Choices - 13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Liam grabbed his bag out of the trunk of the rental he was driving. Parking at Pearson Airport was just as crazy as he remembered from his last trip. Heading for the entrance, he followed the signs for the departure gates. Luckily, Terminal 1 wasn’t quite as busy as the one for international flights. Check-in was smooth, and he was soon sitting at his gate waiting to board a flight to Halifax.

Liam smiled when he thought of seeing Marty and his parents again. He’d called him yesterday as soon as he’d gotten home, needing to hear his best friend’s voice. When Liam mentioned how bored he was waiting to go back to work, Marty had invited him to Halifax for a few days. He had a week before work and then school consumed him. If he was ever going to be spontaneous, the time was now. Within an hour of hanging up the phone, he’d booked a morning flight, texted Corey to tell him where he was going, and then arranged for Bryce to cat-sit for a few days. Corey wished him safe travels and said he would see him bright and early next Monday.

The flight was uneventful, and since he’d only packed a carry-on, he was able to bypass the baggage claim area. Moments after stepping through the security doors he heard an excited voice calling his name. Marty’s mother, Eileen, near the entrance, was waving and making a bee-line towards him. He couldn’t have stopped his happy grin if he’d tried.

“Eileen,” he said, letting himself be pulled into a tight hug. “It’s so good to see you.”

The short, slim woman pushed him back gently and looked him up and down. “We were so relieved when Marty said you were doing better.” She touched the scar above his eye. “Oh, sweetheart. I was so worried about you.”

Liam felt tears stinging his eyes. Eileen had been like a mother to him over the years. She was a kind but fierce woman, and had called as soon as Marty told her about his accident, scolding Liam for not calling himself. He had felt like he’d been taken to task by his own mother, and the thought still warmed him.

“I’m much better. Everything is healing well, and Corey has me on an exercise program to rebuild my strength.”

“Come,” she said with a grin. “Let’s go home. I have lunch ready and waiting. You and Marty will be having dinner with Walter and me before Marty steals you away.” After another quick hug, she led the way to her vehicle.

“How is Walter?” Liam asked, settling into the passenger seat of the older model vehicle. No matter how many times Marty had offered to buy her something newer, she’d refused, not understanding the need people had nowadays to always have the best and the shiniest of everything. It was an argument Marty was never going to win.

“He’s the same as always… stubborn.” Eileen shook her head. “He would have come with me to pick you up, but he’s helping one of the neighbours with a tree that fell on his shed.”

“That’s good of him.”

Eileen snorted a laugh. “It is, but I know he’s also looking forward to the homemade cannoli John’s wife, Marie, makes.”

Liam chuckled. “He’s still resisting the diet?”

“Walter’s good most days, but there are times when I swear I smell fast food on him.” Eileen grinned. “He thinks he’s fooling me, but he should know better. I’m fine with a hamburger here or there, but he needed to stop having them so often. The salt wasn’t good for his blood pressure. We’re eating healthier at home, so an indulgence now and then won’t hurt, and the silly man feels like he’s getting away with something.”

“You’re a wily woman,” Liam responded with a hearty laugh. God, he missed these people. His family.

The drive to the Harrison’s house took a little under an hour. They lived in the same house they’d owned when Liam was a boy. He’d spent so much time there with Marty, it felt like coming home. The place even smelled the same; like homemade bread and chocolate chip cookies. Liam left his bag by the door, and followed Eileen to the kitchen. There were already plates and cutlery on the table, and Eileen was pulling a platter of various sandwiches, as well as cut up fruit and vegetables, from the fridge.

“How many people are you expecting?” Liam asked with a laugh, taking the tray and placing it in the middle of the table.

“Only the three of us,” she replied, unrepentant, as she looked at the microwave clock. “If Walter can tear himself away from those cannolis.”

Liam shook his head in amusement, and took a seat across from the woman he considered to be a second mother. “You know I can’t pack away food like Marty, don’t you?”

“Oh hush,” she scolded, loading a plate and handing it to him. “I remember how much you and Marty could eat in a sitting. I swear I thought the two of you would need to be rolled out of the kitchen some days.”

