Two days later.....

Brendan is standing in front of his mother's house with the letter in his hand. During his date Saturday night, he told Annelise about Layla and the letter.

Annelise listens to everything Brendan says then ask,"what are you going to do?"

He shrugs,"I don't know honestly."

"You should talk to your mother about it and  when you figure out what you really want, call me", she gets up.

"Where you're going?" He frowns.

"Home, if we are going to be together I don't want this problem to affect us or what we have in the future", she explains.

"Will you be with me despite what I choose to do about it?"

"If you assure me whatever you decide wouldn't affect us or our relationship then yes I'll love to be with you", she nods and kisses his cheek. She leaves just as the waiter comes to take the empty dishes.

"Bring the check, we're not having dessert", Brendan says.

Brendan rings on the door, his mother opens it,"I missed you darling."

He hugs her, "we need to talk mom, it's urgent."

"Is it about Layla? I saw on Friday how she left quickly and you went after her."

"Yeah, it's about her. I need your advice."

"Well come in, my maid is off today. I just finished baking", Mrs. Gunner walks into the kitchen.

Brendan sits down at the counter and opens the letter, he already remove the picture of Lillian what was stuck at the bottom of the page.

"What you got there?"

"This was the last thing Layla left me before she disappeared on Friday night", he hands her the letter as she read it.

 She gasps and turns pale as the reads further.

"Those bastards kept your daughter and my granddaughter away from me, we should report them to the police", she turns angry.

"Mom, no I don't want to do that."

She scoffs,"yet they were going to do it if Layla didn't occupied."

"I just need your advice mom, what to do?"

"Well if she really wants you in Lillian's life then you should be in it. I grew up without my real father, although my stepfather treated my mom, siblings and I great he didn't fill that empty space", she explains.

"So I should try and contact Layla to make arrangement how I'll be in Lillian's life?"

"Yes the earlier the better", she nods.

 He calls the number she Layla left in the letter.

"Hello?" She answers.

"Hey, its me. Where are you?"

----

Brendan meets Layla at the park they used to hang out at as kids. Lilian is sleeping in the stroller which her grandparents brought for her when her daughter comes to visit.

"Hey thanks for meeting me, I thought you already flew out to Brooklyn", he says as Layla sits on the bench with him. There are children all around playing in the playground, riding bikes or chilling with their parents.

"I am going tomorrow, I already told my parents that I want you in Lillian's life. Let's just say that we aren't on talking terms for the while", she sighs,"anyway Lily will be six months in about two weeks, she was born on February 15th."

"A day after Valentine's day, that's nice", Brendan smiles.

"Yeah, so about the arrangement. I don't mind her staying at your house every year for either summer, Thanksgiving or Christmas."

"And I'll try to come for her birthday as well, even if I have to come get her and fly her over here for a weekend during the year", he adds.

"For her fifth, tenth, twelfth, sixteenth and eighteenth birthday she should spend it here. If some of those birthdays are falling on a weekday, the weekend after I'll bring her across or you can come for her, but her sixteenth and eighteenth birthday she will fly over herself", Layla states and Brendan nods.

"Agree and sometimes if she isn't spending Christmas or Thanksgiving a certain year here, the following year for her entire spring break she can come here or for majority of the summer", he adds.

Lilian starts to cry and Layla picks her up from her stroller,"do you want to hold her?" She asks and Brendan nods.

She places Lillian in his arms and she stops cry only whimpering lowly, Lillian opens her eyes and looks up at him with curious gray eyes.

"You guys look so cute together", Layla snaps a quick photo with his phone.

"Hello my little lily flower, I'm so happy to finally hold you", Brendan kisses her forehead and Lillian instantly have him wrap around her little finger. Lillian smiles when he starts making silly sounds and she laughs showing one little white thing is on her bottom gum.

"She has a tooth already?"

"Not yet, it's now starting to grow, early bloomer her doctor explained."

"You'll be the end of me my little lily flower, you know that right?" Brendan looks down at his daughter in aw and she smiles knowingly.

"Aw, aren't they a cute couple sweetheart? I remembered when we were just like that", an elderly woman walks pass them with her husband.

"Keep walking and stop minding every couple business we pass", the man hushes her.

Brendan and Layla laugh when they are gone.

"Imagine if we were together that'll be us in fifty years", Layla says.

"Yeah", he sighs,"hey, wanna let Lily meet my mom before you fly out tomorrow?" He asks.

"I don't see why not", she shrugs.

---

Elisha sees Malcolm enters the shop as she hands a customer his coffee,"what can I get you?"

"A big chocolate chip muffin and a milkshake", he answers.

"That'll be ten dollars."

Malcolm hands her twelve dollars,"keep the change."

"Thanks", she smiles and put the two dollars in her pocket.

"Anyway, are you doing anything later?"

"Nope, Evan will be flying out tomorrow and wouldn't be back till next three weeks", Elisha explains.

"That's when Kacy is leaving right?"

She nods as Evan returns with the milkshake and hands him it while Elisha gets the muffin.

"I'll be back, stepping out for a while", Evan unties his apron.

When he leaves, she turns back to Malcolm,"I am not doing anything tonight."

"Okay, I was thinking about if you would want to go to the movies with me later", he blushes slightly.

"Are you asking me on a date?" She smirks.

"What if I am?" He states boldly.

