He didn't know what to expect when he found himself back at her doorstep. If Edward or Lydie was still around, perhaps the visit would be for naught and he would be sent away faster than he could say 'Layna'.

But the one answering the bell was not any of them, nor was it Kayla.

It was Kenny.

He wondered why he'd never met those he knew closer: Paul, maybe, or James, heck, even Abby, or whoever else from the photographs. Or maybe word went around already that he found out and those three deliberately switched timetables to make sure he wouldn't meet them? It sounded like a bad conspiracy theory, but why not? The whole thing had been elaborate enough so far.

"Where's Kayla?"

"Sleeping."

"Huh."

"Didn't you see her crazy schedule? She usually spends her weekdays working, so people would come in the weekends to make sure she sleeps."

"That doesn't seem sustainable."

"It doesn't. It's insane that she could keep this up for years. She's bound to break one of these days."

"Let me guess...She refuses doctors?"

"One time James even tried a friggin' fortune teller. She'd listen to no one. Anyway, what are you doing here, dude?"

"I thought I'd want to drop by again."

"Have a seat, then. Kayla should be awake in an hour or so."

"You're not hostile towards me."

"I see you've met Ed and Lydie. No. Why should I? Besides, I wouldn't want to make a fuss around Kayla and Layna. Especially Kayla. She needs her sleep. Just...if you decide to be in her life once more, don't leave her broken again, okay? She deserves a break."

"Why did...she keep it? The pregnancy?"

Kenny gave him a look that seemed like a pity. He felt like an idiot.

"Why, I wonder." Kenny shook his head, his eyes still looking awfully judgmental.

"...Dude, she still loves you. All this time," continued Kenny, filling the silence he had allowed one second too long. There was a lot the guy was holding back if he read his expression correctly, and given that Kenny was the only one treating him civilly aside of Kayla so far, he decided he had the responsibility to at least listen to what Kenny had in mind.

"I'd never seen her date or even try to for the last three years."

"At first, I thought it was us boys--y'know, Ed, Paul, James, and I--being around her so often deterring the guys from trying, so I persuaded Lydie to take her out more, but no. She must've gotten at least a dozen serious suitors. She rejected them all. Abby didn't even try. Apparently she'd seen Kayla reading your past messages and concluded Kayla wasn't ready to get over you anytime soon. And what did you ask? Why she kept the pregnancy? She's keeping a physical reminder of you. Layna is her morality chain. I mean, yes, Kayla loves her daughter, but I'm not gonna pretend she's doing all this just because. It's sick and twisted and frankly, I pity her."

"I didn't want to hinder her. I thought...by breaking up with her, she didn't have to think about me anymore, consider my feelings and all that."

"...And here's where you went very wrong, mate. Kayla could make her own decisions. She doesn't need you to do that for her. You may think you'd restricted her, but...don't you ever think she wanted the restriction? Okay, I'm not the brightest when it comes to metaphors, and I know that there were probably a gazillion of unfortunate implications in the statement I just made, but I hope that...I got at least the sentiment across."

"You think I was wrong?"

"I hate to admit it but I kinda get why you did what you did, so I won't be dispensing right or wrong here, but boy you scarred her badly."

"What else happened?"

"Aside from what you already knew? Baby blues, postpartum depression, probably other things I can't remember the term for. There were times when Abby would find her on the ground trying to kill Layna. Then she would start crying, a breakdown out of guilt. It was the reason we had these rotations going on in the first place."

He winced.

"Sorry."

"Why sorry me? We are her friends. Of course we'd help her."

"When we broke up, I told her I'd like to be friends still. I really thought we were good friends all this time. I still reply her messages every now and then and she mine."

"Yeah, and what do you talk about? Some random cat pics she found in the internet? Lols and emojis?"

"I could've...helped."

"Have you seen the bed? She frequently sleeps on her workbench because she would have nightmares when she tries to sleep properly. Nightmares where you're in the picture and she's happy."

"Why is that a nightmare?"

Kenny stared at him incredulously, like he had just sprouted a second head.

"Duh, because it's not real? Because you dumped her three years ago? I cannot fault you for being dense, but please have some decency."

"I just...didn't want to...be a hindrance for her."

"Or maybe you thought she was a hindrance for you."

They looked at each other.

The sounds of footsteps broke the brewing tension.

"Kenny, is Ed here with you? I hear voices... Oh. You came again."

She looked at him, expression softened.

"Layna's in her room."

Suddenly, he felt extremely exhausted.