him know what was going on.

“Hey, sorry again that our kiss got cut short,” Lauren apologized when he answered.

“Oh, no problem! You had a family emergency, and family comes first,” Michael said. “How’s your son?”

“He’s doing better now. They have to keep him overnight for observation, but the doctor says he thinks he’ll be all set by morning.”

“Great! Do you want to continue the kiss over the phone?”

Lauren laughed. “I think it’s better to do it in person. Phones don’t taste as good as lips do.”

“Fair point. Come over to my house for some drinks. I’d love to have you.”

“Can’t get enough of me, huh?” Lauren teased. “I mean, sure! Where do you live?”

Michael gave her his address, and she jotted it down on a piece of note paper.

“Going to Michael’s?” Daisy asked when she saw her friend getting ready to leave again.

“He said he wanted to take my mind off Braxton.

“Oh, does that mean what I think it means?”

Lauren shook her head. “Get your mind out of the gutter, sis. It’s just for a few drinks.”

“Phones don’t taste as good as your lips do,” Daisy mimicked, making kissing noises with her lips.

Lauren was flustered. “Just… stop it! It was just a kiss! Just let me be, okay?”

Daisy took this as her cue to quit while she was ahead. “Yeah, you’re right. Go ahead; I’m sorry. Can I come with you, though? I don’t want you driving home with alcohol in your system.”

“Sure thing.”

Lauren got back into her car and, after Daisy joined her in the front passenger seat, punched Michael’s address into the GPS. Then, she gunned the engine and headed there.

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Chapter 10

Michael watched eagerly as a pair of headlights eased into the driveway. After the car idled and the headlights turned off, out popped Lauren from the driver’s seat. As she approached the front door, Southy started barking at it, having also seen her.

Lauren didn’t need to ring the doorbell, as Michael was already there to open the door. When he did, she saw a dog approaching her.

“Doggie!” she exclaimed as the terrier mix jumped up on her. Lauren crouched down to pet it. “Hi, baby!”

“What am I, chopped liver?” Michael teased.

Lauren stood back up. “You have the cutest little dog ever! Southy, right?”

“Yes, that’s Southy. He’s a good boy… aren’t you, buddy?”

Southy barked and wagged his tail before running off. Then, he came back with the blue dryer ball he’d had since his previous owners had him.

“Go ahead and grab it,” Michael urged Lauren. “He loves being teased.”

Lauren held the ball over Southy’s head before she threw it across the room and ordered him to fetch it. When he brought it back, she said, “Good boy!”

“So, come in and make yourself comfortable,” Michael invited Lauren.

Lauren opted to sit on the overstuffed white sectional, and Michael sat next to her.

“So, tell me more about your son,” he prompted.

“Braxton is turning four next month, so he’s a summer baby. He loves trucks, soccer, and swimming.”

“Oh, he and I would get on great! I liked all of those things when I was his age, too.”

“That’s cool! Then, when did you start learning guitar?”

“I don’t remember exactly when, but it was sometime in grade school. Do you play any instruments?”

“I can play the piano. I taught myself on my keyboard when I was in middle school, and then I got good at it.”

“Do you think you could play the keys for 5SOS?”

Lauren laughed at his joke. “Nah, Calum is a fine keyboard player. I mean, he does double duties with bass and keys – who wouldn’t admire him?”

“Exactly! I’m going to go make our drinks. I have red wine and white wine.”

“I’ll have a small glass of white wine.”

“Hey, me, too! White wine twins!”

Michael and Lauren shared a high-five before he disappeared into the kitchen.

When he came back, Michael set the drinks, along with two small plates of cheese, on the coffee table in front of them.

“Here’s to finally ending our first date,” Lauren said, holding her glass up.

“Hear, hear!” Michael agreed. They made a toast and sipped their wine before they continued the conversation.

“So, am I the type of guy you look for in a relationship?” Michael asked.

“Oh, totally! You’re helpful, sweet, adorable, and funny. What about me?”

“Well, tell me this. Why do you think I kissed you first?”

Lauren giggled. “Good point. What do you see in me?”

“I see a girl who is sweet, motherly, and not to mention beautiful. You put motherhood first above all else, and I respect and adore that.”

“Well, what can I say? I love my boy with all my heart. What music do you listen to, besides punk rock?”

“I like Ed Sheeran’s music. We’ve met him before, too; he’s a nice guy.”

“Me too! You’re so lucky to have met him. I have never met a celebrity before you.”

“Yeah, we’re friends with a lot of celebrities. Do you like the band Hey Violet?”

