“You’ve
been avoiding me, Ignacio,” her voice was just a little husky, but her
tones were musical and her eyes were captivating.
Ignacio
shook his head, rolling his eyes again.
“I know
you. And I know how you are. You are avoiding me.”
“Look, in
order to continue to do business with Matthew I had to promise that I would not
bring drama into his store,” he said. “This is not the time nor the place.”
“Are you
planning to be home early enough to actually speak to me?”
Ignacio
turned his head, pouting a little.
“See? This
is why I’m here. You’re purposely keeping away from me and I’m determined to find out why,” she
said.
“Look,” he
finally said. “Look, I have no idea why you would think I am avoiding you.
Considering we all live in the same house and I have been home more than is
normal the past few days I am not entirely sure staying away from you is even possible.
Besides, with what you know, I couldn’ run away if I tried.”
“You may
sit at my table and eat my food, but you are not present all the same,” she
shot back. “Even Tibi has noticed that you’re just not there.”
He threw
her the dirtiest look he could muster. That was a low blow. A flash of lightning from the raging storm outside illuminated his face momentarily making him look angry indeed.
“If Tibi
has ‘noticed’ anything, or said anything about me, it is because you put her up
to it,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “Tibi gets just as much of my time and
attention as she did when I still worked for Ned and I’d know if she was not
acting normally toward me.”
The woman
pouted, clearly put out that he wasn’t allowing her arguments to get to him.
“You don’t
even let me touch you when you are
home!” she pled.
“Just give
me a hug,” she changed her demeanor to sweet and happy in a moment. “Just one
hug. Or shake my hand! If you’re really not avoiding me then let my see
for myself.”
Ignacio
covered his face with a hand, shaking his head.
“No,” he
said flatly, letting his hand fall back by his side. “I value my privacy, thank
you.”
“It’s not
like it would hurt you,” she continued to plead.
“It would
hurt me plenty and you know it,” he shot back.
Dropping
her act, she stood firmly upright, looking squarely at him in silence for
a moment. Behind her, Matthew reappeared at the register looking at the pair
furtively.
“Well
then,” she said. “Will you be home tonight at least? You know our time is always precious.”
“I was
home last night.”
“That
isn’t an answer.”
“I do not
know. I have another stop after I finish here. Depending on how well that
errand goes will determine when I will be home for the night,” he said wearily.
“Well,
then,” she smiled. “I guess that’s a start.”
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
“Daddy?”
She’d gone out to get the morning mail the next day thankful the heavy rain of
last night had finally stopped.
“How are you?” She’d just
shoved the few bills back into the box when her phone rang.
“I was swimming the other
day. That's why I didn’t call when I usually do.” Normally it was her mother who
called so hearing from Buck was a treat.
“Yes, I know how to swim.
Just because you don’t like water doesn’t mean I don’t.” Her dad had been
heavily on her mind that day. She’d almost laughed aloud thinking of the
expression he’d have on his face if he could see her splashing around the
little fish pond with Ignacio.
She paced a step or two
nearer Ignacio’s house half hoping he’d come out and she could hand the phone
to him and ‘introduce him’ to her parents. But he
didn’t, so she turned and walked nearer the mailbox again, looking out over the
mountains.
“Did you
guys hear from Phedra?” Phedra had been keeping in touch this time to Layla’s
delight. Though communications was about to get more spotty with her as the
research team she was with wound down their preparations ready to get to work
at last.
“Yeah,
she’s beyond excited about that.” Phedra had told Buck and Helen that Layla had
a boyfriend. Thankfully, she hadn’t given them any further information. So
Layla would only have to explain the painfully embarrassing situation if
Trigger or Estella told them as well as gave a name, something Layla rather doubted.
“How’s
Arden?” she asked, brushing a leaf off of her mailbox. Arden was finally
expecting and Galen was thrilled. Helen and Buck were beside themselves with
joy. This would be the first grandchild they would be able to hold. They didn’t
know that Henry wasn’t with Phedra and George.
“Why did
she even try to do that?” Well, that wasn’t the answer she’d been anticipating.
“Is Mom
okay then?” Stupid Arden and her stupid ideas. Helen had better be alright.
Galen should have stepped in and put a stop to that particular scheme his wife
had cooked up.
