"So dream on, your sleeping with the lights on,
I know I'm the one your thinking of
Don't try to run, try to run, they're coming
You'll never let this go
I got plenty of time to waste on you
And if you travel alone can I come too?"
I laughed as Layla danced to my cellphone ringtone and then I answered it, despite the frown she gave me. I smiled at her and poked her softly in the tummy before laughing and putting the phone to my ear.
"Hello?"
"Hey," Jason's voice replied back through the phone. "What's up?"
"Not much, I'm just watching tv and Layla. What's up with you?"
"Just sitting at some hotel. I'm bored, and all by myself."
"Haha. That sucks. Where's everyone else?"
"I don't know. They left while I was taking nap."
I laughed. "Haven't changed much, have they?"
"Nah, not really. Wanna meet up somewhere with me so we can catch up?"
"Uh, sure. Where?"
"How about Starbucks?"
"Okay."
"Layla's coming too, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Because I wanna see my niece!" He laughed.
I laughed and looked over at her. "Right. Well, I'll meet you there in like 30 minutes, okay?"
"Aiight."
"Bye."
"Bye!" He said. I hung up the phone and stood up, telling Layla to come with me so I could put her socks and shoes on.
{ }
"Haylessssss!" Jason yelled, rushing over and hugging me and Layla (since I was carrying her) and smiling like a huge idiot.
"You're weird." I laughed.
"Shut up." He laughed. "What's your name?" He asked Layla.
"Layla." She mumbled, shoving her face into the crook of my neck and smiling shyly.
We laughed and he smiled at me before looking back at her. "My name's Jason."
She nodded her head slightly before repeating his name under her breath.
"Wanna go sit down?" He asked me.
"Yeah, sure." I said. He lead us to a table and I sat Layla next to me before looking up at Jason who was smiling at her.
"She looks a lot like Craig," He said quietly once he noticed I was looking at him.
"Yeah. The only things that she has in common with me is that she's a girl, my eyes, and her last name."
He looked at me like he was surprised. "You didn't give her Craig's last name?"
"No, I didn't think I'd ever see him again." I said, avoiding his eyes.
"Are you ever going to tell him that you're you and that she's his?"
"Not unless I absolutely have to." I sighed.
"I think you should tell him." Jason said. "He needs to know he has a daughter."
I ignored him and looked at Layla. "Do you want a cookie, baby?"
She smiled and clapped her hands together. "Yes please, mommy."
"Okay. I'll be right back." I looked at Jason. "Want anything?"
"Nope, I already got something while I was waiting for you." He gestured to a cup sitting next to him on the table. "Thanks."
I smiled and walked up to the counter and ordered myself a Doubleshot on Ice Energy and Layla's cookie and then paid and went back to the table where Jason was making her laugh about something. I sat down and smiled at them, handing Layla her cookie.
"What are you drinking?" Jason asked me, looking from my cup to me.
"A doubleshot on ice plus energy. What are you drinking?"
"A frappucino. Duhhh." He laughed and then his cellphone started making noise, so he pulled it out and read the screen. "Craig's wondering where I am. Can I tell him?"
"If you want?" I laughed. "That's not my decision."
"Okay..." He answered and flipped open his phone, I guessed to text Craig back. I looked over and watched Layla sing to herself under her breath as she ate her cookie slowly. She looked at me and smiled, so I smiled back at her before kissing her all over her face, making her laugh. "I love you!"
"I love you too, mommy!" She grabbed my cheeks and kissed me on the tip of my nose.
I laughed and poked her tummy before looking back at Jason, who was watching us with a smile on his face. "You guys are so cute together."
I laughed. "It's all her."
"You know what would make you guys even cuter?"
"Shut up." I said.
"Okay. But, he's gonna be here in ten."
"WHAT!? JASON!"
"What? I asked you if you wanted me to tell him and you pretty much said you didn't care."
"I didn't know he'd be coming here!"
"Well, it's Craig. He doesn't have anything else to do, so he was gonna come hang out with me. He thinks I'm here by myself."
"Okay, well, maybe I should go then?"
"No!" He exclaimed, leaning across the table and putting his hand on mine. "Stay. Please? I miss talking to you."
"Um, okay. I guess we can for a little while until Layla get's tired." I said. We looked over at her and watched her poke her fingers into her cookie and make holes in it, which made her laugh. She looked up at us and picked up her cooking, holding it out in front of her.
