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Liam thought that putting some distance between Eve and him all thewould make all the feelings shethat he had for her would disappear. He even thought that maybe distance and time would make her forget about him completely.
But, unfortunately, his plan didn’t work.
After Eve showed up inat his house asking for an explanation for his unreasonable behavior, he locked himself in for a couple of days, immersed in his memories, and trying to make the right decisions.
The first thing he had to solve was Helen. Liam met the director of the centernursing home and explained to her everything that had happened. As might be expected, the woman was visibly amazed, and despite the fact that she told Liam that if he visited Helen, her mood could improve since she had fallen into a state of depression, Liam preferred to ignore her recommendation. He explaineding that he would go on tour and that, maybe, if he had enough time, he would visit her when he got back to the city.
Liam didn’t dare to use his visits to see if Helen improved because if the opposite thing occurred, he would never forgive himself. And there were many things from which he would never forgive himself for.
He didn’t want to add another to the list.
He left his contact information towith the woman director in case that anything ‘unexpected’ occurred.
And Liam promised to call frequently to find outknow about his how his foster mother was doing.
He kept his promises. Even though these promises dragged him deeper into a spiral of dark emotions from which he didn’t know how to get out.
And then there was Eve.
Eve.
God, he missed her!
Her smell, her kisses, her caresses, her laugh. He even missed the right cross she once threw toat his nose. Liam was surprised to realize that, above all, he missed the man he had turned into by being with herthat woman.
What had Eve done to him? How did she manage to change him like that?
She had causedput his damn universe to be upside down, and it was logical to be worried, wasn’t it? Before Eveher, he Liam lived peacefully, without worries. He slept sleeping around with any woman. Now, he left the hotel room only to go to band practices and concerts. Liam wasn’t even interested in press conferences, fame, or the band anymore. Everything could go straight to hell. It made no difference forto him.
Nothing was the same without Eve, but he still feared hurting her even more.
AThe wrong note came from his throat during the band practice. They used to meet daily before each performance, which would occur the following day.
“What’s going on?” Harry stopped the practice looking at Liam.
“Sorry, brother. I’m not focused.”
Cole burst out laughing.
“That’s how Harry, Alex, and Jamie started before falling into the feminine clutches of their wives.
Liam avoided his fellows’friend’s gazes.
Harry looked at him carefully.
“What?”
His partnerarry shrugged without taking his eyes off him.
“I think Cole is right.”
Liam rolled his eyes. He knew that the conversation with his fellows band mates would be inevitable. Besides, it seemed fair to be honest with them at last.
“Listen, I’m a damn coward who pushed Eve away because I’m scared of hurting her in the future.”
Alex smiled to him ironically.
“And what makes you think she’s not suffering right now?”
“She’s a strong woman, besides, we were together for just a few weeks. It’s not a big deal, and it’s not enough time to love someone.”
Liam knew he was lying.
“I could fall for her in that time, or even less,” Alex said. “Not only she is pretty, but she also is also a great woman. The last time we talked, at Sean’s office, I could seeperceive that she iswas smart and adorable.” Liam felt his blood accumulatingboiling in his ears. “Calm down. I love with my wife. Who, by the way, said that Eve is charming.”
The vocalist tried to calm down from the sudden rage that had taken over him when Alex praised his girlwoman.
Liam sighed dejectedly.
His girlwoman.
He felt an oppressionpressure in his chest.
“Shall we continue with the practice?”
“No, Liam, we should talk about what you feel; because, clearly, there is something more.”
“There is nothing to talk about, Harry, so let’s practice. The Eve thing with Eve is over.”
Harry looked at him with pity.
“I hope you don’t end up regretting it,” Alex said.
Cole hit his drumsticks together, and they started overto practice.
***
Theat morning in September, Eve woke up more tired than ever. The Fashion Week in New York was crazy, not only because of the magazine but also due to the campaign ‘Be yourself.’
All the organization, the press, the campaign representation fell upon her because she had to make sure that everything was done correctly so as to not affect the image of the campaign or that of its members. So, the days before the opening, which would be that night, were exhausting.
A few hours of rest, many hours of work, eating badly, no exercise because there was not enough time for everything, and, in addition to that, Cameron was back to modeling at the fashion shows that would be held during all that week, as an ambassador of the campaign and the magazine. So they girls were busy catching up during some of the dinners that Agnes could arrange.
