Chapter Twenty-Five
“Hey, Sis.” I walk into the room, knowing she’ll be alone because I just saw Sunny having coffee with the boys. “Can I join you?”
She looks up from her needlework and points to the chair next to her. “I was needing a break from this anyway. Have a seat.”
It only takes me seconds when being with Sis to know what kind of moment she’s having, and this is a good one. She smiles at me with recognition.
“What are you making?”
“Oh, dear,” she says. “I still haven’t made Asher artwork for his bedroom. I do it for all of my great-grandkids.”
I study her work. “You’re good, Sis. I was never a very creative person.”
“I wasn’t always.” She weaves the long needle in and out of the fabric, then puts it down. “But when my boys started having kids of their own, I wanted them all to have something special that I made for them. I do it with love, so they’ll always feel surrounded by mine.”
“How many grandkids do you have?” I ask her questions I sometimes know the answer to, but it helps her remember.
“Four.” Sis looks up and smiles. “I couldn’t ask for better ones.”
“Will you tell me about them?”
I love getting to know the residents, but the break from being on my feet isn’t a bad thing either.
Her eyes light up. “Well, my Liam is the oldest. And I think being the oldest has put some pressure on him. When he was younger, everything came easy to my little Liam. He got good grades, was the star athlete on his sports teams, got into every college he applied to, and then got his dream job in New York. He’s never had to work that hard for anything, which isn’t good for a person.”
“But you know what, Birdie?” Sis leans forward, looks at the door, and then at me. “He got fired. But that’s not even the worst of it.”
“What’s the worst of it?” I lean forward too, curious to learn bits of him that he hasn’t openly shared.
“I don’t think he’s ever done one thing because he enjoyed it. His dad, my Larry, is a good man, but he wanted a son just like him, and Liam isn’t that. I wish he’d start making decisions for himself. He has some things to figure out.”
“That’s hard, Sis,” I say. “I hope he finds what he’s looking for.”
She nods and leans back in the chair, once again picking up her needlework. “And then there’s my sweet boy, Robby. He’s had to work for things. And he’s so sensitive and loves big. He married an Abram girl, Jenna. And they write to me from New York and seem happy.”
Sis smiles as if she’s conjuring a memory. “My third grandson is David. He’s Liam’s younger brother and never faced the same pressures. He lives in Florida. Moved there for a job. He’s the most carefree of all of them. He has an artistic spirit about him.”
“Then our first granddaughter was born. Oh, Camilla looks just like I used to. And she’s a fiery thing. She used to move around from place to place, acted like she liked that life. But in reality, she wanted to settle down. Her husband Jake is also an Abram. I love that one of my grandkids came to live here.”
“You must be so proud, Sis.” I grip her hand. “They all seem like great people.”
“Hi, Grandma.”
Liam walks through the door, and our eyes meet. He glances at Sis as he sits at the end of the bed.
“Oh, good,” he says. “You’re both here. I have news I want to share.”
“Happy news, I hope.” Sis drops her needlework and turns to Liam.
“It is, I think.”
He links his fingers together, then stands again. He paces once and then stops.
“Well, I’ve been talking to a company for about three weeks and had a couple of informational interviews. Well, they called me this morning, and they’re flying me to New York for two days of interviews.”
“Liam.” I jump up from the chair, unable to hide my excitement for him. I give him a quick hug and then push away. “Congrats. I’m so happy for you.”
He laughs, and when I turn to Sis, she’s studying us, her lips slightly turned up.
“Is this what you want, Liam?” She narrows her eyes. “To find another job there?”
“Well, yeah, Grandma. It is. I miss New York and my friends. And the job is a great opportunity for me.”
Sis nods. “As long as it’s for you and not your dad.”
“Grandma.” Liam sits and takes her hands in his. “Of course, it’s for me.”
“Then I wish you luck,” she says.
“You two have a lot to catch up on.” I move to the door a bit too fast. “Sis is having a great day, Liam.” I turn and mouth, “So happy for you.”
My emotions confuse me as I step out of the room and into the hallway. There’s this part of me that’s sad. But the biggest thing I feel right now is relief. It’s been hard to grow closer to him, not knowing for how long I have him here. Now I know it’s all going away. I can step away from getting to know him better. I only want what’s best for him. From the moment I met him, all he’s talked about is how amazing New York City is. I knew our friendship this summer was temporary, which is why I’ve kept it platonic, even when there have been moments where it felt like we were slipping into something more.
