Baby Fever

Epilogue ~ The Finale

A year later 

...

I rolled my neck as I stepped out of my car. Because of the bags of groceries in my hands, I had to use my elbow to open the door to my apartment complex.

 My father usually handles my groceries, but ever since he was offered a detective position at his firm, he's been really busy. 

I rubbed my eyes as I made my way through the halls. Cross is supposed to come and stay with me in a few days, so I had to run to get groceries after a day full of lectures and studying. 

I was surprised at what I saw straight ahead.

I squinted my eyes to try to get a better look at the girl standing outside my door. 

Was she crying?

"Excuse me?" I asked as I approached. 

She turned to face me. 

"Layla? What're you doing here? And why are you crying?"

She brushed some of her hair away from her tear-streaked face. "We broke up, Vic."

"You and Alex?"

She buried her face in the tissue she was holding. 

I dropped my bags and fished for my keys in my pocket. "Okay, come in," I put my hand on her back and ushered her inside. 

"What happened?" I asked as I picked up my groceries. I used my foot to slam the door shut and dumped the groceries on the countertop. 

"We've been having problems for a while now, but I thought we'd be able to move past them." 

"Oh, baby." I wrapped her into a tight hug. "What will it be? A cake? Brownies? Cookies? Churros? Pie?"

She buried her face in my shoulder and continued crying. 

I ran my hands through her hair. "I think we'll just do ice cream."

...

"We were both just so headstrong," she said. 

We were snuggled up on my couch, with a large bowl of ice cream in our hands. 

"My art studio has not been doing well, Vic. Combine the money problems with our own internal issues," she shook her head. 

"I'm sure you guys tried everything you could."

She ran her hands through her hair. "Has he called you?"

I shook my head. "I figured it was because he was just busy."

"He said he's going to go back to England and stay with his sister."

"Emma?"

She scoffed. "I know right. I'm sure she's still up to no good."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "I don't know, Layla, it's been a few years."

"People don't change that easily, Vic." She sniffed. "I just wish we could've worked."

"Maybe it's not too late. We chased him to an airport before, we could do it again."

She shook her head. "That's just it, Vic, I already had my fairytale ending. This is the aftermath. There's nothing left to salvage."

"You don't mean that." I took her hand. 

A few stray tears fell from her eyes. "I do. He said it himself."

"Layla, you-"

The doorbell rang.