Page 25
Story: Sophie’s Second Chance
Liam escorted me to his car and opened the door for me. I waved farewell to Helen.
I thanked him, climbed in, and he drove away in the driver’s seat.
I remarked, “You do know this looks scary? There’s not a single person here.” Liam took my hand and led me up the narrow path to the hill.
“There are usually a lot of people here, but I wanted us to have some privacy, so I made sure no one came today.”
“How did you even do that?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t worry, I have my ways.”
We walked for five minutes till we got to a clearing where everything was ready for a picnic. A bedsheet was stretched out on the ground.
“This is so beautiful!” I said as I looked about in admiration. He grinned with pleasure. “I’m happy you liked it.”
I gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks! It’s great!”
He told me to sit down, so I took off my sandals and sat down. Then I picked up a chocolate-covered strawberry and ate it.
He sat down next to me and fed me a strawberry as I finished the first one.
“So…you weren’t born in Houston, were you?” I asked to try to get the discussion going.
“Nope. I was born in Austin. That’s where we used to live, in a small colony, and that’s where Nat and Alley met.”
“Then your uncle called you all here?”
He looked straightforward. “Well, we used to be poor. We didn’t have much to eat, and sometimes we went to bed hungry. I wasn’t old enough to understand everything, but Nat always made sure I had more to eat than he did.”
He looked at nothing in particular and smiled gently at the recollections. “I was seven when our uncle called us here. He didn’t pay much attention to us before because he was busy starting his business. But when his business did well, he felt bad about it. So, the first thing he did was call us all here and promise to make our lives better.”
He looked at me and said, “I remember Nat arguing with our parents about how we could trust him. What if he doesn’t do what he promised? What if he leaves us?”
But his father trusted him, and he still loved his brother and stated he trusted him, so we all went.
I put my hand over his and gently squeezed it. “He did make your lives better.”
“He did. He made sure we had the right clothes to wear and the right food to eat. He made us live with him and paid for Nat’s and my education. He even used to teach Nat and me business in the evenings.”
He constantly told us that we could do great things. He wanted us to create our own business, and with his guidance, we did. Here we are.
Hearing his narrative let me understand why Nathan and he are never boastful about themselves. They are modest because they have witnessed poverty and hunger.
“People don’t talk about your past much in public. I mean, you guys never talk about it. Are you ashamed of your past?” I asked.
He giggled quietly and kissed the back of my hand lightly. “I am not ashamed of it at all. I don’t want to delete that part of my life because when I look back on it and then at what we have become, I feel proud. I feel happy and at peace.”
“The past is a part of me, and I’m not ashamed of it. I never will be. It’s just that we don’t think it’s necessary to tell everyone.” He then put his arm over my shoulder.
“I was just curious. I didn’t mean to offend.”
“It’s OK,” he murmured, kissing the top of my head. “You can ask me anything.”
He let go of my shoulder and moved his hand down to my stomach, where he softly massaged circles over it.
I tilted my head and observed him. My eyes sparkled with love for him. He bent down and kissed me, which made me stop breathing.
We kissed slowly and passionately, and his other hand rested softly on my face as his tongue sought access, which I gladly provided.
After a few seconds, when his tongue had made me breathless, he pulled his lips away from mine. I put my head on his shoulder to relax as I attempted to regain my breath.
“Do you remember your parents?” he enquired in a quiet voice.
“No. I never saw them, and I don’t know their name. I was told that my mother died during birth, and no one knows where my parents are.”
“I’m sorry,” he said in a low voice.
“It’s OK…I think I found a family already.” I smiled at him, and he smiled back and kissed my lips.
“I’m sorry for how I acted when you told me you were pregnant, Sophie. It must have really hurt you because you went through something similar with Blake…”
I kissed him, and he was surprised. He kissed me back. “You know you talk nonsense,” I responded, drawing back and making him laugh. “I already told you I forgave you. Stop saying you’re sorry.”
“Got it.”
I touched him on the chest. “Better.”
He leaned back and pulled me with him as he lay down on the ground, putting my head on his chest and wrapping his arm around my waist. My hand was on his chest as we looked up at the sky in silence.