But now it’s real. He’s going to leave Wheaton. There is relief in the clarity.
“Hey.” Liam grabs my arm and spins me toward him. “Can we talk?”
I blink, as I didn’t hear him coming. “I can’t now. I’m actually meeting my sperm donor for lunch.”
“Birdie.” He narrows his eyes. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”
“No.” I press my lips together. “It’s never a good idea. But he said he’d be there at noon, and I’m going to find out if he is.”
“Don’t go.” He grabs my hand. “You have the afternoon off. Let’s have another lake day. I leave in the morning.”
“Tomorrow already?” I narrow my eyes. “I didn’t realize when you said they were flying you to New York, it meant immediately.”
He runs his long fingers through his hair. “My interviews are Monday and Tuesday, but I’m going to go stay with my cousin Robby and his wife. I figured I’d go for the weekend and catch up with my friends.”
“Oh.” I force a smile. “That makes sense.”
“Spend today with me.”
“I can’t, Liam,” I say. “I have plans.”
Will walks by and gives us a look but keeps moving.
“I was supposed to have the afternoon off, but now I’m needed. It’ll be late before I get off.”
“Birdie,” he says slowly.
“When are you back?” I look at my watch.
“Late Tuesday or early Wednesday. I haven’t decided yet.”
I grip his arm. “Perfect. Good luck. I can’t wait to hear all about it when you get back.”
“Birdie.” Liam grabs me as I walk away. “Why do I feel like you’re saying goodbye to me?”
He releases me.
“Because you’re leaving.” I smile, turn from him, but glance over my shoulder. “Break a leg, Liam.”
I walk into Main Street Cafe expecting and almost knowing in my bones that my dad won’t be here. I’ll wait ten minutes, maybe fifteen, and then I’ll head home and take a nap before I have to be back at work at three.
But there he is, sitting at a table for two in the corner, by the window, reading glasses on as he studies the menu.
“Hey,” I say, and he looks up and smiles.
“Beatrice.” He stands and pulls a chair out for me.
I let out a breath. “If we’re going to spend time together, you’re going to have to start calling me Birdie. Beatrice sounds like a sixty-year-old woman.”
My dad nods. “Where did that name even come from?”
“My grandma,” I say without hesitation. “She said when I was hungry as a newborn, I’d pucker my lips like a bird being fed worms. The nickname stuck, and I prefer it.”
“I’ll try to keep it straight.” He hands me a menu. “Get anything you’d like, Birdie. Lunch is on me.”
We order our food and then nervously look at each other. What do I say to someone I barely even know?
“How’s your old lady doing?” He takes a sip of his Coke.
“She’s great, actually.” I drink my water. “As you saw from the paper, she now owns the nursing home. She also bought a house, and I’m living there with her, and so far, everything is going great.”
My dad pounds on the bottom of the ketchup bottle. “I saw that you guys raised a lot of money for that nursing home.”
My skin fills with goosebumps, and I scratch the inside of my hands, nearly drawing blood. “That money isn’t hers. It goes directly to running the business.”
“I know that,” he says.
“Why are you here?” I put down my fork, unable to pretend that this is normal. “After all this time, what do you want with me? With Mom?”
“Can’t I want to live a life I’m proud of? One where we’re in each other’s lives? I’ve missed you, Birdie. I know I’ve been a shit dad, but I’ve gone through a lot. I want to be better.”
I want to believe that this time is different. But why should I? I can forgive someone for hurting me once or twice. But when it becomes a pattern, how can there ever be trust?
“I’m twenty-five. We haven’t had a relationship. You can’t just show up and expect something from me. You don’t even know me.”
“You’re right,” he says. “And I know that. Baby steps.”
I bite into a fry and study him, wondering if anything in this relationship is redeemable.
“I didn’t see you park. Did you walk here?” He wipes his mouth.
“My car broke down. I’m in the process of buying a new one.”
“Cars are my specialty,” he says. “I can help.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I say.
“Let me help.” He claps his hands together. “I want to make sure my baby girl doesn’t get taken for all she has.”
I nod, knowing that all of this could go very badly, yet I agree to have him claw his way back into my life.