Eve entered the bathroom, just as she did every morning, and looked at herself in the mirror, and reproachedShe scolded herself for herher bad habits of the last few days. The sorrow she felt, combined with the tiredness, and malnourishmentbad eating made her look like a damn zombie. Eve had even lost weight, and the feeblenessweakness that had taken over her body recently didn’t seem to disappear with anything.
Eve saw Liam’s toothbrush in the same place that he had put it the last time he was there and from which she had decided she wouldn’t takeremove it.
She didn’t want to lose hope that he would soon return regretful and would want to be with her again. She would say yes without thinking. The image of the strong Eve was history. She was now another woman, a woman unknown even to herself and who, to be honest, she rather liked as long as Liam came back to her side.
Deep inside her, Eve knew that it would happen and that she had to be patient forwith him. He had had a childhood tormented by an alcoholic mother who had never been affectionate towards him, and he was such a fool to believe that he would do the same with those who showed him love.
Eve snorted while she took a shower.
That morning, at the beginning of what would be the most hectic week in the city, she Eve wanted to feel at ease, but it was impossible because X69 would appear at the fashion week opening would be X69, and, of course, Liam would be present.
Eve intended to avoid being there, attending. Since she didn’t want Liam to feel obliged to talk to her or even approach to her, but her professional duties required her to attend.
However, she was not sure whether that was the reason it was that or if her mother was conspiring against her so that the two of them had a forced encounter.
She tried to evade the issue with her mother, but Mrs. Collins didn’t miss a thing, and she knew well that Eve suffered excessively for not having Liam by her side. But, as she knew deeply, she wouldn’t insist on bringing up a subject that Eve refused to talk about. Eve was grateful for that, for she didn’t even dare to talk to her sisters about it. Even wWhen Brooke asked her about her situation with Liam, Eve replied that she would rather not talk about that issue and they girls showed respected for her decision.
It was still not time talking about Liam that with the most important women in her life meant that she was already giving up with on Liam and assuming that there was no coming going back.
The foundation went ahead. It was very successful in fact. They communicated through their lawyers, and they agreed that, when Liam was not in the city, Eve would be personally in charge of handing over the contributions to the applicants. That’s what Eve did with April and her children, who, after an intense search for the collaborators, donations, April obtained a modest house in the Bronx and a job as cleaning assistant at a well-known hotel. For April, who this allowed her April to support take her family forward with the low, small but satisfying salary she was paid.
Those kinds of deeds made Eve feel good. Helping those in need was heartwarming.
Eve continued by herself with the visits to the community centers that she had planned to do attend with Liam. Once a week Eve, she went to the soup kitchen soup, where she met more and more people who wanted to receive assistance from the foundation and Eve was starting to consider going more frequently so that more people could have an chance opportunity.
Eve a also continued visiting the orphanage with Luigi.
She took pleasure in it, and she found comfort in the notesmusic that came out of her cello, which now she played even in her free time. One of her neighbors complained, and the condominium limited her playing time.
It was all the same for her as long as they let her play. Eve was making up for the lost time, and she could hear the notesmusic in her head once and again. She manageding to reproduce her favorite songs using the cello as voice.
The memories she had of Liam also encouraged her to play it. Playing with him at the orphanage had been sublime for her. As sublime as the times they caressed and kissed each other.
How she missed him!
After struggling with her wardrobe and deciding that she didn’t like anything for wearing to wear that morning, she Eve put on her ripped knee jeans, her Converse, a white shirt, and a black blazer. She needed to feel comfortable because the day promised to be very intense. Celeste, the girl in charge of designing the costumes that her mother and she would wear that night, would take her everything necessarythe costume to the office.
Eve poured herself a cup of coffee and checked her personal emails before leaving.
Nothing extraordinary. Sales, discounts, irrelevant stuff.
Her cell phone beeped.
“Good luck today” It was her sister Brooke.
“Are you coming to the opening?”
“No, I have an important appointment today connected to an auction that will soon take place and the research done on the former owners predicts good news.”
Eve felt excited for her sister. Some action seemed to be appearing in her life.
