The Romance of Nick and Layla (Parts 1-3) (30 page)

"Hey!"

"I’m just kidding!"

"No you’re not! I’m not deaf, Layla. I know what people say about me. But who gives a fuck? Those people don’t run my life. I do. I may be just a pop singer, but I’ve seen the world. I may be young, but I’ve lived a full life. And you know what? I can honestly say that if I were to drop dead right now, at least I’ll die knowing that I had the best life possible. I have regrets, sure. But I don’t regret having regrets."

"Well I, for one, have never thought that you are stupid. You may have done stupid things..."

"But my actions don’t define who I am."

"Exactly."

"Exactly. So what are you going to do? You want to make a contribution to mankind, so how are you going to do it?"

"I don’t know. But when I do know, I’m going to do it."

"That sounds like a good plan. Now before I use up my genius quota for the year I’d just like to add one more thing..."

"Jesus, there’s more?!"

"Hey, you call me out on my shit all the time. You opened the door. I’m just walking through it."

"Fair enough."

"I can pretty much guarantee you that no book in the world taught you how to take care of me today. That was all you. So if it’s worth anything, thank you."

As I looked to Nick I felt so many things running through my mind. And while my head was flooding in thoughts I felt myself being pulled into him. I felt my head tilting into an all-too-familiar position. Nick was inches from me. My lips parted to receive him...

But I heard the front door open instead. I turned my head away and tried to collect myself. "Ahem. That’s Molly and Tyler. Why don’t you try and get more rest. I’ll come back to check on you in a few." As I got up from the bed and left the room I found myself wondering what the hell had just happened.

Nick, in a stunning display of depth and maturity, put me in my place. And everything he said was right.

Chapter Forty-Two

I felt a soft tapping on the wall and looked up from my laptop to see Molly smiling at me. "You wanted to talk to me, Miss Garrett?"

"Yeah. Have a seat. Do you want anything to drink or eat?"

"No, I’m good. Thanks." She took a seat across from me at the table. "So what’s up?"

"Well as you know I’m moving out of Santa Monica."

"Yeah. I’m so sad I won’t get to see Tyler anymore."

"Well I may have a solution. I’ve been thinking about hiring a live-in nanny for Tyler and you’re the first person I thought of. I know that you have your studies at school and your internship and everything, but I’m offering you the job first. So if you’re interested..."

"A live-in nanny. You mean, living at your new house?"

"Yes. There is a guest house on the property and I plan to use that as the nanny’s house. I took the liberty of drawing up a contract of sorts detailing the job and all that it entails. I’ve included the pay information and a few other details. Initially I didn’t think you would accept the position because of your schooling and such, but I wanted to offer you the job before offering it to anyone else."

"Wow, this is really nice of you. Can I take the contract with me and think it over?"

"Of course. And I hate to put you on a time constraint but with the move right around the corner I need to hire someone as soon as possible. Could you let me know in a few days? I’m sorry if that’s really too soon.."

"No. I’m commuting to school as it is already and Calabasas is probably closer to my school than Santa Monica. I’ll look it over and get back to you in a couple days."

"Thanks Molly. And again, I would totally understand if you decided not to accept the position. I know all too well how important school is and I wouldn’t want to compromise that for you. So think it over and let me know when you’ve made a decision."

"Okay. Thank you Miss Garrett."

"Oh, and please call me Layla."

"Thanks Layla. Is there anything else you need before I head out?"

"No, you’ve been wonderful today. I’ll see you tomorrow."

"Okay. Have a nice evening!"

"You too. Bye Molly."

"Good bye."

I was still up by midnight, sitting at my laptop, glasses on, brain ready to turn to mush. I heard footsteps and looked up to find Nick striding into my office.

"Whatchya doin?"

"Just going through my email. Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, a lot. Anything interesting?"

"Not really. Can’t sleep."

"Do you want to talk?"

"Haven’t we done enough talking for today?"

"It’s 12:16, it’s a new day."

