An Unexpected Love (Women's Fiction/BWWM Romance) (21 page)

Aliyah peeked into Layla’s bedroom. Layla sat against
the headboard with her laptop.

“I see you.” She read another email from her latest
Royal Delights client. “This woman is about to drive me crazy.”

“Who?” Aliyah walked in and sat on the foot of the
bed.

 
“This latest
client. We’re doing her niece’s wedding, and she keeps changing her mind every
day. First she wanted chicken, then she wanted seafood, and now she wants
Mexican.” Layla opened another email. “Getting on my last nerve.”

“You like it though.” Aliyah leaned over on her
elbows. “You haven’t smiled this much in a long time.”

“And it’s been a long time since you wanted to talk to
me.” Layla scrolled through the long-winded email.

“I got something to get off my chest.” Aliyah sat up.
“I—”

“Please, don’t tell me you’re pregnant.” Layla
exhaled. “With all the other stuff that’s going on…
Liyah
…”

“I’m not pregnant.” She looked at her fingers. “See,
that’s why I don’t talk to you about anything, because you say stupid shit like
that.”

“Watch your mouth.”

“But it’s true. I just needed to talk to someone.”
Aliyah got up and went to the doorway. “I don’t know why I wasted my time.”

“Hold on.” Layla set the laptop aside. “I’m sorry. It’s
hard to tell what you want, since we haven’t been close in
I-can’t-remember-when.”

Aliyah slumped toward the bed. “We were never as close
as you are with Shanti.”

 
“But we were
closer than we have been. What’s going on?”

“Shanti.” She sat on the bed and kicked out her leg.
“She hates me.”

“No, she doesn’t.”

“Momma, I go over there, and she won’t even look at
me.”

“She’s going through something difficult, that’s all.”

“Can I ask you something?”

Layla nodded.

She looked at Layla with teary eyes. “Would you rather
it had been me instead of her?”

 
“What?” Layla
threw the sheet off. “How can you ask me something like that?”

“I know you and Dad probably think I deserve it
because of how I’ve been acting…” Aliyah sobbed. “…hanging out with all those
boys.”

“Stop it right now.” Layla scooted beside her and
hugged her. “Don’t say another word. How can you even think that? We love you
just as much as Shanti. We don’t want anything to happen to either of you.”
Layla kissed the top of her head. “We’d die if you guys got hurt.”

“Even after how I’ve treated you?”

“You’re my daughter. No matter how you treat me, I’m
always gonna love you.” Layla raised Aliyah off her. “Have we gotten so far
apart that you gotta be reminded of that?” She kissed the tears on Aliyah’s
cheek. “I would do anything for you,
Liyah
. You can
treat me like crap for the rest of your life, and I’m still gonna be there.
Death wouldn’t even stop me.” Layla rocked her. “I want you and Shanti to be
happy as can be. That’s
my
wish. Let
me show you something.” Layla went to her dresser and pulled the macaroni
drawing out of the top drawer. She sat on the bed and handed it to Aliyah.
“Remember this?”

Aliyah stared at the wrinkled picture. “This is my
drawing I did when I was a kid. I can’t remember when…”

“You did it when you were in the third grade.” Layla
smiled.

“I can’t believe you kept this.” Aliyah’s mouth hung
open. “All this time?”

“Course I kept it. It means the world to me because
you made it. I always took it with me when I’d go to Wellington.” Layla touched
it. “I’d put it on my wall to remind me of what I’m fighting for.”

“You…you took this with you?”

“Yes.”

“Momma, I’m sorry.” Aliyah hugged her. “I’m sorry for
how I’ve treated you. Please forgive me, and let’s start over.”

“Don’t even worry about it.” Layla kissed her cheek.
“I forgave you a long time ago.”

Aliyah let her go. “Wow.” She looked at the drawing.
“I can’t believe you’ve had this all these years.”

“It’s more valuable to me than you could know.” Layla
took it and put it back in the dresser.

Aliyah’s ring tone went off from down the hall. “Oh.”
She jumped up. “Probably A.C.”

 
“A.C.” Layla
groaned on her way back to the bed. “I really don’t see why you’re wasting your
time with him.”

“I really like him, Momma. I think I love him.”

“Love?”

“Yes, and he loves me. He’s really sorry for what
happened to Shanti.” Aliyah pulled on her nightgown. “Can you just support me
and trust that I’m making the right decision in being with him?”