"Sure, but why?"

"I am interested in you even since the wedding."

She nods,"pick me up at 6:30."

"Thanks", he takes his muffin and leaves.

"Did my cousin just ask you out?" Kacy smirks.

"Yeah, you don't mind do you?"

"Nope, but I always thought you were interested in my brother", she shrugs.

Elisha laughs,"where did you ever get that idea from?"

"The way you guys flirted and hung out a lot, when I first met you I thought you guys were hooking up then you were Brendan's best friend too that made me more angry", she explains.

"Me hook up with Zack? You're crazy", Elisha shakes her head.

"Well I didn't know you okay."

**

Elisha: Hey, how you doing?

Tony: Not so good, Aaron wants me to have a guy's night later

Elisha: What's the problem?

Tony: He knows that Lola didn't get home after we got drunk

Elisha: Does he know she was with you?

Tony: Nope, he just shrugged it off that she probably went to her hook up's place as usual, but at least she got home safely and dress

Elisha: Its a regular thing then?

Tony: Since high school, but she's old enough to take care of herself now. Anyway, what you doing?

Elisha: Looking for an outfit, got a date 😉😉😉

Tony: Ohh, who's the lucky guy? Your co worker? 😏

Elisha:  Nah, it's my date from the wedding

Tony: Nice, are you interested in him or just putting him out of his misery?

Elisha: Kind of interested, he's a nice guy

Tony: Good, so start shopping yet for your new job in September?

Elisha: I got plenty time

Tony: If you say so

Elisha: Anyway you should go out with your friends, you don't want him suspecting anything, do you?

Tony: Nope

Elisha: Good, now I'm going now

Tony: Enjoy

Elisha looks between the two tops blue or red?

"Brendan, I need you!" She shouts.

Brendan rushes into the room with a bat,"where's the danger?"

"Here", she gestures to her two tops.

"Where you're going?"

"On a date with Malcolm, what's his favourite color?"

"It's just one date Lisha, no need to impress him just yet."

"But I don't know which top to wear", she sighs.

"Red, you look good in red", he replies.

"What's going on?" Layla enters the room with Lilian in her arms.

"What's she doing here?" Elisha snaps.

"Lisha, I think you need to sit down for this", Brendan says calmly.

"No, what's going on Brendan?" She demands.

Brendan looks at Layla who nods, "Layla's baby, Lillian is my daughter."

Elisha gets into a fit of laughter and when she sees he isn't laughing she stops,"you're joking, right?"

"I wish I was Lisha, I really wish", he sighs.

"No you're lying", she shakes her head.

"Lish-"

"No I don't want to hear it, do you know what she did  to you Brendan?"

"Yes and I forgave her. Look at Lilian, she got my eyes."

"Did you do a blood test to confirm it? There are lots of people with gray eyes like yours", Elisha points out.

"Lisha she lied about cheating on me, her parents th-"

"Stop just stop, who knows if she isn't lying about that too?" She glares at Layla.

"You're telling me that Lilian isn't my daughter?"

"No, but-"

"If you can't support me and my decisions, then what kind of best friend are you?"

"Don't you dare question my friendship Brendan?" Elisha snaps with tears in her eyes,"you know our friendship means so much to me!" She yells.

"Well if it did, you would have been happy for me and not question my decisions", he says calmly.

"I can't believe this, Layla is manipulating you Brendan", she snakes her head, "does Annelise know about this?"

"Yes, she knows Lilian is my daughter."

"When last have you seen her?"

"Lisha drop it okay, what ever is going on between Anne and I are our business", he snaps.

"So is your daughter and ex, but you're telling me about it because best friends tell each other these kind of stuff", Elisha points out.

"Which was a mistake, I thought you would have been happy for me, but turns out your jealousy is blinding your judgement."

"Jealousy? Why would I be jealous? She got nothing over me", she scoffs and points at Layla.

"I want to be in my daughter's life and if you can't support me of this then I don't know if we are even best friends."

She gasps and takes her top and purse,"I am going on my date, I wish you and Anne the best."

She leaves the house and the tears came, she texts Malcolm to come pick her up.

****

"I told you it wasn't a good idea to tell Lisha just yet", Brendan sighs.

"Her reaction would have still been the same if you told her next month", Layla says.

"When she comes back, I'll go apology."

"No, she's still angry let her cool down first", Layla puts Lillian in her stroller.

"Maybe you're right."

"Of course I am", she comes up behind him and wraps her arms around his waist. 

He turns around,"Layla no."

"Why not?  I missed you so much Brendan, I know you don't have feelings for Annelise." She starts to lean in pressing her palms against his chest and tiptoe.

Someone gasps by the front door,"Annelise I-"

"No, I don't want to hear it. Elisha was right, I can't trust you", she shakes her head and leaves quickly.

"Anne wait", he runs after her, but she already speed off in her car.

"Now that she's gone, maybe we can-"

"You should go Layla", Brendan sighs.

"What?"

"Go, I want to be alone. I'll visit soon", he picks up Lillian from her stroller and kisses her forehead,"I love you lily flower."

She smiles up at him and pull on his hair.

"Time to go Lily", Layla takes her and leaves.

_____________

Dramatic chapter.

Is Elisha right about Layla could be lying again?

Will Annelise hear Brendan out?

Do you ship Malcolm and Elisha?