meant to be | j. parker¹

FORTY-FOUR

"Ooh, cheese puffs," Aaliyah happily sang, walking over to the kitchen with Jordan right next to her reaching their hands out to touch the tray. "No! Those aren't for you," Liv told the two, smacking their hands.

"Layla's coming over tonight. You can have one later," Liv continued, looking over at her sister before turning to Jordan. "But you need to make yourself scarce."

"Okay," Jordan scoffed. "Don't worry. Cool kids actually like going out on Friday nights."

"Oh, my God. Get over yourself," Aaliyah scoffed. "You're literally married and live at home."

"Stop, okay?" Liv said, continuing to smack Jordan's hand away from the tray of cheese puffs. "Just let me be excited about this. Layla and I are still trying to figure our way back to being best friends, so tonight is important."

"Well, I don't think I'm the one you should be worried about crashing your party," Jordan whispered, looking at their mom walk through the living room.

"Liv, do something," Aaliyah whispered.

"So, um, mom. You, uh, got any big plans for tonight?" Liv asked.

"Just sitting here," Laura sighed, typing away on her computer. "I'm trying to figure out the best way to put my legal services to work in low-income communities, but it's harder than I thought. Or I could uh, stay here and hang out with you two and Layla, take a night off, we could have a girls' night."

Jordan laughed at his sisters. "That sounds like a great idea, mom. You deserve the night off, mom."

"You know what, mom? You should talk to Ms. James isn't she still working at the courthouse in Inglewood?" Liyah suggested.

"I wouldn't want to bother her. I'll figure it out," she denied.

"Well, yeah, or, you know, you could talk to someone who has both personal and legal connections in a community that you're trying to help," Liv told her.

"Wow," Jordan scoffed. "They really want you out of the house, huh?"

"Go," Aaliyah ordered her brother pointing upstairs and holding a cheese puff at him. "Take a cheese puff and leave."

"No offense, sweetie, but I think asking Grace for help would be kinda...weird," Laura told her.

"Not even for the greater good?" Liv asked holding her arms out. "I mean, come on, mom. What harm would it do to just get a drink with her?"

"Wow...you two really want me out," Laura said.

"Mmm...but, we love you. So, that's all that matters right mom?" Aaliyah cheekily told her. "So, when should Layla be here?" she asked, once their mom left.

"She should be here...now!" Liv exclaimed, hopping off of the couch to answer the door.

"Hey, Layla...and, um, you...Sorry, who are you?" Aaliyah asked turning her head to the blonde standing beside her.

"I'm Carrie!" she cheerily greeted her. "I've heard so much about you and your sister!"

"Wedding food!" Layla gasped, watching as Liv carried a tray of cheese puffs over to the couch.

"What's wedding food?" Carrie asked.

"Oh, when we were kids we thought the food they served at weddings was so fancy," Layla explained.

"Right, and when we'd have sleepovers we would just make em, then act all snooty, right, Lovey?" Liv asked faking a British accent.

"Quite right, dear," Layla said mimicking her.