"What do you want to talk about?"

Nick sat down in a chair in front of my desk and leaned back. "I was thinking about something earlier. What are we going to do about the living situation?"

"What living situation?"

"Yours and mine. We both agree that Tyler should be raised by both his parents, right?"

"Yes..."

"Well, don’t you think it should be under the same roof?"

"Honestly, I haven’t given it much thought."

"Well I have. We want Tyler to be raised as normal as possible, don’t you think that should mean that both his parents are living together? I mean, it’d be kinda confusing for Tyler if mommy and daddy lived in separate houses." I didn't have the time or patience to explain to Nick the evolution of the nuclear family and its near extinction in our modern times.

"Tyler’s not even two. His feet confuse him."

"Funny."

"I thought we were going to let things progress on their own?"

"We are."

"So isn’t moving in together kinda rushing things a bit?"

"Um, hello we were married?! It’s not like we’ve never lived together before."

"That was different."

"How was it different?"

"We were married, like you said. We’re not even dating now."

"Oh we’re not?"

"No."

"Then what are we, Layla?"

"I don’t know. We’re just... seeing where things take us."

"So, according to you, we’re not even together?"

"We’re parents of the same child. That’s as together as we are at this point."

"That’s a bit harsh."

"No, it’s the truth. What do you want me to say, Nick?"

"I don’t know. You’ve pretty much said everything. You love me but you don’t want to date me. You want to see where things take us but we’re not together. We have a child but we can’t live together."

"Not everything is in black and white my dear. What do you expect us to do? Play house? We’re adults."

"Then let’s act like adults. Honestly sweetie you’re so up and down. Do you even know what you want?"

"I want to not be pressured into doing anything rash."

"We’re just trying to be a family! We can’t do that if we’re living separately."

"Lots of people do it."

"Well we’re not those people."

"What’s your point, Nick?"

"Are we even speaking the same language?"

"Apparently not." I closed the laptop, got up and headed out onto the patio. Of course Nick followed me. I picked up a pack of cigarettes and lit one, inhaling it deeply.

"What are you doing?"

"Smoking. I am of age to do so."

"I’m not even going to bother to explain how unhealthy that is."

"Then don’t." It wasn't as if I didn't already know. He should know me well enough to know that I smoke when stressed out.

"Why are you picking a fight with me?"

"I’m not! You’re the one that wanted to talk!"

"And you’re the one turning it into an argument."

"Well you’re irritating me with all of these questions! Why can’t you just let things happen on their own? Why do you have to push things?"

"Because sometimes we need a jumpstart."

"Using a car as a metaphor for our relationship is not going to win you any points in this conversation."

"Are you pms-ing or something?"

My palm slapped my forehead. "I don’t believe you just asked me that."

"Well you’re being a brat."

"Well according to you I am a brat!"

"Yeah, you are a brat!"

"All right, I’m a brat! Let’s drop the issue already."

"I think we should have sex."

I choked on the smoke escaping my lungs and felt like I was going to cough them out onto the patio. I stubbed out the cigarette and threw it over the balcony. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"We don’t argue when we have sex."

"So that’s your solution? Nick and Layla are fighting so they should jump in the sack and have an orgasm? That’s the fix?"

"Got a better idea?"

"I don’t even know what this conversation is about anymore!"

"It’s about you being a hypocrite!"

"How the hell am I a hypocrite?"

"You say what you want but what you really want is the opposite."

"Why? Just because I don’t want to put some dumb label on our relationship?"

"You can’t even kiss me anymore! I don’t know how you can say you love me and are willing to work things about with me but you don’t even want to kiss me."

"Maybe you’re a bad kisser."

"Is that true?"

"This has to be the dumbest conversation we have ever had."

"Let’s get to the real issue here Layla. You don’t want me, you want the idea of me."

"You know what? It’s late and my Nick translator isn’t on right now. So if you really want to continue talking to me you’re going to have to be less vague."

"Why can’t you kiss me Layla?"

