Fire And Ice

6

Layla was sitting in the passenger seat of Parker's truck, wiping her eyes as she looked through the pictures of Logan.

"I missed so much, Parker. I missed everything I looked forward to. His first tooth, his first word, his first everything." Layla sniffled.

"He still hasn't took his first steps, if that's any consolation." Parker reached over and held her hand.

"Really?" Layla sniffed. "I thought he would be walking and running all over the place by now."

"No, he walks holding onto the table, but he's never took steps by himself." Parker explained. "Now you'll get to see it."

"It's almost his birthday, oh my gosh, I have to plan his party!" Layla looked over at Parker. "Have you been planning his party?"

"No, I was just gonna give him some cake and ice cream." Parker shrugged a shoulder before turning down the road that their house was on.

"That is not acceptable, Parker Schnabel." Layla smiled. "Not since I'm here. Our friends are coming, and we'll have decorations and presents and cake and ice cream and-"

"Good now Mom will be satisfied." Parker smirked.

Layla giggled before leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Of course, we might need to postpone the party a week so we can get everything together and organized."

Parker shrugged. "It's not like Logan will mind."

Layla chuckled softly. "Exactly."

"Welp, we're home, baby girl." Parker smiled as he pulled into the driveway. "All your stuffs right where you left it."

"I bet it looks like a disaster area though." Layla smirked.

Parker chuckled. "It's not that bad."

"Oh good lord, Ima be cleaning for weeks." Layla joked as she opened the truck door.

Parker slung his arm around Layla's shoulder as they walked to the door of the house, and Layla looked up and kissed his jaw. As soon as they walked in the door, Parker dropped his duffel and picked Layla up, causing her to squeal in delight.

"Parker, I have to take a shower first." Layla laughed as he walked through the living room to the stairs.

"Come on, I don't care." Parker smirked.

"Well, I do. It'll only take me thirty minutes at the most." Layla smiled.

Parker groaned, rolling his eyes. "Fine."

"And while I'm doing that, you can be thinking about what you want to eat tonight." Layla smiled.

"I know what I want to eat right now." Parker smirked.

"Shut up." Layla giggled as she playfully hit his shoulder.

***

After a few hours, Parker and Layla finally made their way over to Parker's parents house. After a heartfelt reunion with Nancy and Roger, Layla slowly walked with Parker to Parker's old bedroom that had been converted into Logan's room for when he came over. Logan was sitting on the floor, building something with his blocks. Layla put her hands over her mouth and smiled, a tear rolling down her cheek as she stood there and watched him.

"Hey, buddy, I got a surprise for ya." Parker smiled as he walked in the room and bent down in front of Logan.

Logan looked up at his dad and opened his arms for him to pick him up. Parker smiled as he picked Logan up, standing up.

"You remember the pictures I showed you of your mama?" Parker asked him.

Logan nodded.

"You remember how I told you she was coming back one day?"

Logan nodded again.

"Well, she's here now." Parker smiled as he turned around and walked to Layla who was still standing in the doorway.

"Hey, baby." Layla smiled softly as she rubbed Logan's arm with her thumb.

"Go to her, Logan, she missed you a lot." Parker said.

Logan wrapped his arms around Layla's neck, and she smiled, chuckling as she took him from Parker.

"I love you so much, baby." Layla whispered to Logan before kissing his head that was covered with brown curls. "I'm never leaving again."

Parker wrapped his arms around both of them and sighed, finally having his family together again. He kissed both of their heads and smiled.

"Kids! Dinner!" Nancy called.

"She still calls us kids when we have a kid of our own." Parker smirked.

Layla chuckled softly. "Come on, I'm starved."

"Now I asked you if you wanted to stop and get something to eat." Parker said as he unwrapped his arms from them.

"I wanted good food." Layla smiled. "Not fast food."

"I would've taken you to the steakhouse, hell." Parker said as he followed Layla carrying Logan.

"I'll hold you to that." Layla glanced back at him, smiling.

"Alright, I made your plates." Nancy said as she set two plates beside each other on the table. "Parker, get the high chair for Logan."

Layla sat down with Logan in the chair beside Nancy's, and was talking to Logan, who was smiling and giggling as she tickled his side a little. Parker set the high chair in between his and Layla's chairs, then he picked up Logan.

Logan started whining and holding his arms out towards Layla.

"Oh, give him back. He can eat off my plate." Layla said as she held her arms up.

Parker smirked before setting Logan back in her lap. Layla moved Logan's hair from his forehead and kissed it.

"You wanna stay with mama, don't you, baby?" Layla smiled as she picked up her fork.

"Hold on, don't eat yet." Parker said as he scooted his chair closer to the table. Layla looked over at Parker. "We're going to pray first."

Layla looked surprised for a moment before smiling. "Alright."

"Dad, will you do the honors?" Parker asked.

"Of course, son." Roger smiled before bowing his head.

The rest of them followed, and Parker held Layla's hand as she held Logan.

"Dear Lord, we thank you for this day and this good food, and we thank you so very much for bringing Layla back to us. We will forever be grateful for that. I pray that she and Parker and Logan have a good life together, and that there's nothing but good times from now forward. In Jesus name, Amen." Roger prayed.

"Amen."