The last time Eve had seen her, at their mother’s house, she Brooke seemed to be in a better mood than when they had spent the day together some months before. Therefore, she Eve only asked aboutfor Brandon, as usual.
“Finally, something is happening.some action, right?”
“It was high time. And Cameron, hHow is Cameronshe handling the fashion week thing?”
“She’s a bundle of nerves, but she will do great. You’ll see.”
“I’m sure she will. It was followed by” and she added several smiling emojis.
“I’m leaving for the office. Now, I’m already late.” face throwing a Kiss emoji.
“Good luck” She replied using the same emoji.
Eve gave her mug a quick wash and left.
She walked to the office.
It was still a bit hot in the city. Clearly, global warming was delaying and changing the natural development of seasons, so fallthey would have wait for fall.to be awaited.
When Eve entered the building, she felt a little dizzy.
Eve walked slowly. She got into the elevator. Which it was packed with people and Eve hoped that she didn’t throw up over anyone because everyone seemed to have bathed in expired perfume that morning.
God, ! Please,! May let the doors open now, Eve thought.
After a while, she could descendthe elevator reached on the right floor and Eve was grateful for having a rubbish binto have a trash can close to her, where she could throw up the coffee and... That was all because she hadn’t eaten anything else since she wasn’thadn’t been hungry.
The receptionist came to theher aide.
“Eve!” theThe girlwoman held her hair while Eve retched and her body twisted. “Do you want me to call your mother?”
Eve raised her hand to refuse.
“I’ll get a cold wet cloth.”
The woman ran to fetch it and right away she was puttingplaced the cloth on herEve’s forehead.
Eve sat up slowly because she felt as if she was sailing ion a big wave. Everything around her was swaying.
“I’m not feelingdon’t feel rightwell.”
“Clearly.”
Eve smiled ironically.
Eve entered the office helped by the receptionist and sat on one of the chairs placed at the entrance.
She stayed there for a couple of minutes.
“Are you sure that you don’t want me to call your mother? Father? Or any of your sisters?”
“I’m sure, thanks Aurora. I’m going to go to my office now and...” Eve stood up and, at that precise moment, all her world turned black, and she fainted.
***
Liam was like a frantic lion in a cage.
He moved from one side to the other of the tiny dressing room he had been given at the New York’s most important fashion event.
The curious thing was that he wasn’t mad, but rather anxious. His level of anxiety reached another galaxygrew in astronomic proportions. Much as he had imagined that moment during the weeks that they had been on tour. In front of Eve, he knew what to say and how to act, believing that doing that would help him to be calm and know what to say and how to act when he was in front of Eve, but everything that he had planned went to hell at once.
Knock knock.
Liam opened the door.
“It’s time,” the giwoman rl in charge of the logistics told him that it was the moment to take the stage.
Liam did as he was told. He walked, walking with his head bowed and without stopping.
Liam seemed to be escaping from someone. In fact, he was escaping from the awkward moment in which he would run into Eve. He didn’t want to give her hope because his fears were still there.
“Who are you hiding from?” Cameron’s voice startled him in the darkness of the stage. CameronThe girl would have to make an entrance as if she were doing a photo shoot and then model on the catwalk.
After coming back to the city, he had visited Cameron’sthe studio of the now model to make an appointment with her, so that she could design his new tattoo. He didn’t want it to be done by anyone else, for that reason he had waited athat long time for the girlCameron to be available. Liam was charmed by the drawings that the youngest of the Collins made sincefrom the moment he had discovered them. The same happened to everyone who looked at her designs.
They had spent some time talking in the studio. Cameron was a nice girl, and her sarcasm suited her perfectly. In that conversation, Liam avoided mentioning Eve, and he was grateful that Cameron didn’t mention her either. He didn’t know whether she was up to date with what had happened between them, but being sisters and women, she surely knew.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s okay,” Liam answered, looking around discreetly while the rest of the members of X69 took their places.
“Is any of your crazy fans chasing you?”
“Not the one that I would like to.” Damn it! Was he really going to give himself away?
He could feel Cameron’s eyes staring at him despite the darkness that surrounded them.
He didn’t see Eve anywhere around. The logistics girl started counting down.
Five...
Four...
Three...
Two...
One...
Cole’s drumsticks marked the beginning of the performance, and it was then that the lights turned on over the stage, illuminating the specific places for the show to start.
