Shooting Star

Layton threaded her fingers through her hair as she pulled into Matt and Val’s driveway. There were several cars parked in the large driveway, but Layton knew it was only because the guys were over hanging out with Matt and Marley. She was nervous as to how the guys had reacted to a little girl being around all day, but she was even more nervous as to how Marley had acted around the men who played in her favorite band.

With a heavy sigh, she walked to the door, struggling to pick up her feet and walk like a normal person even though her feet were hurting so bad from a new pair of heels she had worn to work today. She knew it had been a bad idea, but she had still worn them, at the time not caring if they caused her any pain. See, Layton did this thing where she compared every type of pain to child birth. She figured that if she could handle being in labor for twenty-nine hours and giving birth without any medicine or drugs to help with the pain, then she could handle a head ache or a few blisters on her feet, but each time she was proved wrong. In fact, she was a big baby when it came to simple pain such as that.

Ringing the doorbell, Layton folded her arms across her chest, drawing in a deep breath. This would be the first she would see all the guys together again and she was rather nervous about that. She was excited to hear all about what Marley thought about them though. She knew the little girl had to love them just as much as before she had met them.

The front door opened wide, Val standing before her. Layton swallowed hard at the sight of the older woman. Matt had told her that she would be gone all day, but from the looks of it she was back early. Layton was nervous to face Val, even though she had no right to be. It wasn’t as if Matt had cheated on Val with her in which Marley was born. Layton and Matt were together and in love when Marley was conceived. Val was only a friend at the time.

“Layton, hi,” Val cleared her throat.

“Mama!” A high pitched squeal stopped Layton from saying anything back.

Layton dropped to her knees in an instant and caught the hyper little girl in her arms, “Hi, toots!”

Marley hugged her neck for a minute before pulling back to get a good look at her, “You’re late,” Marley pouted.

“I’m sorry,” Layton smiled softly, “I had to run an errand. It won’t happen again. I promise.”

Val opened the door wider and motioned for Layton to come in with Marley still attached to her hip. Layton smiled at Val, murmured a thank you, and then Marley began to talk her ear off. She spoke so fast that Layton could hardly understand her as she rambled on and on and on.

Layton set her down before finally covering her child’s mouth with her hand, a grin curved at her lips, “You can tell me all about your day when we get home. For now, I’d like you to go find your dad so I can speak with Val alone.”

“But—“ Marley was about to protest when Layton gave her a warning look, “Fine,” The little girl muttered before running off in a different direction.

Rising to her feet with a slight groan of pain, she turned to the shy older woman beside her who was wearing a slight look of hesitance and worry, while her arms were folded across her chest. Layton licked over her bottom lip and tucked a lock of her curly hair behind her ear.

“Val,” She murmured, her eyes flicking up to meet the other woman’s, “I am so sorry about all of this intruding on yours and Matt’s life together. He was never supposed to find out.”

Val sent her a soft smile, “Layton, it’s okay.”

“Really?” She breathed out.

Val nodded, “I know that I have no right to be angry at Matt or you for having a child together, especially since he hasn’t known about her for so long. I am, however, angry at you for keeping Marley hidden from Matt. He deserved to know about his daughter a long time ago.”

Layton frowned, “I know, and I’m sorry.”

“She’s welcomed here anytime though, okay? And so are you,” Val told her, “Not only are you apart of the Avenged Family still, but you’re apart of mine and Matt’s family as well. Both you and Marley are.”

It was at the moment when Layton felt even guiltier for keeping Marley a secret for so long. She had no idea that Val was going to be so accepting about Marley, nor did she think that Val would ever say two words to her unless it was to call her a lying bitch. Layton was surprised by how well Val was taking this entire thing, but she was happy that Val was accepting it better than she thought, because that meant that Matt could really see his daughter whenever he liked now and Val wouldn’t be the evil step mother that Marley grew up hating.

“I can’t thank you enough for saying that,” Layton said.

Val laughed softly and stepped closer to the younger woman, “Look, Layton, as long as you allow Matt and I to see Marley on a weekly basis, then there won’t be any problems, understood?”

Layton nodded, “Of course. Every week, got it.”

Val smiled; glad to hear that Layton wasn’t planning on keeping Marley restrained from seeing Matt any more than she already had. She knew that would really take a toll on her fiancé. Even though Matt hasn’t known Marley long, she knows he loves her more than anything already.

“The boys are outside by the pool hanging out,” Val said, “Go straight down that hallway, through the kitchen, and past the opened double doors.”

“Thank you,” Layton murmured before watching Val head up the staircase.

Taking in a deep breath, Layton followed the directions to the backyard area. Just as she walked through the double doors, she found the guys sitting around a table to her left, and Marley sitting beside Matt’s legs on the ground while talking and playing with Bella, his and Val’s dog.

“Hey boys,” Layton smiled, walking towards them.

Jimmy was the first to spin around and look at her, eyes wide and a goofy smile tugging across his lips, “Layton-Bear!”

She grinned as he rushed towards her and embraced her in a large hug, lifting her off the ground and then spinning her around in a circle like something you would see in a movie. She held onto him tightly for a moment, seeing as she had truly missed Jimmy a lot more than most of her friends in Huntington when she disconnected herself from them.

“I can’t believe how grown you look!” Jimmy shook his head once he had set her to her feet and had given her a good inspection up and down.

Layton rolled her eyes and laughed, “And I can’t believe how tall you are still to do this day. I mean, hell, Jimmy, I’m wearing heels and I still only reach your shoulders.”

Jimmy chuckled as he draped his arm across her shoulders and led them closer to the others. Zacky jumped up next and pulled her into a hug, telling her how much he had missed her, and then Johnny did the same, except he hugged the life out of her. And Brian got up as well to hug her even though they had just seen each other a few days ago.

“Sit, sit!” Jimmy insisted, pulling a chair out for her.

Layton murmured a thank you and sat across from Matt and in between Jimmy and Zacky. It only took her a moment to be seated before Marley wandered over to her and climbed onto her lap to sit with her for a few minutes. Wrapping her arms around the small child, she kissed her forehead, and then Marley lied back against her chest to rest while Layton spent some time catching up with the guys.