Exhaling softly, Tyler said, “Lena was a lesbian.”
“Say what now?”
“That was one of the reasons she became super clingy then. She was still trying to come to terms with it, and it frightened her immensely. She was also dealing with nightmares of her childhood, where her stepfather repeatedly abused her with her drug addict mother doing little or nothing about it. When her mother died from drug overdose, she ran away from home, knowing her fate would be worse in the hands of her stepfather. So, she was constantly troubled by it. I’m happy that having Lili in her life gave her a new lease on life. She became such a devoted mother that all her ghosts were laid to rest. It’s a pity death took her away from us. She was a wonderful person who you would have gotten along with but for your suspicions. You know, you both look alike in a lot of ways.”
Kaiya chewed the inside of her cheek as regret over the way she had treated the disturbed girl and had wished many evil things on her because she felt she had stolen Tyler from her.
“I could relate with what she went through because just as her mom was a drug addict, mine was an alcoholic and depressed. She became that way because my father was married to someone else when he got her pregnant. She thought he would leave his wife for her. When he didn’t, she fell into depression and turned to alcohol for solace. I have two older brothers from my father’s side that I know nothing about. I don’t know their names or what they do.
Just like Lena, growing up in group homes wasn’t easy. I never told you this, but I was physically abused by one of my mother’s boyfriends.”
“Oh, God!” Kaiya’s hand went to her mouth as she fought to hold back her tears.
“I was about eight, I think. He broke my arms and ribs. I spent a whole month at the hospital.”
“I’m so sorry, Ty.” She placed a kiss on his cheeks.
Shrugging against the headboard, he said, “It doesn’t matter anymore. All that is in the past now.”
A cloak of silence fell between them.
“Ty, have you ever wondered how it would have been between us if my dad hadn’t interfered in our lives?”
Tyler let out a loud sigh. “I think of it sometimes and regret that we never got the chance to know.”
“Me too. Do you think we would have still been together?”
He looked contemplative before he answered. “I believe we would still be together. I loved you so much back then, and having our daughter would only have made that love stronger.”
Kaiya bit her bottom lip. “Are you sure? We were pretty young, and the pressure of raising a daughter at such an age might have taken its toll on us.”
Tyler gave her an incredulous look.
She shrugged. “I’m just trying to look at it from another point of view. What if I hadn’t gotten pregnant with Lili? Would we have made it as a couple?”
Tyler cradled her face. “What if I never got into business with Finn? What if my mom never registered Lili for dance classes at your school? I don’t like this what-if game. I like to believe that what we share is everlasting and transcends everything. I love you, Kaiya, and no matter what was put in our path, Kaiya, we would always end up back together. I want to be with you forever if you let me.”
“I want to be with you forever, Ty. I love you, too.”
“You’re not just saying it for Lili’s sake, are you?”
Giggling, she shook her head. “I love you now more than I loved you then. In fact, I don’t think I ever stopped loving you.”
“I don’t think I fell out of love with you either. I didn’t remove Lili from your dance class because deep down, I think I wanted you to fall in love with her and realize that she wasn’t a mistake and that we belonged with you - together as a family.”
She kissed him. A slow kiss.
“Lili has never been a mistake.”
He nodded. “You mean the world to me, and I’m so glad we found each other again against all obstacles put in our paths.”
They discussed their future together in between bouts of lovemaking. They talked about the part of town they wanted to live in and what kind of house would suit their small family. They decided that since he already had a family house, they would make it their home. Kaiya was cool with his mom living so close to them.
***
A week later.
“Hi, Erin. Thanks so much for meeting with me.” Tyler rose from his chair, reached out, and shook hands with the smiling woman who just approached the table.
