The most important thing is to enjoy your life
- to be happy –
it’s all that matters
– Audrey Hepburn
Chapter Thirty-Six – Liam
I woke up early the next morning and I looked over at the beautiful red head lying in my arms and smiled. I never wanted to wake up without her and it sucked knowing I would have to, she needed to learn to sleep alone but I just wanted her by my side at night.
I loved that she was the first thing I saw every morning.
I took a few minutes to just enjoy this while the other four people slept before I had to get up and get ready for work.
“You love her don’t you?” I jumped as I got out of bed and turned to see that Nina was awake and staring at me. I looked at her for a second; she and Addie did have resemblances, mainly their red hair and blue eyes.
“I do.” I told her and she looked over at her
“I like her. She’s nice.” She was a little awkward but that was alright, we were all a little awkward.
“She is and it takes her a little bit to warm up to people, not as much as last summer, but she’s just cautious. You may have to wait that part out but as soon as you do she’s such an amazing person to be around.” I looked back to my beautiful sleeping girlfriend.
“How long have you been together?” she asked
“Officially, about a week but we saw each other last summer but they came for her, she left for a few months, I was angry and it took me a while to stop being an idiot.”
“You’re all so close.” She said kind of sadly
“Spend some more time with us and you will be too Nina. This family is a very loving one, nothing like her parents.”
“Okay.” She said and settled back into bed
“We’re trying to sleep here.” Asher said and he glared up at me.
“Come lay next to Addie just in case. I have to get to work.” I told him and he nodded but made his way to where I was laying and she turned and threw an arm over him and curled back up making me smile. He smiled down at her lovingly, maybe not biologically, but Addie was his little sister.
Nina looked over at them and then at me.
“Go back to sleep Nina, no one’s going to bite.” I said and I went to get ready for work and when I came back out I shook her lightly
“Liam.” She said tired and I kissed her forehead
“I have to go to work baby, I love you.” she looked up at me and smiled
“I love you too.” She leaned up and I kissed her soft lips quickly “Have a good day at work.” She told me as I went to the door.
“I’ll call you later, spend some time with your sister.” I said and she nodded and curled back up with Asher, I was so glad she had such an amazing family here for her. it made me worry a lot less.
I grabbed coffee on my way to work and went into the office.
“Liam.” My boss acknowledged me
“Morning.” I said
“Were heading out to the site today.” he let me know and I nodded
“Okay. When?” I stopped by his desk and asked
“Twenty minutes. How have you been?” he asked and I shrugged
“Fine, just trying to pull my share of the work.” I told him and he smiled.
“This is why I picked you to come even though you’re new, you work your ass off kid, that will get you places.” He told me and I smiled
“Thanks Sir.” I said to him, it felt good to get recognition like that, to know that someone sees my hard work and appreciates it.
“We’re all taking next weekend off and that means you too kid. Lunch next Saturday though.” He told me and I nodded
“I’ll be there, just remind me.” I said
“You got a lot going on, if you need more time off just tell me.” he looked concerned, he was a great guy and cared about all of us, the company wasn’t big, it was personal to him and that’s why I wanted to work here.
The people got along pretty well, sure there were some arguments but we all liked each other.
“I’m fine, and I’m all yours as soon as this trial is over.” People started filing in and he nodded
“You’re a good kid.” He patter my shoulder as he made his way into the larger room to tell everyone we would be heading out soon, there were only about eight of us.
I knew that if I asked, I could have the whole days off to be with Addie and I didn’t have to come in early and work late on those days but I just couldn’t do that. He saw something in me and I had to prove it to him and also we needed space from each other sometimes.
I didn’t want to suffocate her or feel suffocated and she needed to connect again with her family and I knew I was a distraction from that.
I would be for her when she needed me but she didn’t need me as much as she thinks she does, she’s so much stronger and needs to learn to stand on her own because as much as I would like to be, I’m not always going to be there following behind her to catch her when she falls and the longer I baby her, the longer any of us does, the harder it’s going to be for her to become independent later.
It killed me being away from her but I just wanted what was best for us both.
I needed to work and have a separate life too and I was working hard to do that. I loved my job and I wanted to be here, I liked everything about it. I liked the people, the sites, the hard work and the thought that went into the details.
We all headed out to the site to see the progress, inspect the building, approve details and confirm dates. It was getting sunny outside but it was still pretty chilly, this weather was so weird, it was pouring rain the other day.
“Hey, we’re headed to lunch, let’s go man.” Justin, a coworker came and patted my back to get my attention and I looked around to see that everyone was headed out to get something to eat; I didn’t realize it had gotten so late.
