Take the Hope for a Good Life

Seventeen

LA, USA
July 16th
Miley's POV

When I was in bed, I felt someone jumping on it.

"Mommy mommy! Daddy's dead." Then I quickly sit up.

"What? How do you know this?" I ask, getting up and going into the living room.

"He's on the couch not moving when I talk to him." River explains. Then I go over to Liam, sit nxt to his head, and touch his face.

"Liam, Liam you're scaring River. Wake up." I say into his ear. Then I see his eyes open slowly, and he sits up. Then River runs over to him and hugs him tight.

"Sorry buddy, I was sleeping." Liam says.

"It's fine daddy."

"Were you up all night thinking about the movie?" I ask.

"Um...no?" He replies, and I look at him with a "really" face. "Okay okay I was, but I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision. I even made a pros and cons list in my head."

"So? What's the plan?" I ask, nervous. Then he sighs.

"I really wanna go...but I know you want me to stay. And-"

"Liam just fucking tell me!" I say anxiously.

"I've decided to go." Then I smile.

"Good, you see? I know you."

"Where's daddy going?" River asks, then Liam sighs.

"Oh, don't look at me, you decided to go." I say.

"You told me I should, you should at least help me." Liam insists.

"Fine. River...daddy's gonna go somewhere." I start.

"It's gonna be a little while away so you can't come visit me."

"Are you in trouble daddy?" River asks.

"No, River. I'm not in trouble. I'm going to film a movie and it's gonna take me a while. It's in Canada, that's a really far way away." Liam explains.

"How long?" River asks, sad.

"Seven months." Liam answers.

"How long is that?"

"That's gonna be after your birthday and mommy's birthday when I come home."

"That's forever away." River pouts. Then he starts to cry, and I tear up watching him cry.

"Hey, hey River, shh. It's gonna be okay. It's July now, I'll be back February." Then Liam wipes River's tears.

"No, you can't go."

"River, I've already made the decision. I'm going. Look, think about it this way. You'll have tons of time to spend with mommy alone." Liam replies.

"But I wanna be with you. Can I come with?"

"River, you can't come with. You gotta stay here and keep mommy company. You can be the man of the house when I'm gone."

"No." River says.

"Yes, I'm putting my foot down. I'm going and you can't do anything about it, I'm sorry." Liam says, then River starts to cry again and runs into his room. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea..."

"Liam, you're going. Don't let a three year old influence your decision. You're calling that director and telling him you're taking the role. What kind of movie is it anyway?" I reply.

"It's a romantic movie, I'm kinda the lead."

"What? You're the star of the movie and haven't even told me?" I ask.

"Sorry, I thought you'd be mad because it's a romance movie. And I didn't wanna tell you I'd be the star or you'd make me go." Liam says.

"Well it can't be that bad of a movie. What do you have to do that's romantic anyway?"

"I gotta have sex a few times and kiss a lot. There may or may not be a couple nude scenes." Then he chuckles nervously.

"Liam, it's not like you are gonna fall in love with your co-star and break up with me. I'm not gonna worry that much. Besides, if you're gonna be nude I say go for it." Then Liam and I laugh.

"I'm sorry I'm gonna miss her being born."

"It's fine. You are still gonna help me pick out names though, right?"

"Of course, I'm not gonna miss naming her and her birth. I've gotta be there for some of it. Just video chat me or something and we'll go over the names."

"Okay." I say. "I'm gonna miss you." Then we kiss.

"I'm gonna miss you too. But we'll text every chance we get, we'll video chat, we'll call. We'll do everything to make sure we can see and talk to each other." Then I smile at him.

"Sounds good to me." Then I sigh. "I'd better go make sure he's okay."

"No, no Miley. I'll go. I'm the one that made him upset, after all." Liam says, then gets up and goes into River's room.

After a few minutes, Liam came back with River in his arms.

"How'd it go?" I ask.

"Are you upset at me anymore River?" Liam asks Rivver.

"No, you can go." Then I smile.

"Well I'm glad you are letting daddy go." I say to River.

"I'm happy he's going."

"Really?" I ask, then River nods and Liam puts him down.

"Really! Daddy said I can talk to him on the phone or computer!"

"Really? That's good." I say. Then Liam helps river up on the couch next to me, and Liam sits next to River. "Thank you for not making me deal with it." I say to Liam, then he nods and leans in to kiss me, but River puts his hands on our mouths.

"Gross!" Then I laugh.

"River you gotta let daddy and mommy kiss sometimes you know." I say, then Liam nods.

"Yeah, we need to kiss."

"Fine." River says, then Liam and I kiss. After we pull away River looks at me. "Are you done kissing now?" River asks, then Liam and I laugh.

"For now." Liam says.

Well, Liam was leaving for a movie for seven months. So I'll be home with River until February. But that's okay because River and I can have mom and son time while Liam is gone. Everything will be fine, except Liam was gonna miss a big day...I just couldn't tell Liam he shouldn't go, or he really wouldn't...