Chapter 42
Lingling woke before the sun.
For a few seconds, she didn't open her eyes.
She simply lay there, perfectly still, listening.
The quiet hum of the air conditioner.
The faint sound of the ocean somewhere beyond the hotel windows.
The slow rhythm of breathing beside her.
One.
Two.
Three.
Then she felt the weight against her body.
Someone was practically lying on top of her.
Lingling smiled before she even looked.
Orm was curled against her left side, her head resting near Lingling's shoulder, one arm wrapped loosely around her waist.
On her right was Liam.
The little boy had somehow migrated during the night until half his body was sprawled across Lingling's arm, his tiny fingers still clutching the fabric of her shirt.
Lingling was trapped.
Completely trapped.
And somehow...
She didn't want to move.
She slowly opened her eyes.
Morning light had barely begun to creep through the curtains.
Orm was still asleep.
So was Liam.
Both of them were practically sleeping on her, as if sometime during the night they had unconsciously decided that the safest place in the world was right beside Lingling.
As if both of them were afraid that if they let go...
She might disappear.
The thought made Lingling's chest ache.
For a moment, she closed her eyes again.
Four years.
Four impossibly long years.
For four years, Lingling had dreamed about waking up like this.
She had imagined opening her eyes and finding Orm beside her.
She had imagined hearing her breathing.
Feeling her warmth.
Seeing her face in the morning light.
She had imagined reaching across the bed and finding a hand waiting for hers.
Sometimes, the dreams had been so vivid that she had woken up smiling.
Only to realize she was alone.
The emptiness that followed those dreams had always been unbearable.
But now...
This wasn't a dream.
Orm was here.
Liam was here.
And Lingling was right in the middle of them.
She opened her eyes again.
A small smile touched her lips.
Maybe this wasn't the life she had once imagined.
Not yet.
Maybe they weren't officially together.
Not yet.
Maybe there were still things they needed to heal.
Things they needed to forgive.
Things they needed to understand.
But they had a beginning.
A beginning for healing.
A beginning for forgiveness.
A beginning for rebuilding trust.
A beginning for a relationship that perhaps should have started four years ago.
And for now...
That was enough.
Lingling carefully turned her head toward Orm.
She looked at her for a long moment.
God.
After four years...
Orm was still breathtaking.
Time had changed her, of course.
They were both approaching thirty now.
There were subtle differences in her face, tiny changes that only someone who had loved her intimately would notice.
She looked older.
More mature.
More confident.
There was a softness in her that hadn't been there before.
And there were traces of the four years she had endured.
But somehow, she was still the most beautiful woman Lingling had ever seen.
Her hair was slightly messy from sleep.
Her lips were parted slightly.
Her eyelashes rested against her cheeks.
She looked peaceful.
Safe.
Lingling smiled.
She wanted to touch her.
But she was afraid to wake her.
So she simply watched.
Memorizing.
Again.
As if four years hadn't taught her enough about how fragile happiness could be.
Then she looked to her right.
Liam.
The little boy was a split image of Orm.
Lingling couldn't help but smile.
His tiny nose.
His round cheeks.
His sleepy expression.
Even the way his lips were slightly pursed reminded her of Orm.
He was a wonderful boy.
Bright.
Funny.
Affectionate.
And somehow, despite having no biological connection to Lingling whatsoever...
He had already captured a piece of her heart.
From the very first time they met by the sea.
Lingling remembered the way Liam had looked at her.
Curious.
Unafraid.
Then he had simply accepted her.
As though she belonged there.
As though loving someone meant there was always room for another person to love them too.
Lingling remembered the other day.
The sand castle.
The laughter.
And then Liam's little voice.
Pwease stay with us, Wingwing.
I don't want Mommy to cry anymore.
Lingling's heart tightened.
She looked at the sleeping boy.
"You're going to make me cry again, champ," she whispered.
Liam didn't move.
Lingling smiled.
She gently brushed a strand of hair away from his forehead.
Though Liam wasn't her biological son...
If she and Orm eventually found their way back to each other, Lingling knew one thing with absolute certainty.
She would love this boy.
Not because she had to.
Not because Orm expected her to.
Not because of some title.
But because Liam had already found his way into her heart.
She wanted to be there for his birthdays.
His school events.
His victories.
His failures.
His silly questions.
His first heartbreak.
His dreams.
She wanted to be the person he could call when he needed advice.
The person who would cheer the loudest.
The person who would tell him to eat his vegetables.
The person who would still hug him even when he became too cool to admit he needed one.
If fate allowed it...
She wanted to be family.
Lingling's eyes softened.
