The Lonely State...Part 2...(S10-E10)

Remember!

We are still currently in the month of February according to the current timeline of the story. It has been a year now since little Finn's first birthday and the bromance breakup of Luke and Peter... Hopefully I can eventually catch up to a more current time frame as we move along...hopefully, lol!

After yet another fight with Laura this morning Luke hauls ass down the road in his Jeep to go get ready to open up the record shop. He had hoped to get there earlier but he was just too dead tired after the busy day yesterday. With only about an hour left before the shop doors open for business Luke decides to go ahead and stock a new shipment of vintage records that were delivered yesterday.

 Bringing them out from the back room he walks and sets them down on the counter. The scene from this morning continues to play on repeat in his head. The last image being Finn crying in his mother's arms. Laura looking torn and distraught as he turns away and leaves. Now that the anger has subsided he begins to feel bad for lashing out so quickly. Luke grabs a couple albums and begins to put

 them out on the store shelves.

 Deep down he knows he needs to work things out with Laura but he's still upset she is choosing to no longer believe him and dredging up past failures within their relationship. Last thing Luke wants is to lose Laura and the boys, but he is also tired of always having to defend his whereabouts lately. If Laura would just understand he is doing everything in his power right now to run a business on his own and keep things happy and stable at home all at once. While the thought of Rufus and her demands loom in the back of both their minds.

Wrapped up in his thoughts, Luke does

 not even hear Jacob come in through the front door.

 *Jacob* "I can do that..."

Luke's head whips around as he sets the last album he had with him in the shelf. Jacob can immediately see Luke is tired and strung out. He knows things have been tense around here and at home for him. He hates to have to leave him now in the midst of all this but he's gotta follow his heart and go with Colton.

 *Luke* "Oh, hey...good you're here early..."

Him and Jacob simultaneously head towards the counter

 where Jacob sets his bag down and removes his warm

 corduroy jacket. The weather has been a bit chilly this week so far. Most of the locals don't care for it but Luke enjoys the crisp air.

 *Jacob* "I figured you would need me a little earlier than 10am when

 the shop opens.....You okay, hun?"

Luke sighs as he reaches for his laptop and phone. He has 

known Jacob just a little longer than Laura. So naturally Jacob

 too has learned to pick up on Luke's many moods. The two of them are pretty close and comfortable with each other.

 *Luke* "Laura and I had a huge fucking fight about Naomi

 and whether or not I'm fucking her..."

Jacob sucks in air, an audible gasp from nearly across the whole shop. He was hoping things would not escalate between the two but Laura has been on edge ever since she learned about Rufus showing up again.

*Jacob* "Hijo le! Now see...What did I tell you?! I 

told you she wouldn't take this well...Laura has clearly been on 

edge since Rufus showed up again."

*Luke* "We both fucking have! But shit is different with Naomi. She is not a fucking psycho."

Jacob tilts his head in a questioning manner. No ex girlfriend

 of Luke's goes around looking him up just to say hello.

 *Luke* "What I can't be friends with a woman my wife doesn't approve of?! It's 

fucking ridiculous, man...I went through this shit with Rufus. 

I don't want to go down that road again."

Luke is not happy Jacob is siding against him, but

 someone needs to be the voice of reason here.

 *Jacob* "Honey, when are you gonna realize that a man like you cannot

 be friends with another gorgeous woman! Especially 

one that you have a history with...."

*Luke* "Yeah like 20 fucking years ago!..."

Jacob grabs some records and begins to put

 them on the shelves as he talks

*Jacob* "You two still got history, Luke...all it takes

 is a few drinks, and a motel room for a woman to jump your bones."

Luke scoffs and rolls his eyes. Jacob never sugar

 coats it he always tells you exactly what he is thinking.

 *Luke* "I have no fucking interest in Naomi! I love my wife. I'm just 

tired of having to constantly defend myself for shit I didn't do!"

Jacob then turns to face the table that sits 

in the middle of the shop.

 *Jacob* "I saw the way you and Naomi were looking at each other yesterday...

Fucking flirting with each other."

*Luke* "Oh, c'mon!...There was no look...Now you fucking sound like Laura."

Then Jacob looks up with a serious look on his face.

 *Jacob* "You're damn right I do honey!...

Luke, you know I care about you so please don't do anything

 stupid to break Laura's heart....Having lunch with your ex 

yesterday was a very bold move." 

