Layla POV
I'm sat on a towel, on the beach watching a man who has somehow become someone very important to both me and my niece, build sandcastle and paddle in the water with a little girl who is the centre of my universe and seems now to be the centre of his. The sun is shining, the water is beautiful and just for a small amount of time I forget the horrible situation that is currently going on. I smile as I see Henry picking grace up and smiling at her while spinning her around and Kal is jumping up trying to join in the fun.
To anyone on the outside we look like a family, a normal family. I wish we were, I wish everything about this beach day was normal, I wish this wasn't part of my nieces last few things to do before she dies. I see grace playing in the sand and I watch Henry walk over to me. Dropping down beside me, I look over and he is smiling so wide and looks so happy.
"You okay?" He asks as he turns to look at me.
I nod "just enjoying the view" I say while keeping my eyes directly on him.
"She loves the beach"
"Yeah. She always has"
"She is an amazing little girl Layla and that's thanks to you"
I shrug "I can only take some of the credit, her mum did a pretty amazing job before she died"
"How did she die?"
"Car accident. Idiot ran a red light, he was drunk and jade was killed instantly"
"I'm so sorry"
I shake my head "she was an amazing big sister. An amazing mother. She just unfortunately didn't have the best taste in men" I giggle and he chuckles with me.
"What happened?"
"He cheated on her multiple times and then told her he never wanted a kid so either she got rid or he walked. So she packed his bag and kicked him out. She tried to contact him through the pregnancy but he was never interested and then he showed up one day. When grace turned 1 and wanted a second chance so Jade have it to him. But after a week he got bored and moved on"
"God what a dick"
"Yeah. When jade died I called him to tell him and he was drunk and high and told me the brat was mine to take care of now"
Henry shakes his head "how could anyone ever do that to there child"
"Some people just aren't cut out to be parents"
He nods "Henry?"
"Mmm"
"Thank you"
"For what?"
"For being here, for caring for grace. For everything"
"Layla" he gets up on his knees and faces me, holding my hands "I'm not just here for grace. I'm here for you too. I told you, your both my weakness. That little girl and you mean so much to me"
I can't help but smile, a small tear falls from my eye and then I find myself placing my hand on his cheek and pulling him towards me until our lips meet.
It's a soft and gentle first kiss, sweet, honest and as we pull away he smiles at me, leaning his forehead on mine.
"I've wanted to do that for so long"
I can't help but chuckle "me too"
He looks me in the eye "Layla will you go out on a date with me?"
I smile "I would love too Henry"
He goes to kiss me again but we are interrupted by Kal who is licking me face and grace who is jumping on Henry. We laugh and it's a lovely scene to see and experience.