Bond of Circumstance

CHAPTER 2

“Hello big brother” a sweet female voice sounded at the other end of the phone.

“Hey Doris..” Liam responded, his voice sounding strained

“What’s wrong? You don’t seem happy, not like you always sound happy anyways” the woman said as she laughed.

Liam scowled but couldn’t help laughing in return. His sister, although seven years younger, always knew how to make him smile, even in the most difficult of times.

He had been thinking about the words the members of the board told him the day before, it had made him worried but he chose not to mention it to his sister.

“Doris I’m fine, just a little tired that’s all”

“Uh huh, man you need a woman in your life, gosh you work too much!”

“I do not need a woman, okay!” Liam snapped. “Women are just burdens”

“Ohh so I’m a bur-“

“No Doris you’re not, other women are, but not you” Liam said as he laughed.

“Whateverrrr” Doris replied as she laughed too.

“So, why did you call?”

“I need your help. I know it’s rare to ask this of you but I need you to help get Penelope from preschool today. I’m a bit swamped with work so I can't leave yet.”

“Oh so now you need me to babysit for you huh, I wouldn’t do it for free ma’am”

“Name your price sir, I can afford you” Doris said, her voice teasing.

Liam laughed heartily at his sisters words

“I bet you can.” he said.

“So what do you say? Help me, please?”

Liam smiled, he could never really refuse his sister

“Of course Doris, you know I’d never pass up an opportunity to see Penelope”

“Ugh thank you Liam” Doris said as she heaved a sigh of relief.

“I’ll send details of the location to you and come pick her up at 9pm”

“No problem sis, I’ll keep the little princess occupied till you arrive”

“Aww you’re the absolute best Liam!” Doris said

“I know” Liam responded as he disconnected the call.

****************

“Old McDonald had a farm”

“Eya eya yoooooo”

“Good job! And on this farm he had soomee?”

“Ducks!”

“Eya eya yoooooo”

“With a quack quack here, and a quack quack there, here a quack there a quack, everywhere a quack quack, old McDonald had a farm”

“Eya eya yoooooooo”

“Good job!!” Rose called as she clapped her hands and smiled widely.

“Yayyyyy” the children all raised their hands in glee as they laughed happily.

“Sing us more wyms ms Woseyy” a red haired toddler said as he climbed onto Rosie’s laps and played with her sleeves.

“Ohh Oliver, we’ve already sung enough rhymes for today” staring at the others she continued “your parents will be here any moment from now and you can all gooo?”

“Whomeeeee” they chorused as they clapped happily, the idea of going home becoming more fascinating to them than singing more nursery rhymes.

“Great, now let’s pack up” Rose said as the bell rang softly for closing.

Parents began to troop in to get their kids, and Rose bid each child goodbye as they left with their parents.

Turning round to face the one preschooler still remaining she crouched down and looked at her softly, worry filling her eyes as she spoke.

“Penelope, mummy isn’t here yet, will she be coming soon?”

Penelope nodded with her thumb in her mouth, her eyes teary. Rose could tell that the child was beginning to worry since every other child had left already.

“You know what, I’ll give your mum a call okay? Now give me a high five”

Rose raised her hands and Penelope responded by removing her thumb from her mouth and raising her little palm to meet Rose’s, she smiled widely as their palms made a soft smack sound.

“Here, play with this while I call your mummy okay?” Rose said as she handed the child a Barbie doll.

Standing up, Rose moved towards her desk, reached for bag and picked up her phone. She was going through her phone with her back to the door when a young man walked in.

The man; Liam Wordsworth noticing the young woman, walked in quietly, he was struck by the woman’s curly long red hair and her form. Although he couldn’t see her face yet, he could tell she would be gorgeous due to her curvy hips and slightly huge butt. The way the gown hugged her figure made him feel things he thought had ceased to exist long ago since his wife passed on.

He knew it was rude to stare at a stranger and even more rude to not announce his presence but he couldn’t help it, she looked so hot and beautiful that he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from her form.

Penelope noticed him first and her little blue eyes widened in shock and childish excitement. Her mouth opened up as if to speak, but Liam held his fingers to his lips in a “shushing” motion. She nodded her head, her childish brain understanding the assignment. She giggled and placed her hands over her mouth to silence it.

Liam stepped closer, his heart racing, he knew he should announce himself now, else she’d see him as an intruder and become alarmed.

Clearing his throat, he straightened up and spoke.

“Hello”

Rose whirled round in shock, her eyes wide in surprise. She had been so engrossed in trying to get Penelope’s mother’s number that she didn’t realize someone had entered.

For a moment time stopped. Her heart beat faster as she surveyed the stranger’s face and body, the way his eyes stared at her made her feel like he was undressing her, his dimples seemed to be beckoning on her, as if daring her to poke her hands in them. She could feel her insides melting already and her body aching for his touch.

Liam looked at her eyes and caught her devouring him with them, he smirked and raised his eyebrows.

Damn what’s wrong with me. Rose thought in alarm. Catching herself she said

“Uh hi- I mean hello sir”

“I’m here for Penelope Sanders, she’s my niece.”

Gathering herself together and putting on her official stance, Rose stood up straight and said

“Oh, I’d like to know your name sir, and you’d need to provide proof and an ID if possible. Penelope has always been picked up by her mother, seeing someone else is quite strange sir”

“I'm Liam Wordsworth, Mrs Sanders is my sister. She requested that I pick her up in her stead, she’s swamped with work at the moment. Here’s my ID”

Glancing at it, Rose nodded.

“Alright then. You are late sir, I find it highly unbecoming to pick wards up late”

Raising his eyebrows up in irritation, Liam wondered with annoyance; who does she think she is, talking to me in this manner.

“I got caught up with work” he responded gruffly.

“Alright sir. These are her things”

Penelope ran to him and clutched his legs. Bending over, he picked her up and gave her a little kiss. He grabbed the bags roughly from Rose, stared at her coldly and exited the class.

What an annoying woman! Man you’re so stupid for staring at her that way. He thought as he started his car and drove off, while making a mental note to never be caught off guard by any woman again; especially this woman.

As soon as they left, Rose clutched her chest, her eyes wide.

“Oh my goodness what in the Greek god did I just see!”

Her heart pounded in her chest as she recalled Liam’s face. She couldn’t deny it, the man had the face of a god. His black hair which was so nicely done made her want to just ruffle it. And his eyes; gosh those icy gray eyes locked her in, it was like they could just devour her in an instant, plus those dimples that seemed to dance around his beautiful cheeks. Rose collapsed onto a chair as she ruffled her hair, her mind going back to the way his muscles moved as he picked Penelope up.

“I can’t believe I could hold myself like that” Rose squeaked like a teenage girl who’d just seen a hot boy in summer camp.

She paused for a second, the memories of his cold face and rude manner flashed through her mind. On second thought, he acted like an arse. How could he just yank the bag from my hands like that, that’s so rude.

“You know what? Greek god or not, that man has no manners, and you, Rose Clay, have noo business what-so-everrr gushing over someone like him” she said to herself as she shuddered, in a bid to wave off whatever feelings had latched onto her in the last few minutes.