Homeward Bound//Sam Kiszka x OC!Layla

The Beginning of Everything

    Sam fidgeted nervously as he debated on what to say to Josh. How does he ask his brother to help him go engagement ring shopping? Did he even truly know that Layla was ready? What if she said no? What if she hated the ring he picked out? He sighed, dialing Josh's number. "Hellooo baby brother! What do I owe this pleasure of a call to?" "I wanna propose to Layla. And you're her person. Do you think she's ready for the next step? I know we've done things completely out of order. But we've been together two years almost. Beanie's almost a year and a half. I'm just worried that I'm rushing things and she's going to hate it and then she's going to break up with me and move back home and take our daughter and I'm never going to be able to see either of them. And-" "Sammy, you're spiraling. Take a minute and breathe. Want me to feel her out? See where her head space is?" "Would you?" "First of all, I'm her best friend. Second of all, I'm your brother. I've got this."

    Josh hung up the phone, immediately calling his best friend. "Lay, what are you doing?" "Feeding my kid fruit loops. It's snack time. Then we're going to go for a walk around the neighborhood. Wanna join us?" "I was going to go jewelry shopping, but actually, yes." "Joshua, you wear the same beads every day. What are you going shopping for?" He scoffed, "I do not. And it's called fashion, Rae." "Whatever you say, Michael. When are you coming over?" He walked out to his car, closing the door loud enough that she could hear. "Now. So be ready when I get there." "Oh, so now I'm waiting on your beck and call?" "Always have, baby. So, let's go. Tell the boss lady to finish up her loops." "Beans, Uncle Josh is coming over to see us." "What in the heck?" He had to stop his car from laughing so hard, "When did she learn that?" "Your brother at some point." "That bastard." They stayed on the phone, going on about different subjects before he just walked in her house. "I could've been naked." "It's not like I haven't seen it before. There's my baby!" "'osh! Mommy! 'ook!" She ran over to Josh, pulling on his pant leg until he picked her up. Layla shook her head, "How many times do you think we're going to be complimented on our kid?" "Are you saying we wouldn't make pretty babies? I'm wounded." He put his hand over his heart dramatically. "What I'm saying is I wouldn't be caught dead letting you near my vagina. Whether I was with Sam or not." "We were each other's first kiss." "Don't fucking remind me. You ready for your walk, sunshine?" She looked at Josh, "'ol me." "Hold you? What if we put you in your carrier so Mama doesn't have to bring your stroller?" Layla helped Juniper into her carrier on Josh's chest.

    Josh walked next to Layla as they started their walk around the block. "So, when do we get a new one?" "A new one what?" She looked at him confused. "Baby. It's quarantine. Aren't you guys going at it like rabbits?" "You have the wrong brother. Jake and Danny might be, but Sam and I cosleep every night." "Stop. She's getting too big. My mom was already pregnant with Ronnie by this time." "Because your mom is a better woman than I am. I'm not opposed to another baby, I just want to be married first and have her sleeping in her own bed. Which I can tell you isn't happening any time soon with Sam being home all the time." Josh laughed, "On who's part?" "Both of theirs. The little lip comes out, the tears start, and the pitiful little 'Oh, Daddy' and he's done for." "She gets it from you. It's how you'd get me to do anything when we were kids. Lip would come out, 'Please, Joshy. Just this once.' And it would never be just that once." She shoved him playfully, "Oh, puh-lease. 'Lay, can you come help me paint this set?' 'Lay! I need help with my costume quick!' 'Lay, I'm shooting this movie at the cabin and Jake needs a love interest.' 'Lay, can you come do the makeup for this thing I'm shooting?' 'Ronnie needs her makeup done so she can be my model for this movie poster, can you come help?' 'Layla can you make cookies for this theater thing I'm doing?'" "To be fair, your homemade chocolate chip cookies are phenomenal. I can't help that you're my muse." "Muse or infinite helper?" He put his arm around her shoulder, "Both. What can I say, we're stuck together like two peas in a pod. So, when's the big day?" "He hasn't asked yet. We just bought two new cars, so I don't think it's happening anytime soon." "What does buying new cars have to do with getting engaged?" "Uh, you just bought your Jeep. Double that. I got a Jeep and he got a Tesla." "Okay, and? Is it something you're ready for or is buying cars your excuse for putting it off?" She sighed, "I'm ready for it, I think." "You think?" She stopped, sitting on the bench. He took a seat next to her, adjusting the now sleeping baby. "Spill." "I love Sam more than anything. He's my best friend and soulmate. He's carried my heart in his hands since he was eighteen at some point." He laced his fingers with hers, "But." "But, he's twenty one, Josh. What if in ten years he decides that he doesn't want it anymore and he wants a whole new life like my dad did? I've never been more sure of marrying him and being together until we're those sickening old people in the nursing home. But sometimes I feel like I rushed him. That's why I take it so slow. It was purely sexual for probably the first six months, and then I fell in love with him and there's been no turning back. You know those songs and poems where they talk about falling in love more and more every day. I love him more every day. And I know he loves me. But I don't want him resenting me one day because I took his twenties from him. His time to party." Josh shook his head, placing his forehead to hers. "You want the god's honest truth? Sam's been so sure on marrying you for YEARS. I'm talking, he would tell Jake and I how upset he was while on tour because he couldn't ask you to his proms, that I was the one who took you to ours so he could experience you in every gown you're going to be in for every point in your life. He looks at you like you are every star that paints the sky. When he danced with you at our senior prom, it's all he talked about for weeks, months even. He thinks you hung the fucking moon. Was he scared shitless when you got pregnant? Yeah. We had long talks before he moved out and in with you about the baby. But it was never you rushing him. It was always him wanting to be a good dad and partner for you. He loves you. And that I'm sure of." "You don't think I'm rushing him?" "I think you two are at a nice normal pace. Is this your mom getting in your head?" "Yes. How'd you know?" He laughed, "Her and my mom get into it when she gets like this. My mom's very protective of you." "Because I tell your mom literally everything. Like, more than I tell my mom. I'm closer with your mom than I am my own mother." "And she's gonna keep it that way, dammit. So, you wanna marry my brother. Oooooo." She threw her head back with laughter. "With everything I have, yes."