I would lose every time just to see you smile, Miss Rutherford.
I try to stop those words and that voice from playing in my head when I drive back to Headington, when I see Reece all excited to go sight-seeing in London, when I get dressed up to go out and even when I see his very message saying that he is waiting for us outside.
He always had a way with words, his slightest compliment affecting me more than I could ever admit in front of him. So, as always, I pretended to be back to normal when I see him leaning on his car, waiting for Reece and me.
"So, are you excited to go see London, buddy?" Liam asks Reece as we get seated inside the car.
"Yes, I wish dad and mum were coming though," he says frowning a little, making my heart melt at the sight of him. Luke got caught up with work and Mum convinced Jen that she needed a break too, so I look at Liam unsure what to say to make my little nephew happy.
Liam looks at me smiling assuredly before he turns back to face, "but then how will we eat all the ice-cream that we are not actually supposed to?"
"Ice-cream?"
"Yeah, just try to decide all the flavours you want and it'll be our secret."
"YESSS!!," Reece says all excited now making my heart melt again.
"Hopefully, he is not going to throw it in my face like his Aunt," Liam says softly to me, smirking, as he starts driving.
"Okay, that happened one time!"
"I brought you chocolate ice-cream and you threw it at me because that 'is not how chocolate is supposed to taste like',"
"Because it didn't and it was seven years ago. Are you ever going to let that go?" I say as I remember the day. I had just gotten my first period and I was lying in bed all day, too grumpy and in pain to do anything. When I shouted at Liam and told him what's going on, he went away, researched all about it and then brought almost all flavours of ice-cream, so that we could watch The Simpsons and eat away. I did kind of throw the ice-cream bucket at him. I look at him thinking of the day, he always knew how to make me smile and made sure I always was.
I would lose every time just to see you smile, Miss Rutherford.
His words running through my head again.
I wish I would have done the same for you.
We tour most of the city showing Reece around. It was adorable seeing Liam and Reece together making funny faces at the guards at Buckingham palace, or eating away all the candy at the candy shops. I knew Liam was glancing at me every now and then, feeling as nostalgic as was I when we went to all the places, especially the old toy shop in Old London where grandpa used to take us. At around 5, we are on our way to home, with Reece already asleep with exhaustion when Liam's phone rings. He murmurs something about going to the office.
Does he ever sleep?
"Kiera, Charloette called about a meeting being moved up, since I am already in London, I though I'll get started with work right away. Do you mind driving Reece back to Headington?" he says to me after hanging up the phone.
"Erm, yeah, sure," I say, however, I can't stop but be a little worried thinking about how less he sleeps.
When we reach the office, we coincidentally spot Luke coming out.
"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Luke asks us as he approaches the car.
"The meeting for the new project got pushed up and I thought I will get started on the final business plan,"
"Oh, yes I heard. Well, I am sure you can work it out, let me know if you need help. How was Reece's day out?"
"He had so much fun and we might have exhausted him a little too much, he's sleeping in the car. Are you heading back home?" I ask him an idea popping in my head.
"Yeah,"
"Well," I say hesitantly looking at Liam, "Why don't I come with you to the office? I mean, I don't mean to disturb you but maybe I could be of help. I did complete my bachelor's in this field and if Luke is going home, he can just take Reece,"
"Yeah sure, I'd love that," Liam says smiling at me before Luke could object.
Is it just me or are elevator rides too awkward?
I silently stare the elevator doors, feeling a little tension.
"I just realized, you have never seen my cabin," Liam says probably feeling the same.
"You have a cabin already? How often do you work here?" I ask him, more worried about his
health now.
"Erm, not a lot," he says avoiding eye contact and I know he is lying, "It's actually dad's old office. Grandpa made me have it, so..." he mutters under his breath almost missing me.
"Ohh" was all I could utter out in response.
The elevator door opens and it feels as if I am stepping out of a time machine. The three years that I haven't been here suddenly feel non-existent, because everything feels exactly the same. My mind is flooded with memories of the past, that past which brings a smile on my face whenever I remember.
Luke, Grandpa and Pops-all had their cabins on the same floor and Liam and I used to be here a lot, sometimes just hanging out here for no apparent reason. I look around and all the old conversations are playing in my head-the negotiations, the client meeting, the brainstorming; staying here and listening to them talk about work was actually what motivated me to study business.
We enter inside his office and if before I said nothing has changed, then I don't what this is. If someone pulled up an old photograph of this place, they wouldn't be able to spot the difference.
He hasn't changed anything.
"I didn't want to change anything. It kind of reminds me of him," Liam says, bringing me out of my nostalgia, answering my shocked and puzzled face.
"He would be proud to give you this office, Liam. Don't think you don't deserve it," she says, her face straining with guilt, pointing out what I have been feeling for the past three years.