“Oh, I love them! I saw them open for you on your last tour. They’re pretty sick!”

“They are, aren’t they?”

There was a pause, and Michael took the opportunity to admire Lauren. He couldn’t believe she’d accepted his invitation to come over; most girls would reject him, but not Lauren. There was an angel in his house, and he was enjoying and savoring every last second of this visit.

“God, I want to make you mine,” Michael accidentally said out loud. Lauren, who was concentrating on her snack, whipped around to meet his gaze again.

“Come again?” Lauren asked.

“Uh… nothing,” Michael lied.

“No, you said something about making me yours.”

Michael chuckled nervously. “No, you don’t want to know. You look like a snack.” The last part was also blurted out unintentionally, and Lauren raised an eyebrow. “No, I meant, ‘Just finish your snack.’”

Well, it wasn’t like Lauren didn’t feel the same. But she knew she had to be careful who she had sex with after her experience with Matt. Truth be told, if Lauren looked like a snack, then Michael was the whole meal. His muscles, his hair, his face, his body…

Hot damn!

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Chapter 11

“Michael and I are gonna have sex,” Lauren’s text message to Daisy read. “Just go on home and pick me up in the AM.”

Daisy was shocked. She sent a shocked emoji and the message, “OMG really? I thought you were abstaining after Matt?”

“Michael was too hot to pass up,” Lauren replied. “Night!”

“Cya in the AM,” Daisy wrote before she pocketed her phone and went home.

On the way home, Daisy realized she was feeling a little jealous of Lauren, that she got to have sex with Michael and not herself with Luke. Granted, she’d just birthed two babies at once not even a year ago and met Luke the other day, but she couldn’t help the urge to call Luke over to at least make out.

“Hey, are you in bed yet?” she asked Luke after his greeting. “I was wondering if you could come over for a bit to make out.”

Luke’s heart skipped a beat. They had only just had their first date, and she already wanted to kiss! “Well, sure! I can come over. Will the kids be in bed?”

“Yeah, they should be.” Daisy then thought about the possibility of Connor sneaking out of bed and interrupting them. “Actually, I’ll come over to your place. Connor has a habit of getting back up because he wants to play or have a snack.”

“Sounds good.”

Luke gave Daisy directions to his house, and when she got home, she switched cars and drove there.

Luke’s house turned out to be on the same street as Michael’s, but a little closer to where Daisy would turn onto it. When she rang his doorbell, Luke greeted her and let her in. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, telling Daisy he was really looking forward to the visit.

And he was. He hadn’t stopped thinking about Daisy ever since they concluded their first date, and he already wanted more of her.

“Hot damn,” Luke growled as he looked Daisy up and down. She’d changed into short shorts and a crop top for this occasion, and he loved it on her. Daisy’s nipples hardened when he said this, his voice rich with seduction.

“Hot damn, yourself,” Daisy returned. “I’ve seen shirtless pictures of you, but dang, you look even hotter in person!”

“Shall we do this out here or in my bed?”

“Your bed seems like it would have more wiggle room.”

“Yeah, that’s for sure. Follow me!”

When they got to Luke’s bedroom, Daisy saw a California king bed with a red area rug underneath. Flanking the bed were two oaken nightstands, each with its own lamp, and on the ceiling was a gorgeous chandelier. The whole room looked like something straight out of “MTV Cribs”.

“So, this is where the magic happens,” Luke said. “Or, I guess I should say it’s where the magic WILL happen.”

“Very nice,” Daisy marveled. She looked around at all the expensive furniture pieces, letting it all sink in that she was in the home of, in the bedroom of an actual celebrity. This was surreal to her. In fact, her whole experience with Luke felt like a fever dream, as if she would suddenly wake up as soon as their skin made contact. “Is this even real?”

“Just close your eyes and open them again,” Luke suggested.

Daisy closed her eyes and reopened them, fully expecting to be in her bed when she did so. But no, she really was in Luke’s room, about to have sex with him.

Spoiler: cw: sex scene

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s do it! I know exactly how to turn a girl on, too.”

“Oh, show me,” Daisy urged.

“It all starts with a kiss, right about…” Luke trailed off, going straight for her neck. He didn’t finish his sentence until after he kissed her. “Here.” He kissed her again in the same spot and held it long enough for Daisy to feel a chill up her spine.

“Oh…” she moaned. “More, more!”

Luke pinned Daisy to the foot of the bed and continued with kisses from her neck to her chest to her boobs, which he sucked on like a newborn. This motion provoked Daisy to pull Luke so close that their heartbeats nearly touched each other. She wriggled out from underneath to change positions so that she was on top.

