Getting ready, I took my phone and went to her apartment, after ringing the bell twice I waited and then the door was opened by the same lady who had brought the flowers, she stepped aside and I walked in.
"Ms. Mary who is it?" Cecily's voice came from her room.
"It's Ms. Laurel!" The woman replied to Cecily.
"Let her in my room."
Cecily was in her room and so I went there, she was lying down in her bed and her daughter was in her arms, the room was a whole mess, the crib that was right beside her bed was filled with baby clothes, and stuffed toys.
As she saw me walking in her room and sat straight up on the bed.
"Don't get up, just relax!" I said and walked to her.
"How are you and...how is your baby!" I whispered as soon as I realised that her baby was asleep.
"I'm good, more than good actually!" She chimed.
I smiled at her words, sitting on the couch.
"Guess it really is hard being a new mother?" As I said looking at her and the room, feeling bad for her.
"Even though it's hard, it's beautiful too." Her voice softened while staring at her baby.
That I could see, she was no longer a little girl afraid of anything, she was a mother, a mother ready to sacrifice anything for her daughter.
"What's her name?" I asked while sitting on the couch.
"Ayla... Ayla Valor, my brother chose it." Her voice was sweet like honey.
"That's, really beautiful name, I like it, little Ayla!"
That's how our little conversation began, when I felt that Cecily seemed uncomfortable.
"What happened? Everything thing okay?" I asked, worried.
"Yeah, I just want to lay her down on the crib, so I could also lay down..." Worry was filled in her voice as I got up from the couch and walked to her.
"Give her to me I will lay her down!" I reassured her and she carefully gave Ayla in my arms, walking slowly to crib, I dusted it with my hand and then gently laid her down on it, her body immediately curled up, leaving me in awe.
"Aww, she is so cute." I pouted looking at her as Cecily's Chuckle tocuhed my ears and I turned towards her.
"My brother says she looks like me, but I don't think she is like me, you tell me, who does she look like?" Her question was confusing, of course she is her daughter and so she would look like her, then why?
"She is like you Cecily, she is a carbon copy of you, she is your baby, your daughter." I tried reassuring her, but her face still had the same expression she had before, the expression of dilemma, of confusion, of uncertainty.
Her eyes were filled with tears, It felt like I couldn't help her.
Sitting down besides her on the bed I took her hands in mine, caressing my thumb over it.
"Do you know, when I was called by the manager, for you I thought it would be some older women, at least of the age 32 or 34 but when I saw you, you looked no older than a 17 year old to me, just a small, fragile little girl.
In pain, terrified, but had a determination inside herself too, a determination to bring her baby into this world, you were panicking when I began telling you how important it was for you to remain relaxed, and you did it quickly, just for the sake of the baby, and imagine if I'm this amazed by your bravery, how much your daughter will be." I looked her in the eyes, but now she was crying.
"I don't know, I don't know Laurel, I... I do love her, I love the way she calms down in my arms, I love the way she cuddles upto me, I love each and everything about her, but... whenever I look at her, I...am just remembered of that night... I'm remembered of how much of failure I am, to my brother who...raised me, even after everything not for once did he ever said anything bad to me, he never even blamed me for it"
She looked helpless, broke, and nothing could ever fix her, maybe if that man had gotten punished by her, Infront of her, maybe she would've had gotten type of closure to all of this, but she never got it.
"Look Cecily, let me tell you, this, whatever you have gone through, I know it's too much, and it's painful too, but you have been given a chance through your baby."
She looked at me, confused.
"What do you mean?"
"Teach your daughter, make her strong enough, that not only she can protect herself when a similar situation corners her, but even other women, around her, she can be capable to protect them too... Make her an example for everyone, for every girl, make her an inspiration..."
"And one more thing, you are not a failure, you didn't fail anyone, and the failure is never your downfall, it's the starting point before you rise, and just like that, that night you were not a failure, not to your brother, not to your daughter and never to yourself, that night was your downfall but today is the day you rise, don't show anyone that you hate that night, show them, how it fixed you, changed you, made you not only a mother but a better person too, failures are a way of learning, even if the failure hits hard, the lesson becomes even more valuable."
I smiled at Cecily and wiped her tears.
"Now tell me, what do you like to eat, I will cook it for you!" I stood up from the bed, feeling all energised after a powerful speech when her words....
"Can you even cook?" Her tone was soft but held a little bit of judgment in it.
"Of course I know how to cook!" I got defensive at her questionable look.
"But Kalix said the only thing you can cook, is a kitchen, not food!" She said softly, forcing a laugh down that I could already sense.
I will chop him off and feed him to dogs, that stupid ugly old man.
"Fine, you can be the judge of it, first tell me what do you want to eat, I will make it for you, just nothing spicy!" I stated.
"Then can you bake?" She said, looking at me with hopefull eyes and I nodded.
Baking was a talent and I had that talent.
"Hmm then how about some... Cinnamon rolls or tarts... lemon tarts!" She said before taking a minute to think.
"I'll take it as a challenge from you so... Challenge accepted!" I winked at her and walked out to the kitchen, the house help was preparing things for dinner.
"Excuse me, I'm actually baking something for Cecily so I was wondering if you could guide me, with Searching the ingredients?" I asked politely, she looked at me, raising her brow at me, checking me out from head to toe.
"You can tell me what you want to eat, Mr. Cassian has strictly ordered me to not let anyone else cook here other than me."
"It's fine, Cecily has asked me to bake for her!" I retorted.
"Okay... but at least let me confirm from her." She went to Cecily's room and came back.
"Come on, tell me the things you need and I will give them to you..." She said as I followed her to the kitchen as she kept bringing out the ingredients I told her I needed.
"Thank you."I thanked her for helping me and began making cinnamon rolls.
"Smells good!" I exclaimed as I took the tray out of the oven.
I brought the tray out of the oven and set it on the counter. The delicious aroma of cinnamon had spread all around the kitchen and then through the whole apartment.
As I then began making the cream syrup that is poured all over them.
Whisking the the cream cheese and butter together, I added in the sugar and lastly the vanilla extract, and then poured it all over the warm rolls, as it melted dripping over it sides as I pulled out one.
The dinner was also ready and was just to be served.
I took the roll that I had taken and brought it to Cecily's room in a plate.
Ayla had woken up when I was in middle of the baking process, when I helped Cecily change her diaper and then her clothes.
And right now she was in her arms drinking milk, when I walked in the room with the plate in my hands.
"It's ready!" I chimed, handing her the plate.
She held Ayla's milk bottle with her other hand before holding the plate, so I could take Ayla.