Not even
two hours later and the root cause of Layla and Ignacio’s disagreement stood right
before her . Layla, Ignacio and Mariah (Tibi was on a date with Emily) had stepped through the door to find Lottie and
Raul chatting with Ottawa in the front room. As this was the first time Layla
had been back to the home her dad had grown up in since his passing Layla had
been expecting to feel a little uncomfortable. This was a little much however.
For
Ignacio, it was just one more jolt in his gut. There had been many that day.
Deciding to ignore the couple chatting with Ottawa, he brushed by them into the kitchen.
Taking
courage she didn’t feel from her husband’s actions Layla followed, making it
through the door of the kitchen just as Ignacio found Roosevelt and Kristine.
He determinedly made bright small talk, ignoring Layla as thoroughly as he had
his brother.
Letting
out a small sigh, Layla turned her focus back ahead. Hoping Sally was in the
small tv room in the back she kept going. She wasn’t in a frame of mind to play
nice with strangers tonight.
“How on
Sim Planet did you manage to make your way back here without grabbing a cup or
a bottle on the way?” Sally demanded the moment Layla made it into the back
room.
Layla
jumped a little, turning her gaze back to Sally. She’d been so busy looking at
everything she hadn’t noticed her standing by the window. The furniture had all
been pushed against the walls to make more space and the room looked strange to
her.
“Get a
cup. Join me,” Sally insisted.
“I had no
idea Ignacio was chummy with Roosevelt,” Sally began after pouring a generous
amount into Layla’s cup.
Not
entirely sure what to say Layla took an overlarge drink, wincing as the nectar
went down, burning a hole in her esophagus as it went by the feel of it. What was in this
stuff? Layla might not have been an experienced drinker, but she’d made
progress since Joel had poured her that first drink so many years ago. At
least, she thought she had.
Sally
turned swiftly at Layla’s splutterings.
“Oh come
on,” Sally scoffed. “Surely you’ve had nectar before!”
“I have,”
Layla answered. “It’s just been a while and this stuff is strong. What did you
put in it? Kerosene?”
“I don’t
believe you. Get another drink. Prove it.”
Between
yesterday and today’s events Layla gave in, hoping she’d manage to have enough
to forget everything for a while at least.
It didn’t
take long before Sally had switched out the empty nectar bottle for a full one,
filling Layla’s head with all the latest gossip from around town even as she
kept filling the cup Layla held.
A loud
snort followed by “Oh gosh! That burns! My nose!” quite some time later grabbed Ignacio’s attention
from the kitchen. He wasn’t sure how much she’d had to drink, but Layla was wobbling
and wavering even as she attempted to stand still.
Sudden
raucous laughter almost covered the sound of her kicking the coffee table that
had been pushed against the wall, but not quite. Her swaying had actually seemed to get worse.
If she didn’t put a stop to it soon, Ignacio would have to step in. He could
care less if she wanted to get drunk, but he wouldn’t have her make a fool of
herself in front of Raul and Lottie. Not tonight. No matter how stressed she
thought she was.
His
stomach dropped when Raul brushed past him, avoiding his gaze, just as Layla
asked Sally for a refill.
“Are you
sure you want more right now? I think we’re about ready for Roger to blow out
his candles.”
“Just
enough for a toast,” Layla’s reply was slightly slurred and her eyes swam in
their sockets. “For the birthday boy?”
Sally
laughed a little and poured another generous measure for them both. “Awww.
Anything for my babies.”
“To
Roger!” Layla lifted her glass.
“And to
Mariah!” Sally added raising hers as well before both took deep drafts,
erupting into peals of laughter that rang throughout the house.
Ottawa
chose that moment to run into the room carrying the toddler Roger in his arms.
“Birthday
Time!” He hollered as he made his way to the cake, pointedly glaring at Sally.
The room
filled with the rest of the well-wishers and Layla and Sally put aside their
cups to join in, much to Ignacio’s relief. Judging by the looks Ottawa threw at
Sally, he wasn’t the only one worried about just how inebriated the pair might be.
As he
watched Ottawa with his youngest son wiith Mariah standing near Ignacio suddenly
realized just how close in age these two were, which brought on other, more
troubling, thoughts. Could his little girl be growing up that quickly?
It took
just one look at the child Roger to ease his mind quite a bit. This poor kid
would be lucky to make it out of elementary school alive.
Reassured
on that one point, he shifted his focus back to Layla. Perhaps he ought to have
a word, convince her that she’d probably had enough nectar for the time being.
If nothing else, he ought to go and talk to her, smooth things over. Maybe
she’d be okay if he decided to take the gun back first thing in the morning.
Ignacio
followed through with his plans the moment the cake had been cut and the kids
had all received a slice. Sally, however, refused to budge from Layla’s side
and so he was detained chatting to the two, never noticing Raul whisper into
his wife’s ear before slipping out the back door.
Once he
was able to assure himself that Sally and Layla wouldn’t open a new nectar
bottle, Ignacio excused himself.
When
Ottawa detained him in the kitchen he decided he’d go ahead and apologize for
Layla’s behavior earlier.