“Oh, you’re a top lover, huh?” Luke asked. He opened up his legs as an invitation to feel his penis. Daisy took advantage of it and caressed it, causing him to let out a loud moan.

“It was just the way Jesse and I always did it,” Daisy said as she lowered her head to start licking it like a lollipop.

“Oh, oh, OH!” Luke moaned as he felt the sensation of semen coming out. Daisy lapped it up like a kitten and swallowed hard.

Luke’s next move was to finger Daisy’s vagina, effectively making her moan as well. She opened her legs as wide as she could so Luke could fit his penis comfortably inside her body. Then, he thrust once, then twice, then three times until he was completely inside. And for the next good while, they continued to engage in sweet, intimate sex.

“How was that for your first time with a celebrity?” Luke asked during pillow talk.

“Excellent!” Daisy confessed. “How was it for your first time with a fan?”

“Better than I could ever have imagined. I wonder what the chances are that you’ll get pregnant from this?”

“Probably 50/50. After I had Connor, Jesse and I had gone through secondary infertility – we just couldn’t conceive!”

“How long did it take you?”

“A couple of years. That’s kind of why I never asked you about condoms tonight.”

Luke smiled warmly. “And if you do get pregnant, I’ll be right here.”

“Aw, you’re the best!” Daisy said, blushing.

 

[ChiaraStar169]

Chapter 12

By the following Saturday, Braxton had completely healed from his allergic reaction to peanut butter. He had been discharged the morning after his admission, which Lauren was very happy about.

On Saturday morning, Luke picked Daisy up at 10:30 to get to the beach by eleven. When they got there, they saw Calum setting up camp somewhere near the surf.

“Hey, Calum,” Daisy greeted him. “Is Savannah on her way?”

“She said she was running a bit late,” Calum said in an annoyed tone. “I have the patience of a goldfish right now.”

“Cal, give her some grace!” Luke argued. “Maybe she had to change her daughter’s diaper or something.”

“Yeah, not all girls are like that bitch from your fiasco,” Daisy said.

Luke rubbed Calum’s shoulders to relax him. “Now, take a couple of deep breaths. Inhale, exhale… inhale… exhale… it’ll be alright. She’ll turn out to be a great girl, and at least she called you instead of standing you up.”

“Thanks, mate,” Calum said. “I needed that.”


A car parked next to Luke’s, and a pretty auburn-haired girl about Daisy’s age got out. Calum watched as she sashayed her way over to the group, admiring the way her hips swung when she walked.

She was hot!

“Now, what were you saying, Doubting Thomas?” Luke teased Calum.

“Hi, I’m Savannah,” the young woman greeted Calum. She reached out for a handshake, and Calum took it.

“I’m Calum; nice to meet you,” Calum flirted.

“You, too. Sorry I’m late; I had to change my daughter’s diaper at the last second.”

“That’s quite alright,” Luke said. “We were just about to settle in.”

Savannah sat next to Calum, and Daisy next to Luke.

“Oh, I brought snacks, too,” Savannah remembered. “I’ll get them out of the car.”

“No need,” Calum said. “I’ve got snacks in this cooler here.”

“Oh, sweet!”

“So, you know who Luke is already, I imagine,” Calum said, passing out sodas.

“I do. And I think I also know who the girl is that he’s seeing. Um… oh, shoot… I know it’s a flower name…”

“It’s Daisy,” Daisy said. “Daisy Landon.”

“Oh! I was going to say Rose; I’m so sorry. I’m Savannah Colton.”

“It’s okay. Tell us about yourself.”

“I’m a single mom to a little girl named Ariana,” Savannah said. “We used to live in Rantoul, Illinois, but we moved here to get away from my ex.”

“Hey, so did I! But I’m from just northeast of Chattanooga.”

Savannah lit up when Daisy mentioned Chattanooga. “Are you from Athens, by any chance? I have a cousin who lives there.”

“You’re close – Dayton.”

“What was your ex like?” Calum asked Savannah.

“Well, calling him a douchebag would put it lightly. He was also a bully, and he even went as far as to start mimicking you and how you act.”

“Oh, he sounds jealous!” Daisy commented.

“Yeah, that’s the most jealous a bloke could get!” Calum added. “I’m glad you’re done with him.”

“Me too,” Savannah said. “I don’t miss him one bit.”

“And I don’t miss mine, either. So, what do you do for a living?”

“I work at a pet salon.”

