Love Drunk: Chapter Thirty Four

Last time Dexter was left reeling from being dumped by Jenna two weeks before their wedding! Everything was going so well, the band were recording their debut album and love was in the air for most couples! But little Lainie could not hide her love for Dexter and this brought Jenna to the conclusion that she and Dexter weren't meant to be! What does the future hold for the gang now?

Lainie stood in her living room tapping her foot impatiently as the phone rang out. Dexter was supposed to pick up Keira that morning and he hadn't turned up.

Angry at first, Lainie cursed him for being so selfish. He and Jenna had probably slept in. If his relationship was going to come before his daughter then Lainie was having none of that! She was all for him and Jenna being happy but not at the expense of Keira!

Then Lainie's anger turned to worry! Dexter was NEVER late to pick up his Kee Bee! So she phoned his brother...

...Ash was just as concerned. Erin watched her boyfriend stand up and head for the door in just his pyjamas, and it worried her too...

...Ash still had a key to the flat and let himself in. "Dexter?" The house was dark and very quiet. "DEXTER!" he shouted as the panic rose up in him.

Reaching his brother's room, finding it empty and his bed tidy as if it hadn't been slept in, he struggled to breathe. Where was his baby brother???

On gut instinct Ash opened the door to his old room and found Dexter sitting on the floor, his face tear stained and broken. "Dexter, what...you were supposed to pick Keira up at 8am? Lainie has to open up!"

Dexter didn't reply, he didn't move. "Dexter did you hear me? Your daughter is waiting..."

"I can't face her!" he muttered.

"What? Who? Keira???"

Dexter closed his eyes and sighed, "No, her mother!"

"Why? Dexter what's happened?"

"Jenna broke up with me! The wedding's off! It's all over!" Ash rushed to his brother's side and kneeled down in front of him.

"Oh god bro! I'm so sorry, what happened? Did you two have a fight or..."

"No!" Dex shook his head and smiled sadly, "Lainie happened!"

"What do you mean?" Ash looked confused.

"I mean, she was the last person with Jenna before she dumped me! So what did the spiteful little b*tch say? Huh?"

"Dexter Lainie is NOT spiteful, and don't call her a b*tch!" Ash shook his head in disgust.

"Well she said something, because Jenna and I were happy yesterday before she went to the bridal shop with her so..."

"That doesn't mean it was Lainie..." Dexter butted in rather loudly...

"Bro she kissed me! She wanted to split us up! Mission accomplished freckles!"

"No, Dexter you and Jenna? I told you from the start it wasn't to be! You belong with Lainie!" Dexter gave his brother an angry glare.

"How can I EVER forgive her for this???" he began to weep.

"This isn't her fault! Now go and get your little girl! She's wondering where her daddy is!"

"No! I can't! I can't even LOOK at her! I was so happy Ash! I was in love and I was finally getting my songs out there and...things were good you know?"

"I know bro!"

"How could she do this? Just because she and David didn't work out? She wanted me to be miserable too?"

Ash stood up and made for the door. "I'll go get Keira, you get yourself cleaned up! You don't want her seeing you like this do you?"

"I think you should take her today, I'm not fit to take care of a child!" Dexter wiped his face roughly as Ash nodded.

After work that night, Lainie knocked and knocked on Dexter's door, but he wouldn't answer! Ash had told her about Jenna and she felt heart sorry for him! She wanted to comfort him! She remembered how good he was to her when Alex cheated on her with Selena and she just wanted to return the favour!

Finally admitting defeat, Lainie popped into Ash and Erin's to collect Keira. As she told Erin that Dex wasn't answering the door, she let slip that he didn't want to see her. "Why?" Lainie wanted to cry.

"He thinks you said something to Jenna about..."

"About what Erin?" Lainie demanded as Erin hung her head.

"About...the...kiss...and that you did it to break them up." Then she quickly added, "But I don't think that, neither does Ash! Dex is just upset!" Lainie could no longer hold back the tears.

"So does everyone know about that? Because it was a stupid mistake on my part. I nearly died in a fire and...you told me he was so upset. I misread things and...I'd never do that! In fact I'm so insulted that he could ever think that of me! He obviously doesn't know me at all!" Erin patted her shoulder sympathetically and smiled.

"Lainie? He's hurting really badly right now and he's looking for someone to blame. You always hurt the ones you love, and he loves you more than anyone! Give him a little time, he'll come round!"

Time passed but the wound hadn't healed. Ash was worried about his brother's behaviour and had been reluctant to leave him alone over the past few weeks since Jenna ended their engagement. Their debut single had gone gold in a short space of time and their album had just gone silver. Dexter only left the house to promote them, he'd given up his painting. There was talk of a tour, and if Dex was in this state, then the tour would not happen! But his brother's welfare came first.

