A New Beginning

Chapter Eleven

A week later, I was working at Co Co’s with Kenna and Coop.  Their relationship was still going strong, and they both looked so happy together.  Colby was there as well, telling Kenna and I about her latest torturous date.  He was very good looking and had a great sense of humor, yet he told her he was unemployed and lived with his mother, because he would get separation anxiety if he got his own place.  That’s right, separation anxiety, something that children get.  Poor Colby. 

         I hadn’t heard from Louis since he texted me about his mom, and though I understood why he would need to spend time with her, I was confused as to why he couldn’t shoot me a quick text or come up to Leah’s room for just five minutes. 

         Once I got home, I opened my notebook, ready to spill my heart” out to Nora.  However, just was about to write, I heard the front door knock, and then Leah scream.  I hurried to the front door to find Leah in an embrace with my mother, my father standing right next to them. 

         “Mom!  Dad!” I ran to them and gave them both a hug.  “I didn’t know that you would come today.”

         “We decided to surprise you.,” my father said.  “Now where is my granddaughter?” he asked.

         My sister lead them into the nursery, which was filled with balloons, stuffed animals, and gifts from the baby shower.  In the white crib Delilah slept soundly.  We all surrounded her, my mother with tears in her eyes and my father smiling. 

         “She’s beautiful!” my mother said as Leah carefully picked her up and put her in Mom’s arms.  She rocked Delilah back and forth as we all watched her in awe.  After my father held her, he laid her back in her crib and let her sleep as we heard all about their trip.

         They showed us pictures of everywhere they went: Grand Canyon, Mt. Rushmore, Lake Michigan, New York City, countless beaches, Disney World, Rocky Mountains, and many more crazy landmarks like The World’s Largest Pig. 

         “How long are you staying here for?”

         “Well I thought we would stay for five days, but we would go to L.A. and San Francisco to check those places out.  Then you can come home with us.”

         The thought of leaving Santa Monica instantly depressed me.  Leaving my new friends, my job, and Leah’s family was not something I wanted to do.  This place had become my new home and I felt like I belonged there. 

         “I don’t want to leave.”

         “What?  Honey, that was the plan.  You would only have to stay here as long as we were on vacation.”

         I glanced at Leah and Bobby, who both looked surprised.  “These past few months have been great.  I have new friends and a job and I love living with Leah.  I’m not asking to stay forever, but there’s still a month left of summer.  I was wondering, if Leah and Bobby said it was okay, if I could stay here for that last month.”

         Leah and Bobby looked at each other, then back to me, nodding.  “Of course you can stay!” Leah said, grabbing my hand.  “I’ve loved having you here, and now that Delilah is here, I could really use your help when Bobby goes back to work.”

         “I would be happy to help you.” I said, and also told me that I could stay. 

        

         For the next week, my parents and I explored California.  I also spent a lot of time with my niece, helping Leah and letting her get sleep when she looked extremely tired.  I worked a little bit, knowing that my summer would soon be over and I would have to return to South Carolina.  Em had come over a few times to see the baby and Leah.  I wanted to ask her how Louis was doing, but since I hadn’t told anyone about the kiss, I didn’t want to seem overbearing.  I had come to the conclusion that what happened between Louis and I was magical, but that moment had passed and we probably wouldn’t be together.  In a month I would leave anyways, so it would be stupid to start anything.  Yet a small part knew that I was staying to see what happened between him and I, to get some sort of closure and goodbye.