Chapter 2.6-Such Wonderful Tales

          Language, Language Miss Layla. Again. A Language warning. It's going to be a bit stronger this time. I'm really putting off putting up the adult content warning. So if language offends you speak now or forever hold your peace. You've been warned.

          Her resolve to keep rooted in the present had been strengthened by Cyrus’ return, though Layla still had to remind herself of the lessons she had learned along the way. One way she decided to do this was to finally start using them.

          All the seeds she’d saved aside instead of selling were finally being planted as she had vowed to do weeks and weeks ago. She could hardly wait to see how wonderful it tasted, and was already planning a dinner in a day or so to use them all.

          Aunt Estella had been coming by with a bag of produce from their garden every few days and had helped her plan what would be best to plant for more general use. You didn’t want so much that it would go bad before you used it all. Layla hadn’t realized that, and had even attended a canning session at her Aunt and Uncle’s farm hoping to learn some preservation techniques.

 

         Three hours later, she had left to let Sarah, Aunt Estella, and Rosemary finish the job on their own. It was more work, and far more heat, than she had thought it would be. She’d just stick to seasonal produce thank you very much. It wasn't like the grocery store would be running away in the winter.

          And today, after a quick shower, she was headed out to eat someone else's food for a change. Ned had called and invited her over for lunch and a tour of his house and grounds. It was just the thing she needed right now. Sarah kept popping up at odd moments and she was starting to feel she needed away from her own house so she didn’t have to listen to the constant chatter about boys her young cousin kept up. Layla loved Sarah, don’t get that wrong, she just needed a longer moment away from this surrogate little sister than she usually got.

          Ned had been waiting on his steps when she arrived. Looking like a school boy waiting on Christmas he’d jumped up, eyes round, grinning from ear to ear before composing himself as Layla strolled nearer.

          “I thought we’d look around outside first,” Ned’s voice was slightly more bass than she’d remembered. It confused Layla. “Then I can show you around inside after we eat lunch.”

          “Lovely,” she smiled at him gently and he momentarily, visibly, melted before gathering himself again.
         It was a little chillier this morning than she’d been prepared for. Reaching around she chafed her arm, her hand barely brushing Ned's elbow as she did so.

          Jumping, gasping as though he'd received an electric shock, he turned to her, his eyes open even wider than before.

          “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think to offer you my arm!” This time, his voice was back to normal and he was slightly flushed as he stuck his elbow out at her.

          Holding back a giggle, Layla tried to suppress her mirth at his obvious embarrassment. Hadn’t he been a little smoother the other day? Or had that been a fluke?

          Then it hit her, maybe this wasn’t just meant as a lunch between friends. Maybe this was supposed to be a date. Sighing, she looked back at Ned fondly. She wasn’t sure she was really attracted to him, but he was kind, sweet, gentle and obviously had a lot of money.

          Trying not to embarrass him further Layla decided she could be sweet to Ned, if nothing else. Or maybe, maybe she could add a little spice to his day. Deciding that would be a little more fun and could possibly even get her some action Layla decided to put on her sweetest smiles and be as charming as she knew how.

          “Aw!” she pretended to gush. “No one’s ever offered me their arm to hold while walking. You’re so sweet!”

          Ned’s face and ears matched his sweater as he beamed at her. Completely forgetting that he’d been offering her his arm he began to walk off, taking strides she found difficult to keep up with. Then he began regaling her with a History of the Hale Family.

          He described where the bricks used to build the house had come from, told her the scientific names of the plants they passed. His method of assessment of the surroundings left beauty far behind, making it more a history lecture than a story.

          His obvious nerves combined with how hard he was trying to play cool surprised Layla. She’d figured that after boarding school in a foreign nation he’d be far more suave and experienced than he was currently acting. Not that she wasn’t flattered by his very plain liking for her. In fact, she was very flattered. What would Sarah say if she knew that Layla had it in her power to hook the town’s most eligible bachelor?

          “It’s just incredible how you can remember all the plant names! And the story of the bricks is absolutely fascinating.”

          Ned jumped at her voice, again reddening. This time even his arms flushed as he chuckled nervously. They were about to round a corner into the backyard and he turned his face from her to hide his unease.

          “Yeah.”

          “Oh! Ned! It’s so cute!” Gushing really wasn’t her style, but of anything else she’d done, it was gushing that seemed to get Ned’s attention. And really, the little cottage they'd come across in the back was darling.