 *Luke* "A bold move?! Jacob, it was lunch with a friend!...Like if you and

 I went for lunch. What's the fucking difference?!" 

Jacob turns his back to Luke to put 

away one more album. It's obvious now Luke is not 

willing to tune in to his more sensitive side on this topic. 

As usual he thinks he has got it all under control.

 *Jacob* "Just keep your dick in your pants romeo and stay away from your 

ex-girlfriends it's that simple..."

Luke lets out a frustrated laugh along with some

 expletives, even with Jacob he can't catch a break. 

 *Jacob* "It's not funny...I'm being serious!..."

*Luke* "I know you are...That's why I'm fucking laughing. First Laura this

 morning and now you..."

*Jacob* "Luke...I've been through the good, the bad, and the ugly with you and

 despite all that I'm still here. Except now I'm leaving in two weeks

 and I just hope things don't fall apart the second

 I'm gone. It breaks my heart to leave you guys..."

 *Luke* "I promise you the shop and I will be okay. I'm gonna fucking miss

 you around here though keeping me in line and shit like that..."

Jacob smiles satisfied now that they got that all out in the open. He will definitely miss working here and surely hopes that if and when Colton and him return that he might have this old job back.

*Jacob* "Good..."

Jacob walks to the counter for more records as

 Luke turns to walk to the back room and get to work.

 *Luke* "Hey, Jacob...."

*Jacob* "Yeah?"

*Luke* "Thanks for being a good friend when I need it."

*Jacob* "Well, someone has got to knock 

some sense into you...."

*Luke smiles* "I'll be in the back if you need me..."

*Jacob* "Okay..."

Meanwhile back at Luke and Laura's house. Laura sits down on the couch to make a phone call. She was able to get the 

boys off to preschool and has a few hours to herself 

before it will be time to pick them up. 

*Friend* "Hey, what's up?"

*Laura* "Hey, you busy right now?"

*Friend* "Not really, just about to head out for a few errands."

*Laura* "Can you meet for Coffee first?"

*Friend* "Um, yeah sure...Is everything okay?"

Laura sighs a little into the phone. It's no secret to 

her small circle of friends that Luke and her

 have been at odds with each other.

*Laura* "Luke and I had a fight last night and another one this morning."

*Friend* "About Rufus?"

*Laura* "No, well kinda. He had lunch yesterday with some ex-girlfriend. 

Then didn't come home last night till past 2 am...."

*Friend* 'What?! Okay, meet me in 20?"

*Laura* "Okay...Yeah, I'll be there."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that Day... 

Margot DeRozen sits in her office on the phone. 

When a soft kock on the glass door catches her attention. She waves the man off to wait as she ends her call.

 *Margot* "Barry, I'm gonna have to call you back..."

She hangs up and then turns her attention to the

 portly man waiting by the door. 

*Margot* "What is it Lorenzo? This better be important."

*Lorenzo* "We've found him..."

*Margot* "What is this 20 questions?! Found who?"

Margot flips through her phone messages while

 she waits for Lorenzo to get to the point.

 *Lorenzo* "Luke Cooper...He lives in New Orleans now, 

has a wife and 2 kids."

Margot turns and looks up at Lorenzo. His body 

immediately stiffens as she makes eye contact with him.

 *Margot* "Then why the hell are you still standing there?! Get Dan and head out now!"

*Lorenzo* "Yes, ma'am..."

*Margot* "Oh, Lorenzo?..."

*Lorenzo* "Yes?..."

*Margot* "Don't forget about my son either..."

*Lorenzo* "Yes, ma'am...I have Shane on it."

*Margot* "Good...You can go now."

To be continued!

Thanks so much as always for tuning in! I truly do appreciate all of your support and interest in what I do. I hope to be able to continue to post

 episodes on a regular basis! From now on 

Wednesdays

will be the day for new episodes to drop! If I can make the deadline😅

Also I have decided to leave my PayPal address up at the end of every episode for those who feel they would like to give back. As an artist it is always a struggle to make ends meet. Most of you know I don't do this for the money but at the same time whatever does trickle in helps a lot!

And since I recently had to deactivate the Adsense account, well that money is no longer available to me. I explained why in a previous post which can be read here...

Trying To Find Some Downtime

Like I said this all up to you as the reader, no pressure! I want you all to continue to enjoy my stories no matter what, whether you feel compelled to donate or not.

~ milooorr@gmail.com ~

Again Thank you all so very much!