Remember When ↠ l.p.

After Sophia...

***Bit of a time jump here. Just to clear a few things up that are happening in between. So the next chapter will be several months later and things might seem drastically different. Just keep in mind that a lot of time has passed.

I didn't attend her funeral. I'm not even sure if there was a body to be buried, but her funeral was held in England in her home town and I couldn't go. Tessie went, against what I would have decided, but Liam is her father. I've never seen anything as terrible as watching him try to figure out the words to tell her. Watching him try to prepare and get the courage to tell her that her mommy was never coming back. 

His show was near the end of its season and he managed to go in a few more times and record the minimum amount of footage needed. Then he and Tessie were off, the last morning before they left for several weeks was hard. Tessie hadn't been talking to anyone since she found out. Not me, not Cailyn and not even Liam. I had trouble getting her to eat anything and too say I was worried about both of them was an understatement. When they left with Paddy I made sure I had a word with him, even though I didn't know him incredibly well. I didn't care how awkward it was telling a man I barely knew to make sure Liam ate and slept while they were away. And to make sure that Tessie had enough water because she never wants to drink nearly enough to stay hydrated. 

When they came back a few weeks later, I almost thought that it would be like normal. Tessie was dropped off, by Paddy, and she was talking and eating again. She told us about their trip and said that "Mother had a sad party but she wasn't there and Daddy said she's gone forever. But she didn't say goodbye so I was sad and I cried." she frowned at this, not seeming to completely understand what happened. I just held for the next five minutes despite her protests. It's hard to grow up with only one parent, even if it is only a year or so if Liam remarries like I'm sure everyone is hoping.

Because while Tessie may be recovering alright, though that may be from not understanding exactly what is going on, Liam is falling apart slowly. I didn't see him for days after they got back. He kept having Paddy or a friend bring Tessie over. I think Andy stayed with him and Tessie for a month after they got back from England. Eventually he left to return home and Liam had to drop Tessie off more often. I could tell the change in him, he was like a different person. I felt like we were strangers again, only this time I didn't know him without having ever met him. This time he was completely foreign. 

I found myself becoming more and more cautious about things. Tiptoeing around him and not asking as many questions as before. He never stayed to chat and Tessie wouldn't talk about him when I asked how he was. Still, she seemed to be fine. Which made me try to put my worries to rest and focus on the girls.