“Oh, nice! Do you like taking care of animals?”

“I love taking care of animals! I do both dogs and cats, so if your dog is ever in the market for a nice grooming, feel free to stop by! I work at this salon near IHOP. You know where the IHOP in Redondo Beach is, right?”

“Oh, the lads and I always go there – they have the best service!”

“They do, don’t they? So, the salon I work at is just past the IHOP, and it’s on the left.”

Calum’s eyes widened. If they were both thinking of the same salon, then she had just given directions to the one he took his dog to!

“Holy shit! It’s not the one next to the Shell station, is it?”

Savannah smiled and nodded.

“That’s the one I take my dog to! Small world, huh?”

Savannah was taken aback by this new information. “You know, I knew you looked familiar! You’re the guy with the sweet white shepherd, aren’t you?”

“Yes! I think it was fate.”

Savannah laughed and changed the subject. “How did you meet Daisy, Luke?”

“Through her son, actually,” Luke said. “He was wandering off looking for his daddy, and I was there to save him and take him back to Mummy.”

“Aw, what an angel you are! Daisy, what’s your son’s name?”

“Connor; he’s three,” Daisy said. “He also has twin sisters named Jade and Audrey, and they turn one in September. What about you, do you have any kids?”

“I have a daughter, Ariana; she turns two in December.”

“My girl turned two in March,” Calum said. “She’s called Penelope, or Nell for short.”

“I heard, and I love that name! Penelope is unique.”

“And so is Ariana… well, at least down under.”

“Thank you! I named her after Ariana Grande because one of her songs was playing at the moment she was born.” Savannah laughed. “It was ‘Break Free’, too!”

“I love Ariana! She’s a great singer. My favorite artist of all time, though, is All Time Low. We’re actually really good mates with them.”

“Oh, really? They’re another favorite band of mine. Maybe we should see them in concert?”

“Yeah, we could do that. They’re not touring again until next spring, but I can get the guys to give us a couple of front row tickets if you want.”

“That would be awesome!”


Jesse slowed to a stop in front of Daisy’s house, the one he’d gotten kicked out of, in hopes of getting her back. He had gone to a flower shop to purchase a dozen roses and to the jewelry store for a necklace to give her. He was hell-bent on making her his fiancée again, and he wouldn’t stop until it happened.

When he knocked on the door, it wasn’t Daisy who opened it. Instead, it was a different woman, who was shorter and stouter than Daisy was.

“Oh, hi,” Jesse said. “I must have the wrong house. I’m looking for Daisy Landon; I’m her, uh… fiancé.”

“Wrong state, too,” she said. “She moved to southern California last week.”

Jesse was fuming, and the woman could see smoke coming out of his ears. “What?!” he exclaimed. “This was MY house! You know what, I’m going to go find her if it’s the last thing I do!”

“Yeah, good luck with that!” she called after her visitor as he stormed back to his car. He turned around, gave her a quick finger, and drove off towards Chattanooga to fly to southern California… whichever part Daisy lived in now.

 

[ChiaraStar169]

@AmericanMindset things are starting to get juicy!

Chapter 13

While Luke drove Daisy home at three, Daisy called Lauren to let her know she was on her way.

“Hey, we just finished our date,” Daisy reported. “How are the kids?”

“They’re great,” Lauren said. “I had to wrestle Connor into bed for his nap, though.”

Daisy laughed, as she knew this behavior very well. “What else is new?” she asked sarcastically. “What about the twins?”

“I gave them some ice cream after lunch, and Jade loved it! Audrey immediately spitted it out, though.”

“Probably because it was so cold. My mom says I was like that when I was a baby – I had an aversion to cold foods.”

“Oh, and I also got Jade to say ‘Lala’! You should make her say it again when you get home – it was adorable!”

“Aw, I already can’t wait to hear it!”

Just then, she got an incoming call… from Jesse. This provoked Daisy to roll her eyes and groan. “Ugh, it’s Jesse! I need to take this; I’ll see y’all at home.”

“Jesse, I thought I told you never to contact me again!” Daisy hissed.

“Well, it’s all you, princess,” Jesse said. “You’re the one who didn’t block me.”

Daisy sighed as she realized he actually had a point. “Touche. What’s up?”

“Look, I was hoping you’d reconsider the wedding. I just can’t live without you!”

“I don’t know… let me think about it for a sec,” Daisy said sarcastically. “Hell no! Why should I believe you’ll be different this time around? You’re too late now, anyway – I’ve already found somebody new.”

