by Solveig Yrsa
“Someone… HELP ME!”
Spencer’s eyes widened as he ran back down the alley. He reached the end of the alley and stopped abruptly. His brain tried to register the sight before him. It was poorly lit, but he could see Layla. She was bloodied and being held against a wall by a man who was fumbling with his pants. Spencer felt a rage consume him like no other. He wasted no time and lunged at the large man, punching him in the face.
Jackson stumbled backwards, causing Layla to fall to the ground. Jackson shook his head and looked towards the person who had just hit him. He saw Spencer and laughed. “You got a death wish, boy?” Jackson walked up to Spencer and tried to hit him. Spencer dodged the attack and kneed Jackson in the gut. Jackson then elbowed Spencer in the face, causing him to fall to the ground.
“Stupid kid! I’ll kill you! But first, I’m going to make you watch all the things I’m going to do to your little friend.” Jackson smirked as he headed towards the trembling girl.
“Idiot, don’t you know the number one rule of a fight,” Spencer whispered as he grabbed a loose brick and hit Jackson over the head with it. Jackson crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
“Never turn your back on your opponent.” Spencer turned from the unconscious giant to Layla. He ran to her, and she instantly latched onto him. He picked her up, and that was when he noticed she had no pants on. He looked around the floor but didn’t see her pants. “Screw it, I have a blanket in the car, we need to get out of here before he wakes up.” Spencer then turned and ran to the car with her in his arms.
He placed Layla in the passenger seat, and quickly grabbed the small blanket out of the trunk. He handed it to her and got into the driver’s seat. Once inside, he patted his jacket pocket and pulled out the stuffed cat. “Here.” She hugged the cat to her chest, and they sped off.
There was no talking the entire drive to Spencer’s home. Layla was curled up in a ball, sobbing, and Spencer simply rubbed her back while he flew down the empty streets.
All he could think about was how he almost left her there. That man would’ve raped and probably killed her. Fury was still coursing through his body. He wanted to go back and beat the hell out of that man again. He shook his head, right now he just needed to get her home.
This is all my fault, I should’ve brought her home to begin with.
Spencer pulled up to the front of his house, stopping the car before he quickly got out and ran around to Layla’s side. He opened the door and picked her up. She wrapped her frail arms around his neck tightly, and pressed her face deep into his muscular chest.
Spencer went to open the door, but someone was already opening it. Samantha stood there, stunned at the sight in front of her. “Oh my god! Layla! What happened!?”
Spencer started for the stairs. “I’ll tell you later,” Spencer said while running to his room.
Once they entered his room, Spencer sat Layla down on his king-sized bed. She let out a small cry, and grabbed his shirt as she pulled him towards her trembling body. Spencer gently pried her off of him and placed a hand on her scraped cheek.
“Relax,” he breathed. “You’re safe. Now I want you to stay here, I’ll be right back.”
She wanted to protest, she didn’t want him to leave her alone again, but Spencer was too quick and he ran out of the room before she could talk. She felt a pressure in her chest. Where was she? When would Spencer be back? She heard footsteps outside of the room. She quickly got up and hid.
Spencer walked down the hallway and bumped into his mother. “Spencer!” she breathed. “Oh my god! What on earth happened!?” Catherine touched her son's face, causing him to wince. It hadn’t occurred to him until that moment that he was injured. He didn’t have time to address his injuries right now though.
“Mom,” Spencer said softly. He hadn’t realized he had been panting. “You know how you always wanted a daughter?”
“Spencer Matthew Williams, if Rachel is in your bedroom, so help me God…”
“Mom! Mom!” Spencer grabbed Catherine’s shoulders. “It’s not Rachel, it’s the homeless girl, Layla. I went to… see her, and she was being attacked. She was so scared and I… I couldn’t leave her.”
Catherine’s expression softened at the look of helplessness on her son’s face. “Take me to her.”
Spencer walked back into his room and looked around. “Layla?” he called out. The room was empty. “I just left her here.” He looked under the bed and the headed to his closet. He opened the door and turned on the light switch. He sighed in relief when he saw the brown-haired girl curled up in the back corner.
