I Choose You

Chapter 55: Eventful Night

          A couple of days pass, Liam not hearing anything from Sloane which has him worried. He loads up Mackenzie and takes her to Danielle's, Gracie wanting to play with her. Liam takes the opportunity to head over to Sloane's place since he hasn't talked to her.

           Hope opens the door smiling. "Hey, Liam. Sloane isn't here."

          "Where is she?"

           "She left about noon and hasn't been back."

           "Do you know where she could be?"

           "No idea. She called in sick from work this morning."

           "So she should be here and in bed," Liam sighs, pulling out his phone and dialing Sloane's number.

           The call goes straight to voicemail.   

          "Dammit. Has she been acting okay?"

          "Yeah, she's been fine."

           "Okay, well um if she comes home can you tell her I called or stopped by?"

           "Definitely," Hope smiles. "You two okay?"

          "I thought so," Liam smiles.

          "It'll be fine. You know how she is."

          "Yeah. Thanks, Hope," he nods walking to his truck. He sits in his truck before pulling out and heading back to Danielle's wondering where she's at or why she isn't answering her phone calls.

          "Uncle Liam!" Gracie jumps on him when he walks through the front door.

          "Gracie!" he says back, catching her.

          "I made Mackenzie pretty," she smiles and looks at Mackenzie who has makeup and a bow in her hair.

          "Oh good lord," Liam laughs.

          "Isn't she pretty?" his niece asks.

           "She's very pretty, but she's a baby and you, Mackenzie and mommy are prettier without all that crap on your face."

          "Mommy says that too."

           "Where is your mom?" Liam laughs.

           "In the kitchen with bubby. Is what mommy said true?"

          "And what was that?"

          "That you have a girlfriend."

          "Oh, she said that huh?"

          "I heard her on the phone."

          "Do you know who she was on the phone with?"

           Gracie shrugs. "I don't know."

          "Okay," Liam smiles, picking up Mackenzie, luckily the makeup coming off easy.

          "But, she was so pretty!" Gracie points, crossing her arms.

           "What did I tell you about putting makeup on her?" Danielle scolds.

           "I'm sorry."

          "It's fine. It comes off easy," Liam says wiping it off but Mackenzie starting to fuss and squirming in his arms. "I have to get it off sweetie," Liam laughs.

          Mackenzie calms down, smiling widely.

          "You're rotten," Liam grins, attacking her with kisses. Mackenzie giggling harder.

          "Get all your stuff done?" Danielle asks.

          "Yep."

           "Good," Danielle smiles. "Liam, I'm happy for you," she says, handing her children bowls of grapes. "I do hope it works out for you."

           "Thank you because all we have is each other okay?"

          "I know and you know I'll be here for you no matter what you need."

           "Thank you. So you don't mind being babysitter and aunt for me when I have to go back to work?"

          "Whenever I can. Why can't Sloane?"

          "Because Sloane works."

          "I have two kids. What about a daycare?"

          "Don't worry about it Danielle," Liam sighs, grabbing Mackenzie's diaper bag. "Thank you for watching her."

          "Liam," she sighs, following him out the door. "This is what I was talking about. Being a single parent is hard," Danielle's children's father leaving when she found out she was pregnant with Alek.

           "I'm fine. I can take off work. Javier will be fine."

           "For eighteen years?" Danielle laughs. "Liam, I love you. I do. But you aren't the type of person to settle down."

          "Thanks," Liam laughs.

           "It's hard being a parent. It's hard to put your entire life on hold for someone else's. You haven't settled down for twenty-six years."

           "Well, I have to grow up sometime."

           "That doesn't happen overnight," Danielle says, patting his cheek. "Call me tomorrow."

            "Okay," he says getting in the truck. 

          Pulling out his phone, a voicemail and missed call from Javier, informing Liam of the business meeting he forgot about.

          "Shit," Liam sighs, calling Javier back, looking at a dozing Mackenzie in the backseat.

          "Where the hell were you?"

           "I'm sorry bro. I forgot all about it. I have Mackenzie."

          "Yeah, I know. It's going to be like this now?"

          "Well do you know a babysitter?"

          "You can't leave a six-month-old with a babysitter."

          "Then don't give me shit."

         "Whatever. He's coming by again tomorrow," Javier informs.

          "And I'll be there."

          "Good," Javier says, hanging up.

          Sighing, Liam dials Sloane's number one more time. A guy answers.

          "Hello?"

          "Hi, um I must have dialed the wrong number. I'm looking for Sloane?"

          "She's in the shower. Who's this?"

         "Who's this? I'm her boyfriend, Liam."

          "No way," the man laughs hanging up.

          "Are you kidding me right now?" Liam sighs, finishing the drive home.