A New Kind of Love

Lauryn threw her arms around my shoulders and kissed me deeply. I stayed calm, even under her abrupt attack of love. When she was satisfied that my tongue did indeed belong to her, she relinquished her hold on my mouth but she gave me dozens of little kisses around my face. I loved her so much it is literally impossible to describe the feeling that overtook me when I held her tightly in my arms, or when she drifted off into a deep sleep.

Three months, one week and four days after that glorious night when we first made love, Lauryn and I were happy, as we had been every night since then. We had been together for about 7 and a half months total. It was a cool and breezy night when Lauryn and I dealt with our toughest battle. The night was beautiful and we were at her house for a change. It was a little smaller than my place but I loved it more than my own simply for the fact that it was hers. Lauryn was lying in the bed, naked, and I was standing by the opened window with a sheet wrapped around myself enjoying the fresh air.

"You look really sexy over there." Lauryn purred in the sexiest voice I had ever heard. I glanced over my shoulder to look back at her. She was lying on her back with a thin sheet loosely covering her exquisite form from me. Her blonde hair was tussled and carelessly thrown about all around her beautiful face. Her face was a bit flushed from the round of passionate sex we had just recovered from. I could've sworn I could still see a bit of my juices on her lips.

"Yeah well how about you come and do something about it..." Just as I spoke the sound of an engine and a flash of headlights caught my attention from outside the window. "Hey babe, looks like you have company... Black Lexus?"

"Damn it." Lauryn groaned in frustration as she jumped swiftly out of the bed and ran to her closet.

"Lauryn?" I was beyond confused at that point. Lauryn rushed back into the room with a pair of jeans. She rustled about trying to find a shirt to hide her perfect tits. "Baby, what wrong? Who is it?" I asked just as she put on a bra and then a loose t-shirt.

Lauryn rushed over to me, grabbed my face in her hands then placed a divinely sweet kiss on my lips. "You know I love you more than anything but I need you to stay in here. My parents..."

I stepped back from her in shock. She didn't need to finish her sentence for me to understand. "They don't know..."

"Frankie, I've wanted to tell them and I know I promised that I would but..." Lauryn stepped closer to me and grabbed the back of my head, forcing my lips onto hers. "I love you so much. Don't let anything make you doubt that but please do as I ask. I'm begging you." Lauryn forced another kiss then rushed out of the room just as the doorbell rang. I paced around the room for a second before sliding to the ground near the door. I rested my head back against the wall and listened. There was nothing else I could do. I heard some light chatter before I heard them all enter the house. Her second story bedroom overlooked the living room so I could hear every word they said without even wanting to.

"So, what are you guys doing here?" Lauryn asked in a noticeably shaky voice.

"Your mother and I were having dinner nearby and decided to stop by and see how you are. How are you, darling?" A man's voice said. I assumed it was her dad.

"I'm great..."

"Honey, there is a car parked behind yours in the driveway. Is someone here?" It was a woman's voice that time; her mother.

"Uhh... No. Of course not; a friend left it here over night." Lauryn answered.

"That's terribly rude. They blocked you in." Her dad quipped in an uninterested voice. "It's a nice car though. What friend of yours drives a Ferrari? It looks awfully familiar."

"Just a friend dad..."

"Wait doesn't that car belong to that mechanic girl?"

My blood was boiling as I sat there on the ground.

"Yeah dad it does. She is a good friend and decided to leave her car..." Lauryn was interrupted once again. It was sad to hear how little her mother valued what she had to say.

"I heard she's a lesbian." Lauryn's mom said in a gossipy voice. At that point I was about to bust out of the bedroom completely naked but I refrained out of respect for my girlfriend.

"She is, mom." Lauryn answered back.

"I don't know why you would want to hang out with someone like that. I'm sure she is planning on making a pass at you. You're a beautiful young girl; it's only a matter of time." Her mom's condescending voice infuriated me.

I sat my ground waiting for the love of my life to come to my rescue. I waited for her to defend me in some way... but she didn't.

"She's my friend, mom..."

"Alright, honey, that's great. But we better get going, it's late." Lauryn's dad said. I heard him kiss her and move out of the living room.

