Worlds Apart

by Isis Brown

  Layla took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. A tear escaped and slid down to the pillow. Isabel looked worried, as Layla wiped her tear and waved her hand, indicating she was fine. “I’m okay, it’s just… in a weird way, I didn’t expect that, and at the same time I kind of did.”

  Isabel pressed their lips together briefly. “I didn’t expect it, but I hoped.”

  Layla smirked. “That dress had your hope written all over it.”

  Isabel laughed. “Come on. You really think I went through all that trouble to find and wear a sexy dress just for you?”

  Layla raised her eyebrow.

  “What is it you said to me a while back? About pleading the fifth? That’s what I’m doing.”

  Layla propped her head up on her palm. “I hate to break it to you, but we are in Canada.”

  “Oh we are, aren’t we?” Isabel said laughing. “Then you have no power over me here woman.”

  Layla climbed on top of Isabel and started peppering her with kisses. “No power at all?” she asked, as she nipped at her earlobe.

  Isabel squeezed her eyes shut. “Uhhh, nope, I don’t uh, I don’t feel anything.”

  Layla slid down her body and pulled one of Isabel’s nipples into her mouth. She flicked it with the tip of her tongue before biting down on it.

  Isabel squealed. “Okay okay, yes, FINE.”

  Layla rolled off Isabel and laid on her back, raising a triumphant fist in the air.

  “LebaNinja has still got it.”

  ***

  Isabel could not stop kissing Layla. She had no idea what time it was, only that hours had passed since she invited herself to Layla’s room. A knock on the door followed by a curt “Room service,” broke them apart.

  “Nooo, come back,” Layla protested, as Isabel hopped out of bed and grabbed some cash out of her clutch and a robe out of the closet.

  “It was your idea to eat,” Isabel said over her shoulder, tying the robe closed and opening the door.

  “Here you go Miss, thank you so much,” the hotel worker said, sliding over the cart and accepting the cash tip. “Wait, are you Isabel Martin?” he asked, his voice suddenly excited.

  Isabel smiled. “Yes, I am,” she read the nametag on his chest. “Nice to meet you, Michael.”

  “You too. Hey, uh, can I take a selfie with you?”

  “Well, I’m a little underdressed for a selfie, but I tell you what. How about I promise to find you tomorrow and we can take a photo together. Can I ask for you at the front desk?”

  “Uh yeah, that would be perfect. I’m back on at 11 am, so any time after that. Thank you so much.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Isabel closed the door behind her and wheeled the cart towards the bed.

  “Am I going to have to start fighting these dudes or what?” Layla asked smiling, leaning against the headboard boxing an imaginary partner.

  Isabel stood at the side of the bed and looked at Layla. From her disheveled hair to her swollen lips and naked body barely hidden under the sheet, her heart swelled and her desire grew. She took off the lids to their orders, and handed Layla her plate, before climbing back into bed with her own.

  Layla took a big bite of her turkey avocado sandwich, then closed her eyes as she chewed.

  “Mmm, this is good.”

  Isabel smiled as she watched her eat, enamored by how Layla seemed to find joy in everything she did. She suddenly regretted getting a salad but took a bite anyway.

  Layla looked at her and picked up half the sandwich from her plate and plopped it down on Isabel’s.

  Isabel smiled sheepishly and took a bite of the sandwich. “You’re right, this is good.”

  “A salad? Honestly Isabel. If I had known you were making such questionable life choices this whole time we were apart, I would have staged an intervention.”

  Isabel reached over to Layla’s plate and grabbed a fry. “My hero.”

  After they finished eating, Isabel checked the clock on the nightstand.

  “Gotta go?” Layla asked, uncertainty in her voice.

  “Quite the opposite, actually,” Isabel answered. “Although, I do smell like French fries and sex.”

  “Those are a few of my favorite things,” Layla sang, eliciting a laugh from Isabel.

  “Why don’t I take a quick shower. That okay with you?”

  “Of course.”