“And it’s also too late for you to say no, because I’m currently at LAX.”

Daisy groaned with exasperation. “Well, you should’ve counted your goddamn chickens first before flying halfway around the country to get to me!”

“Come on, Dais! At least humor me!”

Daisy smirked. “Well, okay… but I’m bringing the new guy, and you have to wait because it’s almost time for Connor’s first swimming lesson.”

“Was that your ex?” Luke asked as she was ending her call.

“Yeah… he wants us to meet him at the airport,” Daisy said annoyedly.

“Well, we don’t have to. I mean, he is your ex, after all. And don’t you have to take Connor to swimming, anyway?”

“No, I already told him I was coming. And trust me – you don’t want to let down a guy like him.”


They got to the airport forty-five minutes later, and Jesse was waiting for them near the pickup area.

“Is that him over there?” Luke asked his date as they got out. “Let’s just say you definitely upgraded when you met me.”

Daisy looked at Jesse, who had one hand in his pocket and the other holding a beer. His pants sagged, and he looked like he hadn’t showered in days.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Daisy said to Luke.

“You’re dating HIM now?!” Jesse spat as the couple came near. “Bro, who was your barber – Edward Scissorhands?!”

If this wasn’t a public place, Daisy would’ve slapped him with her purse. Instead, she nudged Luke forward. “This is my new date, Luke Hemmings.”

Jesse gasped. “The guy from that band you never stopped talking about?!”

Daisy sneered at her ex. “No, the movie character. Go away!”

Jesse rolled his eyes but finally decided to agree to the couple’s demands. “Okay, fine! But this will NOT be the last you see of Jesse English!”

“Luke?” Daisy asked fearfully as they walked back to the car.

“Mmhmm?” Luke mumbled.

“You wouldn’t let him get me, would you?”

“Nah, of course not! I really like you, Daisy.”

“And I like you. Do you think we should go on a third date?”

“Definitely! Do you like to watch movies? I have ‘Mean Girls’ on DVD; we could chill at my place sometime and watch it.”

“Oh, I love that movie! It’s got Lindsay Lohan, one of my favorite actresses!”

“Hey, mine, too! Maybe we should make it a marathon of her movies?”

“Yeah, if you have them all.”

“Oh, I have ‘The Parent Trap’, ‘Freaky Friday’, ‘Mean Girls’, and ‘Just My Luck’. That’s an eight-hour marathon! How about Friday at six?”

“No, because then, we’d be up until two in the morning. How about four instead?”

“That’s very true. Four it is!”

When she entered the house after Luke dropped her off, Daisy was greeted by a very happy Smokie, who rubbed her warm fur against her legs.

“Hey, Smokie,” she greeted the cat, picking her up to pet her. She then sat down on the couch with Smokie in her lap. Meanwhile, Jade and Audrey were in their bouncers, and each boy was playing with each twin.

“Mommy, you’re back!” Connor said when he noticed her. “Where did you go?”

“Well, I went to the beach with Luke, and then we, uh…” Daisy couldn’t bring herself to tell him about the encounter with Jesse. Instead, she decided to tell a little white lie. “And then, we went out for lunch. How was your day?”

Lauren laughed as she came into view. “No, you did more than just go out for lunch after that date!” she countered. “You were gone for a really long time. What were you really doing?”

Daisy sighed in defeat. “Well, remember when Jesse was calling me?” Lauren nodded. “Well, he wanted me to meet him at the airport. When we got there, not only did Jesse look like a beer-addicted homeless person, but he didn’t have one nice word to say about Luke.”

Lauren smirked. “Why am I not surprised?” she asked sarcastically.

Daisy was shocked at this statement. “Laur, are you okay? Last time I checked, you were anticipating our wedding.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think you were going to start dating a rockstar. You definitely upgraded with Luke, girl!”

“That’s what Luke said, too! Oh, by the way, he asked me out on a third date!”

“Already?! Wow, that’s great! Michael hasn’t even contacted me since our sex.”

“He’s probably busy with band duties. I mean, they are starting to work on their next album, after all. You should call him!”

“Well, Luke had all the time in the world to ask you out three times!”

“Lauren, not all daters are created equal. Some like it fast, and others like it slow. Michael just might be the latter, you know?”

Lauren took a deep breath to calm her anxiety. “Okay, I’ll call him… but he’d better not have found another girl already.”

Just then, Lauren’s phone rang. Michael’s name was shown on the caller ID, and Daisy laughed when she saw it. “See, I told you!”

“Hey, Michael,” Lauren answered. “What’s up?”