"Maybe one day," she whispered.
"Maybe."
She leaned over.
First, she kissed Orm's forehead.
Very gently.
Then she turned toward Liam and kissed his head.
Both of them remained asleep.
Lingling smiled.
Then, reluctantly, she began untangling herself.
It took several minutes.
Orm's arm was around her waist.
Liam's hand was gripping her shirt.
Lingling carefully removed Orm's arm.
Then Liam's tiny fingers.
She nearly laughed when Liam frowned in his sleep and reached for her again.
"Sorry, champ."
She gently tucked the blanket around him.
Then she kissed his forehead once more.
She did the same to Orm.
Tonight was her flight back to Paris.
Her one-week vacation was coming to an end.
Reality was waiting for her there.
Work.
Engineering sites.
Responsibilities.
A life that had continued while she was away.
There were things she needed to handle.
Things that couldn't be postponed forever.
But today...
Today belonged to Orm and Liam.
Lingling looked at them one more time.
Then she smiled.
"I'll make this last day count."
Lingling quietly slipped out of bed.
She headed to the kitchen and began preparing breakfast.
She wanted to surprise them.
Something simple.
Something warm.
Something that felt like home.
She prepared Orm's favorites first.
Pancakes.
Bacon.
Coffee.
Chicken tenders.
Then she prepared Liam's. The little boy told her all his favourites.
Chicken nuggets with cheese.
Warm milk.
And chocolate pancakes.
She arranged everything carefully on a tray.
She stared at it for a moment.
Then smiled.
This was ridiculous.
She had traveled around the world.
Created magnificent towers and bridges.
Solved complicated problems.
Handled meetings that lasted for hours.
But somehow...
Making breakfast for two people made her nervous.
Lingling carried the tray into the bedroom.
"Breakfast."
Orm slowly opened her eyes.
She blinked.
Then stared at the tray.
"Lingling?"
"Good morning."
Orm sat up.
"You made all of this?"
Lingling nodded.
"Your favorites."
Orm's eyes immediately softened.
"You remembered."
Lingling smiled.
"I remember everything."
Orm's eyes filled.
Before she could say anything, Liam stirred.
"Mommy?"
"Food?"
Lingling laughed.
"Good morning to you too."
Liam sat up.
Then his eyes widened.
"Chocowate pancakes!"
Lingling placed the tray between them.
"Especially for you."
Liam immediately hugged her.
"Wingwing is the best!"
Orm laughed.
"I see how quickly I was replaced."
Liam looked at her.
"Mommy, you have pancakes too."
Orm smiled.
"Okay. I'm forgiven."
They ate together in bed.
Liam dipped his chicken nuggets into the cheese.
Orm laughed at his messy eating.
Lingling pretended to be strict.
"Chew properly champ."
"Yes, Wingwing."
"Don't talk with your mouth full."
"Yes, Wingwing."
"Drink your milk."
"Yes, Wingwing."
Orm watched them.
Her heart felt strangely warm.
This was what she had wanted.
Not something extravagant.
Not something perfect.
Just this.
A morning where the bed was messy.
Breakfast was everywhere.
Liam was laughing.
Lingling was complaining.
And she was sitting beside them.
Happy.
-
After breakfast, none of them wanted to get up.
So they stayed.
They cuddled beneath the blankets.
Liam chose the movie.
Orm complained about his choice.
Lingling defended him.
Liam laughed and kissed both of their cheeks.
Eventually, all three of them ended up tangled together again.
Orm rested her head on Lingling's shoulder.
Liam lay across both of them playing with his dinosaurs.
Lingling looked at them.
And for a few hours...
they spend doing nothing but feeling everything.
-
By afternoon, they returned to Phuket Beach.
They wandered without a destination.
They bought little souvenirs.
A shell bracelet for Liam.
A small keychain for Orm.
A miniature boat for Lingling.
Then, while walking along one of the shops, they stumbled upon a photo booth.
Liam stopped immediately.
"Pictures!"
Orm laughed.
"We already have so many pictures."
"More!"
Lingling looked at Orm.
Orm smiled.
"Let's do it."
They squeezed into the booth.
The first picture was normal.
The second was Liam making a serious face.
The third was Lingling kissing Liam's cheek.
The fourth was Orm kissing Liam's other cheek.
The fifth was all three of them laughing because Liam suddenly squeezed both their faces together.
The photos printed.
Liam grabbed them immediately.
"Wook!"
Orm laughed.
"They're adorable."
Lingling looked at the strip.
There they were.
The three of them.
Smiling.
Together.
It looked like a family.
Lingling swallowed.
Orm noticed.