Werelove Dusk Conspiracy

Jacques watched Laylah retreat to her room. He sighed and made his way to the kitchen. He stopped outside the door and grinned when the sound of giggles reached his ears. He stifled a laugh when a man's cajoling voice added to the noise filtering through the wooden door. He rapped once and chuckled at the scrambling going on in the other room.

The door opened and a blushing Naiya patted her graying hair into place. "Jacques! Back early, aren't you?"

"Apparently so. Aren't you a little old to be robbing the cradle?" He peered around Naiya at Thaniel, who whistled innocently. Jacques couldn't understand what Naiya saw in the younger man.

Thaniel was brash, loud and useless when it came to gardening, the job he'd been hired for. Jacques had reassigned him to the kitchen at the insistence of Naiya. It wasn't until later that Jacques learned the two were a couple. It didn't bother him any. Besides, it amused Jacques and gave him reasons to tease Naiya.

Fifty-five and spry, Naiya often left Thaniel exhausted with her energetic ways. The other employees joked that the thirty-year-old man had met his match.

"How is her mood?" Naiya didn't look up as she stirred the pot of corn she was cooking.

"Not good. Henry is my friend and I've known him for years, but he's so intelligent that he's dumb. Laylah is very unhappy. She needs her father. But, of course, Henry can't see past the fact that she's getting high marks in school. His reasoning is that if she's doing so well grade-wise, how could she be emotionally upset? It's another excuse he uses not to come see her. And it annoys me." Jacques punched his right hand into his left palm and thought of how Henry needed a good smack to instill some sense into the absent father.

"Henry feels unqualified, even though everyone assures him that all parents feel inadequate at parenting. He sees a young lady and panics. So, to compensate, he forbids her from dating, socializing, or having any friends, except for Britta. It isn't healthy for either of them. Laylah's loneliness consumes her and I fear that soon she's going to do something drastic to change it." Naiya wiped her hands, crossed her arms over her chest and stared off in the distance.

Jacques blinked. "What do you mean Laylah's going to do something about it?"

"Think about it, Jacques. She's seventeen. Many her age, including Britta, are dating or out enjoying life. True, Laylah's never been in a relationship with a boy, but that doesn't mean it won't happen. And when it does, Henry will get upset and overprotective and do something rash. Life won't be the same for either of them after that." Naiya opened her mouth to say more, but Thaniel's quick cough warned of Laylah's approach.

The door pushed open and Laylah slid inside. Her frown was replaced by a grin when she spotted Naiya.

"Jacques said you made my favorite dishes. Thank you so much Naiya!"

"None needed. I love cooking for healthy appetites." Naiya shot Thaniel a sultry look that he returned with equal heat.

Jacques laughed and Laylah blushed at the adults' display of obvious affection for each other.

"Sit, child. Sit before the food gets cold." Naiya placed a plate on the counter-top. Two more joined the first. "Everyone, sit and dig in. Good cooking should not go to waste."

Laylah's mouth watered as the smell of food assaulted her nose. Naiya sure knew how to chase away hunger and bad days. Digging in with gusto, she didn't notice Naiya's assessing gaze. Several minutes later, Laylah slowed down enough to savor her meal instead of inhaling it.

"Laylah, what happened at school today?"

Naiya's casual question had an immediate effect on Laylah, who choked on her mouthful of food and hastily gulped down some water to swallow. She sullenly looked down at her plate and mumbled, "Nothing." She didn't want to talk about school and hoped Naiya would take the hint and speak of something else.

"Don't dodge the question, young lady! You only eat that fast after that girl has been picking on you at school."

"Naiya!" Laylah wailed, abashed by Naiya's bluntness. A quick glance at Jacques confirmed her fear. She hadn't wanted him or her father to know about her bully trouble. Full of guilt, she glanced at Jacques again before looking down at her plate, her appetite gone. An uncomfortable silence descended, but she didn't break it. She was too busy feeling embarrassed and ashamed.

"Laylah, is this true?" Jacques gently put his fingers under her chin and lifted her head up, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Laylah, why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you."

"I don't need your help! All you ever do is butt in when I don't need you! I'm not a child! Stop treating me like one!" Laylah jerked away, anger blazing in her eyes. Quickly she slid from the bar stool and stood, hands on her hips. "I'll fix it without your help. I can do this!" Her voice quivered as she fought back tears.

She didn't need him acting protective. It was mortifying enough to have been knocked down and have her books scattered by Violet. She didn't want Jacques to "fix" her problem. The three adults gaped at her. She knew why. It was because she never yelled and always took things in stride.

"Laylah...," Jacques reached for her, but caught only air as she spun away and fled the room.

"Hmm, that didn't go over well, did it?" Thaniel looked to Naiya. "What?" He demanded and backed up when Naiya growled.

"Forget it. I'll check on her later. Right now she needs space." Naiya drummed her fingers on the counter-top.

"Who is the girl that's bothering her at school?" Jacques stood, popped his knuckles and looked expectantly at Naiya.

"None of your business, Jacques Lyser, and I trust you to respect Laylah's choice. If she wants you to know, she'll tell you. Until then, I'm not saying anything else on the subject." Naiya picked up the plates and headed for the trash unit.

Jacques watched Naiya walk away but he didn't agree with her. He would find a name and investigate the other girl. He would not let anyone make Laylah sad.