"Remember what I said, dear. I know about these things. Be careful." Lauryn's mom kissed her daughter then left as well.

To my total and complete shock Lauryn said "Alright, mom, I will. See you later." right before her mom left. I stood and began pacing again. I listened to Lauryn's parents' car drive away then Lauryn finally returned to the room with a relieved look on her face. She pulled off her shirt then walked over to me slowly.

"I'm so glad that's over." She said as she tried to kiss me. I took an involuntary step backwards. That was what she had to say to me after THAT. 'I'm so glad that's over'? That was the best she would do? "Come on Frankie, that didn't mean anything." She continued.

"It didn't mean anything?" I repeated. I was sure she could sense my anger but more than that my pain. Just 30 minutes prior Lauryn had been holding me tightly telling me how much she loved having me in her life but now, according to her mother, I was a dangerous lesbian threatening to 'turn' her. "It meant everything." I added. I moved past Lauryn to grab my clothes and I put them on in a hurry, ignoring the fact that the t-shirt was inside out.

"Frankie, don't be like this. Please baby, I'm sorry. My parents are just... they don't understand." Lauryn kept trying to grab my hands but I kept pulling away from her. I snatched my shoes from the corner of the room then left the room. Lauryn followed close behind. I grabbed my bag from the kitchen counter, which luckily for Lauryn, her parents hadn't noticed. I walked towards the front door but Lauryn stood in my way. "Baby, you just don't understand..."

"I guess I don't." I admitted angrily. "See, because I thought that you loved me and that I loved you and that's all that mattered but I guess I wasn't as clear as I thought because I'm just your 'friend' and you have to be careful around me and my kind. You never know what we lesbians are up to, right?"

She had a look of shame on her face. It was tough for me to her beautiful features contorted that way. Her eyes looked down to the ground and her shoulders slumped forward. She felt bad, it was written all over her body but that didn't change her words and it certainly didn't change how much those words, or lack thereof, had hurt me.

Lauryn's eyes finally looked back up at me. It was saddest look I had ever seen on her lovely face. "I'm sorry. I didn't know what to say to them, I don't, but I know that I love you more than anything. Please don't leave me, not like this."

My heart broke at her plea. She could've been confessing to murder and I would've forgiven her. I dropped my bag to the ground and Lauryn took that as a sign that I wouldn't leave. She rushed forward and threw her arms around me.

"Thank you baby, thank you so much. I swear I'll fix all this. I'll tell them and I'll make it all better. Trust me." Lauryn leaned in to kiss my lips put I pulled away from her.

"You told your mom we're just friends. I would hate to make a liar out of you." I turned around and headed back to Lauryn's room. I had a feeling that things were going to get tough for us.

Lauryn and I slept on opposite sides of the bed that night, instead of snuggling close like we always did. I left early the next morning before she woke up. She called me a few hours later; I guess it was when she woke up.

"Hello." I answered my phone and I was totally pissed. I didn't even look at the caller id.

"Hey, baby, it's me..."

"Lauryn?" I asked in mock surprise. "You must have the wrong number. This is just Frankie. Your friend, remember?"

"Frankie, don't be like this. You know that I'm totally and completely in love with you. I just can't tell them but I know it's what you want..."

"Funny, because that's not what you said last night. Besides, I shouldn't be the only one who wants it. Don't do it for me, do it for you... for us. Well that's if you need an 'us'. I don't know if a 'BFF' relationship is what you really wanted all along." I spat back at her.

Lauryn sighed then went on for twenty eight minutes about how I didn't know what her parents were like and how I couldn't understand how hard it was for her; she loved me but didn't know what to do. Then when she realized she wasn't going to get anywhere with me she sighed and reminded me that we had dinner plans at her house. I curtly agreed then got back to work. The guys at the shop noticed my foul mood and a couple even ventured to ask. I responded by telling them to mind their own fucking business. The hours dragged on and so did that night. I barely spoke to Lauryn and she didn't have much to say to me either. We went to bed that night in separate houses. Our lives dragged on like that for four days before there was any change. On that fourth day I was working in my garage at home, working out some of my frustration when Lauryn drove her car up and stomped angrily into my opened garage. I was going to think of a wise-ass comment but she acted before I could.