Liam’s point of view:
This week has been the best of my life. Every day is thrilling when you’re in love.
I took her out on a couple more occasions and gave her all the love and care I could. Every night, we made love, and every morning, I woke up with her in my arms.
But I still had to tell them how I felt. And I was still being a coward about it. I was still too terrified to say I loved her. I want her to adore me, too.
Maybe she does, maybe…
I let out a sigh. I care for her. More than I could ever fathom. I…
“Liam.” Nat’s strong voice brought me back to reality, and I looked around and saw that we were in the middle of an important meeting. Everyone in the conference room was looking at me in shock.
Yes. Yeah, I never lose focus in a meeting. It must be a surprise. You idiots, I’m in love! What do you want from me?
Nat was looking at me and didn’t seem happy at all. I smiled at everyone to say sorry.
I cleared my throat in a way that made me feel bad. “So…um…what were we talking about?”
Nat was about to kick me out of the meeting, and he did.
“Sorry, gentlemen, but my brother doesn’t seem well today. Please excuse him.” Nat said this and gave me a look that screamed, “Get the f**k out of here before I throw you out myself.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly as I left the room, feeling ashamed. Jason, my assistant, followed me. “Sir, are you OK?”
“For the millionth time, Jason, you can call me Liam. Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for asking.” I started heading back to my office, and he followed me.
“But sir—” I threw him a look that might kill. “I mean…L-Liam…you weren’t always like this. You never missed meetings, never zoned out between them, and you were always very excited to be here and work.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“You look like you’re in love, Liam.” He was joking, but when he saw how serious I was, he stopped. “Are you…in love, Liam?”
“Yes. Don’t say you didn’t hear about my engagement. You were at the party, right?” I asked.
“Yes, I was, but I never really thought your engagement was real.” I arched an eyebrow at him as we got into the elevator. “Why is that?”
“You see…well…you never dated. Of course. And then, one day, this woman threatens to burn down the whole building if you don’t see her. And just a month later, we hear that you are already engaged to her.”
“That still doesn’t make sense…”
I thanked him, climbed in, and he drove away in the driver’s seat.
I remarked, “You do know this looks scary? There’s not a single person here.” Liam took my hand and led me up the narrow path to the hill.
“There are usually a lot of people here, but I wanted us to have some privacy, so I made sure no one came today.”
“How did you even do that?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t worry, I have my ways.”
We walked for five minutes till we got to a clearing where everything was ready for a picnic. A bedsheet was stretched out on the ground.
“This is so beautiful!” I said as I looked about in admiration. He grinned with pleasure. “I’m happy you liked it.”
I gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks! It’s great!”
He told me to sit down, so I took off my sandals and sat down. Then I picked up a chocolate-covered strawberry and ate it.
He sat down next to me and fed me a strawberry as I finished the first one.
“So…you weren’t born in Houston, were you?” I asked to try to get the discussion going.
“Nope. I was born in Austin. That’s where we used to live, in a small colony, and that’s where Nat and Alley met.”
“Then your uncle called you all here?”
He looked straightforward. “Well, we used to be poor. We didn’t have much to eat, and sometimes we went to bed hungry. I wasn’t old enough to understand everything, but Nat always made sure I had more to eat than he did.”
He looked at nothing in particular and smiled gently at the recollections. “I was seven when our uncle called us here. He didn’t pay much attention to us before because he was busy starting his business. But when his business did well, he felt bad about it. So, the first thing he did was call us all here and promise to make our lives better.”
He looked at me and said, “I remember Nat arguing with our parents about how we could trust him. What if he doesn’t do what he promised? What if he leaves us?”
But his father trusted him, and he still loved his brother and stated he trusted him, so we all went.
I put my hand over his and gently squeezed it. “He did make your lives better.”
“He did. He made sure we had the right clothes to wear and the right food to eat. He made us live with him and paid for Nat’s and my education. He even used to teach Nat and me business in the evenings.”
He constantly told us that we could do great things. He wanted us to create our own business, and with his guidance, we did. Here we are.
