The Bike Club Pub

Then, we went into her bedroom, and for the first time ever, I made love to Lauren Laudner instead of fucking her. We were both very passionate, and our lovemaking was as much about kissing, hugging, and touching each other, as it was about our genitalia banging together. There were no obscenities, no blue language, just a lot of erotic and sensual moans and groans, and some of the most explosive orgasms that either of us had experienced with each other.

When we were finished making love, we were holding each other closely, and that was when Lauren brought up the subject, a topic that I very much expected to hear from her that night, and one which I was fully prepared to discuss.

"Tom, I have something I need to tell you, something really important. I don't know how to say this to you, but I have to, and I hope you're not going to be upset with me. Tom, I'm... I'm pregnant, and I'm certain you're the father!"

"Really, baby, you're pregnant!" I said it as if I was surprised, but still excited and even happy. "I thought you were on the pill?"

"Well, I was, but I must have missed some days, and I don't know how, but I'm pregnant, Tom, and I'm afraid." She started sobbing, and I must admit that she was good, very genuine in her emotions. If she never became a biochemist, she might have made a good actress.

"Look, Lauren," I said gently and carefully. "I'll support any decision that you make. If you want to go ahead and have this baby, I'll be there for you. And if you decide to keep it, I'll be a father to the baby the best way I know how. If you decide you don't want to go through with the pregnancy, I'll support that as well, even if I have some moral qualms about it. It's your body, and therefore, it's your decision. I just want to help you in any way that I can."

She hugged me really tightly, and her whimpering slowed. "Thank you, Tom! You are really incredible! I didn't think you'd react in this way! I thought you'd be really upset, or maybe that you wouldn't care at all, wouldn't take any responsibility."

"How could I do that to you, Lauren? I'm not upset in the least. These things happen, and I'm every bit as responsible as you are. It takes two to tango." I paused for a moment to let what I had said sink in. Then, I continued, "What are you thinking about doing? You must have thought about it at least a little bit. Do you know how you want to handle this?"

"Well, I can't go forward with the pregnancy. I can't afford to drop out of school. So I think I want to have an abortion. Would you be willing to pay for half of it? I think it costs about $500."

"I'm willing to pay for all of it, if that's what you want. And more than that, I'll take you to the clinic myself. You shouldn't have to go through that alone. I'm responsible, so I insist on taking responsibility." In the dim light of her bedroom, I could see Lauren's beautiful face, and I could tell from the look on it that she was completely unprepared for what I was saying. She didn't say anything for a long time.

"Okay, Tom. I'll call the clinic tomorrow, and make an appointment. Can I tell you tomorrow night at work what I find out?"

"Sure, are you going to be okay until then? Do you want me to stay here with you tonight?"

"You don't have to do that, but it's sweet of you to offer. I feel so much better now knowing that you are supportive of me."

I ended up leaving a half an hour later after Lauren hugged and kissed me for a good ten minutes. I had gotten the reaction I suspected I would get, and though I felt rotten about having made Greg look bad, I was prepared to do exactly the opposite of whatever he decided on. Since he decided to play the bad guy, I was going to play the good guy, but my decision to play the good guy, I would soon find out, had called Lauren's bluff. The next morning I called Greg and told him what happened.

The next night at work she pulled me aside during a brief lull in business. "Did you make an appointment at the clinic?" I asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

"No, Tom, but I've got big news! Instead, of calling the clinic, I got in to see my OB/GYN instead. Guess what I found out Tom! I'm not pregnant after all! I am so relieved! I guess those home pregnancy tests are not very accurate. Dr. Kartes did an ultrasound and confirmed it -- no baby! Anyway, I don't need your help after all, but I want you to know how grateful I am that you were willing to stand by me. That tells me a lot about you, Tom Hitchens!"

"It's the least I could do. I'm so happy for you, Lauren. I'm sure that's a big load off your mind."

"It sure is, Tom! Hey, how about you come over after work, and we celebrate?"

"How are we going to celebrate?"

"I think you know how!" I paused for a moment; then I started laughing. "What's so funny?" she asked smiling.

"Isn't that kind of ironic? I mean, you find out that you're not pregnant, and you want to celebrate that fact by doing something that could get you pregnant all over again?"

"Oh, I'm not going to let that happen, Tom. I'll be extra careful now."

So that was the end of that. Soon after, Lauren quit her job at the pub, deciding that she needed to get serious about her studies as she was only two semesters away from graduating. A month after Lauren quit, so did Mark, and when he did, I was named manager of The Bike Club Pub. It was a position I would hold for nearly a year.

Now that we didn't work together, I didn't see Lauren nearly as often. And instead of her being the crazy, possessive genius, she allowed our relationship to turn into a purely sexual one with no strings attached. She let me pretty much do what I wanted to do, and whenever I showed up and climbed the back steps to her apartment to crawl into bed to fuck her, she was happy to oblige. She never again played any games about being pregnant, and I did my best to help out by cumming on her face or tits whenever possible!

I guess that was the best kind of relationship to have with her. I could never again think about her seriously as a life partner. She couldn't be trusted, and she was way too smart for her own good. Then again, she was incredibly hot and loved fucking as much as any woman I have ever met, and since she wanted to fuck me, and I certainly wanted to fuck her, I didn't see any harm in it.

The following year I too decided to quit my job at The Bike Club Pub. I was going back to school. I had finally decided what I wanted to do, and ironically it was Lauren Laudner who helped me decide. I remembered a conversation that she had with me during which she had said to me, "some people in this world are destined to lead, and some people are destined to follow." Lauren was convinced that I was one of those destined to direct others, and I figured out that she was right. But somehow I had to reconcile in my mind how I could lead others and still not "lose my soul" or "turn into an asshole." I decided to become a teacher.

The summer after Lauren graduated from State, I transferred to another school, and it only took me a year to earn my education degree. I got a job teaching high school English soon after. I've been teaching ever since.

I never saw Lauren again after that. I heard she got a job in another state working in a laboratory, but I don't know where. I never found out if she ever got married or had children, or even where she ended up living.

I found out later that soon after Todd Farnham left town, he was convicted of insurance fraud and ended up spending some time in the pokey. As far as I was concerned, he got what he deserved.

Kayla and Mark got married and have a beautiful daughter named Quincy. They stayed in town, and Mark ended up starting his own incredibly successful business, manufacturing scoreboards and other athletic timekeeping equipment.

Greg graduated from State with a degree in theater, and I heard that he eventually got a job working in stage production on Broadway.

During my year managing the pub, John Symons was elected to the state legislature and has since been re-elected three or four times. Apparently, he is planning a run for a Congressional seat in the fall.

A year ago John sold the pub. I heard the new owners changed the name and the theme, and so all of John's antique bikes are gone. Things change -- people come and people go, but I still have a lot of good memories of my time at The Bike Club Pub, especially the people I knew there.

One of them will always stand out in my mind above the rest. Maybe she was a genius. Maybe she was a little psychotic. Maybe she fucked up people's lives whether she was trying to or not. Keats once famously said "Beauty is truth, truth beauty." Lauren Laudner certainly was beautiful, and while she was one of the most deceptive people I've ever met, I am also amazed at how instinctively she understood the truth, at least my truth.