Unbreakable

by Abby Reynolds

  She pulled me on top of her, our naked bodies touching. The fire roared nearby, warming the house and our bodies. Her hands moved to my back and touched me aggressively. When her legs wrapped around my waist, I knew what she wanted. Just in case, I decided to ask.

  “Are you sure?” I whispered.

  “I’m more than sure. You’re the one.”

  That made my heart convulse in joy. I found her entrance then pushed inside her slowly. I never had sex with someone without protection, and I never made love to someone before. This was my first time too.

  She was wet for me, soaked. I knew she felt the same physical attraction as I did. Our chemistry was explosive and dangerous. Anyone standing too close would get burned in the fire. When I was inside her, I took a deep breath.

  “God, you feel so good.”

  She clung to me, breathing into my mouth.

  I rocked into her slowly, absorbing the feeling. Her skin moved passed mine, and we danced together. Our souls and bodies were touching. Our hearts beat as one. She moaned quietly, making sexy sounds as I made love to her. My hand moved into her hair as I worshipped her with my body.

  I pulled my lips away and looked at her. “So beautiful…”

  Her eyes bubbled with tears, and they fell down her cheeks. I knew I wasn’t hurting her. She was emotional from the joy I gave her. I knew because I felt the same way. I felt the build up of moisture but the tears didn’t fall. I never thought I’d find someone that would understand me so well. She was the first person I opened up to, telling her my darkest secrets. She loved me despite my past transgressions. She saw the man I really was underneath.

  Together, we met our bliss at the same time. She squeezed me tightly as the explosion happened between her legs.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  I felt myself fill her, something I only shared with her. “And I you.”

  When we were finished, we didn’t pull away from each other. We clung together even tighter, never wanting to end the connection we felt.

  She pressed her face to mine and closed her eyes. “Thanks for putting me back together.”

  When we arrived at my parent’s doorstep, I froze. I didn’t know what to do. The last time I looked at the front door, it was the day of my sister’s funeral. I didn’t want to go inside.

  Keira held my hand. “It’s alright.”

  I took a deep breath. “I don’t even know what to say.”

  “Don’t say anything at all. They’ll just be happy you’re here.”

  I stared at the Christmas lights on the outside of the house and the reef on the door. I had a happy childhood. But all of that disappeared when I lost my sister.

  Keira patiently waited next to me until I was ready.

  Then I stepped forward and rang the doorbell. When I heard the loud chime, there was no going back. The sound of footsteps reached my ear. I knew the moment was here.

  My dad opened the door and stared at me. A few seconds passed then recognition came into his eyes. He stared at my face, the features so similar to his own. He didn’t react so I had no idea what he was thinking. Did he want me here?

  Then his eyes started to well up. My dad never showed emotion. The only time I saw him cry was when my sister died in his arms. Anytime before that, he was a stone statue. But now his eyes turned red.

  He took a deep breath then grabbed me, pulling me to his chest. He hugged me so hard, I couldn’t breathe. Keira pulled her hand away from mine and stood back, giving me my privacy.

  My dad patted my back then the back of my head. I heard him sniff while he held me. “My son.”

  I tried to keep it together but I couldn’t. I started to cry.

  “I’m so glad you’re here. You’ll never understand…” He still held me.

  “What’s going on?” my mom said from the doorway. She stilled when she saw me. Just like my dad, she started to cry. “Liam.” She came to our side then wrapped her arms around both of us, joining the group hug. “My baby.”

  They held me like I was a small boy. My heart hurt feeling the love I alienated myself from. My parents loved me and now I felt horrible for shutting them out. They didn’t know anything about my life. Every birthday, they called and left me a message. Every holiday, they said they loved me. But I never called them back.

  “We’re so glad you’re here,” my mom said through her tears.

  “Me too,” I whispered. I towered over both my parents, but I still felt small. I outweighed my dad with my muscle and strength but I still looked up to him.

  My dad finally pulled away, tears still in his eyes. His hand was still on my shoulder. “Hungry?”

  I nodded.

  My mom looked behind me and noticed Keira. “Who’s this?” Without waiting for a response, she hugged Keira tightly.

  “My girlfriend, Keira.” I watched my mom embrace her.

  “She’s beautiful,” my mom said as she pulled away. “I’m Pam. It’s very nice to meet you.”

  “You too,” Keira said with a smile.

  “Thank you so much for bringing him here.” My mom hugged her again.

  I don’t know how my mom knew that, but I guess after all this time she still understood me in a way no one else ever would.

  Keira didn’t respond. She just hugged her back.

  My dad moved in next. “Thank you for coming.” He hugged her tightly, treating her like a family member.

  I never brought a girl over, so they knew she was extremely special. She was going to be my wife someday, and they knew it.

  “Come in,” my dad said. “Let’s get off the porch.”

  We walked inside. I studied the house. It hadn’t changed since I left. When I looked at the tree, mounds of presents were underneath. The smell of cinnamon cookies filled the air—my favorite.

  Keira grabbed my hand again and stood beside me.

  My mom still had tears in her eyes. “Dinner is almost ready. Let’s sit in the kitchen.”