After sitting with Dex for a while, mostly in silence, Ash finally broke it by asking his brother to talk to Lainie, this had gone on long enough and she was distraught over Dexter's silent treatment. "She's really worried about you! Erin told her you blame her for Jenna breaking up with you. She was really hurt!"

"Good!" Dexter spat angrily.

"Dexter she didn't do anything! At the very least, phone her! You don't have to see her, just talk!"

Dexter agreed to call Lainie and talk. When she picked up her phone she sounded so sad, "Hi Dexy!" 

"Hey freckles!" He could feel the anger begin to melt away at the sound of her voice.

"I'm so sorry about Jenna, I really am! I know how much you loved her and...I wish I could take the pain away..."

"Freckles..." Dexter tried to speak but Lainie wasn't finished...

"I know you blame me, I know you think I somehow talked her out of it but I didn't Dexy I swear! I would never hurt you like that!"

"Freckles..."

"And the very notion that I would tell her I kissed you, do you honestly believe I could be so devious?"

"Freckles I know! I'm sorry! I needed someone to blame, and it happened to be you! I know you would never do that! Listen baby I'm going away. I've decided to tour with the band, promote this album you know?"

"Are you sure that's wise? Are you up to it?"

"I think it's what I need right now, I need some time to myself to get my head together." He could hear Lainie's tiny sobs on the other end and it broke his heart.

"How long?" She asked in a whisper, dreading the answer.

"Three months!" Lainie's sobs grew a little louder.

"Okay Dexy. I'll miss you, Keira will miss her daddy! But if it's what you have to do..."

"It is baby, it is! I need time away from...memories and stuff!"

"Dexy? Will we ever be able to go back to the way it was? All I did was tell the truth when Jenna asked me questions. I didn't mean..."

"I dunno freckles, I dunno! I will miss you and Kee Bee so much, but I have to do this!"

When Drew broke the news to Charlotte about their tour, she cried too. As he held her in his arms, trying not to cry along with her, he felt a mixture of excitement and dread. "Char please don't!" He choked back a sob.

"Andrew, we've hardly been apart for over two years! How can I live without seeing you for three months???"

"We've got Skype, emails and texts, phone calls!"

"Not the same as feeling your arms around me, protecting me from everything! My mother included!"

And then a small laugh stifled his tears that threatened to fall, "I know Char but...I'll be back! And when I do come back..." He held her hand and looked deep into her eyes...

"Will you be my wife?" Charlotte let out a small cry of surprise, then smiled,

"Oh Andrew, I wish I could say I would..."

"Then be my fiancée instead! We can be engaged to be married...no pressure!" He winked as she smiled even more.

"Yes Andrew, yes I will be your fiancée! I will be engaged to you!"

"It's a start! Now you may kiss me!"

Charlotte kissed him with as much strength and passion she could muster. Being engaged wasn't like being married, she could handle that...as long as he came back to her! These three months were going to be hell!

But Charlotte promised Drew that she would look out for the other two girls who's hearts would be aching just as much as hers! One of those girls was coming to terms with her boyfriend's news. 

"Erin?" Ash held her hands, waiting for a response.

"I'm happy for you Ash, but not so happy for me!" She replied honestly. He drew her in for a hug.

"I know, three months! It's not too long but it seems like a lifetime!"

"I can come out and see you right?" Erin squeezed him affectionately as he let out an uncontrollable giggle.

"Yes! I would be hurt if you didn't! How does Paris sound? It's right in the middle of our schedule!"

"Perfect!" Erin's little smile turned to a frown.

"I'm really going to miss my big hunky fireman!" Ash blushed, he loved it when she called him that but it did embarrass him.

"And he is going to be so lost without you! But it will only make us stronger!" he replied softly and leaned in for a kiss.

As Roxy told Matthew her news, she realised just how much she adored him and how much she was dreading leaving him behind despite their friendship only being just that...a friendship! "So it'll only be for three months." Matthew nodded and faked a smile as Roxy described her schedule to him.

"Right! Not that long eh?" His smile felt like it was hardened onto his face as Roxy saw right through it.

She kissed him suddenly, their first ever, as he looked at her with surprise...

...but then he pulled her in for a more passionate kiss!

As he let her go, he looked her in the eyes and said with meaning, "Roxanne? I love you! I've loved you from the moment I met you! The thought of not seeing you for three months it...well it sucks but I'll live! There's just one thing though..." He gave her a cheeky smile.

Taking her by the hand he whispered "I want to make the most of what time we have left!" And led her to his room.