Layla got under the covers. “I’m just worried.”

“He’s not anything like Khalil. Maybe you could get to
know him?” Aliyah leaned her head to one side. “Wouldn’t that be fair?”

 
“I guess so.
Maybe he can come over for dinner one night.”

“Great!” Aliyah jumped up and down. “You’re gonna
really like him when you see what kind of person he is. He might look all hard,
but he’s not like that with me.”

Her ring tone continued.

“Bye.” Aliyah ran to the door and then stopped. “Oh
and…uh…how are things going with you and Cross?”

“Unfortunately, not as well as with you and A.C.” Layla
placed the laptop on her lap. “I don’t know what the future holds for me and
Cross.”

“What happened?”

“My life happened.” Layla straightened the pillow
behind her back. “Same old story.”

“But you like him.” Aliyah approached the bed. “If you
like him, then you should be with him.”

“
Liyah
.” Layla faked a
smile. “Go answer your phone.”

“Aren’t you always saying it’s important to be happy?
Cross makes you happy, so I don’t see what the problem is.”

“It’s just not the right time.”

Aliyah went to the door. “With love, it’s always the
right time.”

“Hello, Layla.” Patrick walked into her office at
Royal Delights a week later. “How are you?”

I was fine
until you showed up.

“Busy.” She typed on her computer. “I’m about to go to
lunch.”

“That’s why I’m here.” He stood in front of her desk.
“I came to ask you out to lunch.”
Is he
crazy?

She got her purse from the bottom desk drawer. “What
makes you think I wanna have lunch with you?”

“You hate me now?” He squinted. “Is that it?”

“I don’t hate you, but I don’t see why we need to have
lunch together either.”

“We need to talk.”

“I told you the only thing we need to talk about is
Shanti. How is she? Did she say anything about coming home?”

“We talked a little bit about it.” He sat in the chair
by her desk. “She asked me what she should do, and I told her it was up to
her.”

“You should’ve told her to come home. You know she
belongs with me.”

“I’m her father, so I dispute that she ‘belongs’ with
you. Maybe you need to admit that you screwed up somewhere, because she feels
like she can’t be around you now.”

“Go to hell.” She got up and shoved her chair under
her desk. “I spent twenty years with you disrespecting me in my own home and in
front of my children, but I’ll be damned if you’re gonna do it in my office.”

He stood. “Calm down. I—”

 
“Don’t tell me
to calm down!” She threw her purse on the desk. “Don’t tell me you don’t love
playing the hero to Shanti. It’s always about you looking better than I do. Why
is that, Patrick? Why throughout our entire marriage did you treat me like I
was your competition instead of your wife?”

“I didn’t realize I did that.”

“Just like you didn’t realize how critical and negative
you always were with me?” She sat back down. “Why did you always tear me down?”

“I…I’m sorry if I did that.”

“You’re damn right, you did it.” She scooted her chair
up to the desk. “At Wellington, we did exercises where we wrote down things
that made us the most stressful and why. You know what I wrote every single
time?” She pointed to him. “
Your
name
because you had me so wound up all the time that I was always walking on egg
shells around you.”

“I hate that you felt that way.” He got on his knees
beside her desk. “Layla, I love you so much. I know I wasn’t perfect, but I did
the best I could.”

“I just wanna know why you treated me like that. What
changed? When we first got together you weren’t like that. Did you resent me
because of my illness?”

“No.”

“Were you frustrated? What?”

“It wasn’t you,” he whispered. “The truth is that I’ve
always been so damn intimidated by you.” He looked her in the eyes. “I fell for
you the first moment we met because of how driven and smart you were. You had
all these dreams, and you made every one of them happen. You’re a wonderful chef,
have an MBA from Harvard, run your own catering business.”

She looked at the desk.

“And I’m some loser accountant who barely got a
degree.”

“That’s not true.”

“In my mind, I was never good enough for you. When we
got married, I was so proud that you were mine. It was a gift having you on my
arm. It made me feel important. I was so happy when you started Royal
Delights.” He shook his head. “But in my mind, I never felt I deserved you. Part
of me was glad you were schizophrenic because it made me feel like you needed
me.” Tears fell down his face. “Because I never thought I was anyone anybody
ever really needed.”

“Patrick.”