  After we took our places, I saw Keira eyeing the pictures on the wall. My sister and I were still the shrine of my parents. I had a picture of my sister in my nightstand but I hardly looked at it. It was just too hard.

  Keira stared at the picture, her eyes lingering on her eyes and smile. “You never told me her name,” she whispered to me.

  “Eva,” I answered.

  “Pretty name.”

  My mom put the food on the table then sat across from me. My parents were tense around me, eyes still moist. I didn’t know what to say or how to act. I was normally affectionate with Keira but I forgot to be. But she rested her hand on my thigh, taking the reins when I couldn’t.

  My mom made a feast of turkey, mashed potatoes, greens, and rolls. It was too much food for two people.

  “You guys cooked a lot,” I noted, not knowing what else to say.

  “We always hope an unexpected guest will join us,” my mom said with a smile.

  Now I felt guiltier.

  We ate our food quietly.

  My mom kept staring at me. “Liam, you’re so big.”

  My dad nodded. “Serious weight training?”

  I nodded. “It’s a hobby.”

  “Your arms are as big as my head,” my mom said with a laugh.

  I looked down at them. “I guess so.”

  “So, what’s going on in your life?” my dad asked.

  “Just school.”

  “Where do you go?”

  They didn’t know me at all. I was feeling worse by the minute. “UC San Diego.”

  “Wow,” my mom said. “That’s wonderful.”

  “You live there?” my dad asked.

  I nodded.

  My dad sipped his wine. “Do you work?”

  Now I was in a tough spot. “I don’t have a full-time job. I pick up work in different places.” That was true enough.

  My mom looked at Keira. “Tell us about you.”

  She blushed when the attention was on her. “I go to school with Liam. That’s h
ow we met.”

  “What’s your major?” my dad asked.

  “Math.”

  “Whoa…she’s smart,” my mom said.

  My parents asked me every detail of my life. They were interested in everything, even how I did my laundry and what I cooked for myself. When we finished dinner, we ate homemade pie. I would pay for this calorie overload later.

  We abandoned the plates then moved into the living room. I pulled Keira into the chair beside me, not caring about being affectionate in front of my parents. We usually exchanged presents at this point, but I knew we wouldn’t since I arrived so unexpectedly. Keira and I didn’t even have time to pick up anything.

  My mom pushed mounds of presents at me. “Merry Christmas.”

  There were at least a hundred gifts. “These are all for me…?”

  “We buy you gifts every year. We just didn’t have an address to send them to…” My mom got choked up in the middle of the sentence.

  I broke down. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” my mom said. She sat beside me on the couch and hugged me. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters.”

  “I’m sorry I made you suffer so much.”

  My dad came next then rubbed my back.

  Keira looked away, trying to be quiet.

  “I’m sorry, Dad. It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known…”

  “It’s okay,” my dad said firmly. “There’s only one person at fault, and he’s not here.”

  I nodded. “I was just so angry…”

  “We know,” my mom said firmly. “We know.”

  “I shouldn’t have cut you out of my life that,” I whispered.

  “Don’t live in regret, Liam,” my dad said firmly. “Let’s just move on.”

  My mom sniffed. “This is the greatest gift you could have given us.”

  We held each other, the presents forgotten.

  Keira got up to leave the room, but my mom pulled her into the embrace.

  “You aren’t going anywhere,” my mom said. “You’re a member of this family too.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Keira

  The reunion between Liam and his family was beautiful. I was glad he recovered what he lost. And I know he wouldn’t have done that if I hadn’t pushed him to. Now he had what he needed. And he was happy. When Liam was happy, I was happy.

  We slept in his old bedroom that night. Liam was quiet when we lay in bed, holding me on his chest. He was in a solemn mood so I let him be. He wasn’t an emotional guy and tended to be happy all the time, but he was running haywire with unstoppable feelings. But it was time he got them out.

  “Your parents are really sweet.”

  “Yeah,” he whispered. “They are good people.”

  “I’m glad you worked it out.”

  He kissed my forehead. “I am too. Thanks to you.”

  “You’re the one who made the plunge. I didn’t make you jump.”

  Liam squeezed me. “I still wouldn’t be here without you. Life is too short to spend it in regret. I pushed my anger on them because I didn’t know where else to put it. But I’m glad I made it right.”

  “Me too. I love seeing you happy.”

  “My parents love you.”

  “They hardly know me,” I whispered.

  “You’re the woman I love. Believe me, they love you. That’s all they need.”

  My eyes softened. “I’m glad I have their approval.”

  Liam fell silent.

  “What are you going to do with all those gifts?”

  He chuckled. “I don’t know. They’ll have to go in the back of the truck.”

  “I don’t think they’ll fit in that huge house of yours.”

  “Maybe I’ll donate them.”

  “That would be nice,” I agreed.

  Liam moved his hand up my shirt and felt my hip.

  “Why do you always touch me there?” I asked.

  “It’s my favorite.”

  “Why?”

  He smiled. “I have a reason but I don’t want you to think I’m a pervert.”

  “Well, I already think that,” I teased.

