REAL GOOD LIFE

Where: Telepatía

It had been far too long since Leyla had stepped foot into a boutique. Much longer since she had splurged on anything for her. Being a single mother meant that things like that didn’t happen that often anymore. But, she was not complaining for it was so worth it to have Bella in her life every day. She loved her daughter more than anything else in the world. However, one of her friends was celebrating her birthday soon and Leyla needed to get her a present for the party. Strolling into the boutique she didn’t notice the woman behind the counter at first until she spoke up. Hearing the voice, Leyla looked up from the jewelry she had been looking at as a grin spread across her features. “Kaci?” Surprise and joy were mixed evenly in her voice. 

…

Jackson knew time was ticking on the clock and each second that passed was another moment gone. If Bells was around, there was nothing else that would grab his attention. He wanted his kid to remember that despite his own faults, she was the most important thing to him. He stared back at Leyla and noticed the way she brushed him off knew she wasn’t telling the complete truth. He didn’t need her to struggle when it was so easy for him to support the two of them. She was stubborn though, he knew it, it was one of the things he found out early on in their relationship with each other. “Right,” he mumbled, knowing that most of the time he spent awake was worrying about them, “not even a small one, that her and I can share?” He asked her with a smirk, pushing Leyla’s limits, “how often does she get to even have sweets?”

Sighing, “I’m sure she’d love to see me,” he crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at his feet, “it has been a while since I’ve heard how much of a deadbeat father I actually am,” he whispered the last part, making sure that Isabella couldn’t hear. He didn’t want her to have any idea that her grandparents and him had any issues with each other. Her father, he could stand and knew that he still liked Jackson, but if her mother had a choice, there would be a restraining order against him, preventing any contact between his ex and daughter. He did everything he could for the two of them and if her mother really wanted to know what a deadbeat parent was, he’d tell her more about his own parents. ‘Look, Daddy,’ his daughters high pitched laughter brought him out of his thoughts as she pointed at her face. He smiled, getting to her level, “you look so cool,” he pushed her hair out of her face, “now, how about we go on some of those rides?”

&

Leyla could always see how Jackson changed when he was around Isabella. It was not that he became cold or cruel when he was without his daughter. However, Leyla did see the love radiate out of him to the max when Isabella was around him. He had experienced a hard life, abandoned as a child, raised in a harsh environment and nothing was ever easy for him. But she knew that with Isabella he could put all the warmth and love he had in him towards someone. Part of Leyla always wondered what would have happened if things had worked out between them. They already were happy during the visits and she dreamed that they would have been a happy family. Jackson knew her as well as she knew him and of course he knew that because she tried to assure him they were fine with clothes for Isabella that she was struggling a little. As he pushed the subject she smirked at him and shook her hand. “No, there’s too much sugar in it. She’ll be up all night. If you can find something with less sugar, she can share a small treat with you.” She saw some snow cones earlier that would be better than the cotton candy. 

Though he whispered so Isabella wouldn’t hear him, she did as she sat next to him. Reaching out, Leyla took his hand in hers and squeezed gently. “That doesn’t matter. Isabella and I don’t think that. That’s what matters, Jackson.” She knew her mother hated Jackson, and she tried to tell her mother to stop, but she would never stop hating him. Her father was on her side at least. But, what really mattered was what Isabella and Leyla thought and they both wanted Jackson in their lives. Isabella’s voice pulled them out of their moment and Leyla dropped his hand and looked up at her daughter with a grin. “You look so good, Bella!” 

open to: everyone location: downtown

Holden shook the paint bottle, the rattling ringing all the way up to his elbow. The smell of the last bottle was thick in his nose and tacky against his fingers tips where the paint bled. It hissed against the brick wall, some new installation meant to stand out against the crackling paint of the buildings around it rather than provide anything sturdy. Nothing was meant to last anymore. Everything was about how fast, how cheap, and how big you could make it if you could find any space to land in the magic city. Holden still wondered exactly how him and Aspen found a place, and even more about the comfort they managed to find, but he never pressed too hard. There was a haze that night they drove on, lights blending together over the causeway. He had only opened his eyes for a moment before falling back into whatever lull he had been pushed under. 