“Uh,”
Ottawa seemed genuinely confused by Ignacio’s apology. “Well, honestly, I was
going to thank you for bringing your wife. Usually Sally is the only one in
there drinking away. She can’t stand that her kids are growing up and Layla
partnering with her slowed her down a lot. She could barely stand up for
Benji’s birthday.”
“Oooooh,”
Ignacio nodded, feeling distinctly out of place.
“Yeah,
man,” Ottawa continued. “Raul was here for it. Poor guy had to help me
carry her up to bed. I’d tell you to go ask him, but he already left.”
Spying
Lottie out of the corner of his eye, he was instantly confused.
“Raul
already left?”
“Yeah,”
Ottawa answered. “Didn’t say goodbye or nothin’. Give him heck for me next time
you see him.”
Ignacio
nodded.
“Actually,”
Ignacio suddenly just felt tired of it all. “I think I migh’ head out too. It’s
been a really long day. But I had a fantastic time. Thanks so much for having
us.”
“Yeah!
Yeah, man. You guys should come over more often. Layla and Sally get along so
great, and Mariah can always play with the boys. They’re all going to be in
school together after all.”
“Ah, yeah,
Mariah,” Ignacio felt suddenly stupid. “Would you mind telling Layla that I’ve
gone on? She’ll need to remember to bring Mariah back with her.”
The two
women were still happily gossiping away when Ottawa plopped himself down
between them. For several minutes they all sat in silence. Finally, Layla
leaned around him raising her eyebrows at Sally.
“Ottawa?”
Sally asked her husband.
Ottawa still sat
silently.
With a roll of
her eyes, Sally slapped his thigh. “Ottawa!”
“Hey!” he
exclaimed brightly.
“What are
you doing?”
“Trying to
remember what I’m supposed to tell Layla.”
“You’re
supposed to tell Layla something?” Sally asked.
“Yeah?
Yeah!” Suddenly, he brightened and turned toward Layla slightly. “I’m supposed
to tell you that Ignacio went on home because he was feeling tired from his
long day and that you need to get Mariah.”
Satisfied
with himself he leaned back, grinning.
“Ignacio
already left?” Layla asked, puzzled. “He left without me?” She was still
feeling a little fuzzy, and clearing her thoughts was causing her a little
trouble.
“Yep! And
don’t forget Mariah.”
Layla snorted at the thought
that she could forget her daughter. She wasn’t likely to do that again.
“Well, it’s been really fun
guys,” Layla began.
“Aw! Stay a little longer. You don’t have to go just
because Iggy left!” Sally wailed.
“No,” she
admitted. “But Mariah should probably be getting in bed. It is getting late.”
“You’ll be
back for JJ’s next birthday right?” begged Sally as Layla stood.
“Yeah,”
she said. “We’ll be here.”
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
There had
been a heavy downpour earlier in the evening, but the clouds had parted making
for a nice night and Layla decided she and Mariah would walk home. The old
farmhouse wasn’t too terribly far from home and the walk might help clear her
head further.
As mother
and daughter neared the front door, she was surprised to see it standing open.
Lights blazed through the windows and angry shouts carried back to them.
Mariah
turned a confused face to her mother as both ran in through the open door.
Layla had entered the house
with every intent of stopping whatever was going on, but when she saw the way
Raul attacked Ignacio she was stunned into inaction.
Raul threw
punch after punch, sometimes only taking enough time between them to pull
Ignacio back toward him. She had no idea how long she stood silent witness
before Mariah’s gasping cries forced her to take action.
Layla
pushed all the air out of her lungs, slowly turned and walked away from the
scene.
The enemy here was Raul.
Ignacio had told her that
just earlier today.
Raul was dangerous.
It hadn’t
been very long since Layla had finally gained her calm happy place.
Tibi was
happy.
Mariah was
happy.
Layla was
happy.
Ignacio could be happy too,
if it weren’t for Raul.
Raul was a
threat to Ignacio. Therefore Raul was a threat to Layla, Tibi, and Mariah. She
needed Ignacio. They all needed Ignacio. And now, Ignacio needed her.
Ignacio
had brought the gun into the house with the purpose of protecting his family. Now
Layla would use it to protect his family, and she would protect him.
Around
her, everything moved in slow motion. But Raul still moved too much. Her deep
breathing steadied her nerves, and she carefully kept an eye on Raul’s back.
Beside
her, Mariah sobbed, prancing on her tiptoes, begging Uncle Raul to stop hurting
her Daddy.
But the
sound was distorted for Layla, muffled, unclear, and slowly, slowly, she raised her arms. Raul
had been on top of Ignacio for a few moments now. At last, he was still enough
for her to get a good shot.
Mariah’s
shrieks grew louder as Ignacio’s movements became feebler. It was time.
Layla had
heard it was incredibly hard to shoot another sim. That it takes more than just
having a gun, or the will, or even a reason to be able to kill in cold blood. And
now, with everything she held dear on the line, Layla wasn’t sure she had that
extra something.
Then
Ignacio stopped moving and Mariah screamed.
Her
daughter’s never ending scream made the rest of the world come suddenly into
sharp focus for Layla. With a final steadying breath she put her finger on the
trigger and