"IT'S BROKEN!" She smiled.
Jason laughed. "Is it good?"
"No," Layla said, dropping it on the table. "It's ewwy!" She smacked it with the palm of her hand.
"Layla, please don't do that."
"Can I have a bite?" Jason asked. She smiled and picked it up again, holding it out towards him. He laughed and took a small bite of it, making her laugh and push him away by his nose. "My cookieee!"
Jason laughed. "That's a good cookie."
"Be nice, Layla." I said.
"Craaaaaaaig!" Jason cheered, standing up from the table. I took a deep breath and looked behind me as Craig walked up to the table.
"What's up?" Craig said, looking at Layla, who was preoccupied with poking more holes in her cookie.
"Not much, just hanging out with my new friends Hay-" He cleared his throat and sat down again. "Halley and Layla."
"Oh." Craig smiled at me. "I'm Craig." He extended his hand out towards me. I looked at it and took it slowly, letting him shake it up and down gently.
"Halley." I replied, letting go of his hand and looking at her. "That's my daughter, Layla."
"She's really cute." He smiled and then looked deep in thought. "She looks familiar." Jason laughed slightly and then tried turning it into a cough, catching Craig's attention for a minute before he turned it back to me. "So do you, actually."
"I--uh, don't know why I would?" I said.
"I'm not sure either." He laughed. "Sorry if that was creepy." He walked over to the other side of the table and sat next to Jason, across from Layla.
"No, it's okay." I said, as Layla started pulling her cookie apart and throwing it on the floor. "Layla, stop that." I said. "Unless you want me to eat your cookie."
"Or me." Jason laughed.
"No! My cookie!" She said, pulling another piece off and throwing it at him. I sighed and took the cookie away from her.
"I'm sorry." I told Jason.
"It's all good." He laughed.
Layla made a pouty face at Craig and he stuck his tongue out at her. She laughed, sticking her's back out at him.
"How old are you?" He asked her.
"Three!" She smiled proudly.
He made a face like he was surprised. "Really!?"
"Yes." She smiled.
"That's awesome! I'm a lot older than you though." He laughed.
She laughed. "Nooooo. You're three!"
"Oh, I'm three?"
"Yes!" She looked at me. "Mommy, he's three!"
I laughed and Jason asked her, "How old am I?"
"Oldie!" She said. "Older than mommy!"
I laughed. "Wow. Thank you, Layla."
"Mommy, how old is Daddy?"
I looked at her and then at Jason and cleared my throat. "He's 23, sweetheart."
"He's oldddd." She laughed. "Cookie?"
"Are you going to throw it at Jason again?"
"Noooooo!"
"If you do, I'm throwing it away." I said, pushing it back towards her.
"Kay mommy." She smiled and started eating it slowly.
"So," Jason said. "How long have you lived in California?"
"About four years. I moved here before Layla was born."
"Where'd you live before that?" Craig asked. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.
"Uh," I glanced around the room and saw something that said St. Louis in it. "Missouri."
"Oh. I think we've toured there before, right?" He looked at Jason, who was giving me a weird look.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure." Jason replied.
"Oh, sweet."
"Yeah. So, are you married?" Jason asked.
"No." I said.
"Ever been?"
"No. I've been engaged once..."
"Me too." Craig laughed and looked sad suddenly. "It didn't work out, I guess."
"I'm sorry." I said, feeling like I was about to start crying and looking at Layla. "I should probably get home and put Layla to bed. Thank you for inviting me, Jason. And it was nice to meet you." I smiled at Craig and stood up with my cup in my hand. "Come on Layla, you can bring your cookie if you want." She slid out of her seat as Craig and Jason stood up. She smiled and ran over to them. She hugged Jason's legs, then Craig's, and smiled up at him.
"Byebye." She said, scrunching up her hand and flexing it open and closed, as a sort-of wave. He laughed and did the same thing back to her.
"Bye." He smiled at her and looked up at me. "Maybe we'll see you again before we leave town?"
"Maybe." I smiled and looked at Jason. "Bye. Thanks again."
"Don't worry about it! I'll call you." He smiled, waving as I picked Layla up and starting walking backwards out of the building.
"Okay." I laughed and turned around. "See you."
"Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!" Layla squealed. I laughed and felt a few tears rolling down my cheeks as I began the way back to my apartment.