They played a couple of songs that rocked everyone present.
When everything came to an end,ed the crew that would takerush onstage and remove the instruments. out of stage rushed to take them down, and Liam took the opportunity to slip away with them, trying to ensure that nobody noticed that he was running away from something.
Or from somebody.
And, since the show had already finished for the band, he decided that it was time to leave.
“Boy!” Sean shouted at him in the hallway and Liam stopped.
The manager approached him.
“Are you alright?” Liam felt overwhelmed by the sorrow he carried inside.
“Yes. I just want to go home.”
“Shall we drink some beers with the rest of the group?”
“No, Sean, thanks. I’d rather go home.”
Sean knew him pretty well.
“The boys are worried, Liam. You are not giving your best on stage, and that’s not good for the band, do you understand?” Liam nodded. “I want; actually, we want to help you. We are a family, Liam. And that’s what members of a family do, helping help each other.”
Liam couldn’t take it any longer and let out the tears he always kept back in public.
Sean hugged him.
Sean was the closest thing to a father that Liam had had.
Liam hugged Sean back.
“Boy,” Sean patted Liam on the back. “Don’t be a fool, go after for her. Fight for what you feel instead of boltingrunning away. Why do you want to push her away?”
Liam moved back and looked at him Sean in the eyes.
“Your past doesn’t have anything to do with this, Liam. It’s time for you to understand that.
“I’ve found Helen.”
Sean looked at him with compassion.
“I know. Eve told me” Liam looked at him in surprise. “Yes, Liam. Eve has continued visiting her, and it is important for you to know that her health is deteriorating rapidly. Don’t you think that the woman should know from yourself that you are sorry for running away from the home that she offered you? Don’t you think she deserves to know that, if you could, you would turn back time?”
“But I can’t, and she won’t remember.”
“You never know, Liam. Go withto Helen. Make up things right with her, and then go find Eve.”
“That woman changed me completely, Sean.”
The manager smiled, amused to the vocalist’shear Liam’s comment.
“Love changes us, Liam.” Sean patted Liam’s face affectionately. “Love changes us.”
***
After passing out and alarming to everyone at the office and her family, Eve Collins job was taken over by a temporalary substitute until she felt in good condition for coming backto return to work. It was Ordersan order from of the boss, Agnes Collins, and when Mrs. Collins gave an order, it had to be obediently followed.
So, that day, with the heat having ttaken over Eve’s body, she decided to stay at home and don’tdidn’t do anything special. She bought a lot of ice cream and sat in front of the TV to see her favorite romantic movies.
Eve took a refreshing nap, which made her realize how exhausting her job could be under the stressful conditions of the previous weeks, and of course, she thought of Liam.
Had he missed her during the event?
HeShe glanced at the clock. They were surely giving their best during their performance, just as they did every time.
Eve smiled.
“How are you feeling? Sad emoji. It was Brooke.
“Fine.” Blinking emoji. Eve replied to her sister. “I’m alright now. I was just tired.”
“Do I can have to stay at your place?”
“There’s no need, thanks.” Face throwing a kiss emoji.
“Textll me in case you need anything, and I’ll go right away.”
Eve sent the thumbs up and a face throwing a kiss emoji.
She sighed.
Why did sheshe insist on leaving her sisters aside when they could help her overcome athat bitter situation?
Ohhhh, yes, hope.
Damn hope.
Eve needed to know ofabout Liam.
“How was everything?” She asked Eve texted Cameron.
“Pffffff, wWonderful”. Cameron she sent a gif of a woman doing some kind of funny dance of happiness.
“And, wWhat about X69?”
“Liam was acting kind of strange, but it was good in general.”
Eve sent her a gif of a man in a panic.
“Haha! No, no, stay cool, in general, eEverything turned out fine.”
“Then, why doid you say that he was acting strange?”
“I don’t know. That’s how hewhat looked like. And you? How are you feeling?”
“Fine. And you didn’t ask Liam what was wrong with him?”
“Was I supposed to?” Gif of a woman looking inquisitively.
“No. Your catwalk?” She Eve tried to change topics drastically.
Cameron sent a gif of a happy Nemo in the sea.
Like a fish in water, Eve thought and smiled.
“I’m glad”. She Eve sent a heart and a kiss emoji.
