Stay For Me - Megan Smith Page 0,57

mother as we walk away.

I get Fallon in school and into her classroom. Before I make my way back outside I give Layla a call. I don’t want to leave Fallon here with their mom lurking around. She’s able to just walk in here and sign her out the second I leave.

“Uh...when I was dropping Fallon off this morning your, uh… your mom was here.”

“Say what?” Layla screeches.

“Your mom is here.” I say a little quieter as a teacher walks by.

“Shit.” I hear a bang and them some rustling. “I’m on my way. Don’t leave until I get there.”

She hangs up before I even say I wasn’t planning on it. I walk outside and Mrs. Del Luca is sitting on the curb right next to my car. I lean up against the hood and cross my ankles.

“How are my daughters doing?” Mrs. Del Luca asks after a few minutes of puffing on a cigarette.

“Good now that you’re not around.” Yeah I’m being a dick and she deserves it. I don’t give a shit if she’s the Pope, after the way she’s treated her daughters she deserves everything that’s coming her way.

Tires squeal into the parking lot which makes me jerk my head in that direction. “Your daughter is here.”

Mrs. Del Luca stands, brushes her ass off and I want to puke. Layla pulls up right behind my car and flings the door open.

“Where the hell have you been?” She screams. “I’ve looked fucking everywhere. God damn it, I thought you were dead.”

Mrs. Del Luca takes a few steps over to her daughter and holds her arms out just like she did for Fallon. I grip the hood of the car because I don’t want anyone touching my girl.

“I’ve missed you, Layla.” Her mother’s voice shakes.

“You don’t get to miss me, Mom.” Layla seethes. “You stole all the money I had and took off. Why the hell would you do that?”

A few people are gathered near the front of the building. “Layla,” I call out and nod my head in their direction.

“Shit,” Layla looks to her mom. “Get in.”

“Layla,” I warn. This is not a good idea.

Layla comes over to me. “I don’t want you going anywhere alone with her.”

She crosses her arms. “I don’t have a choice. I want answers Eli. I deserve them.”

I pull her into my arms and kiss the top of her head. “I know you do. Just be careful, please.”

“I will.” Then she’s walking off and pulling away with her mom in the car.

Please God, let Layla be okay with her. We’ve come so far, Fallon included, since they moved in and I don’t want their mother showing up to be a setback.

A few hours ago I got a text from Layla saying that she was picking up Fallon after school and that I didn’t have to worry about it. That’s the entire message, she gives me nothing else. I toss the phone onto my desk and run a hand through my hair. What the hell is going on? I wish she would have given me something, anything.

Just before dinner I hear a car door slam, I wait a heartbeat for another but it never comes. Layla opens the front door and smiles when she sees me sitting on the couch watching TV.

“Hey, what are you doing?” I ask trying to keep calm because I know Fallon isn’t with her.

“Nothing, I, uh…I let Fallon go with my mom for burgers and ice cream.” She explains.

My heart starts to pound as Layla takes a seat next to me. I don’t say anything because what can I say? It’s none of my business and I’m afraid if I make a scene, Layla will pull away from me.

I flick through a few channels to keep myself busy when I notice out of the corner of my eye Layla’s shoulders shaking. I set the remote down and pull Layla into my arms. She sobs and all I can do is hold her and be there for her. I’m being her crutch.

After a few minutes she seems to have calmed down. “Are you okay?”

She shakes her head. “When she’s around I’ll never be okay, Eli. I could take the rest of the night and tomorrow telling you about all the horrible things she’s done to me growing up. On a piece of paper that woman may be my mother but she’ll never be anything more than a signature on a piece of paper.” Layla sits Indian style on the couch next