That Was Then

Layla was sitting under a tree with a notebook. This is typical Layla. She always had a notebook in her lap and a pencil in her hand. Bill snuck up behind her and grabbed her. He was nine and she was six. Layla shrieked then fell out into a giggle fit.

"Billa!" she swatted his arm playfully.

"Hey Lay lay!" Bill grinned.

Layla put down her notebook and stood up then hugged Bill tightly. This was the first time she's seen him in a week or two. To six year olds, it felt like years.

"I'm gonna be on Star Search! Can you come with me?" He smiled at her.

"I'll have to ask mama. But I'm sure I can!" she returned his smile.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Bill sang with his band Devilish on stange on Germany's Star Search. Layla was backstage watching. Bill looked over and felt his confidence rise and he hit the high note, he was struggling with, perfectly.

He and his band finished the song and ran off the stage.

The first he did was pick Layla up and hugged her while spinning them around.

"Billa, stop!" she giggled, hanging onto him.

"Sorry. I'm just so glad your mom let you come! I wouldn't have made it this far if you hadn't have came." he smiled.

Layla's cheeks blushed a light pink. Bill loved that about her. She maybe younger, but she was beautiful in her own way.

"Layla!" Emily called.

Emily was Layla's mother.

"I gotta go, Billa. But I'll see you tomorrow." Layla smiled and hugged him goodnight then ran over to her mother.

"There you are, liebe. I was worried." Emily picked Layla up then walked out.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Layla was hiding under the covers. She heard her mom and dad fighting in the next room. They've been fighting like this nonstop since her mom agreed to let Layla go with Bill and his family to star search.

Layla was in tears. She jumped when she heard a door slam and then the door to the bedroom of the hotel suite they were staying in opened.

"Layla sweetie. Come on. Gather your things. We can't stay here any longer." she heard her mother's voice say.

"But.. What about Billa? And Tomi?" she looked at her mother with shimmering eyes.

"Come Layla. Do as I say. We're leaving Germany tonight. Before your father comes back." Emily said, packing up their things.

Layla got out of bed then changed clothes. She heard her mother call Simone as they walked out of the hotel suite.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"No! No! Where's that wench taken my Lay lay!?" Bill shouted when Simone told him that Emily had called saying they were going home.

"Emily said her and David are having too many problems. She's taking Layla back to the states, where she's from. She wants to raise her there, around her other family. Bill. Tom. They're moving back to Texas." Simone explained and Tom was just as angry as Bill.

"No! She can't do that! Layla was the only girl that understands Bill and me!" Tom shouted.

"Why can't Layla live with us!? She can't take her to the states! I'll never see her again!" Bill shouted, hurt.

He remembered when Mrs. Harmeir brought her home. She was so cute as a baby. She was a fat little baby with bright golden eyes and light colored hair. Then when she got a little older, dark chocolate eyes and dark hair to match. She was perfect.

Bill's eyes welled with tears. He never cried. Neither did his twin Tom. But tonight. It was unavoidable.