Amelia’s laughing too now, calling him a menace. Carter joins in, teasing him about burning half the pancakes. Catalina’s humming softly, setting the table.
I pick up Leo when he begins fussing, gently settling him against my shoulder. He calms down immediately, his tiny fingers curling into my shirt.
“Yeah,” I whisper, mostly to myself. “You’ve got it figured out, huh?”
Carter glances over, smiling faintly. “Look at you, he likes you.”
“Guess I’m good with quiet company,” I say, bouncing Leo gently.
The truth burns underneath my words.
Iwantthis.
The mornings, the laughter, the peace.
But what if that’s not meant for me?
Layla’s world is quick and vibrant, filled with cameras and flashing lights.
Mine’s slow and quiet, built from ashes and barstools.
Maybe I’m her escape, the safe place she runs to when everything gets too loud. And maybe when she finally finds her footing, she’ll realize I was never meant to stay in her story.
Leo babbles softly against my shoulder, and I close my eyes, breathing him in. The smell of baby lotion and pancakes fills the air.
I wish I could hold on to this moment a little longer.
Maverick’s voice booms again, dragging me back. “Hey, Reedddd, you gonna eat?”
I force a smirk. “God, you’re so loud, I’m comin’.”
He grins, flexing his biceps, smirking like the idiot he is.
They all laugh again, loudly and effortlessly.
I smile with them, convincingly and rehearsed. But inside, it feels like standing in the middle of everything I’ve ever wanted, knowing it might never be mine.
layla
. . .
Brian’s laughter echoes through the hallway, muffled by his gaming headset.
He’s been at it for hours, yelling into the mic at his friends, cursing, laughing, swearing he’s “almost done.”
He always says that.
I stand in the doorway for a long minute, with my arms crossed, watching him.
He doesn’t even look up.
“I’m going to check the mail,” I say.
He doesn’t glance over. “Yeah, whatever.”
My chest tightens, not from surprise, but from the dull familiarity of it.
I grab my keys and leave quietly.
