Page 37 of In the Lonely Hour

“Thank you for agreeing to meet me for lunch,” Marilyn expressed.

“Oh, it’s fine. I appreciate you even asking. Last night wasn’t the way I wanted to officially meet anyone in Dre’s family.”

“I knew we would come to this moment eventually. My son risked a lot for you.”

“What do you mean?”

“He paid for the aide for your daughter out of his own pocket. His team and their payroll was covered by Andres.”

“Wow. I had no idea.”

Marilyn smiled. “We didn’t either until everything went down. Then we found out about you being married.”

Layla’s head shook as she released a hard breath. “I’ve never cheated on my husband. Well, we’re separated, so it’s not really like…”

“I’m not here to judge you.” Marilyn’s hands were lifted in surrender as she smiled softly. “I’m just counting the ways my son proved he was falling in love with you before we even knew who you were.”

Layla smiled as their waitress came to take their drink orders. They’d met at Babalu, and all she needed was a cocktail and their loaded guacamole to feel good.

“So tell me about you and Dior. I too had a very special and unique little girl. But with Emily, I had my husband and two sons to help. That hasn’t been the case with you?”

Layla’s head shook as she smiled sadly. “No. Carlos never wanted kids. I didn’t think finding out I was pregnant would change that for him just because it changed for me, but I wasn’t expecting things to be so hard either. I felt like I raised her alone even with him being in the house. And eventually, I started pulling away from my family out of shame. Marriage was a big deal, is a big deal, to them. I didn’t feel right going around themknowing how horrible things were between us, so me and Dior kind of just created our own little world with just the two of us.”

She smiled softly. “Then Carlos said he wanted our separation to become an actual divorce, and Andres was recommended to help Dior transition into high school and make new friends while dealing with our divorce. For the first time, I felt like I had a real life partner.” Layla sighed as her arms covered with goosebumps. “He’s been literally everything we needed. Everything I had accepted I would never have. I hate how we came into each other’s lives, but I don’t regret it at all. And I can’t… I don’t have the space in my heart to hold shame for anything else.”

Marilyn stretched her arm across the table, and Layla placed her hand inside of hers.

“If you ever need to talk to someone who understands, I am always here. I know what it’s like to raise a child with Autism, and I also know what it’s like to lose. Because I know what it’s like to lose, I know how powerful the urge to gain really is. That makes it impossible for me to judge you. As long as I know that my son’s heart is safe with you, once you are divorced, you two will have my blessing.” Layla nodded in appreciation. “And I want you to know that you can be an amazing mother and make mistakes. Have a life. Trust your daughter with others. Dior should be the center of your heart, mind, and life… but you have to have other parts. If you don’t, what will you have when she grows up and goes out on her own? It’s time to start living for yourself, because that’s a major part of Dior’s health, happiness, and development as well.”

Layla chuckled softly as Marilyn released her hand.

“Yeah, I think I fully realized that last night. I’d been working so hard to keep our family together because I thought that was the right thing to do, and I was making myself miserable in the process. That was effecting her far more than me leaving Carlosever would have. She showed me yesterday that she’s more than capable of telling me what she wants and doesn’t want and how the choices I make for her make her feel. I have to start allowing her to grow up and be more vocal about her life and everything included within it and trust that I’ll always do what’s best for the both of us.”

“Chile, you’ll never fully embrace the fact that she can think for herself and make her own decisions. Hell, I still struggle with that with my overgrown sons.”

They shared a soft laugh as Layla nodded in agreement. “So it’s not just a me thing?”

“Not at all. That’s a mama thing. You always want to do what you think is best to protect them. At some point, you have to just trust that you’ve raised her well enough to do what’s best for herself. And now that you have Dre’s help… and his family’s… both you and Dior will be more than okay.”

For the first time in a really long time, Layla believed that. Her lawyer had gotten their first court hearing on the docket, and she was one step closer to being free from Carlos. Most importantly, she was one step closer to being free to live and love with Andres.

Layla took small steps toward the door. Her posture was stooped and her head hung as she followed behind Andres. Sighing dejectedly, her lips formed a pout that lifted into a smile when Andres chuckled.

“You are so dramatic, Layla.”

“I can’t help it,” she replied softly, not wanting to wake Dior. “I feel like I just got you back and now I have to say goodbye all over again.”

Andres’s smile lingered as he pressed his body against her front door. “It’s not goodbye, though. You’ll still see me every day. We just agreed that we wouldn’t get physical again until after your divorce has been finalized.”

Layla huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, regretting her decision already.

“I should have gotten some dick one last time before we made that agreement.”

He chuckled again, covering his mouth as he fought to quiet down.

It was as if Layla had forgotten how damn beautiful he was.

Since last night, all she’d wanted was to be wrapped in his buttered brown skin… melting in his embrace. Cupping his small mass of curls. Dropping kisses along his patchy, scruffy beard. And those freckles on his nose. All before dining on his diamond shaped lips.

---