miracle | tayley

the truth is hiding in your eyes

A few days later, Hayley's doorbell rings just as she's getting out of the shower. Almost a full minute later, she swings the heavy, wooden door open to reveal Brian standing there, looking at her curiously.

"Finally," he teases, making his way into the apartment. "I take it your baby daddy's not here yet," he says, eyeing Hayley's current state of undress.

"Ugh, I hate that term, Brian, and you know it," Hayley complains, glaring at her friend, contemptuously. "And no, he's not, obviously," she says, gesturing to her silky bathrobe and towel-covered hair. "He's not supposed to be here for another hour," she adds, just to clarify. "By which time, I will be fully dressed, and you will be long gone."

"You're sure you don't want me to stay?" Brian offers, jokingly. "I could mediate."

"No thanks," Hayley smiles, sarcastically, blinking exaggeratedly at her friend.

"Lame," Brian retorts, leaning in for a hug by way of greeting.

"Seriously, though," Hayley says, switching gears. "Thanks for doing this last minute. You know you and Mom are the only ones I'd leave Ro with, and Mom was just here at the beginning of the week, so I hated to ask her over again already."

"Anytime, Hayles," Brian replies, slinging an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into a hug. "You know I love Ro. I'd never turn down an opportunity to keep her overnight and do makeovers," he says, seriously. "Which brings up a good point. Why, exactly, am I keeping her overnight?" Brian asks, eyebrows raised. "Are you expecting a sleepover out of this?"

"Brian!" Hayley cries. "No!" She states, emphatically. "I'm just... I'm not sure how long this is going to take, and I don't want to be dragging Rowan around in the middle of the night." She pauses, her eyes meeting Brian's, nervously. "Honestly, I'm not sure what kind of shape I'm gonna be in at the end of this conversation," she confesses, wringing her hands. "And I don't want Ro to be upset or scared if I'm upset. I just-"

"Hey," Brian interrupts her. "Hayley, I don't want her to be upset either. I don't want you to be upset, but I know this is a conversation you two need to have, so if me keeping Rowan makes it easier, then I'm here for you, okay?" He says. "Always. You know that."

"I do know that," Hayley agrees, smiling gratefully.

"Good," Brian says, nodding. "Now where's my baby?"

Just then Rowan rounds the corner into the living room, hobbling along comically in Hayley's favorite magenta heels. "Unc!" She shrieks, stumbling and falling onto the plush carpet in her haste to reach her honorary uncle, leaving a trail of discarded shoes and costume jewelry in her wake.

"RoRo!" Brian gushes, dropping to his knees to greet the child. "Are you ready to go bye-bye with Uncle Brian?" He asks, eyes open wide in exaggerated, though not at all insincere, but excited.

"Bye-bye Un-Bri!" Rowan agrees readily, her arms already wrapping securely around Brian's neck.

"You still have a sippy cup at your house, right?" Hayley asks, smiling fondly at the open affection between her best friend and daughter.

"Yep," Brian nods, rising to his feet with Rowan in his arms.

"Come on, you little shoe thief," she says, tugging on Rowan's bare foot. "Let's go get your stuff together, so you and Uncle Brian can get out of here."

By the time Brian makes it out the door with Rowan, Hayley only has about twenty minutes to finish getting ready. She changes clothes three times, each outfit more casual than the last, until she finally makes a decision. She starts with a jumpsuit, something that makes her feel powerful and in control, something she'd wear to work, but then she realizes how formal it looks, and vetoes it almost immediately. Next she changes into jeans and a soft cashmere sweater, but this outfit, while less formal and not at all inappropriate for the evening ahead, still doesn't feel quite right. Finally, she tugs on some black leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. She frets that this outfit is too casual, but then quickly reminds herself that she isn't dressing for Taylor. This isn't that type of evening. She's dressing for her own comfort, and she wants leggings and a sweatshirt.