Life and Love Go On

Chapter 3

      A waiter comes by to take our orders, I get a club sandwich, and coffee.

     "So Layla how are you liking Houston so far?" Jessie asks.

     I grin, "I love it, I just can't believe the weather is this nice in winter."

     "Where did you leave?" Ellroy asks.

     "New York city, definitely cold there right now." I chuckle. I decide to change the subject, "So how long have you guys known each other?"

     "Since elementary, we've just stayed friends through out all the ups and downs." Ellroy answers.

     "Sounds nice, I didn't have many friends in New York and I was born and raised there. I'm hoping I can make friends here. That sounds really dumb." I look down into my coffee embarrassed.

     "No, I get it." Jackson wraps an arm around me. I really debate pushing him away, it's not that it's uncomfortable, quite the opposite, he smells amazing like the crisp snow air.

     I peek up at him through my lashes, "I already told Jackson, so... I just went through a really bad break up."

     "So she isn't looking for a relationship." Jackson finishes.

     I laugh, "Yeah thank you."

     We eat and chat, it's actually really nice to just be included and have no expectations, or worry that my mother will find out and scold me for talking with so many men. When my phone goes off with a chime I know it's from her. I ignore it for now. The guys don't let me pay, I thank them before heading back to my car.

     "Hey wait!" Jackson calls. "Can I have your number to check up on you?" I narrow my eyes at him, he throws his hands in the air. "Just being friendly." He grins.

     I roll my eyes and give him my number. "Alright, have a good rest of your day." I tell him as I get into my car.

     Traffic has picked up a lot and it takes me nearly twenty minutes to make the drive home. I groan in relief as I pull into my driveway. My phone chimes again, and I see it's Jackson.

     Hey Layla it's Jackson. Now you can text me whenever you're bored or need something.

     Will do.

     I smile as I bring my bags of clothes inside the house. Atlas, his round little self comes running to the door meowing.

     "Why hello, miss me? I missed you." I scoop him up and take him into the bedroom with me as I start hanging up all the clothes I bought today. My phone begins to ring, I glance at the screen of course it's my mom.

      "Hi ma."

     "Oh sweetheart, how are you settling in?"

     "Just fine, I did a lot of shopping today."

     "That's good. Did you get furniture for the guest bedroom?"

     "Not yet, why?"

     "We're coming to visit you for a weekend in February." She says, and can tell from her voice that she's bouncing around excitedly.

     "Oh, that's um, really so soon?"

     "Yes, I guess we can bring air mattresses, your siblings are coming with us."

     My nose wrinkles, "All five of them?"

     "Well no, just Kalen, and Josie. You know Ralph is busy with his family and work, Kevin is going to be in Hawaii, and Laney has some art show." She spews, with five other children why does she need to bug me so much?

     "Okay that sounds good ma, how are you and dad?"

     "Oh we're wonderful, the grandkids were here last night, they really miss you. Did you have to move so far away?"

     I roll my eyes, "Ma I hear someone at the door. I have to go."

     "Okay, bye sweetheart love you."

     "Love you too ma bye."

     I hang up and collapse onto my blanket nest. "Oui, that woman."

     Atlas plops down onto my stomach purring, I laugh and cuddle him closer. I decide to scroll through facebook, though I don't know why, there isn't really anyway I want to see updates of. I mostly just have my family.

     I open up the page and see I have a new friend request, Jackson Holmes, sure enough it's the bar tender. I click on his profile, why does he have so many pictures topless. I see in his description for work he's a bartender, and a model. That makes sense. I decide to accept his request and skim the rest of my feed, which happens to be pictures from ma and dad's house with all my siblings and nephews. Surprisingly, I don't feel upset that I wasn't with them this year. Then I see him, why was he at my families house for the New Year? I close the page and toss my phone away.

     I scoop up Atlas and take him with me to the kitchen, I grab a beer and open it. The stove clock says it's five now, perfect. I leave Atlas inside and go sit on my front porch, there is a porch swing out there already. I sit down, checking out the neighborhood. A few houses down kids play outside, but otherwise it's pretty quiet.

     I decide to send a text to Jackson. Hey there. So a model huh?

     His response is quick. Pays the bills.

      I chuckle. So you said to text if I'm bored.

     That I did. Want to go walk on the beach.

     Yes! Want to meet at my house? The beach is only a couple of miles away.

      How about I pick you up, who wants to walk that far, and then walk more on the beach?

     Lmao. Okay.

     I give him my address, and he says he'll be over around seven. Gives me time to finish my beer, should I change? Nah this isn't a date, just friends going for a walk.