She walked up to me quickly then pushed me roughly. I stumbled back a couple steps but I kept my balance.

"I hope you're happy now. This is all your fault." she yelled at me. "I told them and now neither of them want to see me again. They said they're ashamed of me. I did it because I need you. I did it so you would love me again and now my parents don't love me anymore."

Lauryn broke down and started sobbing. She fell to her knees on the oil stained ground of my garage and just wept uncontrollably. My heart tore into a million pieces and a few tears began to fall from my eyes as well. I dropped my tools and rushed over to Lauryn pulling her tightly into my arms.

"I'm sorry." I said slowly as I rocked Lauryn back and forth. She grabbed my arm tightly and cried heavily on my shoulder. I helped her to her feet then walked her into the house. We both sat on the couch and Lauryn continued to cry on me. At that moment I had no idea why I had demanded that from her. I wasn't sure why having her love hadn't been enough for me. I wasn't sure why I had made her destroy her family. Her career as well I assumed. If her dad didn't want to see her I guess he didn't want her to work for him either. I had made her lose both her family and her career to make her prove she loved me when in reality I had known all along.

"Lauryn, I don't know what to say to you. I never wanted you to end up like me, without parents to turn to. I shouldn't have..." my tears gave way again and I couldn't speak. I had ruined her life. How could she even stand be next to me, let alone want my love?

"Just tell me that you love me again. Tell me I didn't do it for nothing..." I could barely understand Lauryn through her sobs but I did understand her desperation.

"Baby, I never stopped loving you. I was hurt and upset but I never stopped. I couldn't if I tried." I pulled her head close to my chest and kissed the top of her head over and over again. I then dragged her up to my bedroom and pulled off her clothes. I placed her crying frame into my bed and tucked her in. Over the next few hours I brought her all the things I could think of to make her feel better. I spent three days by her side trying to nurse her broken heart. Nothing worked. She barely ate anything, even when I demanded it. She just slept and sobbed and repeated the cycle. Finally when I could think of nothing else I kissed her forehead and told her I would return to her soon.

"Promise you'll come back to me." She said desperately even though she was in my house and it wasn't like I would just run away from her and never go back.

"Always." I promised with one final kiss. I ran out the front door and got into my car. I drove straight to Lauryn's work where I was sure her father would be.

I walked swiftly into the building bypassing a snooty front desk clerk who ran after me asking me about my 'scheduled appointment'. Then she threatened to call security and so on and so forth. I spotted the biggest set of doors which had the words "MAXWELL ROBERTS" written across it. That was the door I wanted. I barged in and the older man, who I assumed was Lauryn's dad, looked at me like I was insane.

"My name is Francesca." I told him. The bitch of a secretary offered to call security but Mr. Roberts declined and told the girl to leave.

"May I help you with something?" He said with an obvious look of distaste. I was sure he already knew exactly who I was and why I was there.

"She needs you." I said, practically begging. I was no longer angry; I was ready to grovel if it would help Lauryn.

"Look, Ms..."

"It's just Frankie." I said quickly, although I didn't know why.

"I don't know what you think but I'm not the bad guy. Lauryn is... She is my pride and joy, my little princess but I can't let her make this mistake. I can't stand by and let her ruin her life." He seemed so sincere that it was hard to dislike him even though I wanted to. He honestly thought he was doing what was best for her. Then he continued talking. "I love her more than anything. I don't want to do this but I have no choice."

"Mr. Roberts I don't know what to do to help her. She is currently at my house, lying in my bed crying her eyes out. She has been for three days. I know what you and your wife think of me and I'm not here to make you like me or to make you think I'm best for her. I just need her to be okay and she needs you. I love your daughter more than life itself but she loves you that way too."

"Frankie, I can't. My wife doesn't approve of this... 'lifestyle' and I can't let Lauryn throw away her future to be with you. I wish I could help." He sat back in his chair and shook his head softly as if he was trying to make a decision. We sat in silence for several minutes. "You really love her don't you?"

"More than anything and I'll do whatever she needs and if she needs me to go away so she can move on with you guys then I'll do that too. I want her... I need her to be happy and she can't be happy without you."