“I resented you because you can shine on your own,
Layla. You always have. Look at you now after the divorce. I never felt
important before you, and I don’t feel important now. I’ve never been able to shine,
and a part of me was so bitter about that. I guess I felt I had to down you to
feel better about myself.” He caressed her hand. “I’m sorry.” He kissed it.
“I’m asking here and now, straight out…will you give me another chance? More
than anything, I want to love you the way I should’ve the first time.”

“I’ll always love you. But I don’t want to be with you
anymore.” She let his hand go. “We had a life together, and now it’s over.”

“I’m an idiot.” He stood. “Why is it that we don’t
realize what we’ve lost until it’s gone?”

She thought of Cross. “I don’t know.”

“I’ll talk to Shanti about going home, okay?”

She stood. “I’d appreciate that.”

 
“I just can’t
believe it’s really over between us.” He went to the door. “You’ll always have
my heart…until the day I die.”

She hugged him. “Call me if you need me.”

 
“
Mmm
.” He held her tight. “You always smell so good.” He
kissed her cheek. “I use to love smelling the sheets after you got out of bed,
because I couldn’t get enough of your sweet scent. I miss you lying beside me.”

She moved from him. “Goodbye, Patrick.”

He sighed. “Goodbye, Layla.”

She closed the door and got her cell phone out. She selected
Cross’ name and number. His voice mail came on.

“Cross, it’s me, Layla. I was trying to catch you.”
She sat behind her desk. “I’m sorry for what I said at your place. I’d like to
talk things over, if you have time. Please call me back. I really do miss you.”
She went to hang up then stopped. “I…I love you, Cross.”

She hung up and let out a huge breath.

Layla got the homemade pizza sauce out of the fridge
when the doorbell rang.

“Would you get the door,
Liyah
?”

Aliyah set the ready-made pizza crusts on the table
and scampered out of the kitchen. She returned with Valerie.

“It’s Aunt Val, Momma.”

“Hey, girl.” Layla took the plastic top off her sauce.

 
“Hey!” Valerie
trotted to the counter and hugged Layla. “How are you doing?”

“How are
you
doing?”
Layla sniffed her. “Coming in here smelling nice. You sure do look all pretty.”

“Yeah, I got my hair done.” Valerie patted the bouncy
curls. “It’s about time I paid some attention to myself.” She checked out the
items on the table. “Making pizza?”

“Yep, I begged Momma to make some.” Aliyah got the shredded
mozzarella from the refrigerator and laid it on the counter. “I wanted her to
make the crust, but she refused.” She stuck her lips out.

 
“Girl, you know
the day I’ve had?” Layla stirred her sauce and put it in the microwave. “I
don’t have time to make homemade crust. I’ve been on my feet all day cooking at
work
and
dealing with that
pain-in-the-butt client. I’ll be glad when her niece’s wedding is over, shoot.”

Aliyah shook her head, grinning. “I gotta call A.C.”
She kissed Valerie’s cheek. “Love you, Aunt Val.”

“Love you too, baby,” Val told her as she left the
kitchen.

“She must really like that A.C. boy.” Valerie sat at
the table. “This is the longest
Liyah’s
been with one
boy.”

“She claims she loves him.” Layla got the pepperoni
from the refrigerator. “I didn’t like him at first, but he’s nice. He came over
for dinner a few days ago with his mom. She’s a nurse.”

Valerie propped her elbow on the table. “You and
Liyah
seem to be getting along well these days.”

“Yes.” Layla giggled. “I’m so happy to have my baby
back to normal.” She opened the pepperoni. “If only Shanti were here, then
everything would be perfect. I just hope she comes out of this soon. I’m really
worried.”

“I can’t imagine how it feels for a young girl to go
through what she went through.” Valerie crossed her legs. “We can’t expect her
to get over that in a month.”

Layla laid slices of pepperoni on a saucer. “Apparently
Khalil is in Dallas somewhere, and his mother doesn’t know where he is.” She
rolled her eyes. “I think she’s lying.”

“Well, his ass can’t hide forever.”

“He thinks he’s slick, but he’s gonna pay for what he
did to
my
baby.” Layla got the cookie
sheet from the bottom cabinet. “We’ll wait on his ass. He’ll slip up, and then
Detective Gunner will get him. Anyway, let’s change the subject.” She gestured
to Val. “You look different, and it’s not the hair.”

Valerie beamed.