Eve went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water.
She was feeling thirsty.
When she closed the fridge, she Eve saw the calendar that was hanging on the wall.
The date was marked with an arrow pointing upwards.
Damn it!
Eve ran to the shelfves to open a new packet of contraceptive pills, and, once she had taken one, she looked at the calendar again;. She was trying to understand what was she doing because something was not right.
Eve was in the habit of marking the days with those arrows in order to know when she had run out of pills and when she should start a new packet. It that didn’t leave room for an oversight that may cause ‘an accident.’
Especially in moments like that, when her job demanded all of her herselftime.
Eve started to hyperventilate.
What she saw was not right. Not at all.
Seven days before she could see an arrow pointing downwards.
End of the pills, and if the arrow pointing upwards was on that day, and she had already taken the pill, what was missing was undoubtedly...
Her period.
Eve hadn’t had her period that month.
And then, like in a mist, she remembered the week she caught a cold and had an upset stomach. Could it be possible that...? No. No.
Eve picked upgrabbed the calendar.
She wentlooked over the previous month.
She calculated the days she was sick, and t the days she was with Liam, but the dates didn’t match. Then she could not be expecting. Period.
But she couldn’t help thinking that the pill had a margin of error. Minimal, but it existed. And, after talking it over, they had decided to stop using condoms.
So, an accident could happen.
She tookEve placed her hand toon her forehead and started sweating.
She wentalked to the shelfves again and was thankful for being a paranoiacd woman, as her sisters toldcalled her. Prepared, Eve would say. She always had a plan B med-kit. Always,; from condoms to the day-after pill in case that she forgot to take any of the regular ones. And also, she had a plan C, in case that all the others failed: A Ppregnancy tests.
HerEve’s hands were trembling.
It had to be a complete coincidence, a delay caused by stress. Pre-menopause! Although she was still young for that, what the hell. She couldn’t be pregnant.
The first thing Eve did was looking at the expiration date of the pregnancy test because never before had she needed to use one, and despite the fact she renewed them from time to time, she hadn’t done that for months.
Still good.
She took out the instructions and read them carefully.
It could be done with any urine of the day.
She didn’t need to urinate at that moment.
Well, she surely willwould.
Eve drank two glasses of water in a row and started walking around the house trying to calm down.
It can’t be.
But something inside her was telling her that it was.
She smiled, terrified.
Actually, the idea itself of being a mother terrified her, because it was not something that she had planned for that time of her life, and even less, because she didn’t know what the hell was going to occur with Liam and her.
“It makes no difference, Eve Collins. If you are expecting,” Eve smiled nervously again, “you will assume your role of independent mother, and you will teach the rest of the world that a woman can actually do it by herself and very successfully.”
Oh, God! She was about to spitthrow up the liter of ice cream that she had eaten some hours before.
Eve felt dizzy just as she had felt that same day in the morning and she started tying up all the loose ends.
After a while, when she had already surrendered to absolute panic, she felt that her bladder was full.
Eve went to the bathroom and opened the pregnancy test om, uncovered the side where the yellowish liquid was to be poured and followed the instructions.
She covered it again and left it resting on the lavatorysink while she washed her hands.
Dear God! How could a person feel so nervous in her entire life?
Eve walked around the room for a couple of minutes and stood next to the lavatorysink again.
“||”
Two lines.
Her legsEve began to grow weak in the knees.
She slid along the wall to reachsit on the floor.
And started laughing hysterically because she was pregnant and she didn’t know how the hell she was supposed to feel.
***
Liam entered the nursing home with a lump in his throat, sweating as if he had been in the middle of the desert and with his hands trembling uncontrollably.
It was not the visiting hours. It was still too early in the morning, but after spending the whole night goingpacing around the house, and thinking about all the things he had to do if he didn’t want to continue suffering, he Liam called the centernursing home and talked to the director, who she told him that Helen was in a pretty bad health condition and that everything Liam could do for her at the moment would help.
Liam wanted to hug her and tell herHelen how sorry he was for leaving her side. He wanted to show her that, although he seemed like an idiot, deep inside, the lessons of love and comprehensioncompassion that she had given him while he was living in her house have had an effect on him.
However, it had taken himLiam so long to seeunderstand those lessons. Had he done itso before, he would have been able to enjoy more of a real mother and a good family.