  Isabel quickly closed the door behind her and did her best to scream silently as she joyfully jumped up and down in a victory dance. It took all of her self-control to play it cool in front of Layla, but for months she longed to be in her arms again, and it felt even better than she remembered.

  Hopping into the shower, she let the hot water run down her skin, centering her thoughts. She took her time washing her hair, soaping off her body, and mentally preparing herself for the conversation she’d had in her head a million times but now had to do in person.

  ***

  Layla stretched her body out on the bed, loosening the muscles that were the best kind of sore. As she heard the water running, she allowed herself the indulgence of hugging Isabel’s pillow that smelled so much like her. She got up and started tidying up the room by stacking their plates, placing the room service cart outside the door and hanging up Isabel’s dress and underwear from where they were discarded on the floor.

  Not wanting to let the good wine go to waste, she poured them fresh glasses and placed one on each nightstand. Climbing back into bed, she grabbed her glass of wine and took a slow sip as she pulled the sheet over her hips.

  Moments later Isabel emerged in her robe, brushing her wet hair. Layla was struck by how beautiful she looked, and how starved she was just to see her.

  “What?” Isabel asked, noticing she was on display.

  “Nothing. I uh…you look good. Really good.”

  Isabel scrunched her face. “Now? With all my make-up off and dress all the way over there?”

  Layla softened. “It was never about all that for me.”

  Isabel smiled, setting the brush on the nightstand and sliding into bed. She cupped Layla’s face and gave her a long kiss before leaning back against the headboard again. “You’re right. I do know that.” She picked up her wine glass and took a sip.

  “Speaking of things I know now,” she turned to face Layla. “I’ve been seeing a therapist since Poppa died. What started as grief counseling turned into something… long term.”

  Layla reached out and held Isabel’s free hand. “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah. I never really realized how much weight I carried around in my insecurity and self-doubt. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s all gone, but I can so clearly look back now and see all the ways I let those things manifest into me making certain decisions that I regret.”

  Layla squeezed the hand she held. “That’s great, Iz.”

  “It is. I haven’t mentioned it to you because I didn’t want it to be about that, about us. I’m at the point in my life Layla where I’m working on being direct and going after what I want.” She took a deep breath. “I don’t know if you are seeing Sasha or other people, but if you’re interested, I want to try again. If you don’t, that’s okay too. I understand.”

  Layla released the breath she must have been holding. She set her wine glass on the nightstand and ran her fingers through her hair.

  “Wow.”

  Isabel half smiled and held her gaze.

  “First of all, let me say I’m so grateful that you shared all of that with me. Second, about the way things ended between us. It wasn’t all your fault. I can look back and see that I wasn’t always making the best choices while we were together, especially where Sasha was concerned. Believe it or not, she helped me see how I chose myself and my pride over you. Over us. I’m so sorry I did that. I know I talked a big game about wanting to be behind the scenes, but at the end of the day, I let how I saw myself and my reputation tank a relationship that had its first bump.”

  “Sasha said that?�
� Isabel said, surprised.

  “She did. She really helped me, Iz. After you and I broke up, I was a mess. She helped me keep it together, and she called me on my shit.”

  “Oh. Well, that’s… great. I’m happy for you two,” Isabel said through a sad smile, withdrawing her hand.

  “No, Isabel. Sasha and I are not seeing each other anymore. It was this temporary thing that was nice.”

  Isabel winced.

  “I’m not saying that to hurt you. I’m saying it because we have to be honest with each other if we are going to stand a chance. I am not seeing Sasha anymore, at least not like that. However, she is one of my best friends now. So, if not being around Sasha is a condition for us to try again, I won’t do that to her.”

  Isabel seemed to think about this for a moment as she searched Layla’s eyes.

  “Okay.”

  Layla tilted her head. “Just okay? You’re good with that?”

  “I am. I’m not going to let my past insecurities about Sasha, or us, make decisions for me anymore. If you say things with you and Sasha are over, then they are over. If we are going to be real here for a second, it sounds like I owe her a huge thank you.”

