Counting Sheep

Chapter 23

"If you think this is finished, you are sorely mistaken."

Layla shivered and could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"And you are right. I am starving."

After those parting words, Julian went into the kitchen after Hazel and Layla leaned against the doorframe momentarily to try and catch her breath.

"Oh, Julian," She whispered to herself. "You'll be the death of me."

**

The breakfast they made was simple and traditional. Sausage, eggs—scrambled, to be precise- and blueberry pancakes. They all had eaten already, but Julian and Hazel wanted seconds so Layla had offered to cook some more, this time by herself, so that the two of them could watch some of Hazel's favorite show, Tom and Jerry.

As she stood by the stove, she couldn't help looking over her shoulder to watch the two of them together. They sat on the couch, Hazel with her legs laid on the tops of Julian's thighs, her head turned to watch the T.V. with rapt attention. Julian was surprisingly watching Tom and Jerry with just as much fascination as Hazel, still eating the last bites of pancakes he had left on his plate and laughing at the parts the mouse once again beat the cat with his very own antics.

Layla smiled softly to herself as she turned back to watch the small bubbles forming on the sides and tops of the cakes as she flipped it once more.

Here and now, it almost felt normal.

Like they were your typical everyday family and this is what their life was like on a day to day basis. Is this what it felt like to have a family of your own? A husband that works a normal job and a child that smiles without dark shadows lurking behind their eyes? She knew that she could get use to this and that could be a very dangerous thing for her because she knew that when you got comfortable was usually when life through the hardest and fastest of curveballs at you. Behind her, she heard Julian speak as he leaned towards Hazel.

"I never could figure out which one was Tom and which one was Jerry." He said and Layla looked again just in time to see Hazel smiling a toothy and happy smile at Julian's words. Once again, Layla felt that tight squeezing of her heart as an emotion wrapped its fingers around the organ in a vice-tight like grip.

Love...

Just as she was plating the pancakes, there was suddenly a loud knocking at the front door. It was as if everyone in the house froze.

Layla's knuckles turned white as she gripped the handle of the pan and slowly, she turned to Julian and Hazel. Julian stared at Layla and then at the front door.

Quietly, he turned off the T.V. and picked Hazel's legs up and off of his lap so that he could lean forward to drop a kiss on her head, gesturing for her to be quiet before making his way around the coffee table to the kitchen where Layla stood.

He took the pan from her hand and set it down onto the stovetop, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"Stay quiet. Go stand by Hazel out of sight from the front door and don't come out until I say it is safe. Okay?"

Layla numbly nodded her head. "O-Okay." She whispered back. Doing as Julian had asked for her, she picked up Hazel and set her on her hip, holding the little girl close as they both held their breath and listened...

She heard Julian moving to where his jacket lay draped over the chair and she knew he was grabbing his gun. For such a large man, she couldn't even hear his footsteps. It was as if he was a large and deadly predator and she couldn't tell if that should scare her or assure her that she and Hazel were safe.