Shana was sprawled out on the couch, a Harlequin novel about an Italian millionaire's secret baby tented beside her. "Have I got a surprise for you, honey. What're you standing there for? Get in here quick before you let all the cold air out."

Shutting the door to her trailer behind me, I walked in and scooped up a red faced and wailing Cadence off the floor. "What's wrong with him?"

"Ear infection. Both ears. He's been screamin' his head off all day, wearin' me out for real."

I batted at his little fist and cooed, then tried blowing raspberries against his cheek. But he was inconsolable. "Poor thing. What's the surprise?"

Shana rested her hand on her belly and wiggled her eyebrows. "I got you a dress."

"Don't lie! Really?"

Shana nodded, her eyes bright with excitement. "Ta-da!" With a flourish of her hand, she reached behind her and pulled off a sheet that had been draped over an exquisite blue dress.

"Shana! You didn't buy this, did you?" I didn't have to know anything about fashion to know that this was an expensive dress, probably worth more than everything in this trailer combined.

"Oh please. Billy and I are so broke, we've barely got a pot to piss in."

Shana only knew one person who would have access to a dress like this. "Dawn?"

Her smile wobbled at the mention of the name. Dawn was Shana's horrible cousin who reveled in making Shana feel bad about herself. To get a dress like this out of her, Shana would've had to beg, plead and grovel, then subject herself to hours of blatant verbal abuse.

Tears welled in my eyes. Shana never begged. Not even during that dry spell when Billy was out of work and they were having trouble keeping their lights on. I'd had to give Billy the money to pay their bills behind Shana's back because she was that proud.

"You didn't have to do that." I laughed a shaky laugh. "But I'm glad you did because I was planning to wear my mom's old prom dress."

Shana burst out laughing. "Can you imagine?"

Picturing the sea foam green taffeta number in my head, I laughed too, then started weeping out of gratitude again.

"No, honey, don't cry. If you cry, I'll cry, and I ain't in no mood for cryin' right now. I just wanted to do something nice for you before-" Shana's voice cracked and her eyes turned red around the rims. "Aw hell, Layla..."

A cold chill ran down my spine. "Before what?"

She was quiet for a long time, her eyes downcast, as if she were mustering up the courage to say the words. "Billy and me, we're thinkin' of leaving town."

"What?"

"Don't break my heart about it," she said quietly.

"Go where?" I croaked out. "When?"

"San Antonio. Soon after the baby comes. Billy's got an uncle out there who works construction. Says business is booming and he can get him a job that pays almost twice what he's makin' now. I don't want to leave you any more than you want me to go, but there's gonna be another baby and well, it's high time we grew up about it. You know?"

I stared at her, this girl who'd been my rock for the last three years, my only friend, my confidant, more of a mother to me than my own. I knew it wasn't an easy decision for her and no, I wouldn't break her heart about it. "I want what's best for y'all, that's all that matters."

"I know you do, honey. But that don't change the fact that I'll miss you most. And worry about you most."

I laughed through the fresh tears welling in my eyes. "Am I really that pathetic?"

She smiled at me, her face filled with compassion and kindness, my Madonna. "You kind of are. But you're working on it and that's all that matters. You'll do so well in college, leave all this mess behind and make a better life for yourself. I want that for you, you know? If I had the money, I'd give it to you myself but the best I can do is beg a hooker's cast-offs for you."

"Well, she's a damned good hooker," I sniffled. "Look at this dress."

Dawn worked as an escort in Dallas, and had many many men who gifted her with expensive clothes and jewelry on top of her hefty fee. Whenever she blew through town, she made it all sound very "Pretty Woman", but Shana and I were convinced that it had to be more tawdry than that.

"Nothing but the best for you, honey. Somebody named Marchesa made it and apparently it's worth thousands. At first I thought she was blowin' smoke up my ass but then I looked it up online and whatdayaknow. There are people out there who are crazy enough to pay all that money for one damned dress. After we're done with it, we'll sell it on eBay and you can use the money to pay for them applications you're always talkin' about."

Oh we'd sell it all right, but I'd give Billy the money. Moving was expensive no matter how you did it. But Shana didn't have to know that.

"Wanna know who got it for her?" She asked.

When I nodded, she smirked and named the starting tight end for the Dallas Cowboys. Very handsome. Very married. To a very famous pop star. So we gossiped about that for a while, and wondered if Dawn was telling the truth about how glamorous her life was after all.