  Layla laughed. “Please no. I don’t know if I can handle you two in a room together anytime soon.”

  Isabel exhaled dramatically. “Thank God. I mean new year new me and all, but I’m not sure I’m ready for all that just yet.”

  Layla smiled and grabbed Isabel’s hand again. “So we are really going to try this again, huh?”

  “You know what they say, ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try try again.’”

  “Isn’t there also one about how doing the same thing and expecting different results is insanity?” Layla asked, her finger in the air as if posing a deep intellectual question.

  Isabel set her wine glass down and straddled Layla. “Work with me, woman.”

  Layla slipped the robe over Isabel’s shoulders onto the bed.

  “Yes, Ma’am.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Fall

  “Hey babes,” Isabel said, as she let herself into Layla’s apartment with a bunch of dry-cleaning items in one arm, and a bag of take-out in the other. “Marco says hi, and he forgives you for not being able to make dinner. I brought you two take-out.”

  “Crap, let me help,” Layla said, setting her laptop on the coffee table and hopping off the couch to help unload. “You should have told me you were here I’d have come down to help carry everything up.”

  “I know honey. I just know better than to get in the way of the flow you two have got when you’re on a mission,” Isabel said, waving a hello at Sasha.

  Layla started plating their food while Isabel separated the dry-cleaning items.

  “Sasha, I’m going to hang yours up in the guest room, you might as well keep some here for those nights when you’re staying over.”

  Sasha stood looking nervous. “I forgot I left some outfits here. I’m so sorry. You didn’t have to do that Isabel.”

  “No sweat, I was already taking Layla’s in and saw yours gathering dust, so I made an executive decision.”

  “I can take them with me. I don’t want to be a bother or take up extra space.”

  Isabel walked right by her towards the guest room. “Can’t hear you, because I’m in the guest room hanging your things up,” Isabel jokingly yelled before joining them in the living room, “and also because what you’re saying is stupid.”

  Sasha laughed.

  Layla finished getting the food arranged as she brought their plates to the living room. Isabel opted to sit on the loveseat with a few of the scripts she had to review, while Sasha and Layla sat on the couch surrounded by their electronics and papers.

  “So, what’s the battle of the day?” Isabel asked.

  “We are just joining a few other states in suing the Federal Government,” Layla answered.

  “So basically just another Tuesday?” Isabel asked, setting a script on her lap.

  “Exactly that,” Sasha said, sprinkling a little pepper on her food.

  They worked side by side like that for a couple of hours. Isabel reflected for a moment as she was in between scripts on how quickly they all settled into their new normal. Sure, it was a little awkward the first few times Isabel and Sasha were in a room together, but taking her therapist’s advice, Isabel was quick to have a direct heart to heart with Sasha. They both agreed that at the end of the day, they both wanted what was best for Layla. While Isabel wouldn’t say that she and Sasha were friends in their own right just yet, they were well on their way. The most pleasant surprise for Isabel was the reality that she was no longer jealous of Sasha. She could see clear as day that Layla and Sasha had a deep connection and they cared for each other very much, but Layla had also made clear that Isabel was her priority and nothing was getting in the way of that. Sasha, to her credit, had also made that clear to Isabel.

  Isabel was drawn from her thoughts by a long yawn. She hadn’t realized how tired she was.

  “Alright my dears I’m off to bed,” she walked up to Layla and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Don’t work too late, okay?”

  “Okay,” Layla said, looking smitten.

  Sasha extended her neck and playfully offered her cheek to Isabel.

  Isabel laughed as she popped a playful kiss on Sasha’s cheek. “Same goes for you, I’ve already made up the guest room. It’s too late for you to go home.”

  “Thanks, Isabel,” Sasha said, and Isabel could tell she meant it.

  Epilogue

  Six Months Later

  “Come to your favorite mama Ramsey, come on.”

  “Don’t you dare you little turncoat, come to your real mom.”