“Uh huh,”
Layla listened intently. Suddenly she wished she were inside so the stupid
birds wouldn’t be singing their stupid songs.
“Do you
want me to come home and take care of her?” ‘And beat some sense into Arden’s
thick skull?’ She added in her head. Arden could use a good dose of common
sense in Layla’s opinion.
“Yes, I
know what I promised Mom before I left, but-” Damn it. Trust Mom to make sure
that Dad knew all about that.
“I don’t
care if it’s just a pinched nerve in her back! You just said she could hardly
get out of bed, or walk! It’s not like I’ve got anything important going on
and-” Dammitdammitdammit. She could take better care of her mother than Arden
or her Daddy. Buck was even older than mom and couldn't help her get up an down
as easily as Layla could.
“You
promise?” An in-home nurse was better than nothing. Still, Layla could do it
for free and save them the expense.
“Yeah,
just let me know when she’s awake again and I’ll gladly call her to cheer her
up. I’ll send some flowers or something too. Too bad you’re not closer. I’d get
Aunt Estella to organize a few drop ins.”
“Oh, wow,
Dad. You have no idea how these people are.”
“Ok, yeah
I guess you do since you grew up here. Haha.” Layla chuckled. “I still kind of
forget that this is home for you a lot more than Lucky Palms ever was.”
“Maybe
because you never talked about it.”
“Yeah,
just don’t hurt yourself trying to take care of Mom please.” She turned back to
face the house next door.
Why didn’t
Ignacio come out?
“I miss
you, too. Yeah. Love you, Bye.”
She really
needed him right about now.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
The day
turned hazy as the temperatures climbed and Layla again found herself without
the energy to do anything other than brood as afternoon rolled around. Taking a book out to her little
backyard she planted herself on the bench and tried to focus on the words.
It didn’t
work.
“Hey! You
didn’ answer your phone,” Ignacio slid into the backyard with his usual quiet
approach. “I called to see if you wanted to get some lunch.”
Not in the
mood to respond Layla pretended as if that particular page was quite
engrossing. In reality, she wasn't sure she even remembered the title of the book.
He stood
for a moment studying her, waiting for her to respond. When she didn’t he
rolled his shoulders.
“Oh,
something’s wrong, huh?”
She still didn’t
respond. He should have been home when she needed him. And that sounded
childish to her and made her pout even more.
He sat
next to her, waiting for her to finally decide to talk to him.
“My sister
in law is an idiot,” Layla tucked the book away. But she still didn’t want to
look at him.
“I am
assuming this is your other brother’s wife,” a smile teased his lips. “Because
Miss Olivia is anything but an idiot. Sometimes a little flighty, but she is
very much in possession of all her faculties.”
Unable to
resist she turned to look at him finally, a half smile making a grudging
appearance.
“You wanna
laugh,” he said.
Her grin
grew fractionally.
“You know
it was a pretty poor attempt at wit and it makes you want to smile.”
At last,
she rolled her eyes and chuckled.
“Fine,
you’re right. Olivia isn’t the problem.”
“I knew
it. Now tell me what is.”
So Layla
told him about her mother being hurt and that she had promised before moving
out here that she wouldn’t go home if she heard either of her parents weren’t doing well.
It was
nice to really be able to get it all off her chest without being contradicted
or interrupted. Ignacio listened attentively, only offering words of comfort
when she left him an opening. And before she knew it she’d managed to play the
subject out and talk herself into being reasonable.
When she’d entirely
wound down Ignacio slid over, putting his arm around her shoulders.
“It will be
alright,” he soothed. “Really. She will get better and you can go to visit
and not break your promise. Then you can see for yourself just how things
are and you can be easy again. And when you are satisfied you will return here and the two of us can have a wonderful reunion.”
“That’s a
pretty good plan,” she said. “I might do just that. Especially that reunion part. Maybe we could practice how that might go.”
“Mmmmm! They do say that practice makes perfect.”
“Well,
now,” a voice sounded from behind Ignacio. “Isn’t this cozy?”
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Alright, I got the notification that Helen isn’t long for
the world. Then Layla inherited her camera, a film strip of Helen and Buck, and
a plate of rotten pancakes. (Not cool EA) So I figured I’d set it up a little. Very obliging of Buck to call for that purpose.
Next time! We will learn who she is Next Time!