“Layla, come out, my mom is here, she’s going to help you get cleaned up.”
Layla looked up slightly and saw the beautiful woman behind Spencer. She nodded and slowly crawled out of the closet, keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around her tiny waist.
Catherine’s heart broke for the frail-looking girl standing in front of her. “Come on, darling, let’s get you a bath and some fresh clothes.” Catherine wrapped her arms around Layla and ushered her towards the door. Layla looked back and noticed that Spencer wasn’t leaving, so she stopped moving.
“Layla, you’ll be fine, and I’ll send Sam in there with you and my mom, okay? I promise, I will not leave you this time.” She seemed reluctant, but she followed Catherine once again.
Layla sat on the plush, satin covered chair while she watched Catherine and Samantha run around the ridiculously enormous bathroom. The room included a large jacuzzi tub, a large walk-in shower that was big enough for several people, and a massive vanity with all the best skincare products. Layla looked down at the plush, white rug on the marble floor that her dirty feet were touching. She blushed and pulled her feet up quickly.
Catherine walked over to her, and Layla looked panicked. “I’m so sorry!” Layla let out a small cry and looked away. “I will clean it.”
Catherine raised a brow, then looked down at what Layla was talking about. She let out a small laugh. “Oh honey, it’s just dirt, it’s not a big deal. There’s nothing to be sorry about.” Layla gave her a small nod and let out a sigh. She was scared. A lot happened in the last couple of hours.
Catherine helped Layla up and got her scrub top off as she looked at the girl in pity. She was unbelievably thin and her tiny body looked so battered. She shook her head and forced a smile. “Now, let’s get you in the shower and then I will draw you a nice hot bath for a long soak.” Layla nodded as Sam helped her into the shower. Sam grabbed a plastic bag on the counter and covered her cast.
“Aunt Cat, maybe we should have the doctor cut this cast off and put a new one on. It’s really dirty.”
Catherine nodded as she pulled oils off the shelf. “Yes, I’ll call our doctor first thing in the morning.”
Sam pulled her hair in a bun and stepped into the shower with Layla. There was a bench built into the shower and Sam motioned for Layla to sit down. Layla felt rather awkward, being naked in a room with these two. They were both absolutely gorgeous; she looked down at her own body and grimaced. Once Sam finished washing Layla, Catherine helped her into the hot bath. The jets were already going, Layla sank in and sighed. It was the most amazing thing she had ever felt, and it smelled heavenly.
“Do you like it?” Catherine asked.
Layla nodded and rested her head on the pillow attached to the jacuzzi. “This is amazing.”
Layla relaxed in the tub for several minutes in peaceful silence as Catherine sat on the edge of the tub, combing out every single strand of Layla’s hair. Sam walked back into the bathroom with some fresh clothes for her. “So, Layla,” Sam started while walking over to the women. “How old are you?”
Layla shrugged, “I think Spencer said I was twenty when he asked my birthday. I was born in September 2000, but I don’t know what the year is now.”
Catherine spoke up as she continued to meticulously comb the girl’s hair. “Well, it’s April 17th 2020, so you’re nineteen right now, but you will be twenty in a
bout five months.”
“We’ll have to throw you a party!” Sam beamed as she and Catherine helped Layla out of the tub.
“W… why?”
Catherine raised a brow. “Because it will be your birthday! And twenty is a big year! You deserve a party!” Layla shifted, obviously uncomfortable. Why were they being so nice to her?
Sam helped Layla get dressed in a pair of gray sweats and a red t-shirt. The women couldn’t believe how loose everything was on her. “Well,” Catherine said with a reassuring smile. “Tomorrow we will take you out shopping for some clothes that fit. Now, let’s get you some food.”
Layla could believe she was about to say this, but food did not sound appetizing at the moment. “No, thank you.” Her gaze drifted to the floor. “I’m actually just really tired. I would rather just leave now and go find somewhere to sleep. I really appreciate all that you’ve done, and before I go, I wanted to thank Spencer for saving me, if you don’t mind.”
