Superheroes [P]

Layla had always felt on the outs with people her own age, getting pregnant as early on as she had, she'd lost most of her friends along the way. Teenagers bordering adulthood couldn't fathom being around someone who had already taken a step ahead. That, and, she'd been deemed easy for the simple fact of making a mistake when she was intoxicated. As if her peers hadn't done the same thing and been much luckier than she was. But then again, no, Layla wouldn't consider them lucky. She had gotten the greatest end of the deal the moment Nicholas was born and anyone who didn't stick around to see how great he was, simply wasn't worth her time. 

So when she came across a person who accepted what had happened to her, someone who accepted that mistakes could turn into miracles, it was always a small victory. Play dates had become a necessity, something to further each of their children's development. Not that either of the kids needed help in the social interaction category, they both were far more developed in that than their own parents. Nicholas had been impatiently waiting for his friend to show up (which was without a doubt a trait he inherited from his mother). All the while, Layla had just been trying to organize the house as best she could for their guests. When she heard them on the other side of the door, she disentangled herself from the cord of the vacuum, attempting to wrap it quickly so that she could open the door without making them wait too long. She nearly tripped on her way, but managed to open it so that the little girl could burst through.

Nicholas had been sitting on the couch, distracting himself with a comic book as well as Batman the Animated Series playing as background noise (not something he'd requested, but rather something his mother had put on). When Chloe came through, he smiled and patted the spot beside him for her to make herself comfortable.

Layla let out a laugh and turned to her friend, "Don't worry about it, I'm familiar with impatience. Here, c'mon in. Do you want a drink or anything?" She stepped out of the way so that he could enter and shut the door behind him. Glancing over her shoulder, she checked the kids to make sure they hadn't started any mischief in the five seconds that they'd been together. Her son was an angel compared to her, but she was still waiting for that streak to come out of him.

"I can't say that I'm surprised, the girl knows how to come prepared," There was nothing wrong with making sure she was prepared for anything. Perhaps it would come in handy for her later in situations that Layla couldn't say she'd been prepared for. Chloe would likely grow up to be much smarter than Layla was though, she just hoped her son grew up to be smarter as well. Reflexively, she looked back at her little boy again. Smiling away, he seemed completely unaware of any slight problems that hung around them. He wasn't oblivious to everything, but she wondered if he understood the conversations her and Patrick had occasionally.

Layla got brought back to the conversation with his question and nodded, "Oh yeah, absolutely. I think there's some space in the pantry!" She motioned towards the small kitchen pantry that was sort of out of place in the small kitchen that she had. When she followed his glance towards their kids, she smiled briefly. They were two peas in a pod, had been since day one. Nicholas was a few years older than Chloe, but he took to her the way he took to most people. He was a popular kid, loved socializing even though sometimes he spoke too fast and tripped over what he was trying to say. Adults thought it was the cutest thing and kids either picked on him for it or accepted that it was just the way he talked. And in both cases, Nicholas didn't let anything bother him. He was far more patient than she ever expected him to be, something he must have learned from the other men in his life.

Chloe had become someone he felt needed protected because she had spunk, but she was small even for her age. Nicky wasn't much larger, but he had grown up knowing that even girls with the fiercest attitudes needed some reinforcements on occasion. Layla had a gaggle of men to back her up if she needed it, each one playing a significant part in her son's life, the brothers that she'd missed out on growing up. Younger and older. Mike's comment made her scrunch her nose, "Thank God we have many years to prepare. They're already quite the pair, I can only imagine the two of them when they're older." She wasn't sure who she was more worried about, Chloe or Nicholas. Chloe had the spunk now, but Nicholas was Layla's son and she wondered if that would ever come back and bite him in the ass. "At least they're both smarter than we are."