"Anyway, you try it on, me, I'm gonna go pee. For the millionth time today."

I was nearly undressed when she cried out. I ran over to the bathroom and threw the door open.

Shana stood in front of the toilet, her face bone white in terror.

"Layla, get ma," she whispered.

Dark red blood gushed down her thighs.

***

Bouncing a diaper clad Cadence on my hip, I paced outside the trailer and watched the road for any sign of the Snells. It had been two hours since Mrs. Snell had rushed Shana to the emergency room, a caravan of their extended family trailing behind them.

Still, no word.

Please God, let her be okay. Take the baby if you must, but please don't take Shana.

That's how low my thoughts had sunk. It was a terrible thing to think, but there could be more babies where Cadence needed Shana. Everybody needed their mama. I wiped the tears off my face, then Cadence's. "Don't you, baby? There, there, Layla's got you."

At the sound of tires spinning gravel, my head snapped up.

Of all the cars in the world, Peyton's was the last one I'd expected to see, but there it was, slowly making its way up the road.

Shoot, he doesn't even know that I'd moved.

Still, my heart leaped with joy. He'd drive us to the hospital. Or would Cadence only make things worse if we brought him? I'd ask Peyton. He'll know what to do, he always knew what to do. I waved frantically.

Until I saw her sitting in the passenger seat. Dumbfounded, I stared as he parked and got out. She stayed in the car, staring at her lap.

Switching Cadence to the other hip, I tried to smile as he approached me, but I couldn't manage it.

To his credit, he looked chagrined. "I should've called first."

"It's okay." Unable to look at Peyton, I looked down and cooed jibberish at the wailing baby.

Peyton stared at Cadence with a look of confusion etched across his handsome face, as if he'd never seen a crying baby before. Maybe rich babies were so content with their lots in life that they never cried. Who knew?

"Why are you here?" I asked him.

He grimaced and sucked in air through his teeth. "You're really upset with me."

"No I'm not. Why are you here?"

Why would you bring her here?

His expression grew pained. "I need a favor."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Can Alice stay here with you for a few hours?"

"What? No! Why would you-"

Peyton took me by the elbow and turned me so that we were facing away from the car.

"I have to go take care of some things and I can't bring her along."

"She's a big girl, Peyton, she can take care of herself." I couldn't believe it, but I was parroting Charlotte's words.

"Layla... please."

In all the years that I'd known him, that was the first time Peyton Bishop had asked me for anything.

And that's how I ended up babysitting a toddler and a Billionheiress that afternoon.

***

"I'll bet you've never been in a trailer before. It's different, isn't it?" I stirred the Kraft's Mac 'n Cheese simmering on the stove top while Cadence whined and tried to climb up my leg. Alice sat demurely on the edge of the couch, looking like she'd walked right off a Brook's Brothers catalog. I mean, she looked real nice and all, but wearing a cardigan in this weather was a bit much.

As Peyton was leaving, Billy had called to let me know that both Shana and the baby were okay for now, but that they were keeping her overnight for observation. He didn't have all the details, but it was enough for me to start breathing again. I'd been more than happy to agree to keep Cadence until the morning.

"Well... I... yes. That is, no, I've never been in a... mobile home before." Alice bowed her head again, her hands fretting at the hem of her sky blue shorts. Her nails were clipped to the quick and painted with a clear coat.

I stifled a sigh. Peyton had said he'd be gone a few hours. But what did "a few" mean? Two? Three? Six? It had already been over an hour, and I was exhausted. It wasn't that Alice was an unfriendly person, she was just a little... what was a rich word for weird? That's right, eccentric. The girl was seriously eccentric- disturbingly silent for the most part but blurting out random TMI overshares every once in a while. Completely unprovoked, too. Like how she'd told me that she was an only child because of her father's erectile dysfunction. It made her very uncomfortable company.

"Are you hungry?" I ladled some food into a bowl for the baby and poured some more boxed wine into a Solo cup for me. It was my third cup, but my nerves were completely shot and I needed the calm-me-down.

"No thank you. May I have some of that juice though?"

"Umm... it's not juice... But let me see if Shana has any-"

"Is it wine?" She perked up visibly.

"Umm... yes."

"May I... may I have some?"

I hesitated, then poured her a cup. So what if Peyton got angry? I wasn't her keeper.

