Leather and Lace (Eddie Roundtree)

Long Long Time

"Cause I've done everything I know/ To try and make you mine/ And I think I'm gonna love you/ for a long long time." 

That first day, Layla left LAX in a cab headed to the Canyon House. When she knocked on the door, Camilla collapsed into her arms upon opening it. Layla held her as she provided words of comfort. 

"I'm so scared" the mother-to-be sobbed. 

"Honey, I think it'd be strange if you weren't." Layla said, rubbing Camilla's back. Though the Dunne girl had never had sisters, not be blood, and her mother and brothers had never really mastered providing comfort- Layla had knack for it. She gave all the credit to her roommates- her soul sisters. 

And from that moment on, Camilla and Layla developed a real bond. They became like sisters. Layla was there for all of it, the cravings and the back pain, the Lamaze classes, and feeling the baby kick. She had never spent long periods of time around a pregnant woman, hadn't even been around babies much since she babysat in her youth, but she surprisingly enjoyed it. It made her hope that one day she could lay down roots of her own. 

For the first few days neither one of them spoke to any of The Six. And even up until the band came back, phone calls lessened. Billy never called, which Layla wasn't sure if this pissed off her or Camilla more. Eddie, however, did call, several times at first before Layla finally answered. 

"Hello?" Layla answered the phone. She had just come inside to grab something to drink, Camilla was waiting for her outside where they were enjoying the sun. 

"Layla? I've been trying to get a hold of you for days!" It was Eddie, he sounded equal parts relieved that she answered and irritated that it took this long. Hearing his voice brought her comfort but it was quickly replaced with her feelings of betrayal. 

"Uh huh? Well, I've been helping out Camilla. She called after she went to visit you guys on tour." Eddie could tell by her tone that she wasn't happy. 

"Look, I'm so sorry she had to find out like that, I hated lying to her." Part of Layla couldn't believe that Eddie's first concern was about Camilla and her feelings. Sure, Layla also felt for Camilla, but was Eddie going to be so clear that Layla was not where his thoughts and concerns lie. 

"And what about me?"

"What?" 

"You called me everyday, you lied to me everyday! My brother was fucking up his life and you didn't think to tell me! I asked you about him consistently!" All the anger and fear and everything else was finally coming out. "I never thought that you of all people could lie to me that easily and you don't even care! You just feel bad about lying to Camilla!"

"Hey! That's not fair. I hated lying to you. Layla, come on, please hear me out." He was half begging half defensive. 

"Fine. Speak." She paused to hear him out. Eddie, however, was not expecting to actually get this far when he asked her to listen. 

"I...uh, I wanted to tell you. Every time you asked I wanted to tell you. And...uh" he stumbled over his words. Layla wanted this to fuel her anger, but it just made her feel sorry for him. And she really wanted to believe that he wanted to tell her. "I should've told you and I should've told Camilla." This, however, irritated her. She was trying to discuss them and he wanted to discuss Camilla. 

"Billy should've told Camilla, that's his wife. And I'm sorry if that is hard for you. But I'm the one you spoke to everyday and he's my brother, you should've told me. Honestly, I think you need to figure out what I am to you or if you want to keep pinning after someone else's wife. I'll see you when the tour ends." With that she hung up the phone.