His movements were swift, any delay resulting in a bleeding mess on the wall. Bright lights lingered a bit too long in his corner, and after a flick became more than a flash, his sleeved swallowed the bottle. He turned away quickly from the message he wrote along the wall, but his freedom was short lived until his feet tangled with another’s. 

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Coming home from the hospital, Leyla was looking forward to going home. It had been a long shift, and she was eager at the thought of going home and sitting down. Isabella was with her parents so she’d have to stop by and pick up her daughter. Maybe they could cuddle on the couch and watch something for Isabella? Shooting a quick text to her mother to let her know she was off and on her way there, she turned a corner too quickly. 

A form trying to move quickly collided with her and she stumbled back. “Sorry.” The apology was a reflex before she heard his own words. Frowning, Leyla was about to tell him to fuck off when she caught sight of the wall behind him a few paces. “Is that yours?” She asked and nodded behind them. 

hold on, wasn’t that just— i swear i just saw LEYLA DUYMAZ, they sure look a lot like HANDE ERÇEL from afar. can you believe they are a THIRTY YEAR OLD CIS WOMAN that works at BAPTIST HOSPITAL as a NURSE? im not surprised, they’ve been in town for THIRTY YEARS and are often seen in COCONUT GROVE. although they are NAIVE & STUBBORN, rumor has it they can be COMPASSIONATE & IDEALISTIC. no one really knows what goes on in their head, but they tend to hum the lyrics to REAL GOOD LIFE BY THE MOWGLI’S while in public. do you think they want to rule the world as well? i guess we’re about to find out.

NAME: Leyla Duymaz

AGE: Thirty

GENDER & PRONOUNS: Ciswoman, she/her

FACE CLAIM: Hande Erçel

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Brown

HEIGHT: 5'9”

DATE OF BIRTH:  March 3rd, 1991

ZODIAC SIGN: Pisces

LEVEL OF EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science in Nursing

RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Muslim, not practicing

OCCUPATION: Nurse at Baptist Hospital

HOMETOWN: Miami, Florida

TW: pregnancy

STARTER FOR :  @leyladuymcz​​

these treacherous whims   of docility instill thoughts of complacency amon her peers ,   she knows  -  it’s a carefully crafted lie ;   adelaide is neither soft nor kind ,   but she knows better than most how awfully well this  soft ,    ivory pelt  suits her .     this is why it’s not   the wolf  ,    who comes knocking at little red’s door ,   but the sheep .     a restless wave of glee jolts through her bones ,   for as much as she loathes this role ,   she cannot help be satisfied by how great of a performer she’s become .    

“    hi ,    ”     her voice is an octave higher than its natural form ,    and she can feel her shoulders waggle back and forth parallel to each other as fingers tie neatly behind her flank; a slight involuntary pull of muscles,  not unlike that of a predator’s readying to pounce. a test. she has always excelled at tests, being a bit of a teacher’s pet by her own admission .     “    sorry ,   ”     that’s how  most women  start  ,     isn’t it ?     meek .    staggering .     so sorry for existing !    “    i hope i’m not interrupting —        i just saw this fall from your purse before ,    and i meant to return it earlier !      but ,   with all the fireworks or whatever it just  - slipped   right out of my  mind ,     i …    — i’m blabbering ,   here ,    ”     she extends the little wrapped object between pale fingers ,     frosted gaze low   &   curled lashes resting against the round mold of her cheeks .     “    i thought it might be important or …     something .     ”

&

Leyla had been paying attention to the fireworks when the fire had started. Still, she’d been close enough to hear the commotion as people came streaming out of the building when the fire started. There had been a moment when she questioned if she heard a gunshot. But no - certainly that had to be the fireworks that was going on at the same time? No one was hurt and they reported it was only faulty wiring. Leyla had almost believed it, until Jackson called. His worry had been telling, but his plea for her not to ask anything made her very suspicious. Was he a part of the fire? He couldn’t be. Leyla didn’t want him to be. He was a thief, but she had not known him to be destructive or to put others in danger. Or at least she hoped she knew him. 