"I'm sorry about the baby," I said, dragging my leg over to the table with Cadence still clinging to it. "He's not feeling well."

"Is he yours?"

Stopping dead in my tracks, I blinked. "No."

She flushed and dropped her head again. This close to her, I noticed that her roots were showing. And they were blonde.

"I like my women blonde."

"Are you blonde?" I asked before I could stop myself.

Alice's hands fluttered to the top of her head. "Is it terribly obvious?"

"Um... It could probably use some coloring."

Self consciously, she rubbed at the top of her head. "My natural hair color is almost exactly like yours."

Boy, you really have a type, don't you Peyton?

Agitated to all hell and back, and trying my best to hide it, I sat down at the table, placed Cadence on my lap, and spooned food into his mouth.

Alice spoke again. "I ran away from home. That's why I dyed my hair, you know, like they do in the movies, so my mother wouldn't be able to find me. Although... in hindsight, it seems a bit excessive."

Well then.

" She doesn't know you're here?"

"Oh, she most certainly does. She's furious and wants me to return, but I won't do that."

Grunting, I focused on feeding Cadence.

"Because she cheated on my stepfather with my tennis pro." She brought her finger to her mouth and nibbled. "He got her pregnant and she took me to Paris where we stayed until she had the baby."

What in hell?

"What about school?" Clearly, this was a minor detail, but I wasn't sure how I should maneuver the conversation.

"I'm home schooled by tutors. On my father's insistence - he... well, it was part of the custody agreement when my parents divorced."

Turns out, I didn't have to worry about maneuvering anything because suddenly it was like Old Faithful had erupted.

"Two weeks ago, my mother gave my half brother up for adoption and wanted me to move back into my stepfather's home with her and keep her secret forever. I can't do that, it goes against everything I believe. So I left. Now I need to figure out a way to get my half brother back. As for mother, I would be happy to never see her face again, but at the same time, I don't want to ruin her life and marriage." She stared at me with big, sea-green eyes, a little girl lost. She looked so stricken and conflicted that I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from promising her that everything would be okay. Because I didn't know if it would.

"Maybe you should pound that," I said instead, nodding at the cup in her hand.

Like any good girl, she obeyed, throwing her head back and blinking rapidly as she gulped the wine down. Somehow, she made even that look delicate.

Her problems were way more complicated than mine, and I felt for her. Powerless to help, I did the only thing I could. I listened and kept the wine flowing.

"Peyton's trying to convince my father to take my mother back to court and sue for sole custody."

Alice pronounced his name Pey-tin. I said Pey'in. It sounded more elegant when she said it.

"Why don't you talk to your father yourself?"

Startled, Alice stared at me for a while. "I don't have anything to negotiate with. Among other things, Peyton owns significant stock in my father's company, so he has leverage. Their lawyers are speaking."

What the hell kind of world were these people living in?

"So you're telling me that Peyton's trying to pay your billionaire father into taking custody of you?" I'd googled it. Roland Huntington was worth somewhere between ten and thirty times more than the Bishops. And this girl, sitting in this trailer in front of me, was the sole heir to the fortune which will one day make her the richest woman in America. It was mind-boggling.

"Well no, it's more complicated... I hope it doesn't come to that, but if need be, yes. I'd pay Peyton back of course, but I don't come into any of my inheritance until I'm twenty one. I'm only sixteen."

I must've looked as confused as I felt.

"But really, it shouldn't come to that. My father isn't an unreasonable man. He's notoriously private and the first custody battle was ugly and very public, so I know he'll be reluctant to go another round... But once he's aware of the circumstances, I'm certain he'd be willing to cooperate."

"You can't just call him and tell him yourself?"

"Oh no, my father and I don't have a relationship. At all. It's... complicated."

"Ah." At this point, my head was spinning. Poor Peyton, I'd hate to be in his position right now. Nobody liked to get involved in other people's family problems like this, and definitely not on this intimate a level. She must matter a great deal to him. "Do you know Peyton well?"

"Well yes, our families run in the same social circles so we've been friends since we were children. Oh, and we belong to the same church."

I didn't even know Peyton went to church. I sighed. "Do you want to get drunk?"

She stared into her half empty cup. "I think I already am. You're not?"

Not even close. I held my alcohol like a boss. I picked at the rim of my cup. "So you're not his girlfriend."

