“Yup.” He glances down at me again. “Sage was just deciding if she wanted to take this off for me or not.” He studies my frame, and his eyesaren’ton my jacket anymore.
“It’s staying on.” I whip around, and when I walk off, hedefinitelylets out the softest laugh, and a smile grows on my face at how sweet he sounds.
Chapter Five
Liam
For the past thirty minutesthat I've been here, with my eyes following her every movement, I haven't mustered up the courage to walk up to her.
I glance down at the flowers in my hands, and I almost change my mind and make someone give them to her for me. The last few times I’ve done that, though, I wished I had just spoken to her, so I just do it. I walk over, and the minute her eyes land on me, I see the confusion grow on her face.
“What are you doing here?” She sounds so bitter, but I keep my feet planted.
“Hi, Mom.”
She looks back out the window with a huff of disapproval, and I almost walk away, but I swallow the sour taste in my mouth and crouch to her level. “I got you flowers.”
“I’m not blind.”
I feel a smile touch my lips because she has the nerve to wonder where I get my attitude from. I don't say anything, and when she turns to me, I see her confusion again.
“What are you doing here?”
I study her for a beat, then raise the flowers.
“Are these for me?”
I look between her lost eyes, and I suddenly feel so small. She looks back over at me, and I nod in return before kissing her hand.
“Yeah, Mom. They’re for you.”
She takes them, and after bringing them to her nose, she looks back out the window. I sit there with her for a few minutes, and when it starts pouring rain, I watch her close her eyes peacefully to the sound of the thunder.
“It’s a beautiful day,” I say, hoping it’ll jog any memories of when she’d say that whenever it rained, but then she looks over at me with a wave of new anger.
“Whyareyouhere?”
I might walk into oncoming traffic if she asks me that again.
I let out a soft sigh and force myself to speak as nicely as humanly possible. “I came to spend some time with you.” I reach for her hand, and when she snatches it away, I decide we’re done here.
“Nowyou want to spend time with your family?”
I immediately rise, but I don’t think I can get out of here fast enough.
“Where were you when Shanti died?” She looks up at me with so much hate, I don’t even recognize her.
“Goodbye, Mom.”
I turn on my heels, but she barely lets me take a step.
“Of course, you’re leaving. It’s what you’re good at.”
I stand there for a full breath before I walk off. My eyes land on Capri, Mom's nurse, and she’s already making her way to me.
“Liam–”
“Call me if she worsens.”