Hearing his narrative let me understand why Nathan and he are never boastful about themselves. They are modest because they have witnessed poverty and hunger.
“People don’t talk about your past much in public. I mean, you guys never talk about it. Are you ashamed of your past?” I asked.
He giggled quietly and kissed the back of my hand lightly. “I am not ashamed of it at all. I don’t want to delete that part of my life because when I look back on it and then at what we have become, I feel proud. I feel happy and at peace.”
“The past is a part of me, and I’m not ashamed of it. I never will be. It’s just that we don’t think it’s necessary to tell everyone.” He then put his arm over my shoulder.
“I was just curious. I didn’t mean to offend.”
“It’s OK,” he murmured, kissing the top of my head. “You can ask me anything.”
He let go of my shoulder and moved his hand down to my stomach, where he softly massaged circles over it.
I tilted my head and observed him. My eyes sparkled with love for him. He bent down and kissed me, which made me stop breathing.
We kissed slowly and passionately, and his other hand rested softly on my face as his tongue sought access, which I gladly provided.
After a few seconds, when his tongue had made me breathless, he pulled his lips away from mine. I put my head on his shoulder to relax as I attempted to regain my breath.
“Do you remember your parents?” he enquired in a quiet voice.
“No. I never saw them, and I don’t know their name. I was told that my mother died during birth, and no one knows where my parents are.”
“I’m sorry,” he said in a low voice.
“It’s OK…I think I found a family already.” I smiled at him, and he smiled back and kissed my lips.
“I’m sorry for how I acted when you told me you were pregnant, Sophie. It must have really hurt you because you went through something similar with Blake…”
I kissed him, and he was surprised. He kissed me back. “You know you talk nonsense,” I responded, drawing back and making him laugh. “I already told you I forgave you. Stop saying you’re sorry.”
“Got it.”
I touched him on the chest. “Better.”
He leaned back and pulled me with him as he lay down on the ground, putting my head on his chest and wrapping his arm around my waist. My hand was on his chest as we looked up at the sky in silence.
Liam’s point of view:
This week has been the best of my life. Every day is thrilling when you’re in love.
I took her out on a couple more occasions and gave her all the love and care I could. Every night, we made love, and every morning, I woke up with her in my arms.
But I still had to tell them how I felt. And I was still being a coward about it. I was still too terrified to say I loved her. I want her to adore me, too.
Maybe she does, maybe…
I let out a sigh. I care for her. More than I could ever fathom. I…
“Liam.” Nat’s strong voice brought me back to reality, and I looked around and saw that we were in the middle of an important meeting. Everyone in the conference room was looking at me in shock.
Yes. Yeah, I never lose focus in a meeting. It must be a surprise. You idiots, I’m in love! What do you want from me?
Nat was looking at me and didn’t seem happy at all. I smiled at everyone to say sorry.
I cleared my throat in a way that made me feel bad. “So…um…what were we talking about?”
Nat was about to kick me out of the meeting, and he did.
“Sorry, gentlemen, but my brother doesn’t seem well today. Please excuse him.” Nat said this and gave me a look that screamed, “Get the f**k out of here before I throw you out myself.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly as I left the room, feeling ashamed. Jason, my assistant, followed me. “Sir, are you OK?”
“For the millionth time, Jason, you can call me Liam. Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for asking.” I started heading back to my office, and he followed me.
“But sir—” I threw him a look that might kill. “I mean…L-Liam…you weren’t always like this. You never missed meetings, never zoned out between them, and you were always very excited to be here and work.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“You look like you’re in love, Liam.” He was joking, but when he saw how serious I was, he stopped. “Are you…in love, Liam?”
“Yes. Don’t say you didn’t hear about my engagement. You were at the party, right?” I asked.
“Yes, I was, but I never really thought your engagement was real.” I arched an eyebrow at him as we got into the elevator. “Why is that?”
“You see…well…you never dated. Of course. And then, one day, this woman threatens to burn down the whole building if you don’t see her. And just a month later, we hear that you are already engaged to her.”
“That still doesn’t make sense…”