“Something’s going on with you.” Layla got the crusts
off the table. “I haven’t seen you in a while, and you usually stop by at least
once a week. Every time I call you, you don’t answer or you’re busy. Working a
lot?”

Valerie wiggled her head with a sneaky smile. “That’s
not the reason I’ve been hard to catch up with.”

Layla laid the crusts on the cookie sheet. “Could
David be the reason?”

Valerie acted coy. “Things are going very,
very
nice with us.”

 
“Really?” Layla
grabbed the sauce and a spoon. “Do tell.”

“We aren’t fighting anymore. We spend time together.
We started something call David Night.”

“David Night?” Layla scooped sauce over the pizza
crusts.

 
“Yep, we have
at least one night a week where we focus on David and his needs. And
girl…that’s turning out to be focusing on my needs as well.” Valerie snapped
her fingers. “And he’s been
focusing
on my needs
very
well.”

“Freak.” Layla bent over, laughing.

 
“I forgot how
good it could feel to be in the arms of the man you love.” Valerie shivered as
if she felt a spark. “It feels so good when he holds you and whispers in your
ear after making love.”

Layla’s heart dropped.

Would she ever get to experience those tender moments
with Cross?

I’m such a
fool.

“David and I are closer than we’ve been in a long
time.”

“That’s good, Val.” Layla sprinkled cheese on the
pizzas. “You deserve to be happy. No wonder you’re glowing.”

“I’m not sure if that’s the only reason I’m glowing.” She
tapped her foot.

 
“Huh?” Layla
put her hand on her waist.

 
“I feel so full
of life.” Valerie turned her watch around on her wrist. “Should I say full of
a
life?” She looked like she’d bust from
holding in her grin.

 
“Val.” Layla
spilled cheese on the counter. “You’re not saying what I think you’re saying.”
She hopped over to her. “
Val
?” Layla
squealed.

She flashed the biggest smile Layla had ever seen. “I’m
pregnant.”

 
“Oh!” Layla
pulled her out of the chair and swung her around. “Pregnant?” She patted
Valerie’s flat stomach. “You’re pregnant?” Layla jumped up and down. “Pregnant!
You’re…”

“Pregnant. Yes.” She held her stomach.

 
“This is
wonderful!” Layla hugged her. “This is amazing! I’m so happy.”

Valerie stumbled. “I can tell because you’re about to
kill me.”

“When?” Layla caressed Valerie’s stomach. “How?”

“I think you know
how
.”
Valerie grinned. “I’m about a month.”

“Oh my God.” Layla covered her mouth. “I can’t believe
this. Does Momma know?”

“No one knows but you, David, and Corrine.”

“Corrine?” Layla dropped her hands. “You told Corrine
before me? Wait. Why would you tell Corrine before me?”

“We’re getting closer these days. In fact, when I’m
not spending time with David, I’m spending time with her. We have a day where
we hang out together each week. I told you about the counseling too.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t know you actually were going
through with it. I think that’s great.”

Valerie got a pepperoni slice off the counter and
popped it into her mouth. “Corrine and I are going to the spa next week.”

“Can I come?”

“No.” Valerie playfully pulled on Layla’s ponytail.
“We’d love for you to come, but my days with Corrine are for us to get closer.”

“I understand.” Layla snatched Valerie’s hand. “I’m so
happy for you.”

Valerie sat down. “Let’s just hope this one sticks
around to full term.”

 
“It will. This
is the first time you’ve even gotten pregnant since the miscarriage. We’re
gonna be positive. Momma’s gonna be mad that you’ve been pregnant a whole month
and hadn’t told her.”

“She’s just gonna have to be mad.” Valerie kicked off
her shoes. “This might be my last chance. In three years, I’ll be old and
decrepit like you.”

“Uh…” Layla grabbed a knife. “Who are you calling old
and decrepit?”

Valerie laughed. “Put that knife down.”

 
“No, who are
you calling old and decrepit?”

 
“Layla…” Valerie
chuckled under her hand. “You’re old.”

“I’m not old.”

“You’re forty.”

“So?” She put the knife on the counter. “Forty is the
new twenty.”

“Uh no…forty is the old forty.” Valerie guffawed.
“Both of your kids will be twenty in a few years. Face it: you’re old.”

“Damn, I can’t believe both of my babies will be that
old.”

“I can stay for pizza, right?”