 

          “It was originally where my grandparents-” Ned puffed with pride just a little as he told her the history of the cottage, about the little garden in back, the imported fountain, the collection of nectar stored inside while Layla kept up her cutsie act.

          “Wait, you said that as a kid you wished it was a normal pool house? You have a pool?” Finally, something had caught her attention outside of trying to see just how much she could mess with Ned’s head. It showed in the sudden return of her usual manner.

          “Yeah, it’s right over here actually,” Ned beamed, thrilled at finding something she seemed to be genuinely interested in.

          “It was put in so my mother could learn to swim,” Ned went on with his History of the Hale Family Home while Layla got ideas.

          For once, Layla was back in Ouroboros, in a lagoon with Joel even, without actually getting lost within her memories. She was being cute! It was time for his attention to be on her, not on the grounds. Couldn't she pull something similar to what she had done on Ouroboros if they were both in the pool?

          “Mmmm! I haven’t been swimming since I’ve been here,” Layla interrupted him. She wasn’t listening really anyway and had no idea she’d interrupted. “I’d love to slip my bikini on and go for a swim with you. We could have some fun in the water I bet.”

          Ned didn’t move, didn’t respond. Though she couldn’t be sure, she suspected he might not be breathing either.

          “Don’t you think we could have some fun in the water, Ned?” Layla asked again, sugary voiced. Right now, it didn't matter that it was just a little bit chilly for a spring day. She wanted a swim, with Ned.

          Finally, he looked at her, his eyes wide, face blank and his breath returned quick and shallow. He held her gaze for almost a minute before a soft wwwwwhhhhhzzzzzzzz, plop made him blink and look away.

          “Look!” Ned almost shouted in a squeaky voice, finally taking a deep breath. “Look! It’s my fishersim! Ignacio! Let’s go say hi and see how my koi are doing!”

          Shoulders drooping, pouting, Layla watched Ned’s back in exasperation. Seriously? She made him that nervous? And he didn’t take the bait? What would she have to do? She’d love to see Sarah’s face if she managed this! Love to! Should she just strip right in front of him? Would that get his attention?

          “Iggy!” Ned called. “Iggy my man! Come here a minute!”

          “-He keeps them fed and makes sure they don’t get over crowded,” Ned still hadn’t stopped babbling to Layla over his shoulder. "But he also does a lot of errands for me and helps keep the lawn maintenance service under control and supervised. I really don't know a whole lot about what makes plants grow, or what makes them healthy. He does though. So he's much more than what his title suggests."

          “Oh, look,” exclaimed Layla, hoping to get his attention back on her. Her eyes still on him only. “Look we could sit here and watch the fountain and the fish swimming! Wouldn’t that be nice?”

          “You’ve gotta meet Ignacio,” Ned talked over her.

          In exasperation Layla turned her gaze to the approaching sim. It was Whistling Stranger, her confidante for her picnic a few days ago. But Ned was talking to him in plain simlish. Didn’t he know that Whistling Stranger didn’t speak simlish?

          She looked at him quizzically, wide eyed, while he smiled broadly back at her, his eyes dancing with merriment. Moving so that Ned would look at her again, Layla proceeded to question him.

          “What did you say his name was? I’ve kinda met him once, but he didn’t seem to understand me.”

          “This is Ignacio Guerra,” Ned frowned a little, looking between the two a little confusedly. “And I don’t know why he wouldn’t understand you. Iggy?”

          “Era solo una broma,” Whistling Stranger finally spoke, looking only at Ned, grinning wickedly. (It was a joke.)

          “That’s the first time I’ve even heard him speak.” Layla then told Ned about meeting Ignacio at the pond and waterfall where he was fishing and she was picking up pretties. How she’d asked him to sit and eat but he wouldn’t speak to her. She conveniently left out just how much talking she had done, as well as what she had told Ignacio that day.

          Perplexed, Ned looked squarely at Whistling Stranger. “Why would you not answer her questions? Talk to her? Not a very good joke for her, my friend.”

          Layla blanched listening to Ned. Oh.My.PlumbBob. He can understand simlish? He knows all that-I told him about-holy shi-oh this is awful.

          “Look,” Ned finally smiled at her. He attempted to put on a kind smile, but ended up looking patronizing instead. “He said it was a joke. Tell her yourself Iggy. She needs to hear it from you.”