Roxy lay in Matthew's arms gazing at him. She felt both sad and blissfully happy. "I love you too Matty!" She whispered and closed her eyes. Matthew was pretending to be asleep, but he heard every word she had said as a huge grin spread across his handsome face!

Dexter spent as much time as he could with his daughter before he left. He still couldn't face Lainie and had his brother bring Keira to him. She had grown so much over the past couple of months and when he returned from touring she would be celebrating her first birthday. Her hair had also grown and her mother had taken to giving her a little ponytail at the front of her head. She looked adorable!

Dex imagined how much bigger she would be when he got back, how much of her development he would miss. She was his world and he couldn't imagine not having her in his life, he loved her so much...and her mother too! 

Yes Dexter still loved Lainie with all of his heart and his soul. He realised that now, and nothing had changed! Jenna had been right all along...Lainie was a fixed piece of his heart! But no matter how hard he tried to come to terms with his love for her, he still wasn't ready to face her!

As he put his daughter to bed, thinking of all the nights he wouldn't be able to do that, he just couldn't bring himself to be in the same room as Lainie. He didn't know why, he thought it might be a case of absence making the heart grow fonder. But despite his continuing love and adoration for her, he didn't want to even look at her!

The day had come, the band were leaving Moonlight Falls to tour Europe! Erin, Matthew and Charlotte were their farewell party.

Erin struggled to hold back the tears as Ash kissed her tenderly on the lips. 

"I'll call you as soon as we land okay?" he reassured her.
"Hurry back to me!" she sniffed.
"I love you!" Ash let a single tear escape his eye.
"I love you too, you be careful okay?"

"Erin he's not going out to fight in Afghanistan!" Roxy rolled her eyes, "He's going to pound his drums in sixteen different countries!" Erin wrinkled up her nose and grunted,
"Well it feels like he's leaving for war to me!" she muttered.

Roxy sighed and laughed as Matthew pulled her gently aside and took her in his arms, "So!" he grinned.
"So!" she repeated and smiled back cheekily.
"I hope you'll keep in touch after..." he trailed off and blushed as she finished his sentence for him.
"After we slept together and confessed our feelings?" she raised an eyebrow and punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Just you text, phone, the whole works because you can't just leave a guy wanting more like that! It's just torture!"
"Well it just means that you'll be very happy to see me when I come back!"

Charlotte left Keira with Dexter and went to say goodbye to Drew. Dex looked into his daughter's big blue eyes, like his own staring back at him, and he thought of Lainie. The little ponytail on his daughter's head reminded him that they had this little girl in common.

Drew and Charlotte hugged and said their goodbyes. "I'll text you when we get on the plane, when we get off the plane, when I go for a pee..."
"Andrew!" Charlotte squeaked in shock, "Don't!"
"Joking, joking!" He chuckled, "I'll text you in the shower to tell you I'm naked, lathered up with soap and missing you terribly!" Charlotte blushed and cleared her throat.

"Andrew you are a bad boy...and I love you!" She squeezed him tightly and sighed sadly, "Until you return my handsome fiancé!"
"You'll be in my heart, so it'll be like you're there with me!"
"I will be, eventually!" she piped up as Drew looked her straight in the eyes with surprise.

"Oh did Erin not say? She and myself are meeting you in France!" Drew grinned from ear to ear,
"Quelle surprise!" he laughed and kissed her.

Dexter snuggled his Kee Bee wanting to cry but it wouldn't come. He wept dry tears at the thought of leaving his daughter for so long! Not caring who saw him, it was the first time he would be far away from his little girl and it hurt. 

"Bye Kee Bee, daddy loves you soooo much!" he whispered in her ear. "You be good for your mummy and tell her I love her too! I always have and I always will!"

As he handed Keira over to Charlotte he looked up at Lainie's bedroom window as the rest of the band got in the van...

...she was watching them, her little face stained with tears as she waved down to him. He waved back, wanting so badly to run up those stairs and kiss her! He loved her, he loved her so much it would take all of his strength to get in that van and leave her!

"Bye Dexter Maloney!" Charlotte smiled as Keira buried her head into her shoulder.
"I'll see you on Skype Char!" as he said his goodbyes to Charlotte, Matthew and Erin, Lainie was in the corner of his eye, still at the window! 

This was the first time they had seen each other since he split up with Jenna! And his feelings were unchanged, she still stirred up an overwhelming feeling of love inside of him.

She looked out, watching Dexter get in the van. Three months without him! Four months in total, he didn't want to see her and it broke her heart! As the band's transport drove off and the others waved...

...Lainie turned and fell to the ground, crying her heart out like a grieving widow. He was only going on tour for a few months and then he would be back...

...so why did she feel like she'd lost him forever?

Chapter Thirty Five will be all about those left behind! Soon! ;)