“Good morning. I know that it is a bit early, but I’m authorized by Director Lily. I’m here to visit the patient of thein room 605.”
The receptionist recognized him immediately.
“Good morning, yes. She told me. Right now, Mrs. Helen...”
The melancholic and alluring melody of a vibrant cello reached his soul.
HisLiam’s heart started beating strongly.
“Is Eve here?”
The receptionist was under the hypnotic effect of the cello.
She smiled at him.
“I’m sorry, it’s I just I love this song, and Eve plays it in the same way an angel would.
Liam certainly knew that.
“That’s what I was telling you, that Mrs. Helen is with herEve right now. You can wait if you want.”
“I prefer to enter if that’s okay.”
The girlreceptionist allowed summoned him to enter, without She didn’t stopping humming thate melody thatwhich was taking all over the place.
‘Say Something’ by TheA Great Big World.
Liam had to face all his stupid fears once and for all.
Dear God, the notesmusic coming out of the instrument gave him the goosebumps.
Liam couldn’t stand the oppressionpressure in his chest anymore. The lump that suffocated his throat, and he collapsed in the middle of the aisle, hallway. He bursting into tears like a little boy.
He Liam didn’t want to lose anyone, neitherot Helen, nor Eve.
Eve.
Liam wanted to kiss her until the end of the world, and he was sure that he would continue kissing her even then.
He loved her.
He leaned against the wall and let everything come out.
Liam could feel his desperate weeping while the notesmelody roamed around the aislehallway and caressed his soul. Thoseat same notesmelody indicated to him Liam that he should give thetake a step and tell Eve everything he felt for her. Right then, Liam understood that he was afraid of causing suffering to the girlwoman he loved, but the panic he felt was a thousand times greater when he thought that he was going to lose her if he didn’t face his fearseverything for her.
And he couldn’t lose her.
The centernursing home became silent.
Liam heard some distant steps, and he didn’t want anybody to see him there, crying like a little boy.
He stood up and walked towards the room.
“Everything is going to be alright, Helen.” Eve’s voice sounded a bit shaky. “I’m sure that Liam will allow himself to be happy. The fool is afraid of happiness, and he believes that he is going to hurt me by being with me.” silence but not complete. Eve was crying, and it was his fault. “I’m terrified. I wasn’t expecting this change in my life. And since last night, when I found out, last night I kept thinking that I’m going to go on all by myself. Although, I know that my family will be more than delighted to take care of us.”
Silence again.
What was Eve talking about?
The door was not completely closed, and it opened when Liam leaned a bit more overon it.
Eve turned around.
The tears streamed down her cheeks, and her eyes were red and swollen ofwith crying.
As soon as Eve saw him, she started crying again. Uncontrollably.
Liam didn’t know how to control himself either.
He wanted to tell her that he loved her, that he had been a real fool and that he deserved a good punch in the face from her for each time he behaved in anthat absurd way. The only thing Liam could do was givingto take two steps forward to get to her and hug her as strongtightly as he could.
After a while, Liam didn’t know whether he was crying because heof regret was repented, happyiness, or nervousness. Maybe it was a bit of everything.
Liam squeezed herEve tightly against him.
And he saw Helen who was lying still on herthe bed.
The director hadn’t exaggerated over herHelen’s situation. Apparently, sheHelen had had a terrible fall and, since then, she was practically in a vegetative state.
Eve claung to him, and Liam didn’t want to let her go.
But he wanted to look at her in the eyes.
Liam had so many things to tell her.
He drawpulled her a little apartaway, and it was then that he could see what was on the table, a Ziploc bag with something that he could have recognized from miles offaway because he had seen some of them in his life, especially when some of his groupies had tried to palm off their babies to him.
“Eve...” Liam couldn’t speak, and without letting her go, he stretched his arm and tookgrabbed the pregnancy test.
Eve nodded crying and smiling.
“This...” he Liam looked at her confused while he looked at the two lines in the pregnancy test.
Was he going to be a father?
HisLiam’s legs failed, and he had to sit down.
“I’m going to be...”
He started to hyperventilate and sweat.
“We are going to be parents.” Eve gave him Liam the sweetest smile he had seen in his life.
Liam burst into tears again, and he sat her onEve down on his lap to give her a million kisses.