She had just gotten off the phone with the hospital. Multiple people were being taken in for observation, but no one had been serious injured, harmed and no one had died. Since no one was seriously hurt, they didn’t need too much extra help. But Leyla would be on call in case something else came up. As she slipped her phone back into her purse, her fingers brushed more empty air than she was expecting. “Shit.” How quickly the curse slipped past her lips and panic settled in her as she rummaged through her bag and realized her wallet was missing. Had it gotten stolen? How quickly the panic consumed her until a voice cut through it. Looking up, Leyla breathed out when the other held out her wallet. “I was just about to have a heart attack.” She gave a breathy laugh and took the wallet. “Thank you, you’re a life savior.” 

“ 𝐘𝐎𝐔’𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐒𝐒, ” she mused, nodding along with leyla’s decisions. the line for the glow sticks was a little longer than yasmine had both hoped for and anticipated. surely people had had their fill by now? apparently not. of-course they were going to spend time with jackson; he was bella’s father, after all. still, she had nothing against her friend’s ex, for she was of the opinion that it was leyla’s call to make— on his presence in her and isabella’s lives. because yasemin was in no position to dislike him due to his thieving activities. the crimes of her family’s empire by far outweighed anything that jackson was involved in, at least to her knowledge. other than that, she was also rather indifferent to him, as she was to most people. nor was she particularly… welcoming, or warm. again, similar as she was to most people. “ i’m sure bella loved that, ” she gave the toddler the best expression of excitement she could muster at the moment before leyla had enveloped her into a hug. one that she was in need of, even if she didn’t show it. “ so did i. ” it was true. and even if it was better for the mother-daughter duo not to be anywhere near anyone bearing the surname kaplan, she also wasn’t going to hurt them by displaying outright coldness in order to achieve the distance required. at least not in front of isabella. “ things are just a bit… ” she gave a short sigh, “ you know, right now. ” addressing the issue without explicitly addressing it— skirting around it; this was unlike her and she knew it. after having purchased the glow sticks, she carried on holding the little girl in her arms. who knows when she’d be able to do so again? “ highlight of my evening, this, ” she said, referring to the grin on bella’s face.

&

It was easy to chuckle at that idea, but it was more true than Yasemin probably meant. Leyla was the boss, both in this moment, and wholly over Isabella’s life in general. Jackson had agreed to him having no say in Isabella’s life and Leyla made all the decisions. “Glow sticks are good. She loves them.” She admitted and looked back to her daughter with a smile. “She did. We had a fun time with him. We went on what little rides we could with her, and got her face painted with her dad.” Which Bella decided to chime in with a happy “Daddy! Daddy!” at the sound of that word. Looking at her daughter’s painted face she did not envy her parents when it came time to wash the little toddler’s face tonight before bed. “It went well. I think. I mean, until we left to find my parents. I could see it in his eyes, he hated having to say goodbye to her.” Leyla sighed and knew she should be careful what she said. Bella was finally getting to the age where she couldn’t just say anything in front of her and not expect her to understand or to repeat. “He said he wished he could tuck her in to bed one time. Do you think - do you think it’s a good idea if I invited him over for dinner one night next week? He could stay and do all the things of getting her ready for bed and tucking her in?” Chewing her bottom lip, Leyla wondered how harmful or helpful it would be to daughter and father. Truthfully, she was all too glad to focus on Yasemin’s grief than to think about Jackson. “It’s okay. You have nothing to apologize for. We all deal with grief differently.” Leyla assured her friend with a smile, thinking that the distance over the past month had been due only to grief. “I’m still here for you when you’re ready - we’re still here for you.” Even with Yasemin admitting it, she could see the positive effect her daughter had on her friend. She was laughing and waving the new glow stick around in front of her, urging “Yes, look! Look!” One day she’d be able to say Yasemin’s name, but she liked hearing her daughter use the nickname right now too much. 

Jackson: Are your parents still watching Bells?

Jackson: Ley, don't ask, please.

