CH 2 THE WARMTH INSIDE THE STORM
1482 Words
The warmth of the cabin wrapped around Nova the moment she stepped inside, a soft contrast to the biting cold that clung stubbornly to her clothes. The place smelled faintly of pinewood and cinnamon—the scent of a home that had seen laughter, quiet evenings, and the fragile rebuilding of a life after loss. Liam closed the door behind them, sealing out the howling wind, and for the first time that night, Nova felt her shoulders loosen.
Ellie tugged at her mitten with her teeth, huffing in frustration.
“Here,” Liam said gently, crouching to help her. “You’ll tear it again. And your aunt Maggie is still mad about the last pair.”
Ellie giggled, the sound like bells shaking off frost. “She said I’m a destroyer.”
“Well, she wasn’t wrong,” Liam said, tickling her side until she squealed.
Nova watched them, warmth filling her chest. She had seen Liam in many moods—the quiet, focused student buried in textbooks, the charming boy who always had a spare snack, the young man who sat beside her under the library window pretending not to look at her. But she had never seen him like this. Softer. Grounded. So full of a love he didn’t need to show off to prove.
“Nova?” Liam’s voice snapped her from her thoughts. “You okay?”
She blinked. “Yeah. Just… taking it all in.”
He gave her a small smile. “Come on. Let’s get you warmed up. I’ll throw your things in the dryer.”
Nova slipped off her coat, boots, and gloves — all soaked through — and handed them to him. The moment he disappeared down the short hallway, Ellie grabbed Nova’s hand.
“Come see my tree!”
Her small fingers were warm and sticky, and Nova let herself be led. In the corner of the living room stood a Christmas tree decorated with mismatched ornaments — some shiny and store-bought, others made of cardboard and glitter, their edges uneven like only a child could create. A crooked star rested at the top.
“It’s beautiful,” Nova whispered.
Ellie nodded proudly. “Daddy let me put the star. I put it upside down first but he didn’t get mad.”
Something inside Nova melted. This was a home. A real one — messy, imperfect, filled with love that didn’t need to be spoken loudly.
Liam returned, rubbing a hand through his slightly damp hair. “Dryer’s running. Shouldn’t take long.” His gaze slid over her, checking for any sign she was still shivering. “Sit. I’ll make you tea.”
Nova didn’t argue. She sank onto the couch, the cushions soft and deep. Ellie climbed beside her, legs swinging.
“Daddy doesn’t cook good food,” she announced helpfully.
“Ellie,” Liam groaned from the kitchen.
“It’s true,” Ellie whispered, cupping a hand dramatically around her mouth. “Last time he made eggs they went crunchy.”
Nova laughed, louder than she intended. The sound startled her — she hadn’t realized how much fear and tension she’d been holding until now.
Liam shot her a playfully betrayed look. “They were… slightly overcooked.”
“Crunchy,” Ellie repeated.
“Well, I make excellent tea,” he muttered, turning away so they wouldn’t see the smile tugging at his mouth.
Nova leaned back, letting her gaze wander. The crackling fireplace, the folded blankets draped neatly over the couch, the small drawings taped to the wall — this place was alive with memories. How many nights had Liam sat here with Ellie sleeping on his chest? How many mornings had she woken up asking for pancakes he probably burned half the time?
It felt strange to be invited into a world like this. Stranger still that she had once known him closely, only to lose him to time, adulthood, and the separate paths they had taken.
Her throat tightened. What would her life have looked like if she’d stayed? Would she have been part of this?
“Here.” Liam appeared beside her, handing her a steaming mug. Their fingers brushed, and Nova felt a tiny jolt spark up her arm.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
He sat across from her, elbows resting on his knees. Ellie curled up under a blanket on the rug, humming softly to herself as she arranged toy animals into what looked like a dangerous-looking tea party.
“So…” Liam said, eyes lingering on Nova’s face. “You didn’t mention you were coming home.”
“I didn’t plan to,” she admitted. “I was on my way to the airport. Flight got canceled. And then the cab broke down and…” She gestured toward the storm outside. “Nature decided to punish me for existing.”
His mouth twitched. “I’m glad you’re safe.”
She warmed at his tone — sincere, soft, untouched by the years between them.
“And you?” she asked. “How long have you been here?”
“Since Ellie was born,” he said quietly. “Moved back after…” He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t need to.
Nova looked at him, her heart tightening. She remembered hearing he’d gotten someone pregnant. She remembered the rumors. But nobody ever told her the whole story — and she had been too hurt, too far away, or maybe too scared to ask.
“Liam…” she began gently. “I’m sorry about—”
“Don’t,” he whispered, eyes dropping. “It’s… life. Some parts are painful. But I got Ellie. And I wouldn’t trade her for anything.”
Nova watched him as he looked at his daughter — the tenderness in his eyes, the ache softened by pride. He had grown up. More than she expected. More than she had.
“You’re a good father,” she said softly.
He looked up, surprise flickering across his face. “I try. Some days are harder. Some days I feel like I’m one wrong decision away from messing everything up.”
“You’re doing amazing,” she said, her voice firm.
He held her gaze for a moment that felt longer than she intended. Warmer. Deeper. As though something old was stirring between them — something familiar and dangerous.
A loud crack of thunder shook the cabin, making Ellie yelp.
Nova reached for her instinctively, and Ellie crawled into her arms, trembling. Nova held her close, whispering reassurance, smoothing her tiny curls. Liam watched them quietly, something unreadable flickering in his expression.
When the storm settled again, Ellie rested her head on Nova’s shoulder and sighed. “You’re soft,” she mumbled.
Nova laughed. “That’s the nicest thing I’ve been called today.”
Liam’s voice softened. “She likes you.”
“I like her too,” Nova whispered.
The room was quiet then, filled only with the crackle of firewood and the steady beat of the storm. Nova could feel Liam watching her — not in the way men stare at strangers, but in the way someone looks at something they didn’t realize they missed until it was in front of them again.
She didn’t dare meet his eyes.
“Nova,” Liam said finally, voice low, hesitant. “Can I ask you something?”
She looked up.
“Why did you disappear?”
The question hit like a punch she never saw coming. Her breath caught.
“I didn’t disappear,” she whispered.
“You stopped writing. Stopped calling.” He swallowed. “I thought I did something. Or maybe… you didn’t need me anymore.”
His honesty hurt more than the storm outside.
“I was afraid,” Nova whispered. “Everything was changing so fast. You were starting a family… I didn’t know where I fit in your life anymore.”
“You could have asked,” he said gently. “I would have told you.”
Her throat tightened. “I know that now.”
Their eyes locked, and the years between them — the missed messages, the long nights wondering, the unspoken memories — cracked open like dry earth touched by rain.
But before either of them could say more, Ellie poked Nova’s cheek. “Can you read me a story?”
Nova blinked, moment broken. “Of course.”
Ellie grabbed a picture book and shoved it into Nova’s hands. As she settled beside her, leaning into her side as though she’d always belonged there, Nova felt her heartbeat slow into something warm and steady.
She began to read. Liam leaned against the doorway, listening, eyes soft.
In that small cabin, while the storm raged on, something unspoken settled gently between the three of them — a fragile thread of connection, warm and dangerous, waiting for the right moment to bloom into something more.
- Writer
