7 Months Later

☯

"Are we going to the same place as before?" Alana grunted as she struggled to put her shirt on.

"Which one?" Laurent asked as he stepped into the bedroom, fixing his pants and shirt quickly. "The one with the lobster we had?"

"Yes, that one," she replied breathlessly. "Can you help me please?"

Laurent looked up from his clothes and he grinned as Alana tried to get the shit over her belly and he walked over to her, pulling it down in the front for her. She was almost eight months now, and her stomach had gotten so big in the past few months he was expecting her to burst open any day now. She had gotten less mobile and more tired and weak due to her contractions and he helped her out as much as he could.

They both found jobs two weeks after living with her mother. Alana worked at a hospital again, but this time it was a pediatric center and she worked with kids. It was definitely easier than working with people in a mental facility and the energy was always so nice. Everybody was always smiling and there were rarely ever any incidents at that place. Laurent had a job at a dance studio where he taught beginner classes, advanced classes, and master classes. The studio wasn't located too far from her job so every day when he got off, he would drive over to her job and pick her up when she finished her shift.

He bought himself a phone a little after that. He was still getting used to it, given the fact that he was never gifted with one before. The only contacts he had in there were Alana, Natasha, Paula, and some of his students from his classes. He loved his job dearly. Alana suggested that he take up dancing as a career after she walked in on him dancing again, but to a completely different song with different vibes. It was a sexual song and right after he was done, they made love like it was the last thing they'd ever do. He was wary about it at first, but he didn't regret taking her up on it. He felt free when he danced, like a bird gliding through the sky.

Alana loved her job as well. She felt so good being around kids because she was expecting one of her own, and helping those kids out taught her a few things about what she needed to do just in case her child ever needed medical assistance at home. She was friends with nearly everybody in the hospital, and they all loved her. Though it did get hard sometimes. Her contractions we're getting worse by the day, but she knew it was because she was going to give birth at any given moment. Her co-workers made it easy, though. Whenever she would be standing for too long or when she had to take a breath because she was tired, they stepped in for her.

She was on maternity leave now, and Laurent has been taking her out on dates every other day; so far they've been to a seafood restaurant, a fast food restaurant, and three Chinese restaurants in the past week. She didn't want to go back to the seafood restaurant, though. It made her sick.

"We not going there, baby," he assured her. "We going somewhere different. There is an Italian restaurant we didn't go to yet. I want to try it with you."

"What if it makes me sick like the seafood did?" She asked, looking up at him.

"It won't," he said. He looked down at her belly and he rubbed it softly, a smile spreading across his face. "As long as the baby agree with this one tonight."

"Okay," she smiled. "I just have to get my shoes and then I'll be ready."

"Okay, princess," he said, watching as she waddled out of the room. Once she was out, he turned his back away from the door, reaching into his pocket to pull out a tiny red velvet box. He opened it slowly, his eyes roaming over the ring in awe. He had purchased the ring a month ago, but he made sure that he hid it from her. She's been talking about marriage for the past two weeks and the only thing he could think was how perfect the timing was to propose to her. She was already his, they both knew it, but it was time that he actually put a ring on her finger.

"I'm ready," Alana said, causing him to jump. He closed the box quickly and he shoved it into his pocket, turning to her with a smile gracing his face. His eyes scanned over her outfit slowly, her belly prominent as ever as he did. She was wearing a simple red tunic and a pair of light blue jeans he helped her get into earlier. Her red shoes complimented her jeans and he couldn't help but admire how beautiful she was.

"You so beautiful, baby," he said as he walked over to her. "Like always."

"Thank you," she smiled.

"Let's go, okay?"

Alana nodded and he grabbed her hand as he lead her out of their bedroom and towards their living room. Laurent opened up the front door when they reached it and he let her out first, keeping their fingers intertwined. He closed the door behind them and he patted his pockets to make sure he had the house keys.

"Why do you check for your keys after you close the door?"

"Because," he smirked, taking the keys out of his unoccupied pocket. "I have them every time."

"Shut up," she giggled as they walked down their porch. He lead her over to their car and she took out the car keys from her small hand bag, handing them to him. He unlocked the doors and he opened her door, letting her in.

She eased inside of the car slowly, holding her belly as she did. She put her feet in last and she smiled at him, giving him the okay to close the door. Once he did, he jogged to the other side of the car, getting in on the driver's side.

"Okay," he said, shutting his door. "Let's get going."

☯

"This place is amazing," Alana breathed as she and Laurent walked inside of the restaurant.

Laurent nodded slowly in agreement, his eyes wandering all over the place. The restaurant was small, but it was calm and peaceful. The food smelled good as well. The main thing he could smell was the pasta, and he damn near melted when he saw a tray of food being carried in front of him.

"What do we do? Wait? Walk in?"

Laurent shrugged and he opened his mouth to speak, but he was cut off by a host coming up to him and Alana.

"Table for two?" He asked, his Italian accent evident but not too thick.

"Uh, yes," Laurent replied. The host nodded and Laurent took Alana's hand as they followed him through the occupied tables. Alana looked at everyone's food as she walked by and she could even wait to sink her teeth into some freshly made whatever. They stopped at the back of the restaurant and the host stood in front of a table that sat next to the windows, giving them a perfect view of the lit up buildings under the dark blue sky.

"Here you go, mister, miss," he said, glancing at the couple. "A server will be with you shortly."