I look at her smiling, thinking of all the times she read my mind, all the times she knew me better than I knew myself.
"K, I just,-- nothing," I start but her expressions terrifies me to continue,
"Let's get started then, shall we?" she says, relief washing over her when I don't continue.
Too soon, I guess.
"Erm, yes. So, I'll bring you up to speed," I say as we settle down for work.
"You have got really good instincts and ideas for this," I say. We have been working at hours at this and every time we get stuck, Kiera surprises me with an amazing solution around it.
"Thanks, I guess"
"Why don't you come on board for this project? I mean I know college has started but if you want...I know grandpa would be through the roof,"
"I, erm—"
"I am not pressuring you, K. I just really think you are amazing at this and it could really make it more special but if this not what you want to—"
"No, I would love to. I really would—"
"Oh my God! Seriously? You will have so much fun, I mean I know it's hard work but it'll feel so rewarding. I can't wait to tell Grandpa," I say hugging her in excitement.
She hugs me back in excitement and for a moment, just for a moment it feels like I have the old Kiera back. Being too conscious of the hug, we break apart after a while, now standing awkwardly, avoiding looking at each other.
"Erm, I am kinda hungry and I don't see this ending any time soon. I am going to go order some food. You don't mind working, right?" I ask her hoping she would stay.
"Are you kidding me? I am loving it. Order some pizza for me," she says.
"Can you go get the old financial reports; they are in the archive room?"
"Yeah, sure" she says stretching her legs before walking out.
When I put the phone down after ordering pizza, I look around at the empty room, a smile erupting on my face thinking about Kiera working with us on the project.
Oh! She's in the archive room, alone.
I smile inwardly as an idea pops in my head and I follow Kiera down the hall to the archive room.
This is going to be fun.
I slowly enter the room, making sure the door doesn't make any sounds when I open and close it. A dim light is switched on and I survey the room to find her silhouette in the far end of the room.
I tip-toe near the corner of the shelves to where she is standing and shake things before running away in the opposite direction.
I see her jump at the rattling sounds as she turns around to investigate the source of them.
"L-Liam?" Kiera says with fright in her voice as I move things around more. She is prancing through the room now, looking for the file in a hurried manner. I find the switch board near her and turn off the lights. She screams the moment the lights go off and I turn around to shout in her ear making her jump and she starts hitting me,
"Hey, it's me—" I say as she keeps hitting me aimlessly with her arms.
"Oh God! What's wrong with you, Liam? What are we twelve?" she says hitting me, "I was so scared, you know I hate this," she says softly, breathing heavily as she stops and hugs me. I can feel her shaking a little as she hugs me tighter.
"Hey, I am sorry, I didn't know you are going to get this scared," I switch on the light within my hand's reach while she is still hugging me.
She breaks away from the hug, though still standing close to me. I can hear her breathing rapidly. I see her angry expression dissolve as she is looks up to meet my eyes, her face lighting up perfectly in the dampened light, just enough for me to see her expressions flicker with each passing seconds. She looks down to avoid my gaze, and I don't realize when I lift my arm to move a strand of her hair that is blocking my view of her eyes as I take a step closer, my heart beating faster now. Before I know, my hand is holding her face as her eyes look up to meet mine again.
That's better
It's weird how her eyes always gave away what she was feeling, the spark that they used to carry now missing, especially when she is looking at me. I watch her every motion, from the small gulp, to the affixed eyes, to the slightly parted lips. I am slowly leaning in, closing all space between us, almost--
RRRRiiinnggg
Flustered, we break apart at the suddenness of the sound and I try to keep calm as I pick up the phone, my heart still racing. She moves away from me, now fidgeting her dress and avoiding any and all eye contact with me.
"Erm, t-the pizza is here. I'll get it...and, erm, the files also. I'll see you in the cabin?" I say hanging up the phone, the last part coming out as more of a question.
"Oh, okay," she says as she rushes out of the room.
What have I done!
I enter the cabin with my hands full of files and food. She looks up at the sound of the door opening, rushing to take some things out of my hands; however, I do not miss her cautiousness around me; all her movements around me now calculated and thought of.
"Erm, K, abou---
"I am famished. Aren't you going to eat?" she interrupts me taking a slice out of the pizza before I could get to--
What was I even going to say to her?
"Erm, yeah" I say picking out a slice.
We silently eat while working, all her interactions now limited to work. I observe her throughout the night and I know that she is pretending that nothing happened but she is being cautious around me, even with little things like handing me a file, or rushing out the car the moment I stop it in front of her house.
What do I do?
**********
Author's Note:
What can he do?
Let me know how you like this chapter. I know this is a rather short chapter but I promise you that the next one is going to be a big one!
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