          Layla refused to look at him, Ignacio, standing calmly by her side.

          “It was jus’ a joke,” His voice was velvety smooth with just a hint of Spanish spice in his words along with a trace of irony. “I meant no harm.”

          Hearing the same words she’d said to Ned the first time she’d met him coming out of Ignacio’s mouth, Layla’s nostrils flared as she struggled to keep the sweet smile in place.

          “There see?” Ned beamed at her.

          “Ah!” Ned exclaimed, looking at his watch. “It’s getting a little late, we should go inside and have lunch so I can show you around the house.”
          Layla was frozen, she couldn't even nod.

          “Ignacio, thanks for clearing that up for her. Keep up the good work!” 

          Ned turned and had already started in on the general origins of hedge mazes when Layla had an idea. She needed to talk to Ignacio, make sure he’d keep his mouth shut, now. Grabbing her boot, she hopped a little behind Ned.

          “Ah,” she whined a little. “Ouch, I think I’ve got a rock in my boot. I’m just going to use one of those benches to sit on to get it out. I’ll be in right behind you, Ned.”

          He waved, turning around only slightly before he went into the house. Layla watched him for only a moment before giving Ignacio the filthiest look she could muster as she fake-limped over to the benches.

          The moment she heard the door to the large house close, she spun on her heel to find Ignacio standing right behind her.

          “What the hell is wrong with you?”

          “That is not a question I will answer.” He crossed his arms in front of himself protectively, mimicking her own stance.

          “No? Like how you wouldn’t talk to me the other day either? Like how you let me go on and on about personal matters without even the decency to tell me your name? To tell me that you very well didn’t need to hear any of that since you didn’t know me?”

          “On the contrary, I now know you very, very well mi Llamita,” Ignacio’s eyes raked her up and down, making her angrier still. “Like, how when this- Joel? Was it?- would run the back of 'is hand down your cheek, following the line of your shoulder and side and it would make you-"

          “You do not know me!” She hissed baring her teeth a little. “And you won’t tell anyone a single word of what I told you! You’ll forget it!”

          “Ah! See, forgetting such wonderful tales might be a little tricky to do. Especially when I need to keep in the bosses good graces. I would hate for him to be mad at me when he figures out that the woman-” the delicate stress he laid on the word made it sound so horrible to Layla- “he thinks is such a delicate flower is far far far more hardy than he will ever know. Though he might like to eventually know what your lover can do to pleasure you to the fulles'.”

          “You wouldn’t dare-” Layla spluttered.

          “-Oh, I would! Unless, of course, you would not mind giving me something in return for a possible lapse of memory? Jus’ a little something.”

          “And what could I possibly give you to shut you up?”

          Ignacio was silent, poker faced, studying her closely.

          “A date,” lifting an eyebrow. “Jus’ one date. Jus’ one night to see if I can’t get you to forget your tropical tryst and Ned and think of me instead. I will give you time, let you think, be tempted. I just need more than this moment with you.”

          “We are NOT having a moment! We aren’t going to have anything! If you think that I’m going to go out on a date with you-do anything with you-” Layla’s blood boiled, her ears popped.

          “I said I’d give you time to consider, I suggest you use it. Think about it. Think about all I know. I could tell the entire town about you, mi Llamita.”

          “I don’t have to think about anything! I’d never, ever, consider a date with a weasel like you!”

          “Is that your answer then?”

          “Yes, it is!” Layla bared her teeth a little, growling at him.

          “Then here is mine.”

          Sticking out a ‘thumbs down’ he blew a loud raspberry at her, looking peeved. "Pppppppbbbbbbbbtttttttttt!"

          “AAAAAAUUUUUURrrrrrrrggggggghhhhh!
Oh, my PlumbBob! What the hell is wrong with you! Why won’t you just keep quiet!”

          “Wha' is wrong with me?” Ignacio asked sarcastically.

          Layla hung her head and groaned.

          “Why? Why? Why? Whywhywhywhywhy?”

          “Hmmmm,” After contemplating the skies for a moment he finally looked at her again. “'Cause I know that Ned will never satisfy you like I could. You need to give me a shot. But you won’. You won’ let me show you. That’s why.”

          Layla’s eyes flew back open. “If you think I’d ever do anything with someone who is threatening to blackmail me-”

          Ignacio actually seemed frightened by the sudden change in Layla’s demeanor. She was no longer pleading or frustrated. She had snapped. And now she was prowling closer to him.