  Liam chuckled. “When you wore that yellow swimsuit your hips looked…beautiful. I like the way they stick out. They are birthing hips. I just love the area. It excites me.”

  That was sweet, in a complicated way. Normally, a guy would be obsessed with a woman’s tits or ass. But Liam liked my hips.

  “I told you I was gross.”

  “As long as you’re only gross with me, I don’t care.”

  “That won’t be a problem.”

  I rubbed his bare chest, feeling it rise and fall with every breath. “Tell me about Eva.”

  His eyes turned serious. “What do you mean?”

  “Tell me who she was. Paint me a picture.”

  Liam gathered his thoughts for a moment. “She was older than me, but that didn’t stop me from being protective of her. She had this high, shrill laugh. It didn’t matter how funny the joke was, her laugh was always funnier.” He smiled when he remembered her. “She would pick me up from school after she got her license, and even though she promised my parents she would never do this, she took me to get a milkshake every day. She would pick me up before my last class and we would take off. She was a bit of a rule-breaker sometimes.

  “Her favorite show was I Love Lucy. She and I would watch re-runs when we were home on Friday night or when we were stuck at home because we were sick.” That made my heart clench painfully. He shared the same experience with me. “I could tell her things I couldn’t say to my parents. And she always kept my secrets—no matter what. We never tattled on each other. When she started dating…him…our relationship changed—”

  “Stop. I just want to hear the good things.”

  He nodded. “Her favorite flower is the California Poppy. Even though it’s illegal to pick them, I always harvest them and place them on her grave on her birthday.”

  That was sweet but heartbreaking at the same time. “I always leave a board game.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “A board game?”

  “My parents and I always had game night on Sundays. It’s what I miss the most. So I always leave a new board game I think they’d like to play—if they were alive.”

  He took a deep breath and his eyes filled with tears. “You’re the only one who will ever understand me.”

  “I know. You’re the only one who will ever understand me.”

  “I’m so glad I found you. I swear, I knew you were the one when I saw you. I recognized the same heartbreak in you. We stuck together like magnets.” He kissed my forehead again. “You’re mine forever. I’ll never let you go.”

  “I don’t want you to let me go.”

  “You’ve healed me,” he whispered. “I was so angry all the time but now I deal with it so much better. You help me move forward. Without you, I would have lived in the shadows forever. Life was meant to be enjoyed. And you remind me every day.”

  I cuddled into him, feeling the emotion in my heart. I felt guilty for being the cause of my parents’ death. If Finn had never been in my life, they would still be alive. They could meet Liam and see the man who put me back together. But that would never happen.

  But his parents reminded me of my own. Even though Liam turned his back and outcast them, they were just happy to see him again. Seeing him with me made them cry with happiness. They forgave him instantly, just wanting him to be free of the guilt he felt. And in that moment, I realized my parents would feel the same way. They wouldn’t want me to mourn them like this, or cast the blame on myself. They would want me to be happy.

  And Liam was responsible for that.

  When we had Christmas the next day, I invited Liam’s parents. They were ecstatic to spend the holiday with both of us. I knew Scotty wouldn’t mind. The more, the merrier for him. I knew the loneliness got to him at times.

  His mom helped me cook in the kitchen and his dad marveled at my g
arden. They both looked at me like they’ve known me for years. They treated me like a daughter and accepted me immediately. It was so nice to feel that way.

  Liam was happy. He watched the football game with his dad. They hung out like years hadn’t passed. Scotty fit in beside them and joined their moment. Everyone fit together perfectly.

  When the day was over, we said goodbye to his parents at the door. His father kissed me on the cheek and held me tightly. I hadn’t felt a paternal love since my parents died, and it was nice to feel that again.

  His mother pulled me aside and held my hands. “Thank you so much for bringing us back together. You’re an angel for my son. Thank you.” She had tears in her eyes.

  “I’m just glad everything worked out.”

  She hugged me again. “Liam is such a lucky man. Please marry my son.”

  The acceptance radiated through me. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Good.” She pulled away then patted my cheek. “Call us anytime.”

  “I know.”

  Liam hooked his arm around my waist as we watched his parents get into their Subaru. “What did my mom say?”

  “She asked me to marry you.”

  He smiled. “She’s stepping on my toes. I’m supposed to ask.”

  “What she said was very sweet.”

  “I told you they loved you.”

  “I guess you were right.”

  “I know you don’t have parents of your own, but you can have mine. There’s two of them, so we can split them.”

  I smiled. “Thanks. I’ll take you up on that.”

  “Good,” he said with a laugh. “Because my mom can be clingy as hell.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You just got them back. You can’t complain about them yet.”

  “They are my parents. I’ll always complain about them. It just means I love them.”

  “You have an odd way of showing it.”

  “I’ll show you I love you,” he whispered. “And it won’t be in an odd way.”

  “Hmm…I like the sound of that.”

  We spent Christmas break at his house, exclusively. We occupied our time doing the thing we loved most. Liam was inside me more often than he wasn’t. And every time felt like the first time. He was always slow and purposeful in his movements. He never rushed me to do more daring positions. And we never did anything aggressive.