"Oh, no. Not his girlfriend."

I was relieved and saddened at the same time. Maybe Peyton was a magnet for lonely girls with lots of problems. And he was just a nice guy who went out of his way to help them. What had Charlotte called it? A messiah complex? Hesitating for only a second, I forged ahead. "Have you had sex with him?"

She blinked. Once, twice, then three times. "No." Then she licked the corners of her lips, as if considering the appropriateness of her next question. I could tell she wasn't supposed to talk about this stuff, but she caved. "Have you?"

I shook my head. "I'm still a virgin."

"Me too."

We sighed.

"Are you trying to have sex with him?" I asked.

She did that blinking thing again. "Well no, not actively, but if he were to show any interest, I certainly wouldn't refuse him."

I giggled.

She looked bewildered for a second, then she giggled too.

"Same," I said.

"I think you're gorgeous," she blurted. "I think you're more beautiful than any girl I've ever met. And nice too. Really nice."

"You're gorgeous too. He never talks about me though, does he?"

She looked apologetic as she shook her head. "He must be blind."

"Or maybe he's a virgin too and he doesn't know what to do."

She paused and quirked her head. "Well, no, he's not a virgin, hasn't been since..." her brow furrowed as she thought it through, her lips moving silently as she counted. "Ninth grade. Marissa Bodenheimer." Alice wrinkled her nose. "She's awful."

Well, there goes that. Over the years, I'd come up with a healthy assortment of sexual fantasies, all of them starring Peyton. One of my favorites was us losing our virginities to each other. It featured soft music, candlelight, a ton of enthralled eye contact, the whole nine yards. But while I was busy doing that, I guess Peyton was out there screwing Marissa Bodenheimer's brains out.

The next question, I asked out of morbid curiosity. "What does she look like?"

Alice shrugged. "Very pretty. Tall, big boobs."

"Blonde?"

"No, red hair."

I was kind of afraid to ask the next question. "Is she his girlfriend?"

"Oh no. He's never had a girlfriend girlfriend before."

"But other girls since Marissa?"

Alice squirmed in her seat, so I poured her some more wine. There were too many questions and not enough answers around here and suddenly, a treasure trove of information was dropped into my lap. If I had to ply her with alcohol to get this ball rolling, I'd do it. I was never in the running for Morally Upstanding Citizen of the Year anyway.

As Alice spilled all of Peyton's secrets, I realized that my virginal storybook prince had been out there whoring it up with the best of them. I mean, to be completely honest, I wasn't surprised. I knew it was a stretch to think he was saving himself just for me, but it was one thing to wonder and another thing to know. Increasingly disenchanted  with life, my posture slumped, my sips of wine getting more and more frequent. "You know, I was jealous of you, because I thought you were Peyton's girlfriend."

"Oh my goodness, no. All I am to him is a huge burden."

Oh my God, are you me?

"I dunno. He's very protective of you, maybe he does like you."

She blinked. "Oh, no, I know he doesn't. He's nowhere near this attentive in New York, here, it's only because he has to be."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, because of Charlotte. Honestly, I thought she was still at Millwood-Pratt. If I'd have known she were here, I wouldn't have come. Those are bigger problems than mine and I wouldn't have dared imposed on him like this."

Charlotte?

"What's Millwood-Pratt?"

"Oh my God, you don't know," she said, slapping her palm over her mouth. "Please, don't ask me anything more about that, it wouldn't be right of me to speak about it."

I didn't. I would Google it later.

Eventually, Alice passed out, her arm dangling limply off the edge of the couch. I pulled a blanket over her. Money really didn't solve anything, did it? I felt sorry for her and sorry for Peyton, the image of Atlas back in my head again.

Alice would be driving him crazy, I knew that now. Peyton liked peace and calm - he needed it like he needed air to breathe. Having this kind of neurotic behavior around him would throw his world off kilter and make him miserable.

But he would shoulder it, I knew him. He wouldn't turn his back on a friend.

There wasn't anything I could do to help him with this Alice stuff, but I could offer him a little respite from the insanity. And I would do that, because he was my friend.

Feeling wistful, I strapped Cadence into his baby carrier and stepped outside. Then I started making laps around the park, beginning what would be a long and torturous night for both me and the sick baby.

A/N: As always, thanks for reading. VOTE COMMENT & SHARE!