“Mama, mama, mama.” I hear Layla calling me repeatedly. I can’t stop the small smile from forming on my lips and get up to meet them at the door.
“Hi, Baby Girl,” I grab her under her outstretched arms. “Did you miss me?”
Her only response is to grab my face and kiss me. That puddle on the floor would be my heart melting from her sweetness.
“Hey, Tonya,” Charleigh chirps from beside Jake. “How are you?”
“Good,” I shrug. “Well, as good as I can be trying to balance everything.”
“I don’t know how you do it. That girl,” she points at Layla. “Wears me out every time we have her. She’s constantly waddling around and getting into everything she can reach. She even tries to get the stuff she can’t reach. Where does she get her energy from?”
Shaking my head, I laugh. “I have no idea, but I wish I could bottle it up and use it to get through my days.”
“I don’t blame you.”
Jake leans in to give Layla a quick kiss on the back of her head. “Bye, Sweetheart. I’ll see you later.”
“Bye, bye,” The two words fall from her tiny lips as she snuggles into me.
Jake turns to me, “We’ve already fed her, so she should be good to go to bed. If you need us to keep her more over the next week, let me know. We’ll take her whenever you need us to so y’all can get things done.”
“Thanks, Jake.” I move Layla to my hip and lean into Reaf. “We might take you up on that.”
“I mean it, any time. I love spending time with her. Even if the house looks like a tornado hit it when she leaves.”
“I’ll text you and let you know if we need you.”
“Bye,” they wave and walk to their car.
Reaf swoops Layla out of my arms. “I will put her to bed.” He turns my body back toward the living room and couch. “You go lie back down. I’ll see what your mom has stowed away in the fridge once she’s asleep.”
“You don’t have to-” I begin, but he cuts me off.
“I know I don’t have to do it. I want to. I know all of this has been rough on you with everything else, and I want to help.”
“Thank you,” I whisper.
He places a finger under my chin and lifts it until my eyes meet his. “You’re welcome. But I’m here for the long haul. Otherwise I wouldn’t have asked you to marry me.” He pauses for a second. “I want to help you. I want to ease your burdens. But I can’t do that if you are always so damn stubborn.”
Grinning, I place a quick kiss on his lips. “I’ll try to be less stubborn, but I make no promises.”
Reaf walks with Layla to her room, and I pull the blanket off the back of the couch and lie down. I can faintly hear him softly humming to her as he puts her to sleep. I let the sound of his voice calm me. She’s not the only one that falls asleep to the sound of his voice. Before long, my eyes close and I fall asleep on the couch knowing how lucky I truly am.
* * *
“Oh my gosh,” Cami exclaims. “It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve seen you.” She throws her arms around me, pulling me into a hug. The crazy woman didn’t even knock. Not that she has to since she has a key. But a little warning would have been nice. I could have been naked or something.
“It’s literally been a month and a half,” I deadpan. She has entirely too much energy. Did she stop at every coffee shop between Hilltown and Asheville?
“That’s still too long.” The suitcase by her feet falls over when she bumps into it. Bending down, she grabs the handle and wheels it into my bedroom. Right in the middle of the floor. I see her tidiness hasn’t improved.
Pushing the suitcase to the side, I make room for Darcy to come into my room. She hasn’t reached the same level of comfort in my home that Cami has. “You can set your stuff wherever you want.” I whirl around on Cami. “And, you. Keep it down. You’re going to wake Layla up.”
She practically runs toward the door. “I have to go see my baby girl.”
I step in front of her, blocking her path. “If you wake that child up… I. Will. Cut. You.”
“With what? Your bitchiness?” She rolls her eyes. “Sorry, sister. Your threats don’t scare me.” She sucks in a big breath. “But I will leave her alone. Not because of you, just so you know. We need to catch up on what needs to be done, and everything else.”