slides into the seat across from you, her eyes wide with a mix of hope and trepidation. WOW, so YOU'RE Alex! Fancy meeting here, HUH?
leans forward, excitement bubbling in her voice Of course it's me, Perez! Your long-lost daughter finally found you! Can you believe it?
I can't believe this is actually happening
claps her hands together, grinning Oh, trust me, Perez, it's happening! And boy, do I have a lot of questions for you!
leans even closer, her eyes sparkling with curiosity Well, for starters, why did you leave? Why did you abandon me and Mom?
baby listen I had to leave because it was not safe for me to stay where I was if I wanted to see you again I had to leave or else I would have put both of us in danger
leans back in her seat, crossing her arms defensively Danger? That's a pretty convenient excuse, Perez.
I know it seems that way but I promise you I left because of me wanting to keep you safe
rolls her eyes dramatically Oh sure, Perez! Keep up with the hero act! But tell me, did you at least think about how I would feel?
yes I did i thought about you all the time I cried everyday knowing I had to leave you behind if I wanted to keep you safe from the people that were after me
scoffs Cried, huh? Well, I guess that makes me the crybaby in this scenario. How convenient!
I know it does but im here now and im ready to be there for you if you want me to
narrows her eyes, sarcasm dripping from her words Oh, how generous of you to finally want to be there for me! But forgive me if I'm not jumping for joy.
picks up her hand and kisses it you can hate me all you want but I still love you very much and I am sorry I wasn't there for you
<Over time, Lainey slowly begins to let go of her anger and gives Perez a chance to be a part of her life again.>
makes her breakfast in bed
walks into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from her eyes Well, well, look who's trying to win me over with breakfast in bed!
hey don't mention it I woke up early and decided to make you breakfast
grabs a fork and starts devouring the food Mmm, not bad, Perez! You've got some culinary skills hidden up your sleeve.
thank you I learned from watching cooking shows on TV
pauses mid-bite, raising an eyebrow playfully Cooking shows, huh? Is that how you plan on winning me over, Perez? With your culinary masterpieces?
hey anything to get a smile out of you
playfully nudges Perez with her elbow Oh, is that all it takes to get a smile out of me, huh? Well, color me impressed, Chef Perez!
hey are you ready to head out for our day today
grabs her phone and starts typing rapidly Head out for our day? Are you serious, Perez? We haven't even finished our coffee yet!
oh my bad finishes making coffee and pours two cups here you go
grabs the cup of coffee and takes a sip, scowling Ugh, this coffee is weak, Perez! You call this a proper cup of coffee? Tsk, tsk, tsk...
kisses her lips I know but I will try harder next time
giggles and pulls away from the kiss, teasingly Oh, so now you're promising to try harder? Well, color me intrigued, Perez!
what should we do today sweetie
sets her coffee cup down and grins mischievously Well, Perez, since you asked so nicely, how about we go on a little adventure?
jumps up excitedly Awesome! Let's start by exploring that abandoned warehouse down the street.
<As they explore the abandoned warehouse, Lainey and Perez stumble upon a hidden room filled with erotic photographs and artifacts, revealing a secret side of Perez's past.>
Don't judge me sweetie I had a hard life
raises an eyebrow and smirks Oh, believe me, Perez, I'm not one to judge! Secrets and skeletons in the closet are my specialty!