Chapter 7
1062 Words
The second day of Christmas dawned late, the sun already high. Liam, my Liam, slept soundly beside me, his small hand curled into a fist.
Yesterday’s overwhelming joy had worn me out; I slept through the morning completely. A smile tugged at my lips as I gazed at him.
Carrying the pregnancy alone. Then those five years. Five years of raising him, of watching him blossom into the bright, inquisitive boy he was.
It was, without a doubt, the best choice I'd ever made.
As I slid out of bed, a small voice piped up, "Mommy, where you going?"
I walked to the bed, bending to kiss his soft hair. "Good morning, poppet."
"Good morning, Mommy," he lisped, his pronunciation still charmingly imperfect.
"There's a delivery man downstairs,” I said.
“I will follow you," he announced, already swinging his legs over the bed.
Downstairs, I opened the door to a man standing next to a large, oddly shaped box. "From Mr. Dean Moore, compliments," he said.
Liam's eyes lit up. He barely waited for me to sign on receiving the package before tearing into it.
The sheer, unadulterated happiness radiating from him was infectious. It was a miniature sports car, bright red, and perfectly scaled for him. His squeals of delight echoed through the house. He was in it, driving away in an instant.
I smiled as I watched him drive around.
"Thank you," I murmured to the delivery man as he left. My phone buzzed almost immediately. Dean.
"Have you gotten it?" his voice was a low rumble.
"Yes," I replied, a smile playing on my lips. "We just got it."
"Did he like it?"
I quickly filmed a short video of Liam, his face alight with joy, zipping around the yard in his new car. I sent it to Dean.
I heard his chuckle, followed by a sharp intake of breath. "Fiona," he said, his voice serious, "what are the chances that Liam is mine?"
Fifty percent. The truth hung between us. I answered, simply, "Fifty percent."
Another sharp intake of breath. I knew where he was headed. This wasn’t a casual conversation. This was the culmination of a feeling I can't define.
"How about you give him to me?" he asked.
"I can't just do that," I said, my voice shaking slightly. "He's all I have."
Then, the words I’d both secretly longed for and feared to hear escaped his lips. "Marry me then. Let's make a coterie."
My mind was a whirlwind. I considered it. All I wanted was love. All I wanted was for someone to want me and not just want Liam.
Before I could even formulate a response, a car pulled up outside. Ethan.
"Good morning, Fiona," he greeted, his voice a calm counterpoint to the storm brewing inside me.
"Is that him?" Dean's voice cut through the air, still on speakerphone.
"You look beautiful," Ethan continued, his gaze warm and steady. "I came to deliver Liam’s puppy. Look, a Caucasian."
The call ended abruptly.
Liam, miraculously back in the spot, saw Ethan and the puppy. “Me, Ethan! Oh, is that my puppy?”
"Yeah, Liam. A puppy for you, poppet," Ethan chuckled.
"What's his name?" Liam asked, his eyes wide with adoration.
"Name him," Ethan replied, handing the fluffy white puppy to Liam.
Liam hummed thoughtfully. "Raiden!"
"Yes, Raiden he is," Ethan said, a fond smile playing on his lips as Liam cradled the puppy. Then he looked at me.
The chaos in my head was deafening. Dean's proposal hung in the air, the uncertainty of Liam’s paternity, the raw emotion of his plea, the possibility of a future with him…
And then there was Ethan, his quiet strength, his unwavering devotion to Liam, his unexpected kindness…
I suddenly saw myself in a role I wasn't entirely sure I could follow because real, tangible love was crashing through my carefully constructed script. Too early.
In that moment of respite, Ethan kissed me.
I recoiled. "Why?" I breathed, my voice barely a whisper.
"You’re the mother of the boy who’s made me smile. A boy I would do anything for. Thank you for birthing him. I don’t just want the boy; I need you to own him," he said in a mellow tone.
"Oh my!" I gasped. Two proposals. In one day.
I stood there, my gaze locked on Ethan's, still reeling from the whirlwind of emotions. I was about to fall for Dean; Ethan's kiss had disrupted everything.
Ethan leaned in and kissed me again.
A car screeched to a halt.
Dean.
He burst onto the scene, gun drawn.
Ethan mirrored his action, his own weapon appearing as if by magic. Their barrels were placed in each other's heads.
My heart pounded in my chest. I'd seen these men with guns before, seen them kill. This was nothing. Familiar. Sickening. But near Liam? No!
"I will kill you if you touch her again," Dean growled.
"And I will kill you if you come here again," Ethan's voice was just as cold too.
"You two, get off my property!" My voice echoed with a strength I didn't know I possessed. "Now!"
Liam's sports car paused on the porch, the cheerful red a jarring contrast to the dark reality unfolding before him. "Mommy!"
"You both get off, or I call the police!"
They wouldn't heed.
I grabbed Liam’s hand, pulling him away from the scene. We walked out of our premises and walked down the road.
As I went, Liam spoke but I heard none of it. Things were going out of play and Liam should return. I needed a moment of peace and that would be achieved with Liam out of sight.
But how was I going to curb these men to leave out the violence around them? There was no possible way. I needed them for protection, but violence was an ingrained part of them, too.
Then suddenly, a car pulled up beside us. I thought it would be either of them.
A sickening push yanked me to the floor. When I looked, Liam was carried into the van. “Liam!” I cried.
Dean and Ethan rushed to me, and we all watched the van leave. Two hands landed on my respective shoulders.
"I will do anything to get him back," Dean said.
"I will find him, today!" Ethan added.
- Writer