"Maybe I don’t want to!"

"You never had a problem with it before."

"That was before, this is now."

To my dismay, Nick crouched down in front of me. "Kiss me."

"What?"

"Kiss me!"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because I don’t want to kiss you."

"Why don’t you want to kiss me?"

"Because!"

"That’s not an answer, Layla!"

"Well it’s going to have to suffice!"

"Kiss me!"

"Would you stop it with this bullshit already? I don’t want to kiss you! So get over it already."

"But you love me?"

I tried pushing Nick away but he wouldn’t budge. "You already know that I do."

"But you can’t kiss me?"

"Jesus Lord Almighty! I just don’t want to, all right?"

"I love you and I want to kiss you. What’s your excuse?"

"Why would I want to kiss someone that thinks I’m a brat and a hypocrite?"

"Because you love the person that thinks you’re a brat and a hypocrite."

"I may love you but that doesn’t mean I have to like you all the time."

"You cleaned up my vomit for crying out loud! And now you’re saying you don’t like me?"

"That’s a very stupid connection to make and you know it."

"I’m just going off of your words and your actions."

"Well I’m a hypocrite, remember?"

"Yeah, so when are you going to not be a hypocrite?"

"This is, by far, the most ludicrous discussion we have ever had!"

"Well you haven’t answered my questions!"

"What do you want me to say? You want me to ask you to move in? Okay, and then what, we’ll sleep in the same bed but with our backs to each other? Do you want a spare bedroom? What do you want Nick?"

"I want you!"

"You already had me!" Whoops.

"What?"

"Is this some sort of ego thing? You’re mad because I don’t want to give you what you want?"

"At least I know what I want!"

"So do I!"

"Which is what?"

"I want you to stop asking me these stupid questions."

"Maybe I would stop asking them if you’d start answering them!"

"Is this what you want Nick? Is this how you want our relationship to be?"

"No!"

"Then what do you want from me?"

"I want you to be with me!"

"I am with you!"

"But we’re not together?"

"Oh, so we’re going in circles now."

"Stop evading my questions!"

"Maybe I don’t want to say what you want me to say?"

"Is that because you’d be lying or because it’s what you really want?"

"What I want is for you to stop pressuring me!"

"How am I pressuring you? Because I want to be with you?"

"Yes! And you’re trying to bully me into jumping into another relationship with you."

"But you want to be with me!" he shouted.

"So?" I shouted back at him. "That doesn’t mean we have to move in together and force a relationship to happen!"

"Well if I didn’t push you a little then you’d never move forward!"

"Why would I want to move forward when you’re pushing me?"

"Because you need a push!"

"No I don’t!"

"Yes you do!"

"No I don’t!"

"Yes. You. Do. Otherwise we’d never end up together!"

"We’ve already been together, Nick! It didn’t work, remember?"

"And you said we could try to make it work."

"I am trying!"

"Not you’re not!"

"Yes I am!"

Nick folded his arms on my knees. "Make a move."

"What?"

"Make your move, Layla. I’ve made mine, now it’s your turn."

"It’s not that easy."

"Do you want to be with me or not?"

"We’re both here, aren’t we?"

"Physically. But I don’t know where you are mentally."

"That’s because you’ve made my brain turn to mush!"

"Why are we fighting?"

"Because you started it."

"Then allow me to finish it. Kiss me."

"Not this again."

"If you don’t kiss me then I’m going to kiss you."

"I told you, Nick, I don’t want to kiss you."

"Yes you do."

"I give up." I tried to stand up but Nick kept me pinned to my chair. "Move!"

"I’ll move when you kiss me."

"Well you can kiss my ass first!"

"Fine," he sighed. Finally! He leaned back on his heels and I was able to stand up. I started to step away when I felt Nick grab my thighs. "What are you doing?"

He kissed my ass. Literally. He put his mouth to my ass and kissed it.

"I don’t believe you just did that."

"You told me to."

"Well now that you’ve got that out of your system I’m going to bed."