The Sequel (Bad Treat)

1. Annie & The Minions

This is the continuation of Bad Treat, it picks up right after the epilogue.

I got off the phone and felt dissatisfied. Ann was playing with her Minions set on the couch in the living room.

Benz and I were sitting at the dining table. He had heard my side of the conversation and now he wanted to hear what my mother had to say.

"What did she say?" he asked.

I imitated my mother's delicate way of saying mean things, "Layla, my darling, of course Byron and I have enough time for our grandchild. It is so irresponsible of you to think that you can take care of her. Have you even thought about kindergarten and all her other important needs?"

"So she wants Annie back?"

"Yes, she does. She said now that the tourism office is successful, she can start working less and take care of Annie as long as Emily is gone," I explained. His sadness distorted his features. "She also said that I have to take her back by Sunday."

"We can adopt her. We can take the legal road," he suggested. "I am sure that our lawyers will win the case."

"Benz, I do not want to start another fight with my family. I do not miss that part of my life at all," I sighed. "If they want Annie, they can have her. Byron and my mother have way more experience with children than we do."

I already doubted myself the minute my mother mentioned kindergarten. I wanted the best for Annie, and if that meant taking her to my parents, then that was what I would do.

"We can always learn," he said with conviction. Benz always felt so confident about everything he did. It drove me crazy because I was the complete opposite.

Four years ago he went to auditions for modelling just for fun and he got the job, without even having any experience. Benz never took any of the jobs he got. He did not pursue a modelling career because the boss was dictating his business moves.

"Raising a child is not a fun game," I insisted, as I watched Annie play with her yellow minions and the three girls from the movie. "Besides, I do not want to take my sister's kid away."

Benz gave me a constrained laugh, "Are you serious? Your sister has been off the map for two weeks now. She basically left her child. Whether you, or your parents take Annie away does not matter."

I stayed silent. I felt disappointed in Emily. She had stayed on the right track since Annie's birth. I did not know what had gone into her.

"So you really want to take her back to Lancaster?"

"I do not want to, but I have to. It is for the best," I told him. "I will take her back on Sunday."

"You do know that I can't come with you? I have college and work," he remarked. He was in his final year of college and it was very stressy.

"It is okay. I will go on my own with her," I said.

He offered, "You are not taking a bus. You will take the Jeep, alright?"

I nodded.

Benz had expanded his ownership of cars. Now he had a little affordable car for the city that I mainly used when the tube did not get me to my destination, a black Bentley which he loved to death and a Jeep that he had gotten upon the recommendation of Leroy Brixton, the lawyer who had put my ex behind bars.

"I am sorry that we can't keep her," I whispered.

"Do not be," he reassured me. After a  little while, Benz grinned. "At the end of the day, Annie is going to love us more than her grandparents. We got her the entire Despicable Me collection of toys!"

"That cost a freaking fortune because they are very rare," I added. I chuckled. "We love her and we treat her accordingly. That is all that matters. When she grows up, she will know who loved her and who did not."