Chapter Twenty Four: An Unexpected Visit

Layla paused jiggling the toys at Derek at the sound of the doorbell. Derek's mouth was still parted, giggles emitting it. He looked at Layla with his tiny hands and feet raised in the air, waiting for his mother to continue playing with him. Layla set down the toy on the bed beside his head. "Give me a minute, Derek. I will be right back, okay?" She leaned forward to plant a kiss on his head, shifting it to a more secure position on her bed. She stepped out of the room quickly to get the door as the doorbell rang again. "I'm coming," Layla called out, adjusting the band of her trousers. Akila was working her shift at the hospital and ought not to be home until an hour later. Besides, she had her keys with her; she wouldn't need to use doorbell before she entered the house. Layla unlocked the door and opened it to check who was at the door. "Niklaus." She looked surprised to see him. "Hi." He waved at her, smiling. "What brings you by?" Layla's gaze lowered to the bags he he