by AJ Alexander
Morgan smiles before giving me a huge. “Heather swiped my number from your phone after your accident and told me what happened. She would fly me down there to come visit for a few days but when you came up with this plan, we both thought it would be better this way.”
Heather grabs my hand, “I know we aren’t that close; you need someone in Shawnee with you that can have your back. Who better than your best friend?”
“Maybe we can work on changing things between us?” I give Heather’s hand a squeeze
“Don’t go trying to replace me! I already have to fight the diva twins for my best friend status.” Morgan throws her arm over Heather’s shoulder as we all laugh.
I look between both my friends and fight back tears tears, these two women are my lifeline. “You bitches are amazing!”
“Darn tooting.” Morgan grabs her roller bag and heads toward our connecting gate. “Let’s get a move on, they just started boarding.”
Heather and I follow closely behind her. “Did she just say ‘tooting’?”
I let out a boisterous laugh at Heather’s question. “She sure did. Morgan doesn’t curse.”
“Why the fuck not?” Heather lets it fly, with not a care in the world.
“Because to her, it’s uncivilized.”
A sinister smile graces Heather’s face as we stop at our gate. “This will be so much fucking fun.”
Shit, what have I done?
“Come on! They just called our group number.” Morgan reaches for my hand and pulls me toward the boarding gate with Heather following behind.
With my two ladies in tow, it’s time to start the next leg of my journey. Running away has never been so much fun.
We pull into Morgan’s parents’ driveway shortly after two o’clock in the afternoon. “Shit, I forgot about the two-hour time difference. Where has the day gone?” I open the car door and stretch.
“You better curb that language, you know how my mom is.” Morgan walks past me pulling her bag. I turn and notice Heather has popped the trunk, so I hurry back to grab my bag.
Heather and I both share a look before closing the trunk. “I think we can watch our mouths for a few days, but she isn’t going to make me suck on a bar of soap or something like that is she?”
“Heather, you are so extra sometimes.” I laugh and head straight for the front door, not even bothering to knock, and head inside.
“Mom, I’m home!”
“Rachael! It’s so good to see you.” Morgan’s Mom comes from my right, wrapping me in a big hug. “Mo told me what happened. I told you to stop messing around on those motorbikes. If you aren’t careful, next time you’ll be killed.”
“You’re starting to sound like Mo or is that the other way around?”
“Either way is fine with me. Maybe one of us can talk some sense into you.”
“Not likely,” Heather chimes in from behind me.
“Now who do we have here?” Morgan’s Mom questions, looking Heather up and down.
“I’m Heather. It’s nice to meet you.” Heather holds her hand out waiting for Morgan’s mom to shake it.
She ignores it all together and wraps her up into a big hug. “None of that here. You can call me mom too, everyone else does. Besides, that’s probably the only thing I will answer to now anyway.”
“No problem here.” Heather returns the hug, giving me a bright smile.
Stepping out of the embrace, Morgan’s Mom questions “Who’s hungry?”
“Mom, please tell me you made it?” I bounce from one foot to the other.
“Of course, I did! Is there any other way to welcome you?”
I throw a fist pump in the air and head for the stairs, up to Morgan’s room. This is my second home so no sense to waiting to be told where everything is. Thankfully, Heather notices and follows me up the stairs.
“Can someone tell me what’s for dinner then?”
“Oh girl, just the best fried chicken you will ever taste in your lifetime.”
“Fried? I haven’t eaten anything fried in years; I can’t wait.”
“Check for drool before we go downstairs.” I point toward her chin as I drop my bag on Morgan’s bed.
“Screw you, now where’s Morgan?” Looking around I notice she isn’t here.
“She’s probably downstairs helping with dinner or eating the chicken as it comes out of the fryer.”
Heather gives me a shocked look before shaking her head and heading out of the bedroom door. We both head toward the kitchen to see how we can help.
This is what I needed, peace. No threat of another fight with my dad or running into Liam. I get to just be, and figure out what the next step is. Whether that be with Liam in my life or not, who knows — your guess is as good as mine.
33
Liam
I swore I would avoid anywhere in town where I would be noticed, but I’m not ready to face this one last hurdle. So instead of turning right toward the cemetery, I turn left and head toward the center of town. Passing the grocery store, I head for the last place anyone would expect me to be headed. That’s right, the coffee shop Carter told me to avoid like the plague.
The bell above the door rings, bringing everyone’s attention to me. I knew this was a bad idea. Unable to change my mind, I make my way to the counter to place my order. Madison Thompson is standing behind the counter with a bright smile on her face, but I doubt she remembers me. She was barely sixteen when I left town.
“Liam Murphy, as I live and breathe. What brought you back into town? Is everything okay with your mother? Carter stopped by here this morning on his way to work and didn’t say a word.”
The joys of living in a small town, everyone knows everyone’s business. “Madison, it’s good to see you. No, I’m just home for a visit. My mother is doing just fine. I’m actually stopping in to grab a coffee before I grab some flour for her. She’s making fried chicken for dinner.”