Mr. Roberts rubbed at his face then looked up at me. "I let my wife convince me this was for the best, that if Lauryn was forced to make a decision she would choose correctly. My wife told me she hadn't chosen correctly but now I'm positive she has. I'll apologize to Lauryn but I can assure my wife won't change her mind. This will break up my marriage but I can't let my wife do this to my daughter."

"Please come and see her." I would've gotten on my knees and begged if he would've asked me but he only nodded his head and grabbed his coat. I drove back to my place in a hurry with Lauryn's dad close behind. I parked askew in my drive way and Mr. Roberts just pulled in behind me. I led him into my house and Lauryn called out to me from the kitchen without even seeing me.

"Baby, you're back already? I was kind of afraid you had run away from me and my craziness forever..." Lauryn's voice sounded so small and she sniffled as she spoke. It broke my heart. She walked out to see me and gasped at the sight of her father. "Daddy?" Lauryn looked from her father then back to me over and over again. She finally ran into my arms and hugged me tightly. She whispered how much she loved me about a million times. When she finally let me go she looked at her father sheepishly.

"Kitten, I'm so sorry. Can you forgive your foolish old man?" He stretched his arms out and picked her up a bit when she went to him. He swung her around like a toddler and at that moment I fell for him. I loved him simply because she did and because he loved her enough to forsake his wife, the love of his life, to make sure Lauryn was okay.

"Daddy, I love her and I can't leave her. I won't." Lauryn cried on his shoulder.

"I know honey." Lauryn's dad kissed her cheek then put her back down on the floor. "I won't ask you to. I've never met anyone, besides myself, who loves you as much as that woman does. I wanted you to do what was best for you but I had never stopped to think you already had."

Lauryn looked back at me and walked over slowly into my widespread arms blushingly.

"I love you." I whispered into her ear as we hugged. She whispered the sentiment back.

"I'm going to give you two a few minutes alone. I'll be upstairs, baby, whenever you're done we can talk." I kissed Lauryn's cheek then walked off.

I lost track of the time but some time later Lauryn found me sitting on the back balcony drinking a glass of wine. She sat in my lap with a huge smile across her face. I could tell she had cried but she looked happy. Her bright eyes shone brightly and I marveled at how gorgeous she was, inside and out. I had been so wrong about her when I first met her. There was no greater person in the entire world.

"Is everything alright now?" I asked her as my arms encased her waist. Her arms took a hold of my shoulders and she shook her head slightly.

"No... but it will be. I have you and everything else will work itself out. I don't know how to thank you for whatever it is you did to get my dad to reconsider." Lauryn pressed her face into my neck and breathed in deeply.

"I just asked. I honestly didn't think it would work but I had to try. You were completely right it was all my fault... it still is. I shouldn't have asked you to force that on your family. I never got to tell either of my parents about me and I never even thought about how it could affect your relationship with them. I just thought you were trying to hide me and it hurt me that you wouldn't want..."

"It wasn't your fault, I'm sorry I said that. I knew what would happen so I guess I did prefer to keep you all to myself. Which I guess is the same as hiding you but I was just so scared when I thought you didn't love me anymore that I had to do something...anything to make you..." Lauryn spoke directly into my neck but I couldn't let her think that I had stopped loving her.

"Baby, I could never stop loving you." I held her tightly to my neck and kissed the side of her face. "I will love you forever and nothing will change that. You're everything I ever wanted and everything I need." I felt gentle tears brush on the inside of my neck and I knew Lauryn was crying. Her chest convulsed softly against me. I wrapped my arms around her back and pressed her body tightly to me. I whispered words of love and devotion to her in Italian although she had no idea what the hell I was talking about, I felt it was right and she did seem to call down a little. I kept kissing her face and she clung to me as if it was the only thing she could do, I guess maybe it was.

She took a deep breath again and kissed my neck before whispering to me. "God, I love how good you smell. I've been obsessed ever since I met you."

"That's what 200 dollars an ounce will get you." I joked as I kissed her playfully.

"No," Lauryn was soft about her words but she was firm in her delivery of them. She kissed at my neck and I could even swear that I left her tongue on my skin. "I know your perfume and I can smell it when other people wear it but it's never the same as it is on you, never as yummy. You just smell so good all the time."