Ch. 52 – Layla
M orning sunlight showered the rustic landscape in gold. Birds trilled, and the last of the night’s chill was quickly leaving the air. With two miles under her belt, Layla had found an easy running rhythm.
Alanna ran by her side, her scarlet sports jacket now tied around her waist and her pale hair darkened with sweat at the roots. The starting pack of runners had gradually stretched out over the first mile, and Layla could see the bouncing, colorful figures of a few runners up ahead. She estimated that she and Alanna were somewhere squarely in the middle of the pack.
Her legs felt fresh. Almost buoyant. Her body flooded with energy. Her short ponytail swung from side to side with her strides, the tips of her hair brushing the back of her neck.
“The day is so beautiful,” she sighed to her sister.
“Em-hmm,” Alanna answered.
Layla noted Alanna’s tight expression. “Is everything okay? Do you want to slow down?”
“I’m sorry,” Alanna blurted. “I was an ass. Well, more of an ass than usual.”
“Huh?” Layla almost stopped, then remembered.
Race.
Run.
She told her legs to keep going. “What do you mean?”
“When you and Cal got back together, I was a total bitch,” Alanna clarified.
“You were right, though,” Layla said. “It was the wrong decision.”
“Of course, I was right. Cal is the worst,” Alanna agreed. “The only thing that man deserves is…” she paused to take a breath. “...to sit on a cactus and spin. And not one of those cute little desk cactuses. Cacti? Whatever. …I want him to sit on a big saguaro cactus.” Alanna swallowed. “But even so, it was your decision to make. I should have been supportive instead of tearing you down.”
Layla smiled. “Cal is the worst.” She turned to look at her sister. “You know, I’ve actually barely thought of him since we broke things off again.”
“Broke things off again?” Alanna echoed incredulously. “Stop being nice. You dumped his lying ass, Layla. Own it!”
Layla giggled. “You’re right. I dumped his lying…um, butt.” If Cal had tried to reach her, she didn’t know. She’d blocked him on her phone and all her socials, and she’d made sure to take the extra key to her mother’s house when she’d packed her belongings. And thankfully, no ostentatious gifts had shown up at her mother’s house this time around. Despite the abrupt end to their 10-year relationship, Layla felt at peace. That chapter of her life was now forever closed.
“You don’t know how relieved I was when you told us you’d kicked him to the curb once and for all,” Alanna continued. “To think, that man was going to be family… It made me want to scrub my DNA with lye.” She shuttered.
Layla smiled as she took a sip from the hose of her water pack.
“Do you forgive me?” Alanna said. “For being an ass…more than normal?”
“You were trying to protect me in your own way,” Layla answered. “Of course I forgive you.”
Alanna gave her such a long, probing look that Layla worried her sister might trip over a rock on the trail.
“You really are the nicest person on the earth,” Alanna said, finally shifting her gaze forward. “One of us must have been switched at birth.”
“Stop,” Layla laughed. “I’m not that nice.”
“You see the best in everyone,” Alanna insisted. “Even when we don’t always deserve it.”
“There is good in every person,” Layla said simply. “Sometimes you have to look a little deeper, but it’s there.”
Alanna sighed. “You know, I really envy you sometimes.”
Layla stumbled. Nearly tripped. Could such a thing be possible? Layla was timid and simple. Alanna kicked booty every day before her morning coffee.
“How could you be jealous of me?” Layla asked in utter bewilderment.
Alanna rolled her eyes. “Uh, 'cause you’re kind. You’re sweet. And I’m pretty sure you fart rainbows.”
“Alanna!” Layla gasped and giggled at the same time. “I don’t—”
“Right. You probably don’t fart at all,” her sister said. “Or, if you do, they’re cute little farts. Anyway, everyone loves you,” Alanna continued. “I think half the town honestly believes you’re some kind of angel or something.”
“I’m not. Trust me,” Layla said.
“Oh, I know,” Alanna assured her. “But sometimes I wish I were more like you. In fact…” Alanna suddenly glanced down at her dusty running shoes. “...The only reason I adopted Petunia was because I was jealous of you…of how great your life seemed.”
“Really?” Layla stared at her sister. She’d been shocked the day Alanna had barnstormed into YHAR demanding to adopt a cat. And Alanna being Alanna, she’d insisted on leaving with the most difficult, behaviorally deficient cat in the entire place.
Thankfully, it’d all worked out, though not without a highly contentious cat arbitration hearing that had the knitting club buzzing for weeks. Petunia, now renamed Sheba, had melted into a furry, reasonably behaved love poof under the patient and kind care of Sully.
And Sheba wasn’t the only love poof transformation Sully had managed.
“Alanna, I never knew.” It was all Layla could say. “But, I admire you, too. Sometimes, well, all the time, I wish I were brave and strong like you.”
Alanna snorted. “You mean, more like a bitch. Well, sorry to say, I don’t think you have a bitchy bone in your body.” She touched Layla’s shoulder. “But that doesn’t mean you aren’t brave or strong. Look at what the hell you’re doing right now. What you’ve made me do!”
Alanna waved her hand through the air, indicating the trail.
“I’m pretty sure the human body was designed to eat potato chips and watch murder documentaries on Netflix, not go skipping around for 30-plus miles.”
Layla smiled. “I’m so proud of you for moving in with Sully. For opening your heart. I know that’s a scary thing to do.”
“You think I’m brave?” Alanna shook her head violently. “I’m not. I love that stupid, handsome dork so much, and it terrifies the hell out of me.”
Tears of happiness burned in Layla’s eyes. “You’re so perfect for each other. I can’t wait until you two get—”
“Don’t you even dare!” Alanna hollered.
The two sisters jogged in silence for several minutes.
“I love you, Alanna,” Layla said.
Alanna groaned. “I love you too, you rainbow farting princess.”
*
An hour and a half after they started, Layla and Alanna jogged into the staging area. The Crazy Cat Ladies jumped up from their chairs and cheered. Layla smiled. One eight-mile lap down. Three more to go.
“Good job, sis.” Alanna pulled Layla into a hug. Layla closed her eyes and held onto her sister.
“You too,” she murmured.
“Mind if I cut in?” an amused voice inquired.
Layla stepped back, and Sully swung Alanna into his arms.
“I’m sweaty and gross,” she protested.
“And more beautiful than ever. Good job conquering the trail, my Amazon queen.” Sully bent down and kissed Alanna long and lingering.
Layla noticed Willow watching them, her dark eyes filled with longing. Layla understood that feeling. Her lips tingled. She’d never forget the way Prem had kissed her. How her entire body burned with fire at his touch.
“Get a room!” Rico called to the couple. “Or at least go into the changing tent.”
“Hey! That’s my changing tent,” Jax snapped. “No bodily fluids in the changing tent!”
Layla dropped into a camp chair under the CCLC pop-up and ate a banana while Tess refilled her water pack. Should she change her socks? Layla wiggled her toes. No, she didn’t feel any hot spots. Maybe after the next loop.
After 10 minutes of rest, she stood and walked a few steps to test her legs. They weren’t exactly buoyant anymore, but she still felt strong.
I can do this, she thought.
She turned to Everly. “You ready to go?”
The other woman made the sign of the cross over her generous bosom. “Lord, protect me from this deeply stupid thing I have been peer pressured into doing by my evil friends.”
“You’ll do great,” Layla assured her. “I’ll run with you the whole way. I promise I won’t leave you behind.”
Everly pulled in a deep breath and readjusted her cat-ear headband. “Let’s just get this hell over with.”
To cheers and catcalls, the two women left the tent and broke into a jog. Layla waved to her friends as she passed under the start banner for her second lap.