“Oh, I’ll have to tell my mother you’re in town. She’ll bring over a pie or something. I remember her strawberry rhubarb was always your favorite.” She gives me a huge smile before continuing, “So, what can I get for you?”
“I don’t need anything fancy. A large coffee, black. I can add all the fixings on my way out.”
“Coming right up. That’ll be $3.75.” I hand her my credit card to pay the bill.
“You can pick up your order at the end of the counter. It was nice seeing you, Liam. Please tell your mom I said hi.” Madison gives me a wave before she turns to make my order. I return the gesture before heading toward the end of the counter.
If that is the only encounter I have before making it to the cemetery, I call it a win.
“Well, I’ll be. Little Liam Murphy has come home.” I turn to my right and see old Mrs. Jenkins sitting at a small table in the corner with a few other ladies from the church activities committee. I take a deep breath and send up a silent prayer before heading in that direction. The last thing I need is them reporting back to my mother I was rude while I was in town.
“Hello, Mrs. Jenkins. Who are these gorgeous ladies with you this morning?” I figure if I lay it on thick, they will let me leave sooner.
“Aren’t you quite the charmer. You know darn well who these ladies are.”
All of the ladies around the table laugh. “There is no way that this is Mrs. Kipling, Mrs. Foster, and Ms. Johnson, I barely recognized you, Mrs. Jenkins. Lucky for me you have a voice that is recognizable.” I bent down placing a gentle kiss on the top of her hand.
“Now we all know how that Rachael Beaufort was charmed senseless by you. When you left town, she was beside herself. She was never the same after you left,” Mrs. Kipling said. Just as she finished, Ms. Jones chimed in with her two cents, twisting the knife in a little deeper.
“That’s the truth. There were plenty of young fellas trying to win her hand, but she wasn’t interested. When her father and her packed up and moved away, we were sure she had found you.”
All four ladies searched around the coffee shop looking for Rachael and more gossip to spread around town.
“Hey Liam, your coffee is ready.” Saved by the barista.
“Thanks ladies, for the fine conversation. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be in town, but it was great seeing you.” Not giving them time to question me further I turn head for Madison holding my coffee at the end of the counter.
“You looked like you could use some rescuing.” She gives me a wink before handing me my coffee.
“I owe you one.” I throw a few bills into her tip jar, grab my coffee, and head out the door back onto Main Street. The conversation with the local gossip squad was just another reminder of why I needed to come home and make amends. It time for me to make my final stop before heading home and fixing things with Rachael.
I turn around and head back toward the cemetery and I notice a grocery store on the way. Remembering my mom asked me to get flour, I walk inside. While grabbing the flour off the shelf, I decided I can’t visit Jeremiah empty-handed. So I sit and stare at the display of flowers, looking for the best bouquet that says ‘I’m sorry for breaking my promise but help me get your sister back’ arrangement. Nothing is calling to me, shocking I know. Who would have thought choosing flowers would be so difficult? Someone needs to make beer bouquets.
I grabbed a bunch of some random flower in blue, the color of Rachael’s eyes, and a six-pack of some random beer out of the cooler. I don’t think the dead are picky. I head straight for the register and pay for my purchases before I change my mind and head for the cemetery.
There is no turning back now, it is time to face my problems head-on. Just like I did when I called my mother, I need to talk to Jeremiah and apologize for being a coward. Apologize for thinking I needed to protect his sister from something, but in reality, I just wanted to protect myself for getting my own heart broken. Most importantly, I need somewhere comfortable to go through the past three years and put the pieces back together.
As I turn the corner into the cemetery, I stop dead in my tracks. My eyes must be playing tricks on me, sitting right in front of Jeremiah’s grave is Rachael. I want to run to her and tell her everything I’ve been thinking for the past few days, but I’m rooted in my spot.
A soft breeze blows rustling her hair slightly, and she turns just enough in my direction to notice I’m standing here.
“Liam? What are you doing here?” she questions, her eyes bloodshot from crying.
“I came to see a man about his sister.”
34
Rachael
Liam was the last person I expected to run into while in Shawnee, especially at Jeremiah’s grave. “What could you possibly have to speak to my brother about?” I stand and brush the dirt from my ass.
I try to keep my anger in check, these last three years Liam has stayed away from me for the wrong reasons. I want to yell and scream, but guilt is a funny thing. It’s a person’s burden to carry until they are ready to let it go.
“I came to tell him I fucked up, that I made you cry. I promised him I would take care of you and love you ‘til the end of days. I broke one of those promises.” Liam takes a few steps closer. I notice him holding a six-pack of beer.
“Who brings a six-pack to a graveyard?”
“Men. I can’t do feelings without beer, besides we needed to talk about girls. Again, not something men do without beer, before you start, yes, I would pour a beer on your brother’s grave so he could drink with me.” His cheeks turn pink with embarrassment.
“Well is there enough there for me too? Since the two of you are planning on talking about me, this way you only have to have the conversation once.” I’m not ready to leave my brother just yet, but I’m also very interested in hearing what he has to say.