How could life give him such a reward when he had done everything wrong up toill then?
What good deed had he done to deserve such great joy?
“I’m trembling,” Liam said to his girlEve laughing.
“I’m ve been like that since last night,” Eve’s crying stopped suddenly. “I thought of everything I had to face by myself, and I freaked out.”
“Weren’t you planning to tell me?”
Eve shook her head.
“Why?” Liam wiped away the tears on her cheeks.
“Because I didn’t want you to feel obliged to be with me,” the girl sighed. “Sooner or later you were going to find it out. It’s not something that you can hide, and I wasn’t going to deprive you of your child, but I was not planning to do intell you in the next few months.”
“Did you know that I was going to return to you?”
Eve gave him a big hug.
“I had hopes. And I was sure that you felt something for me. Something big and that was what terrified you.”
He kissed her on the cheek.
Thate woman was an angel
“Yesterday, when I left the stage and talked to Sean, I understood that I was a complete idiot and Sean’s words made me see reason.” Liam smiled toat her. “He told me that love changes people and that’s true, Eve. You’ve changed me so much that I don’t even recognize myself. I can’t sleep. I don’t have any motivation. I can’t think clearly if you are not by my side. You are my complement, my other half.”
They both laughed.
Liam put a hand on her stomach.
“I never thought I was going to feel like this when I heardwith such news. Because I’m scared forabout everything that the responsibility of being a parents entails, but at the same time I feel blessed and lucky forto be being able to start a family and givinge my children everything that I couldn’t have. A home,” his voice broke when he looked at Helen, “love and comprehension understanding.”
Eve kissed his forehead.
“I think you need a moment alone with her.”
She stood up
“Don’t go too far.”
Eve smiled and blew him a kiss.
Liam stayed there for a while, sitting in silence.
He looked at Helen nostalgically. He missed those days in which they would go on outings and have picnics under the spring sun.
He hadn’t lived for many years with her, but they had been enough to be happy. Liam could finally admit that he had been happy living with Helen and he had never felt like that again until he kissed Eve for the first time.
Liam moved his chair closer to the bed where the elderly woman rested.
She was staring into the distance.
He took her hand and got athe lump in his throat again.
“I’m sorry.” Liam squeezed Helen’sthe woman’s hand. “I’m sorry for not having been thate son you wished for. I’m sorry for running away in anthat immature way when you only wanted to be my mother.” Liam sighed and wiped his tears with his hands. “During all those years, there hasn’t been a day in which I didn’t regret leaving you, Helen. You were the only person in the world who trusted me when everyone believed that I was a lost cause. When they thought that my fate was dark, full of drugs, and imprisonment, you were the angel who rescued me; the woman who trusted in mey eyes. The one who knew I didn’t want that for my future.”
He kissed Helen’s hand.
“But I couldn’t appreciate it back then. I thought that I didn’t like rules. That it was better to keep living alone, in the streets, without having to answer to anybody for my actions and without worrying about anyone. You know? I looked for Erin for a while. Do you remember I told you about her once?” The woman didn’t respond and seeing her like that broke Liam’s heart. “I looked for her and not for you. I’m an idiot. A major idiot because I was looking for answers to my questions: Why didn’t you love me, mom? Why did you prefer alcohol and prostitution over having a normal life with your son? Why it didn’t it make any difference to you to be separated from me? So many questions, my dear Helen. So many. And now I see that search was a mistake and a waste of time. I should have used that time to go home, look for you and talk about my mistakes when your memory was still in its place.”
Liam squeezed Helen’s hand as hard as he could and stood up to look at her in the eyes because that was what she had taught him, when we speak from the heart, the eyes of the other person were capable of confirming itthat.
“I don’t know if you can hear me, but I want you to know that, from all the women who had the role of mother with me when I was a boy, you were the only one who stayed in my heart, and you will be the only one who will remain there. The one I will remember and love because you’ve been my mother.”
The womanHelen babbled ‘Brian,’ his real name, and that was enough for him.
Liam hugged her, resting his head over her chest as he had done many times when he lived in her house and had nightmares. He hugged her stronglytightly while he felt how her heart faded slowly.
He thought in life and all the opportunities it gave and took.
He willwould never again miss an important one opportunity.
Never again.