Catherine shook her head. “Layla, you are staying here. This is your home now, you will have your own room with a bed to sleep in. Now, go down your stairs, to your kitchen, and grab a bite to eat, even if it something small, we need to put some meat on your bones, love. You go do that, while Samantha and I get your room ready. Just go downstairs and make a right, I am sure you’ll find Spencer in there.”
Layla was completely confused, but too numb and tired to argue, so she nodded and slowly left the two women.
Once Layla was out of earshot, Samantha turned to Catherine. “Rachel is going to lose it when she finds out.”
Catherine grinned. “Good, maybe then she’ll never return to my house.”
Layla headed down the long hallway and entered the kitchen. Like the bathroom, the kitchen seemed way too large. It had two islands, two ovens that were in the wall, and a range cooker in one island. The counters were a white and gray marble, and the cabinets were a gorgeous white color. She saw Spencer sitting at the breakfast bar eating a sandwich. As he looked up, he gave her a small smiled and waved his hand for her to come join him.
Layla slowly got up on the stool and looked at him. “Hi,” she said awkwardly while looking at her hands. She couldn’t believe how clean her nails looked.
“Hey,” he said with a mouthful of food. “Man, you smell great.”
Layla blushed, she wasn’t used to being told that. Memories of him and his constant teasing about her smell flooded her mind. She shook her head and muttered a thanks.
“Are you hungry?” he asked with another mouthful of food.
Layla let out a small laugh and shook her head. “No, not really. Your mom made me come down here, but honestly, I’m still not able to keep much food down.”
Spencer nodded and headed to the fridge. He pulled out a meal replacement shake and hand it to her. “Sometimes my mom can’t keep food down either.” Layla smiled and graciously accepted the drink. As she opened the shake and took a sip, she looked over at Spencer and his injuries. His right hand was swollen and bruised, he had a gash across the bridge of his nose, and a bruise forming on his cheek. Layla’s heart felt heavy.
“S… spencer,”
“Yep?” he said while making himself another sandwich.
“I ummm… I just… thank you, for… for saving me. And, I’m sorry you got hurt.” Layla’s eyes never left her bottle. She couldn’t read what it said, but she would rather stare at it than look at him in that moment.
He patted her back as he sat back down on the stool. “Don’t worry about it. He barely touched me. Besides, no one should touch you like that. He deserved way worse than he got.” Spencer finished his statement through clenched teeth.
She smiled and took another sip of her shake before making a face and pushing it away. “What’s wrong?” Spencer asked, looking at her face. “You don’t like the shake I just worked so hard to get you?” he asked sarcastically.
“Oh! No, I’m sorry it’s good! I just… I’m still puking, and I’m trying to keep myself from doing it now.”
“That’s odd, I would’ve thought the medicine would’ve cleared that up… wait… shit.” Spencer cursed himself and smacked his head. He had her prescriptions, but honestly, even if he didn’t, she would’ve had no way to get them to a pharmacy or pay.
Layla covered her mouth as she yawned softly. Spencer stood up, “Come on, we’ll find my mom and you can get some rest.”
As they walked up the stairs, realization hit Layla. “Oh no!” she cried, looking around. “Where’s Meow?” She remembered Spencer giving it to her when they left the alley, but she hadn’t seen him since.
“Meow? What are you talking about?”
“You gave him to me!” Spencer looked at her frantic expression, then realized what she meant.
“Oh! The stuffed cat? It was filthy, so it’s getting cleaned. It will be good as new in a little while.”
Layla took a breath and relaxed. “Okay, thank you.”
They continued to make their way up the steps, and Spencer couldn’t help but smirk that the stuffed animal meant so much to her.
Samantha met them at the top of the stairs. “The bed is made, we will fix up your room in the next couple of days to make it more personable. Your room is next door to Spencer’s, so just knock on his door if you need anything.” She smiled and then turned to Spencer. “Aunt Cat wants to see you before you call it a night, it’s late, so I think Liam and I are going to crash here, that is, if I can pry him away from Jensen and that game so he actually gets some sleep.” She shook her head and headed down the steps.