“It wouldn’t hurt. You deserve to know everything anyway.” He comes closer and has a seat. Pulling a beer out of the six-pack and handing it to me. “Would you like to do the honors?”
“Oh no, this was your idea. I’m just the third wheel.” I smile and twist the cap off my beer, taking a long pull from the bottle.
Liam does the same before pouring a good amount over Jeremiah’s headstone. “Just a taste for you. This will be a long conversation.
“Jeremiah, my brother killed you. I called him when I was late to pick up Rachael for her birthday. He had been partying with his friends at the bar but came to help his baby brother out anyway. He wasn’t paying attention and blew right through that red light. Carter didn’t even know he had hit you until he sobered up the next morning.”
Liam looks over at me, waiting for my reaction. “Don’t you hate me?”
“No. I’m angry because you thought I would love you less for something your brother did. I’m angry that your father made sure your brother didn’t pay for what he did. I’m furious at my father for keeping this all from me.”
Liam grabs my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I thought it would be easier for you if I stayed away. I wrote you a letter telling you all of this and gave it to Carter. However, yesterday he told me of his less than warm welcome at your house when he came to deliver it.”
“Yeah, my dad burned it as soon as he took it from Carter.” I moved closer to him. Pulling his arm around my shoulder and snuggling into his chest. “I don’t know what to do or where to go from here.”
“Can you love me again?”
“Liam, I never stopped loving you. The problem is the I doubt you love me enough.” I choke on the end of my sentence knowing it’s true.
“I can spend the rest of my life trying to convince you that I never stopped loving you, but sometimes you just have to believe. What does your heart say?”
I giggle. “You know you’re starting to sound just like Morgan.”
“Now we have problems. If I sound like Morgan then something is wrong with the world. Wait, what did Morgan say you should do, because if she wants us to get back together, I would gladly sound like Morgan for the rest of my life.” Liam bends down and places a gentle kiss on my forehead before pouring the remainder of Jeremiah’s beer over his headstone.
“Jeremiah agrees. He just wants us to be happy, and we seem to be happiest when we’re together.” I turn and give him a smile before pulling him in for a kiss.
I have no idea where Liam and I will end up. We will have ups and downs trying to find our road back to each other, but I know it will be worth it. We have fought hard for our love, so anything we have to go through to get it back, is worth it, if you ask me.
Epilogue
ONE YEAR LATER
RACHAEL
Ever since the day at Jeremiah’s gravestone, Liam and I have worked to get to know each other better. It hasn’t been easy, but we have become better for it. I now understand Liam in a way I never did before, we have grown stronger as individuals and together.
I learned that all of Liam’s new ink on his arms are different things he saw in his travels. It worried me he was just trying to look like a dedicated biker to pick up chicks in my absence. However, just like me he was a wandering soul looking for his way back to his other half.
“Come on, Roo. We’re going to be late for our own party.” Liam shouts down the hall
“Keep your pants on! I’m coming.” I grab my lip gloss off the end table and head out the room. “Look at you, being on time for once.”
“I was late on one of the worst days of my life, I promised I would never be late again.” I reach up on my toes, placing a soft kiss on his cheek.
“All in the past, Lamb. Now let’s get this show on the road.” Liam grabs my hand and we head outside toward his new truck.
A lot has changed since we returned from Shawnee, the most important being Liam and I are back together and better than ever. We took things slowly at first, but now we are ready to take the next step and move in together. Surprisingly, we both decided that the best place to do that was at the only place we both can call home, Shawnee.
“Are you excited to
be moving?” Liam swings the passenger side door open for me.
“Yes! I can’t wait to start our new story together.” I climb into the truck, “I just wish we weren’t leaving so many of our friends behind.”
“I doubt we could get rid of any of them, even if we tried. Paul and Michael are already talking about visiting this summer.”
“You’re right. They’ve all been there for us this year, even before that, I doubt they would abandon us now.”
Liam shuts the door and jogs to the other side, “Besides who else will help you decorate the house?”
“Your mother most likely. She has been sending me swatches for curtains and even created a Pinterest board.”
My relationship with Liam’s Mom has blossomed since we were last in Shawnee. After our talk with Jeremiah, we went back to his house. I insisted on speaking with Carter about everything that happened. I wanted him to know that he wasn’t to blame and to beg his forgiveness for how my father had treated him. However, Carter and their mother both wouldn’t hear it and accepted me with open arms. Now the four of us have become our own little family.
Sadly, I still haven’t spoken to my dad since we came back from Shawnee. He called me to make sure I arrived in Shawnee safely, but said I made my choice and although he loved me, he couldn’t bear to see me with Liam. His anger doesn’t make much sense to me, it was an accident and they never brought legal charges, Carter has attempted to take responsibility for his actions.
Taking my father’s stance on Liam and me into consideration, I decided that it was for the best. Especially since I haven’t forgiven him for the part he played in keeping Liam and I apart for those three years. When we returned, I moved into the spare room at Heather and Wyatt’s place until I could find a job at another garage. Luckily for me my father gave me a glowing reference.