Amaranthine (Editing)

Chapter 11 - Love Tangle

“So when did you end up back with your father?” I asked trying to help him along.

“I stayed with my mother until I was 10 years old, that’s when father came, ma figured I would be better off with him, so she didn’t try to fight it and long story short I went back to Ireland with him leaving everyone I cared about behind, which included Anna, my best friend…my only friend.”

I knew there was more he wasn’t telling me. He was so used to keeping everything bottled up, but damned if I were going to let him continue to block me out, “Liam I know there’s more, please, I want to know everything. Every little detail about you…I mean, uh, it may help…if I knew everything about you - the stuff I don’t see in my wonky flashbacks.”

He eyed me wearily then took a deep breath before continuing, “I knew Anna my whole life, my mother worked for her family and I spent my first ten years living with her in her house – her parents kept staff quarters to have people on hand at all times. When my ma would be hard at work we would be running around together, playing, riding the horses or swimming down at the lake.”

Liam paused for a moment and closed his eyes, I knew he was remembering the time he had spent with Anna, and just when I was about to say something he began again, “We promised each other we would be together forever, we even planned on getting married.” At that part he let out a small chuckle, “Can you believe that? Two ten year olds planning to marry one another, it sounds ridiculous now but we were dead set on it. I was so lucky my mother worked with her family, because her father was a lot more understanding than the rest of the people in the village, he didn’t try to keep me from his daughter, he didn’t look down on me because of the bastard that I was, he was more of a father figure to me than anything. And both he and his wife treated ma good too, she was lucky to have them.”

It was like I had finally broken down the massive brick wall that Liam had built around himself. Once he started telling me about his past it seemed like he was pulled in to a trance and couldn’t stop. He never once looked over at me, he kept his eyes focused on something across the room, and as hard as it was for him telling me all of this, I couldn’t help feeling guilty, because I was glad he was telling me. I was finally beginning to understand him, and I couldn’t blame him for what he did with Anna, I mean…I’m not one for cheating but under those circumstances, I don’t know…it was almost understandable.

He told me that back then there were fifty times more instances of infidelity due to the fact that no one ever married for the right reasons, and half the time when someone was being married they were already in love with somebody else. And as hard as you tried to stay away from the person you really loved, it usually ended with you sneaking around with them.

For him the person he never stopped thinking about was Anna, but he figure he was in the clear because he lived in Ireland and she was in England, so he figured in time he would grow to love Cliona, she was beautiful, she came from a good family.

But even after four years of marriage it still wasn’t there, and he could tell that she didn’t love him either. She would sneak out of their bed when she thought he was sleeping and take off for the remainder of the night, he had a feeling that something was up, but he didn’t confront her on it. And when he finally decided to talk to her it was too late because that morning he received word about his mother’s illness, and had to take off shortly after.

So then he thought maybe some time apart would be good for the two of them, but also he couldn’t stop that little feeling off hope from creeping up in him about the possibility of seeing Anna, and when he told Cliona that she didn’t have to go with him, he said it was like he could practically see the relief and excitement coarse through her. He shook it off told himself it was all in his head, kissed her on the forehead and set off for England.

When he finally arrived in his mother’s village he went directly to the small house she was living in, it wasn’t hard, he said the people there were very kind and directed him. But what he wasn’t expecting to find when he got to his mothers was Anna, sitting at his mother’s bedside with a wet rag, to his mothers forehead.

Even after all of those years he still recognized the beautiful blonde beauty the moment she turned her head. Right then he knew he wouldn’t be able to stay away from her, but he would try for the sake of his marriage.

But after many failed attempts of staying clear of her it was no use, her parents had invited him and his mother to dinner one night in which his mother was feeling a little better - which of coarse he couldn't refuse - and it was just the thing that ended up lighting the spark between the two of them.

"She walked into the dining room and I knew right then I could never leave her" Liam said, "Not again, not after just finally getting her back in my life. She was so beautiful her hair was worn in waves down her back and she was dressed in an elegant white dress." When he began explaining what she looked like that night his eyes actually lit up, his tone was still flat but I could see a hint of a smile on his face. "She was the most beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes on."

I couldn't help feeling self conscious as I looked down at my rat’s nest I called hair and my large Metallica t-shirt I was wearing. I still had the blankets in my lap due to my no pants situation. I looked at Liam and I could see that he was feeling guilty for everything that had happened.

“…You know,” Liam leaned a little closer to me and looked into my eyes, “you have the same vibrant hazel eyes as she did. You remind me her…Anna that is, same stubbornness, and the way you are your own person, you’re not a follower, nah you speak your mind and yet you’re also a very kind lass. That’s what’s so appealing, originality.”

I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks and I abruptly turned my head, hoping he wouldn’t notice the redness that I could feel surfacing. I took a couple breaths through my nose and tried to focus on something other then his amazing words.

“It’s not your fault Liam,” I said when I turned back to him, “None of it, so don’t ever think that. If you need to place blame I would go for that cold hearted wench Cliona.”

“I know but-”

“No.” I said sternly, “No buts, Liam I saw a side of Cliona you never have, she was an evil, vicious, vindictive woman. There wasn’t a good bone in her body, she carried no remorse after what she did, and she didn’t hesitate when doing it either…none of it.” I stood up – wrapping my blanket around me - and made my way to my dresser. “I’m just glad I will never have to actually meet her, I mean seeing her in my dreams in bad enough.”

I opened my dresser and pulled out a pair of sweats while holding the blanket around my waist with my other hand.

Liam cleared his throat, “She’s still alive.”

I instantly twirled myself around, “Excuse me?!”

I saw Liam’s eyes leave my face and trail down to me feet, I looked down and realized in my moment of pure shock and terror my blanket was holding was now on the floor.

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Hello, Hello! So I know this chapter was one of the boring ones, but it is crutial of coarse. :)

Just wanna send out a big thanks to everyone for all the support! And to all of my new fans!! :) Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! You guys all Rock! :)

As always let me know whats going through your minds at his moment. :)

Chow for now!