Such a Long Time

Kayla didn't feel strong at all, but here she was holding her own with Avery.  Oliver moved out and was staying with his parents. She guessed, but he was always at work. Maybe he didn't sleep. He was always there, but he'd never come up.

If she wanted to let him see Avery, she would have to come to the shop.

They'd had a couple of sessions with the marriage counselor, but they'd gone nowhere. Oliver kept silent. Ever so often she might get a peeved look from him. Actually, Kayla started going by herself.

"Can't, you, just give him a drug, or something?" She insisted this was all his doing. As the counselor could see, he didn't want to change.

Of course, she got an earful about compromises with wants and needs.

Oliver would have none of that, and maybe she wouldn't, either. Yes, it was true she'd really messed up. But then how long had everything been messed up? Long before, Oliver?

Maybe it was the idea that no one wanted to make over her, anymore. Of course, it was Audrey who said it.

Sometimes, she thought Audrey only wanted to make her feel guilty. Now she felt as if she was on a sinking ship, but there was Avery to anchor her. And Kayla was so thankful to have her daughter back.

"Just, don't ever do this to me, again!" She finally found the guts to tell Oliver how frightened she was when he went back to England. "What if..what if I never saw you ..nor Avery again?" She looked at him blankly, as it was, it was the two of them with Avery at the bakery. Everyone else had left.

It wouldn't matter what that marriage counselor told her to do. Kayla knew it was up to her to do something. Obviously, Oliver was going to go on doing what he always did with his job, day in and day out.

"I wasn't taking her away from you." He looked upset now because she was upset.

She felt as if this pregnancy had been one big cold. Now her throat was parched and she felt weak even when she was trying to be strong. Kayla did her best to stay calm. Oliver brought her some tea and left over short bread.

Just as they were about to sit down and watch Avery take to the short bread, a tap came from the glassed door. Kayla looked up to see it was someone who ran the cash register, and she had a heavy set Cocker Spaniel with her.

"Vera, you just left, what are you doing back?" Oliver was his easy going self with the ginger woman, broad enough to play about any position on a professional football team.

"My neighbor is being shipped out, overseas. They can't take Mel Gibson with them." She shrugged.

Kayla winced at the name. Who on earth would name their dog after an actor?

"Actually, he's kid friendly. Loves kids, and since I don't have any." She sighed.

Avery was already all over the animal.

Kayla didn't know if she liked this, at all, but Avery was rather smitten. Oliver was smiling too. It had been awhile since she'd seen his smile. And she missed it.

"I've got his food and bed in the car." Vera told them.

Oliver rubbed the back of the dog's fluffy ears. That dog did have sweet brown eyes.

"Maybe, he could guard the place when..when we're closed." Oliver suggested.

Kayla already knew where that dog wanted to be, and she knew where Avery would want the animal.

Vera went to get all of Mel Gibson's essentials.

It looked like Oliver might be staying around after closing time, after all.