I really tended to get lost in my work.
We headed to some little restaurant and our boss made it very clear that there would be no drinking much to the disappointment of some of my coworkers.
People talked about their families, wives, kids and girlfriends. I was the youngest one here; the nearest guy to my age was at least thirty. I listened to some ridiculous stories and they all knew what was going on with me so they made sure to avoid the topic and keep it light.
I really enjoyed being around these guys, they were all nice and since they were older they all took my under their wing and were always there for any questions I had, personal or professional.
We took a longer lunch than expected and headed back and worked until it started to get dark, pulling a near twelve hour day but it didn’t feel like that long at all.
“Hey Liam, I’ll drop you off.” Justin offered and I hoped into one of the cars we were renting, I couldn’t have one all the time, we all had to share.
“Thanks man. You picking me up too?” I asked and he nodded
“Be ready at five-thirty, bright and early.” He was the one closest in age to me and I looked to him like I would an older brother.
“I will be, it’s a miracle if you’re ever on time though.” I joked with him and he shrugged
“What can I say, the wife’s up for a visit and I don’t like leaving her.” he had a wife and a little boy, but they were hoping for another baby soon.
“I know what that’s like. It sucks leaving her every morning.” I agreed
“She’s always asleep when I go, I make sure to write her a little note and give her a kiss before I leave though, and usually she swats at me and tells me to leave her alone so she can sleep.” He chuckled and I smiled, I haven’t met her but she seemed like a good woman.
“Addison wakes up long enough to give me a kiss and tell me goodbye and all that.”
“I haven’t told anyone yet but.” He trailed off and I looked at him curiously and he was smiling.
“But what?” I asked him
“Kendal’s pregnant again, about six weeks.” He told me and I gave a low whistle, pregnant.
“Congrats, what are you hoping for?” I asked
“Another boy of course, I don’t know how I would handle a little girl and her growing up. Boys are easier.” He said and I could see that. I couldn’t imagine having to watch my aby girl grow up and date boys and go to dances and all that.
“You want a little girl, don’t lie.” I nudged him and he sighed
“I do. I have my little man and now I want my little princess.” He said honestly, he was a big family man. Went to church with his family and they had lunch together after every Sunday, I know he missed them a lot. His son was only about four.
“What about you Liam, what do you want?” he asked and I turned bright red.
“Kids aren’t for a long time.” I said and he smirked, the guys loved teasing me on this one.
“But I’m sure as soon as you marry that girl you’ll love practicing for them.” he teased and I turned a brighter shade of red much to his amusement. Sometimes I hated being a virgin, I really did but I was proud of it at the same time.
“Shut up, that’s not for a while either.” Addie and I weren’t ready for that, that was a huge commitment and she needed to work through her problems first, I don’t know how she would even respond to sex with me after what she’s been through. Intimacy would talk a while to build up to.
“Sorry for getting your hopes up.” He continues to tease me and I groaned
“Shut up!” I said and he laughed
“Okay fine.” He finally shut up about it and we talked about back home for the rest of the drive, I gave him a short hug and patted his back in congratulations on his new baby and went into the chaos that was this house right now, this many people weren’t meant to live under one roof.
“Liam.” Addie smiled at me from the kitchen as she cooked while Lalan, Nina ad Kalila were either setting the table, chopping things or getting dishes out.
“Hey baby.” I went to give her a kiss and she gave me a quick hug and turned back to the food.
“How was work?” she asked me and I wrapped my arms around her
“Hey Liam.” Lalan put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a smile before continuing what she was doing, Kalila said hi too and Nina gave me a shy smile.
“It was good, didn’t even feel like we were out there that long. We all get next weekend off.” I told her and she leaned back into me.
“We should all do something.” She said as she stirred one thing and checked another. How these Women were so good at this was beyond me, I can barely make grilled cheese.
“I was actually thinking we could go on a date.” I kissed her shoulder and she shuddered making me smile
“A date would be fun.” She agreed.
“Go up and shower, dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes.” Lalan shooed me from the kitchen and Addie giggled.
“Yes ma’am.” I said respectfully and went up to shower and get out of these clothes and I changed into sweats and a t-shirt to get more comfortable and when I came back down dinner as ready and conversation flowed a lot easier than it did yesterday, it seems as if Addie and Nina spent some quality time together today and I was glad.
Trial would pick back up tomorrow and Than would take the stand, but until then we were enjoying being a family tonight and weren’t stressing on it, we knew she could do it.