Girl Talk

Layla scans her surrounding one more time. Everything is perfect except for one glaring thing. She can feel her heart begin to ache a little too because of it. They were fine before, but she has no idea what has happened all of a sudden. She looks his way again, but just like the last couple of times before, Caleb holds her gaze for just a little over a second or two and he averts them altogether.

If she didn't know better she would think he is avoiding her. And he is not even being subtle about it. 

Over lunch he chose to sit between Emma and Emily and truth be told, she was jealous of the two girls at that moment. Hell, she is jealous even now. 

Seeing them walk away happily is surprisingly leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She heard them say something about getting the camping site ready for tonight. She didn't even get an invite to go along, meanwhile he gladly took the girls along with Darren.

She had even considered inviting herself along, but stopped at the last minute. She feared he might just tell her no outrightly which would even be more embarrassing.

"Stop over thinking everything Layla." 

She slides into her beach seat to get comfortable and keep herself from staring at the path Caleb took before disappearing into the woods. All this thinking is beginning to give her a headache. She instead decides to cover her face with the sun hat and get her mind to pick a less energy draining topic to ponder on. After all this trip is meant for just that. 

"Why the long face?"

Layla looks up and finds Janice looking at her with concern. She wonders how Janice is able to see her face, when she thought she hid herself perfectly with the huge sun hat. She appreciates having her beside the lake too as she enjoys the less harsh rays of the afternoon sun, even though her mind is too distracted to enjoy it fully.

"Nothing…" Layla replies quickly almost as if taking longer would give Janice an opportunity to get into her head, which would definitely be embarrassing. How is she supposed to tell her that she is jealous of her two little girls and husband for being with Caleb right now. Even she feels weird about it. 

"It doesn't look like nothing to me." Janice says a thought later.

"It's stupid. Forget it." Layla says after a moment.

"If something stupid is giving you such a long face, I highly doubt it's nothing. Out with it." Janice says, while she sits on the seat next to Layla.

"Is…. is everything okay with Caleb?" Layla finally asks, deciding to put herself out of her misery.

"What do you mean?" Janice turns to her, a frown on her face.

"I don't know." Layla shrugs her shoulders. 

"Why, did something happen?" Janice sits up and looks at her seriously this time.

"I don't know. I just think he is acting weird all of a sudden, or maybe I'm being paranoid." She replies.

"Weird how?"

"I...I don't know. I just think he is avoiding me that's all." Layla feels a familiar lump in her throat. For whatever reason, the thought that Caleb may be avoiding her stings more than it should.

"Don't you find it weird that he is there and I'm here or that he didn't ask me to go with the gang?" She looks at Janice who is looking at her thoughtfully. She averts her eyes afraid Janice might think she is being clingy.

"Well, now that you mention it. It's definitely weird, so unlike him. Did you guys have a fight or something."

"No." Layla answers quickly. "Everything was fine until he suggested we go for a swim, which he ended up having without me. I didn't even want to swim in the first place."

"Invited you? Was that before or after you suited up?" Janice suddenly sits up in excitement. 

"Before." Layla replies, wondering what that has got to do with anything.

"Yep, he is definitely avoiding you."

"He is, but why? Did I do anything wrong?" She asks very surprised, but Janice bursts out laughing. 

"Am sorry, but have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?"

"No, well...yes. Do I look terrible?" Layla's hands go to her hair unconsciously. 

"On the contrary, you put the models in sports illustrated to shame girl." Janice points to her and Layla looks at her confused.

"Poor guy can't stand your sexiness." Janice laughs before putting on her shades and laying back on her seat. 

"And here I was thinking he wanted us to have some girl time." Janice scoffs.

Layla on the other hand suddenly feels naked and stupid when Janice's words finally make sense. She regrets not listening to the little voice at the back of her mind that said the damn suit was too revealing. But she also finds it funny too. Having the all composed Dr. Young running away from a girl in a swimsuit. And now that she thinks about it, his expression when she asked him what he thought of the swimsuit said it all. She was somehow disappointed when he didn't comment on how she looked, not knowing the guy may have just been speechless and possibly not able to speak his mind.

She chuckles after a while as her feelings of inadequacy evaporate into thin air. The back of her beach chair receives her comfortably as she leans back with a smile while she contemplates on whether to have a change of clothes or not. Or maybe, just maybe, she would like to see it in his eyes before she does.

"I have never seen him like this before you know?" Janice's voice draws Layla's attention and she feels some girl talk vibe coming on. The usually fun Janice looks all serious as she appears to be deep in thought.

"Like what?" Layla asks nervously, not knowing what to expect from Janice.

"This...careful..sometimes unsure of himself. Almost as if he wants to make sure he is doing everything right. He is not one to shy away from a girl like this, as if he is afraid of messing up."

"Messing up?" Layla is a bit confused.

"Do you love him?" Janice suddenly asks and Layla's eyes go wide at being put on the spot like this.

"Am sorry for putting you on the spot, maybe don't answer that." Janice adds quickly.

"But if you do, don't keep it to yourself Layla." Janice turns to her for a fleeting moment before looking away.

"We may be friends but he is like a brother to me. And he may not say it but I have seen it. The way he looks at you. His eyes light up in a way I haven't seen them do in a very long time." Janice smiles subtly.

"And not to like rush you guys or anything, but I just think if you care about each other the way I feel you do, don't wait. Life's too short to keep your happiness at bay."

Layla stares at Janice amazed at her words. 

"I'm probably rumbling right about now, but that's me. You'll get used to it eventually. And I may be biased, but I also know a good thing or person when I see one." Janice smiles before slipping back into her seat leaving a stunned Layla. 

It takes her a moment to wrap her head around what just happened. When she thought they were about to have some girl talk, she didn't think it would be this...deep. Janice practically spelt everything out for her. And while she appreciates a glimpse into who Caleb is, she can't help but be scared too. And she doesn't know why, but the hammering in her chest tells her she is.

Her eyes follow the path into the woods she meant to avoid earlier. Thanks to Janice, she now can't wait to see Caleb walk back on it. She is almost anxious to see him now, surprising herself too.

And as if on cue, a very familiar face appears, making the hammering in her chest more intense. Emma and Emily holding onto either of his hands as they happily walk back. He seems to be in a deep conversation with Darren. 

She takes her time just watching him as he both listens and plays with the girls. The sight warms her heart and she finds herself thinking back on the dream she had back when she was in the hospital. She wonders if that is how the twins would look like holding on to him or if he would play with them just as he is with Emma and Emily. 

She is still thinking about the twins when she sees him look up at her. And when he finds her face he smiles and for a change he holds her gaze. There seems to be a different air about him, almost as if he has had a change of heart or something close. 

Janice's words echo in her mind.

"Life's too short to keep your happiness at bay." 

She finds herself getting up and wanting to go to him but it seems she is too late. He is already on his way, his eyes focussed on her as he takes long strides towards where she is. And in the blink of an eye he is in front of her. His breathtaking smile makes her heart skip a beat. For a moment she sees his eyes scan her all over before grabbing onto her hand.

"Come with me." He says and before she can answer he is already on the move with her in tow..