  Isabel and Layla were playfully jockeying for position, each trying to coax Ramsey over.

  “When are you just going to accept that I’m his favorite, huh Iz?”

  “Over my dead body, LebaNinja,” Isabel said, as she pulled a treat out of her back pocket and waved it in the air. As soon as Ramsey caught sight of it, he leaped to her and sat obediently, his tail thumping on the ground, as he waited patiently for Isabel to reward him. Treat in his mouth, Ramsey trotted over to his dog bed and laid down. Isabel looked back at Layla with a sheepish grin on her face.

  “A Treat? You freaking cheater!” Layla said, tackling her to the ground and laying on top of her.

  “The rules were never specified to exclude treats!” Isabel protested.

  “Uh, yeah, you would think that went without mentioning.”

  Isabel wrapped her arms around Layla. “Well, I think that goes to show I am still his favorite, but I am willing to accept whatever punishment you deem necessary.”

  “Good. I plan on being very thorough,” Layla said as she nuzzled her neck.

  “Aren’t you worried about rewarding bad behavior, Ms. Mansour?”

  Layla pushed herself off Isabel and stood up, extending a hand down to help Isabel up off the floor.

  “Not particularly,” Layla said, a wicked grin on her face.

  Grabbing Layla’s hand, Isabel sat up, but instead of standing she kneeled, looking up at Layla while still holding her hand. Reaching her free hand into her pocket, she pulled out a small box as she cleared her throat.

  Layla faltered. “Isabel, what…” before stopping herself as Isabel flipped the box open to reveal a ring.

  Isabel took a deep breath. “Layla. This journey with you has been amazing. I know what you’re thinking, amazing is a rosy way of looking at things, but it’s true. From that first date at the park, where I wished for impossible things that you made happen, I knew this was something special. You have helped me become the person I always wanted to be but never thought I could be. You make me laugh, you inspire me every day, and you are the only person I can imagine being with for the rest of my life. I know this hasn’t always been easy, but it has always been worth it. I hope you know how committed I am to you, to us. I promise to do right by you for the re
st of our lives if you give me that chance. So, Layla Mansour, will you marry me?”

  Layla swiped at the tears that fell down her face as she pulled Isabel up and pulled her into her arms.

  “Of course I will marry you,” Layla said, cupping Isabel’s face and kissing her over and over again. “Although I can’t believe you didn’t mention the fact that I’m LebaNinja in your proposal as if that wasn’t what made you fall in love with me in the first place.”

  Isabel laughed. “Total oversight. Rookie proposal mistake.”

  “Well, good thing you’ve still got another opportunity when we say our vows. I’ve already got mine half-formed anyway.”

  “You do?” Isabel asked.

  “I am thinking of this great anecdotal story about this kiss at the park, a drool stain on my pants… it’s very romantic,” Layla mused.

  “Don’t you dare Layla.”

  Layla smiled before pressing her lips to Isabel’s a few more times. “Wow, I can’t believe this,” she said, as Isabel slipped the ring on her finger.

  “Believe it. Now, your Mom is expecting a face time call since I promised her we would call as soon as I proposed, so you should do that now because of the time difference.”

  Layla’s mouth fell open. “You talked to my Mom?”

  “I’ll take things I knew I needed to do because I am in love with an Arab for $500, Alex.”

  Layla put her hand over her heart. “I’ve never been so proud.”

  Isabel gave Layla a quick kiss before handing her the phone. “Mhm, now call your Mom while I call my parents, so you can then call Marco and Elliott while I call the girls, and TWO HOURS from now when we’re all done we can actually celebrate. Naked.”

  “Aye aye captain,” Layla said.

  “That’s fiancé now, thank you.”

  “Yes, yes it is.”

  Note from the Author

  Thank you so much for making it this far. This was my first attempt at writing anything, and it happened during a record year of travel, work, and planning a family. While I by no means consider myself a writer, I have always had such an active imagination and saw this story clear as day in this brain of mine that always feels like it’s going a mile a minute.