          “-'ey, now! I jus’ asked for a date with a pretty-”

          “-You’ll get nothing from me you sack of shit!”

          “'Ey, now,” Ignacio stepped backwards, trying to edge sideways a little to avoid the bench behind him. “There is no need to call names.”

          “No need!” Layla’s voice was high pitched and deadly. “You think there’s no need? I think there’s plenty of need! You tricked me!”

          “You did not 'ave to talk to me! I was a stranger!”

          “You could have used some common courtesy and actually said something!” Layla poked him harder and harder and he continued to back up inch by inch with each jab.

          “You did not give me time to say anything!”

          “Interruptions are magic things you don’t understand then?!?”

          “Then maybe this is something you will understand,” Layla was literally seeing red, she was so mad. “You will never, ever, ever, push me around. How would you like it if I went and told Ned what you had done? That I had spilled my soul to a stranger because I was feeling lonely, and that he pretended to not speak my language, then said he’d tell the town the secrets of my soul unless I dated him.”

          This time, Ignacio finally seemed to get what she was saying. He had also found the edge of the platform with his heel and had had enough of her finger in his chest.

          Standing as firmly upright as he could, trying not to fall backwards, he grabbed the wrist she wasn’t poking him with, twisting it to pull her closer so he could look squarely in her eyes.

          “No one pushes me around,” he said sternly. “No one, ever, pushes me around.”

          Chest heaving in fury, Layla’s eyes sparked. “Oh, really?”

          “Really. You will not push me any further, woman.”

          “I will push you however far I want!” Placing both of her hands squarely on his chest she pushed him backwards with all her strength.

          To Layla, he seemed to fall in slow motion. Her anger had finally broken and she could stand there calmly. He shouted out as he went backwards and down, though she couldn’t understand the string of words he unleashed.

          Spluttering, soaked and as fiery mad as Layla had been a moment before, Ignacio finally managed to get his feet under him and he stood up glaring at her.

          “Oh,” she put on a sad face, pouting. “Oh, I’m sowwy. Did I puss you? Poow baby.”

          “You will pay for that,” Ignacio panted. “I swear you will pay for that.”

          “Like hell I will. Tell a soul, I’ll tell the entire town how you tried to blackmail me. Ned included. Keep your mouth shut, asshole.”

          “You will give me chance, and you will help me out of here.”

          “Nope.”

          “I cannot get out of here without help!”

          Shrugging and skipping a little Layla smiled as sweetly as she had at Ned earlier.

          “Sucks to be you then!”

          Ignacio’s eyes widened and he snarled at her.

          “Adios, asshole!” Layla threw a salute at him just as Ned stuck his head out of the door.

          “Layla? I've got lunch all ready. Are you coming in?”

          “I’m on my in way right now,” Layla winked at Ignacio, smirking as she turned from him. “You know, Ned? I just love your koi pond. It’s really peaceful. But your fishersim needs to learn some manners. He wouldn't even offer to help me get the stone from my boot!”

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Special thanks to Gemly_Teddie for the idea to push Ignacio into a pond! I had a lot of fun doing it. ;) And he totally deserved it.


Also, I'm not going to have Ignacio speak Spanish (or Spansimlish) very often as my own is terribly rusty. It's been years since I've needed it on a day to day basis, though it would be handy to remember how to be able to tell the neighbors to shut up their stupid rooster before I report them for having two dozen chickens in their backyard. (Though the kids do love to chase them around any time one of them escapes.) So my best phrase right now is "Mi español es unas palabras malas. Por favor hable inglés" which usually gets me a hearty laugh, a punch to the shoulder, and courtesy (My Spanish is a few bad words. Please speak English.) So I'm not going to push my luck on remembering anything more than that (and the few bad words I really do know) until I try to get chummy with some of the neighbors and get them to teach me again.

And finally, Layla didn't take offence to Ignacio calling her "Mi Llamita" since she misunderstood what he was saying. She thought what he was saying had the same meaning as "Mi Amiga," though she also thought she had heard it as "Mi Amita" and had simply known the word "Amiga" incorrectly prior. Of course, had she understood "Mi Amita" she might have been even angrier. Ha! Her linguistic skills are supposed to be nonexistent, I'm just using this as justification, reasoning, rambling...