Once in the room, Layla was in awe. The room was large; it had a big, queen-size bed against the wall with a chocolate colored comforter, and more pillows than Layla had ever seen. She covered her mouth to hide her enormous smile when she saw her stuffed cat on the bed. He looked just like new. She grabbed him and hugged him tightly.
Spencer smiled softly at how much joy that five-dollar toy seemed to bring her. “Okay, well, I’m going to let you get some sleep. If you need anything, I’m next door.” Layla looked up at him and nodded slowly.
Once he was out of the room and the door was closed, Spencer let out a deep sigh. He was so exhausted he could just collapse right there.
Layla sat on the bed and looked around the empty room. There was a bed, a white lamp, and a white dresser. It was too quiet. She wasn’t used to the silence. Even at the hospital she’d hear alarms, nurses walking by, monitors going off. Here, there was nothing, and it was deafening. She shifted uncomfortably. The silence wasn’t the only thing making her uncomfortable. She knew what her actual concern was. It was Spencer, how long was he actually going to allow her to stay before she was tossed out again? Sure, Spencer was acting kind right now, but she wasn’t an idiot. She knew the game. Soon his girlfriend would come over and Layla would be gone.
Then she would be alone on the streets again. Tears streamed down her cheeks as the realization hit her. Jackson was still alive, and once she was told to leave, he would find her again. She let out a sob as she could feel the panic setting in. Jumping off the bed, she ran to the closet; walking inside, she pressed herself tightly into the furthest corner while covering her ears.
***
Spencer walked into his mother’s room. He found her lying on her red and gold chaise, reading a book. She looked up at him over the rim of her black-framed reading glasses and motioned for him to take a seat. He sat on the opposite end of the chaise and looked at her with tired eyes. “What a night,” he muttered.
“How is she?” Catherine asked as she placed her glasses on top of her head.
Spencer shrugged. “Okay, I guess, we didn’t really talk much. She said she’s still having trouble eating, I got her to drink a little of one of your shakes, but that’s it.”
“I’m going to take her to see the doctor tomorrow for a full checkup, get her on some vitamins, and then I think I’m going to take her to Dr. Evans for her teeth. She tried to hide them, and when Sammy handed her
a toothbrush she didn’t know what to do with it.”
Spencer nodded. “Yeah, she’s obviously been out there a really long time, I feel bad for her, she shouldn’t have had to go through what she has.”
Catherine looked Spencer in the eyes. “I want you to listen to me, alright? Layla is here now, and when I say that, I mean permanently. You are not to treat her in any disrespecting manner. I don’t care how much of a hissy fit that girlfriend of yours throws. I’ll throw her bum out long before I do Layla’s. Are we clear?”
“Crystal.” Spencer hated when his mother talked to him like that. He felt like a child instead of a twenty-three-year-old man. He got up and stretched before turning back and giving his mother a kiss on her head.
“I’m proud of you, son, for what you did tonight.” Catherine patted her son’s arm.
Spencer smiled, “Thanks Mom.” With that, he walked out of her room and headed to his bathroom. He shut the door and sighed as he walked into the dark shower and turned on the large rain machine shower head.
He disrobed and stepped into the tiled shower allowing the hot water to hit his sore body, and he let out a moan. He hadn’t realized how much pain he was in until then. His mind went to Layla, wondering if she was in pain. He hadn’t seen what the attacker had done to her before he had got there. He felt his anger coming back. What if he had walked away? What if he decided not to go find her? She would’ve been…
“No,” he growled, he couldn’t think that way. He turned the water off and grabbed his towel. While changing into his sweats, he noticed the time on his clock and groaned. It was 11:45 pm. Rachel was going to kill him, he hadn’t talked to her all day.
He decided to check on Layla before going to bed, knocking on her door gently before opening it. He scanned the room only to find it empty. “What the hell? Layla?” He let out a sigh when he saw the closet door cracked. He walked over to the closet and turned on the light. She was curled up in a corner with her arms over her face and ears. He could tell by her breathing that she was asleep.