“Hold up.” Layla went back to fixing it. “You gonna
come up in my house and call me decrepit and expect some pizza?”

Valerie winked. “Yep.”

The doorbell rang.

“Just a minute.” Layla left the kitchen and went to the
door. She peeked out the peephole and almost lost her breath.

Deep breaths,
Layla
, she told herself as she opened
the door.

“Hey.” Cross smiled with his hands in his pockets.

“Hey.” She almost melted at the sight of his gorgeous
eyes. “Is it safe to say you got my message?”

“I did.”

“Cross.” She pulled him into the living room. “I’m so
sorry. I was a fool. I’ve been whining all this time about not being happy, and
I go and throw away the one thing that’s made me happy in a long time.” She
took his hands. “I also abandoned you when you needed me.”

“It’s okay. I understand that you’ve been going
through things. I shouldn’t have gotten upset like I did.”

“You had every right, because all you’ve been is
supportive and look how I treated you. I’ll never do that to you again, Cross.”
She put her arms around him. “I wanna be with you. I meant what I said.” She
touched his hair. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” He hugged her tight and finished it
with a gentle kiss. “Next time, remember that whatever you’re going through…I
wanna be there for you. There’s nothing I want more, Layla. You’re so special
to me.”

“How do you always know the right things to say?” She
put her head on his shoulder. “I can’t believe it’s only been a week. I missed
you like crazy.”

“I kept hoping you’d call and…when you did…my heart
almost stopped. Getting that message made me the happiest man in the world.”

“So…” She grinned and tugged on his hand. “You wanna
stay for pizza? Val is here.”

He kissed her. “That sounds great.”

The doorbell rang and Layla huffed. “It’s like
everyone in the country decided to come over tonight.”

Cross grinned as he left the room. “Let me say hi to
Val.”

Layla looked through the peephole, and her heart
nearly dropped again. God must’ve been busy today, because he’d answered both
of her prayers.

She opened the door and there stood Shanti smiling with
her luggage. “Hey, Momma.”

“Sweetie!” Layla hugged her. “I’m so glad you’re
here.” She kissed her cheeks. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you too.” Shanti laid her hand on Layla’s
back. “I’m sorry I made you worry.”

“None of that matters now.” Layla gestured to Shanti’s
bags. “I guess this means you’re coming home?”

“If you’ll have me.”

“If I’ll have you?” Layla pinched her cheek and
grabbed a bag. “Get on in here.”

Shanti chuckled and walked in. Patrick walked up from
his car. “Hey, Lay.”

She smiled. “Patrick.”

Shanti got her other bag from Layla. “I’ll go put these
in my room.”

 
“Your room.”
Layla beamed. “I love the sound of that.”

Shanti smiled. “Goodbye, Daddy.”

He blew her a kiss. “I love you, honey.”

She turned her face, as if to pretend it landed on her
cheek, and then left the room.

“Thank you for bringing her home,” Layla said. “You
don’t know what this means to me.”

“She wanted to come.” Patrick cleared his throat. “It
was the right thing to do. She knows I’ll always be there when she needs me.”
He sniffed. “
Mmm
. That’s your homemade pizza sauce I
smell.”

“Would you like some pizza?”

“No, I see Cross and Val are here.” He pointed at
their cars in the driveway. “I don’t wanna impose.”

“You wouldn’t be imposing, as long as you don’t act a
fool.”

He chuckled. “I’d better go.”

“I don’t mind if you stay.”

“I do mind.” He exhaled. “I’m not ready to sit with
you and Cross and act like it doesn’t bother me. Maybe one day I can, but not
now.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I do hope you can accept the
changes. I know it’s hard.”

He kissed her cheek. “I’m the one who’s sorry.”

“For what?”

He walked off the stoop, saying, “For not treating you
the way I should’ve when I had the chance.”

****

“A.C., I…” Aliyah paused from her phone call and glanced
at her bedroom doorway.

Shanti waved from the hall. “Hey.”

“A.C., I’ll…I’ll call you back.” Aliyah hung up and threw
the phone on the bed. “Shanti.”

“How are you doing?” Shanti asked as she walked
inside.

 
“I should be
asking you that.” Aliyah stood. “You’re talking to me.”

“Yep.” Shanti walked around the room. “I missed you.”

“Shanti, I’m so sorry I—”

“
Shh
.” She raised her hand.
“What happened wasn’t your fault.”