Spill your secret

Laila had told Maria about what had happened between her and Olivia and about her lunch with the employees. "I have asked them to ask around and they will let me know as soon as they hear something from their friends and connections." Maria nodded and said, "Good. We will start planning as soon as you hear from them." In a calmer voice Maria added, "I must say I am surprised that such a small event caused you to wake up and turn your back on Olivia as drastically as you have done. In the time you have known her, she has done much worse and you never even batted a lash. Don't get me wrong, I am glad it did. Whatever manged to get through to you I am grateful for but I didn't expect it is all."

Laila showed a half smile as she listened to Maria's words and contemplated if she should just put all her cards on the table and tell her about the timeline switch or if that was too much to put on one person in one day. On one hand she really wanted to tell Maria since she could really use someone that knew and could fill her in on the memories she was missing. But on the other hand, this would be a lot to take in. However, she also knew that this was the perfect moment for her to take action as the opening for bringing it up was already there. The reason why such a 'small event' had caused her to immediately pull away from Olivia, when she had been fine with much worse before, was because she wasn't the same Laila.

After her silence lasted for too long, Maria asked her, "What's wrong? Why did you turn silent all of a sudden. Like I said, I am not complaining or judging you in any way. I was just curious. But if you don't want to talk about it, it is fine." Laila looked at her friend and with hesitation in her eyes she said, "I know you didn't mean anything bad by what you said. I was just contemplating whether I should tell you the full reason or if I should keep it to myself. I want to tell you. Believe me, I do. But the reason is so crazy that I am not sure if you are ready to hear it and if I am fully ready to tell you."

Maria's curiosity of course exploded from Laila's words instead of being tempered by it. More than ever did she now want to know the reason for Laila's change of heart and she wasn't too shy to let Laila know about it. "You do realize that you lit an inextinguishable flame in my heart by saying those words right? Now I definitely want to know and I will be sure to make you tell me. So, you might as well safe yourself from the torture and agony and just spill your secret. By now you should know that I am not the type of friend to say, 'Oh just tell me when you are ready'. Even just now I don't know how I got those words out of me."

Laila laughed at Maria's response and just as Maria was lifting her body and arms up to get ready for a tickle-attack, Laila held her hands up in surrender as she said, "Alright, alright, I give up. Have mercy." Maria sat herself back down and placed her throw-pillow back where it was before, on top of her crossed legs. "That is more like it. I like my princesses easily caveable. I can't have you keeping big secrets from me. The only way to do that, is by not being in my life at all and we have already established that that is no longer an option. So, now that you are back, we should return to the following the old rules."

Laila let out another chuckle before she looked her friend in the eyes with a serious look on her face. "First, you must promise me that whatever I tell you here today, will stay here. I haven't told anybody yet, not even Noah. So, I need you to keep this to yourself." Maria lifter her index finger and middle finger straight up and said, "I promise." After Laila was convinced that her friend was speaking the truth, she nodded and got ready to tell Maria her big secret. But not until she had gotten a final piece of confirmation and assurance.

"Okay, for this to make sense I need you to let me finish first before you ask any questions or draw any conclusions and, more importantly, I need you to have an open mind." Maria nodded impatiently and said, "Alright already. Stop delaying and just tell me the reason already! There have been CIA agents who spilled their secrets faster than you, geez."

Laila let out another chuckle and said, "Alright. Here I go. The truth is, the reason I was able to see Olivia's true nature, and the Laila you have known for so long hasn't, is because I am not the same Laila."