"Thank you," Alana said politely. The host walked away and Laurent pulled out Alana's chair for her, waiting for her to sit. She didn't make him wait long as she sat down in the chair with a "oof" leaving her lips afterwards. Laurent chuckled and he helped her scoot her chair back under the table before he sat down. There were menus already placed on their tables and Alana picked hers up quickly, her eyes skimming over the various selections of food she's never tried before. The one that caught her eye was the chicken Alfredo, and she read the ingredients in it. That was probably the only thing she'd be able to eat on that menu.

"I think I want the chicken alfredo," she said aloud, looking up at him after. "What are you getting?"

"Probably the chicken parmesan," he replied. "With a glass of wine."

"Ugh, I wish," Alana groaned. "Do you think if I drink half a glass of wine, it'll hurt the baby?"

"No, but we not taking risk, okay?"

"Okay," she whined. "I'll just get water then. With a lemon."

Laurent laughed and he looked up at her in confusion. "Why you need a lemon?"

"Because water is tasteless," she sighed. "The lemon will add flavor."

Laurent nodded and he hummed, looking back down at his menu. "I've been thinking of what you say lately. About marriage."

Alana's head shot up and she beamed at him, placing her menu down. "Really?"

"Mhm," he said, nodding. "I'm thinking of doing it soon, but I will not tell you when I do it."

"Well of course not," she giggled. "But how will you get it? And when?"

"I just said I will not tell you when, my love," he laughed. "But I will get enough money for it."

"Okay, okay. Do you want a big wedding, though?"

"When the time comes, it will all be up to you."

Alana nodded and she looked back down at her menu, scanning over any other options she might be interested in. They waited about another five minutes before their server finally came and Alana sighed in relief.

"Thank God," she said playfully, causing the serve to laugh.

"I am sorry for the wait," he chuckled, taking out his notepad and pen. "What will you guys eat tonight?"

Laurent frowned a little as he read his menu. That voice sounded all too familiar, but he couldn't pinpoint where's he's heard it before. He shrugged it off and he looked at Alana who was looking at him expectantly.

"Go ahead, baby," he smiled sweetly. She nodded and she looked up at the server while she told him her order. He nodded as she spoke and he wrote her order down, shooting her a smile when he was finished.

"I'm done, Laurent," she said. "What do you want to order?"

"Uh," he said, clicking his tongue. "I will have the chicken parmesan with the garlic knots and one glass of wine."

When the server didn't move, he looked up at him, raising his eyebrows a little.

"You okay, man?" He asked. The server just stared at him with his lips parted and his eyebrows furrowed into a deep frown.

"What's you name? You full name?" He asked slowly. Laurent looked over at Alana, who had confusion written all over her face. He looked back in the waiter who was still standing his place, not a muscle being moved.

"I don't know why it..." Laurent's eyes left the man's face and it went down to his neck where a scar sat, running in a thin line going halfway across his throat. Laurent's face fell drastically and he looked at the name tag on his shirt, his mouth suddenly becoming dry.

Larry.

He looked back up at the server and his lips parted, a frown etching into his features.

"Laurent Bourgeois," he said lowly. "Is my name."

The server backed up slowly and he covered his mouth, the pen and notepad falling from his hands.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Not Laurent.. my twin Laurent.."

Laurent couldn't say anything. He was frozen in his spot in shock and he could feel his heart pounding against his ribcage harder every passing second as he stared up at the man. That could not be Larry. Laurent slit Larry's throat years ago. Larry was dead. Well, Larry should be dead, but instead he was standing in front of him and just as stunned as he was.

"Larry?" He said his voice breaking noticeably. Alana's eyes switched between the two men and it was then did she start to see and insane resemblance. Those nose, the lips, the jawline, the eyes, even their voices.

"Wait," she said quietly. "Larry? As in your brother?"

Laurent didn't answer. Instead he stood up, and he stepped in front of him, his eyes staring straight into Larry's. At that moment, Laurent couldn't even deny it was him. He had the same glint in his eyes that Larry had, that innocent, lively glint. He even had the same bunny look Larry had as he was growing up. Laurent could never forget that face and he couldn't even get it across his mind that he was standing right in front of him years later.

"No..." Laurent said quietly. "Larry died years ago..."

"No, I did not die, Lau," he said, shaking his head slowly.. "I remember everything... and I did not die."

Laurent couldn't even think of anything to say other than the question he's been dying to ask him for so long. Now that the moment was finally here, he took his shot.

"Why?"

Larry frowned at him and he swallowed nervously, blinking hard. "Why what?"

"Why you do it to me all those years?"

Larry's face fell and he knew exactly what he meant by that. The memories poured into his mind faster than a hurricane and he shook his head slowly, backing away from him.

"Not here," he said. He bent down to pick up his pen and notepad and he stood straight, looking back at Laurent. Without another word, Larry walked away from their table quickly, leaving Laurent an emotional wreck. He did was doing good... so good... and yet Larry was there... alive... in the flesh.

"Laurent," Alana said slowly. Laurent turned around to face her and he didn't bother to stop the tears that flowed from his eyes effortlessly.

"Was that him?"

He nodded in response, his eyes dropping down the mahogany wood on the table.

"Yeah," he said weakly. "T-That was Larry. He's not dead."

☯

I'm so evil bc I'm gonna end it here MWUAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH

okay on a serious note, thank you all for supporting me throughout the entirety of this book. I know it wasn't perfect and I've had moments where I felt like I couldn't finish it, but I did and that's what I'm proud of. now that the book is officially finished idk what to do with my life lmaoooooo. but the real question is...

will it end here?