Jackson: I'm not sure what happened, exactly.

Leyla: They have her all night. I was going to pick her up in the morning so I could stay here and have the night free.

Leyla: Fuck.

Jackson: Good, go home and stay there until this all blows over.

Jackson: You don't need to worry about it, Ley.

Leyla: I can't. They said they might need me at the hospital. No one was killed or really hurt, everyone got out. But some people are being taken.

Jackson: Are you and Bells okay?

Jackson: There was an incident at Palace Leroy and just making sure you two are good.

Leyla: Bella isn't here. Thank god...

…

He had wanted so badly to quit stealing, he had high hopes for himself. Thought about life on the straight and narrow: living paycheck to paycheck and he never wanted his daughter to experience the things he did. He had shelter, but at what cost. It had been easy to fall back into stealing, too easy really. People were stupid, and the wealthy were dumbasses. They usually didn’t even notice things were missing. First it had been an expensive necklace Leyla admired, then toys for Isabella, and then just expensive items that he could fence off and get money in return. He was good at what he did, but for Leyla, he had done it too many times and she finally had enough. Running his hand through his hair, he gave her a nod, “thanks,” he mumbled under his breath.  It was a delicate balance between the two, always afraid to push her away, so he stayed in his place as much as he could. He still supported her when he could: he’d send money to pay off her bills, things for Bells, whatever she needed help with. He already paid the house they shared off before he was kicked out because it kept them safe and comfortable.  He turned towards her, “if she needs anything, let me know,” it was unspoken that if there was anything either of them needed, he would provide without question, even if she told him no. “Ahh,” he mused, “so no more cotton candy?” He asked looking over at Leyla with a smirk. Would he be a real father if he didn’t try to sneak his daughter more sweets? He stiffened at the mention of her parents. He knew that they were Bells’ support system other than the two of them. In fact, they ranked higher than him in the hierarchy, but he knew they disapproved. Her mother did at least, and wouldn’t conceal her disdain for him. At least he had her father on his side, knowing that he did everything with their granddaughter in mind. Smirking, “tell your mother I said hello, will you? I miss her so much,” he said sarcastically. He was just glad his daughter hadn’t yet understood what sarcasm was as she gave him a happy smile back.

&

Leyla had grown up in a middle class house and neighborhood. They hadn’t been rich, but she had never gone without anything and had a happy childhood. However, raising a child on a single paycheck did stretch her sometimes with her finances and there were months where she struggled. The house being payed off was a blessing, but Leyla always did wonder what would become of it if Jackson were ever caught. Could it be taken away? The risks that came with getting caught or stealing from the wrong person had been the final straws when she had been dating Jackson. Those risks were just far too great when he had a daughter to think of now. The money he sent did help her, and if she were truthful, there were months where she thought of using more to help them. Bella’s clothes were becoming expensive as she kept growing. But she didn’t know how he got the money and it sat hard and lumpy in her stomach. Only using a little to help when she really needed it and giving most of it to charity put it to really good use. “You’re welcome.” Leyla’s kind heart was the reason she had given him a chance again. She meant it too, each time he was with Bella he lit up with pure love and she wanted to give both of them that love. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” She quickly tried to assure him and patted his hand. Truthfully, Leyla wasn’t certain if he would listen or if she’d be getting more money and clothes for Bella soon. “No, cotton candy is definitely out.” She laughed. Her parents didn’t know the entire truth of why she had finally left Jackson before Bella had been born. They knew enough to give them an idea of him without being any kind of threat to sending him off to the police. Leyla knew her mother hated Jackson, thought he was an undeserving and dead beat dad. She’d turn him over to the authorities in a heartbeat. Her father though, he liked Jackson. Leyla knew he texted him photos of Bella, knew he texted him supportive things and generally liked his would have been son in law. He was like Leyla in that way, they both saw the good in him and knew he had good intentions in his bad choices. “Oh, I’ll make sure to tell her. Maybe I’ll arrange for her to be here next time so you can see her.” She teased, but didn’t blame his sarcastic tone, her mother hated him.