Vivian's POV:
Suddenly, Lawson and Gianni burst out laughing. "Lover? I wished she was his lover!" Lawson shouted, smacking his knee. "That way, his family would feel bad about stealing my wife away and hopefully offer to take care of me for the rest of my life!"
Harper smacked him in the head.
"Ow!" He rubbed his head and smirked, "Listen to me, darling! It's not a bad idea! I mean, you get a nice young wealthy husband, and maybe I'll get a new mansion to cry inside!"
Harper continued smacking Lawson with her purse while Elaina and Kate shook their heads.
"What? I'll be thinking of you while I'm crying on the young a bit too sexy to be a nanny's chest!"
"You pig!" Harper continued to smack him.
"Someone got to take care of the girls while I'm in depression about my wife leaving me for a younger wealthier man!"
Before I knew it, I burst out laughing at their light-hearted interactions. Anyone who passed by would know it wasn't a real fight, rather a mini fickle argument between the couple. It was nice, calming. Suddenly, I felt as if a heavyweight had been lifted from my chest, and I couldn't stop laughing.
"I'm so sorry, but you two are just so funny." I heaved a breath before grabbing my cone of ice cream from Liam. He handed the other three to Harper, Elaina, and Kate.
"What about Maya?" The little girl in Harper's arms asked. Harper hand her the ice cream, and Maya began licking it, ever so cautiously glanced at me.
We all sat down and chatted about random things while the girls talk to each other. A few minutes later, Lawson orders a large raspberry and strawberry sundae despite Harper protest. Each person got a long-handled silver spoon, devouring the coldness. I watched as Liam cautiously ate around the strawberries. I don't understand. One moment, he likes strawberries and the next, he avoids it as if there is a wad of bacteria.
I moaned lowly at the sweet dessert. My body flinched when I felt a napkin to my side. "Sorry. You got something there." Harper continued whipping the dessert from my mouth.
"Are you okay, Vivian?" Kate asked, with ice cream all over her face.
"Mum! What did you do?" Elaina looks accusingly at her own mother.
"I didn't do anything!" Harper responded before putting down the dirty napkin, "What's wrong, Vivian?"
The tears flowed down from my cheeks, and I quickly wiped it away. I could feel my face burning from all the concerned looks. A sudden magnitude of emotions waved over me. "You just kind of reminded me of my mom."
Harper smiled faintly while the guys cleared their throat, turning their heads to talk about other matters. Meanwhile, Liam was still staring at me.
"I get it. You miss your mom," Elaina stated with a nod. "I miss my mum, too whenever she couldn't tuck me in bed at night."
I laughed at her statement while nodding in agreement, "That's exactly it."
When we finished the ice cream, we decided to departure ways in the parking lot. Gianni was going back to his apartment. Harper and her family were staying at a hotel before going back to the UK. Which leaves Liam and me with Marisa; an enjoyable car ride home.
Harper granted me a hug. I never knew I could get so close with someone thought was my ex-husband lover so quickly, but Harper somehow made it easy to love her and her family.
"Look. I'm in no place to tell you what to do since we're stranger but-" she was still holding my hands as Liam placed Marisa in the car, "talk to Liam. I noticed there seemed to be many-" she exhaled dramatically, "many misunderstanding between the both of you."
I twisted my lips before awkwardly glancing at Liam who was talking to Lawson and Gianni. I didn't know what they were talking about, but considering how Lawson burst out laughing, which seemed excruciatingly loud in an empty dark parking lot, it must be funny. Then again, Lawson was the only one laughing, so I question his sense of humor.
"I don't think you understand. Liam...Our relationship-" I shook my head and took a step back. I admit it, I was afraid of being rejected again.
"You say that, but you never know Vivian. I see the way Liam looks at you. It's not a set of eyes of someone who doesn't want you in his life."
My face grimaced, "Does it really look like he looks at me like that?"
She nodded, "Other people can't tell, but I can and you will too. It's difficult to tell from that boy, I understand that much."
"How can you tell?" His face always looks like an emotional bland to me, and everyone says the exact same thing.
Harper chuckled, "Well, I was there with him while he was growing up-" she pulled up her sleeves, "and I was present for all the battles."
There were vast arrays of scars all over her forearms. They were all in different sizes, but with one look, you can tell it was from claw marks, "What happened?"
"What happened?" she repeated my question while lowering her arms. "Vivian. Don't tell me. You don't know?"
"Know what?"
"About Liam's disor-"
"Mum! Papa! Kate isn't feeling well!" Eliana shouted, meanwhile, Kate began gagging in the corner of the car.
"Mum is coming!" Harper shouted. "It was nice meeting you, Vivian. Let's have dinner on another day okay?" she requested.
I smiled and nodded. Harper gave me a tight hug before rushing towards Kate.
We waved goodbye to everyone and settled inside the car. I fiddled with the radio as Liam carries us back to the mansion.
My palms curled against one another. "It was fun today," I commented.
Liam glanced at me before reverting his sight back to the freeway, "Yes, it was."
I laughed, remembering a scene earlier, "I can't believe you could eat five scoops of ice cream that easily."
"I like ice cream."
"Really?"
He nodded, "It's good."
"Then maybe, we should buy more at the house."
He smiled, a very brief small one, "That would be nice."
"Harper is nice. I would see why you would love her."
"That...she is."
"How did you two meet?"
"She was a waitress at a restaurant my parents attend."
"And you all decided to be friends? Just like that?"
I noticed how his expression change more and more as we talk about Harper. That uncomfortable emotion was resuming, "No. It took some time for my parents to accept Harper in our lives, but eventually, they did. Harper is important."
"I-I see." I admit, I was jealous with how much Liam value Harper. I've never witnessed how much he values another woman who isn't his mom. It was so surprising that the question slipped out, "Do you love her...as a woman?"
He cocks his head, and his brows pinched together. There was a sudden rush of silence where the wind from outside could be heard. "Yes." That single word struck me harder than I wanted. "Harper is a woman so how else can I love her?"
I scratched my head at his thrown back question, "Wait what?"
"Harper is a woman, so how else can I love her?" His question started to sound like he was mocking me.
"Are you mocking me?"
"No."
"Then why-" I exhaled, "I'm serious right now!"
I have no right. No goddam right to ask him that question. Interrogate him as if I was still his wife.
"I'm serious too."
I groaned, knowing Liam won't back down. Placing my head on my palm, I turned the other cheek and focused on the dark scenes outside.
"We should do this again."
"What?"
Liam grip tightens on the wheel, "We should go out for ice cream again."
After we reached our destination, Liam was carrying Marisa back to Amoli and my bedroom. It was weird, walking with him. He didn't say anything when he grabbed Marisa, and neither did I.
"Thank you," I said when he placed Marisa down.
"You're welcome."
Another awkward silence, "W-We should."
"Should what?"
"Go get ice cream after work another day or something," I grumbled, before opening the door and stepping inside. I closed it quickly, so Liam wouldn't see my embarrassed face.
Amoli was resting on the bed with her phone on her face. "How come you're home late?"
I unraveled my clothing, "I was...out?"
She gave me a bright smile, "Guess what?"
I pushed off my coat and threw it on the other side of the bed. "You're going to unpack your luggage?" We look over at the hurricane of a mess in the corner of the room.
"Another night." She brushed it off before sitting upward. "I got a date with Matthew Greyson tomorrow night."
And the sex monster had made his move.
The date between Matthew and Amoli didn't catch me off guard. I knew it was going to happen eventually. However, tomorrow, an even bigger event was about to occur.
I never expect to see her again.
Not like this.