It was so surreal to Blaine, sitting there directly across from his mother and father. He hadn't seen them since he was fourteen and god, had he wished he wouldn't have to. Ever. Again.
He felt like he was floating, like his eyes were tricking him. Almost as if it was just a picture he was looking at and not really the two people he once called 'Mommy' and 'Daddy.' They looked only a bit older, it only showed in their eyes. They looked worn out and unhappy. Blaine wanted to feel bad for them, but, no. No they had done this to themselves he thought. He looked to his right, at his sister next to him and noticed her shaking hands under the table and held one in his. She looked up and pulled together as much of a smile as she could. He squeezed her hand and flashed her a bracelet Kurt had gotten him for his birthday, with the word "Courage' engraved in it.
"Okay, well, welcome everyone. I'm Charles Thornley, you can call me Charlie." Their lawyer said, obviously feeling the cloud of hatred that filled the air.
"And I am Harrison Goldschmit, I'll be representing Presley and Noelle Anderson today, now I think this should be easy. Miss Anderson," the other lawyer started with, "You are only twenty-nine years old, and you have only been a parent for three years. These two loving people are more than able to provide for Layla. They have been sending her to the best schools, she is living in the safest neighborhood in town and they are able to give her the world."
"Now, sir we know that they are..." Charlie started.
"No." Layla started. Her shaking had gotten much worse and she couldn't contain herself. It was her breaking point. "No, you can buy clothes and a house and send me to the most expensive school in the damn world, but that doesn't make you parents. You can't buy a good mother or father. I've had enough of YOU coming home piss drunk at two in the morning" She said, pointing to her mom, "And YOU, just not coming home at all sleeping with your masseuse and what you did to Blaine! You're not a father you're a monster. You should just be...be dead!" Layla. Had. Snapped. Everyone looked at her with their eyes wide and jaw opened. No one had expected that.
Layla felt a bit relieved, but then it finally set in. Oh my god, what did I just say? Layla thought. He brain started spinning, she felt like she was filling up with everything again. It was a horrible feeling and she never felt this much hurt inside her, even after Cecelia died.
"I'm sorry I'm not her. I'm not Cecelia, I'm Layla. And you just don't get that." Layla was sickened by how she felt. She felt nauseated and she got up and stormed out of the room, unable to take it anymore. She didn't look back, she shouldn't. She never wanted to be back in that room again.
Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and it was Blaine. He had remembered when his boyfriend had won Prom Queen and how Layla had ran out just like him. So, it was safe to say he had some experience in this.
"Blaine, I'm sorry I don't know what I..." Layla started, but was cut off by Blaine.
"No, I get it, come on let's go get some coffee, the lawyer said we have to stay within 150 yards of the office, and the coffee house is right down the street."
The coffee house was nearly empty and Blaine sipped his cappuccino slowly. Layla couldn't touch her ice tea, she was so nauseous. She couldn't imagine what was going on back with the lawyers. She really hoped she didn't screw everything up, she was afraid she was. It almost didn't mind. She got her opinion out and she had never done something like that before. It was quite exhilarating.
"Blaine, how long did it take for you? You know, for Aunt Layla to get custody of you?" Layla asked, breaking the silence.
"It was really only and hour of signing paper and fingering out money and then the court date. It was...well it was easier for me. They didn't want me, and Cecelia had just died, they were in a really hard place then." He answered.
"Oh," Was ll she could say.
"I'm not gonna lie, we'll really need some luck with this." He said
"Cecelia once got a scratch-off lottery ticket and she won $3. She carried it with her and she said it was lucky, and it was. She took it with her when she tried out for the school play, and got the lead. She took it with her to her championship soccer game and won. And the she took it her to the third grade science fair and taped it to our project and we won. I asked her why she didn't take it to the hospital with her and she said that it wasn't a competition you could win, being sick. Being sick was her against her body and the winner would still be a part of her and she didn't want to chance the winner being her body. And it was." Layla looked down at her ice tea the whole time. Remembering those times like they were yesterday and Cecelia was still here. And then a light bulb lit off.
"Blaine, our...old house... it's got be less than 150 yard away, right?" She asked.
"Oh, Layla I don't know, I really doubt that it..."
"Right?" She cut him off.
"Oh yes, yes it is" He replied with a wink.
Blaine couldn't make himself go in, it was too much, and plus, Layla knew all the in-and-outs of the house. She knew where the maids would and wouldn't see here, she knew the creaky and non creaky floorboards and how to get around the kitchen windows so the cook couldn't see.
And inside that house, the scratch-off card was in the same picture box it had been in for the last three years. Layla could only hope it's powers lived on.
