I heard the footsteps as they came down the hall and towards my room. Mom tore my door open, her eyes wild, and with a bag strung over her shoulder.
“Get your things, Lily! We’re leaving!” she wailed as she tore open my closet and began pulling my clothes off the hangers.”
“Stop it,” I yelled, getting up and forcing myself between her and the rest of my things. “I’m not coming with you, not this time,” I proclaimed, crossing my arms over my chest with determination.
“What? You think Liam is going to support your sorry ass?" my mother balked. “Get your shit together. We're going now!” She pushed past me and started in on my clothes again.
“No,” I screamed. “I’m not weak like you, mom. I’ll manage just fine on my own. I don’t need you, or Liam, or anyone else to take care of me. I said I am not going, now get the hell out of my closet!” I said harshly.
My mother's eyes predictably welled-up with crocodile tears as her face contorted with anger. I almost felt bad for what I had just said, but part of me knew she needed to hear it, and the other part of me knew her tears were mostly false anyway; she never much cared for anyone but herself. Besides, she needed to understand that even her own daughter thought of her as weak.
“Fine. We’ll see just how well you fare on your own you ungrateful little shit,” she snarled. “We’ll see how fast you come running back to mommy once you get a taste of the real world.” She turned around and marched out, slamming the door behind her.
My body shivered nervously under my thin silk night shorts and tank top. I sat back on the edge of the bed and hugged my knees into my chest. I wanted to be sad, but the tears just wouldn’t come. My mother had done this too many times for me to feel sympathy; and if anyone deserved to be pitied, it was Liam.
When my mother first met Liam I honestly thought maybe things would finally change. Liam was good-looking, charming, and filthy, filthy rich. He was the first man my mother ever dated that I actually approved of, and he honestly seemed to care about her and me.
When we moved in with him our entire lives changed. We went from a shaky, low- to lower-middle-class lifestyle, to an upscale privileged one. It all seemed too good to be true. My mother was thriving for the first time since my father had died, and I finally felt safe enough to dream about my own future and goals.
The house had gone quiet now and I heard the automatic garage door open. I stood up, walked over to the window, and watched as my mother’s car went barreling down the driveway, her taillights eventually disappearing around the corner.
“Good bye, mom,” I grieved, perhaps in the same way a mother would lament for a child when they left home for the first time.
A gentle knock came at my door.
“It’s open,” I called.
A soft light creeped into the darkness of my room as Liam slowly opened the door.
He stared at me in silence for a moment, his piercing eyes making me self-conscious of the thin nightclothes I was wearing. I grabbed my robe from the closet door beside me and wrapped the silk tightly around me.
“I’m really sorry you had to hear all of that,” he apologized.
I finally broke down, the tears that wouldn’t come before, now burst forth uncontrollably. “It’s not your fault,” I sobbed, “I’ve been dealing with this crap for years. I can’t change her, she is broken and doesn’t want to be fixed.” I buried my face in my hands.
My own words seem to sink-in as I spoke. I knew it was true. No matter what I sacrificed, no matter how I tried to help her, she would never be content until she fixed herself and found happiness and peace from within.
Liam’s arms wrapped around me and he pulled me into his chest. “I think you did the right thing, Lily.” His fingers traced the long, dark brown tendrils of my hair back behind my ear. “You can’t sacrifice your own happiness trying to look out for Penny. It might actually be good for her to see you taking control of your own life and moving on.”
I encircled my arms around Liam and buried my face into his shoulder and just let go. He was right. I deserved happiness as much as she did, and I was wasting the best years of my life trying to watch out for her.
“Thank you,” I whispered softly after the worst of my crying fit was over, lifting my swollen eyes to his.
“I don’t want you to feel like you can’t stay here. Take your time, apply to some colleges, and enjoy yourself for god sakes. Life is too short, and I have no qualms helping you out for a couple of months so you can get things sorted out.”
I should have known better, but a strange feeling was bubbling up inside of me as I gazed into Liam’s eyes. I had never been so close to a man as I was now, my body acutely aware of the hard, muscular frame that cradled me. He was so kind, so selfless, and so…alluring.
My breath caught in my throat as my lips slowly, deliberately, pressed against his. Liam released me instantly, averting his eyes from mine as he turned away and left me alone in the dark. For the life of me I couldn’t understand what had come over me. Pangs of regret crippled my thoughts for the remainder of the night and I slept poorly.
I could smell the coffee brewing when I awoke the next morning. Liam typically took a jog first thing after his coffee, and I planned to wait until he left before ever stepping foot outside of my bedroom. A soft knock at the door, however, curbed any thoughts of avoiding him at this time.
“Lily? We need to talk. Get up, breakfast is almost ready,” Liam said resolutely.
“Be right out,” I replied tremulously.
I pulled on a pair of long underwear and made my way to the kitchen, the smell of warm bacon and freshly peeled oranges awakening the hunger within me.
“Thank you,” I said politely as Liam placed two plates down opposite of one another.
Liam started in on his breakfast, so I did the same, all the while shifting nervously in my seat. Liam looked up at me as I wiped a bead of nervous sweat from my brow. The silence was killing me, and as his lips turned up into a curious grin, I started to suspect that he was some sort of sadist. He seemed to know I was uncomfortable, and took pleasure in watching me writhe in my discomfort.
“About last night,” he finally said, the words more of a salvation than a punishment after spending the last five minutes amidst a deafening silence. “I meant what I said about you enjoying the rest of your summer. Don’t let your pride stand in the way of your happiness.”
Relief pulsed through my veins. Leave it to him to skirt around an uncomfortable topic, and at the same time address it. He had always been level-headed and well-spoken.
“Thanks,” I murmured genuinely.
I went back to eating my breakfast, feeling much more relaxed and cheerful than before. I should have known better than to expect the worst. Liam had never been one to snap to conclusions or act on impulse, and I doubted he even gave the incident much thought.
Finishing my plate I stood up and took his, more than happy to clean up.
“Lily,” he stopped me, looking up from his paper as I carried the dishes to the sink. “I wanted to ask you if you’d like to go to dinner and movie with me tonight."
The plates fell from my hands and crashed to the floor. What did he just say?! I stared into his eyes. I was just inches from his lips---the same lips I had tasted the night before. My belly clenched reflexively. Was he…asking me on a date?
His mouth moved slowly, sensually as he began again. All I could seem to focus on was those full lips.
“I already bought the tickets and made reservations at Café 421.” His eyes looked towards the floor and he took a deep breath. “I had planned to take your mother.”
I shook my head, trying to physically cast away the thoughts that were flooding in and corrupting my mind.