Liam obediently took his plate and started in on a roast beef sandwich on thick, heavenly bread, which he knew from experience was homemade. “This is delicious. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” She stood and kissed the top of his head before returning to the fridge for a pitcher of juice. “Eat up. If I know my son, all you’ll be eating during the week are leftovers and takeout.”

Liam chuckled. “Actually, he fed me rather well when he took take care of me. You would have been proud of his marinara.”

Eileen beamed with pleasure. “I was surprised when he came to me for cooking lessons. I’m happy to hear he actually listened.”

There was a commotion at the front door announcing Walter’s return. “Is Liam here yet?”

“Yes, dear. We’re in the kitchen having lunch.”

Walter entered the room, looking a little red from the cool breeze outside. “Liam, my boy. It’s good to finally have you home.” The man, who had more salt than pepper in his beard and a little less hair on his head than Liam remembered, pulled him into a bear hug.

“I’ve missed you guys,” Liam responded honestly.

“You’re always welcome here, son,” Walter responded, taking a plate from his wife, and thanking her with a smile. “This place isn’t the same since you and Marty grew up and stopped playing rock music so loud the plaster fell off the ceiling.”

Liam choked on his bite of carrot, unable to stop the bubble of laughter that escaped. “We never played our music that loudly.” Walter raised a bushy eyebrow at him and Liam snickered. “Okay it happened a couple of times, but we were going to be famous.”

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the pleasant company of his substitute parents. He’d forgotten how comfortable he was around them. They’d always made him feel as loved, and doted on him as much as Marty. Liam was helping clean the kitchen, over Eileen’s protests, when she turned to him, her hands sudsy with wash water.

“Marty told us Alek was bothering you at the hospital. Are you all right? Did he take the hint and leave you alone?” Eileen had been as angry as a mother bear over her cub when Liam had told her about the breakup. If she’d lived any closer, there was a good chance she would have kicked Alek in the ass herself. Her words of comfort still made Liam smile: No one makes my children feel like second best and gets away with it. Anyone who doesn’t treat you like the gift you are does not deserve you.

“Actually, Alek and I have talked since the hospital.” Liam hung up the dishtowel before meeting her worried gaze. “He apologized for his part in causing the break-up, and I found out he came out to his parents.”

Her eyes widened almost comically. “Really? You must have fallen off your chair in shock.”

Liam laughed. “Oh, I was shocked. Apparently he’d done it even while thinking I’d moved on and was with someone else.”

“I think there’s a story there.” Eileen led him to the table and gestured for him to sit while she put on the kettle for tea. Once she had two cups brewed, she placed one in front of Liam and took the seat next to him. “Okay, tell me. What happened?”

Liam wrapped his fingers around the warm mug, enjoying the heat, before rehashing everything that had happened involving Alek since the accident. Eileen sat quietly, only moving to reach for his hand as he spoke.

“Oh sweetheart,” she said softly when he was done talking. “It’s no wonder you’re confused. This is what you’ve wanted for so long, but the timing… it would make anyone need to take a step back. Trust is a hard thing to rebuild once it’s been broken. I think this trip will give you just what you need: time with your family, and space to think.”

Eileen pulled Liam into a gentle hug, comforting him like she had since he was a young boy. “I love you guys,” Liam said quietly, breathing in her soft floral scent. “I don’t think I say that enough. I’ve always appreciated how you were there for me when dad died.”

“We wouldn’t have been anywhere else. You might not be our flesh and blood, but you’ve always been ours.”

A scuffing noise from the threshold made Liam pull away from the embrace and quickly wipe the stray tears away. When he turned back, he saw Marty leaning against the doorjamb with a sad smile on his face. “Are you hassling Liam about not visiting more, Mom?” he gently teased before entering the room and giving his mother a kiss on her forehead.

“Is it that time already?” Eileen asked, smiling at her son. “We didn’t expect you until closer to five.”

“It’s a little after five now.”

“Oh dear. I should get dinner started. We were catching up, and the time got away from me.”

“Do you need any help?” Liam asked, standing.

“From my boys? Of course.”

Soon, Eileen had both Liam and Marty chopping vegetables for a salad while she put together the rest of dinner. In no time they were all sitting around the table, filling their plates and laughing at stories about the antics Marty and Liam had gotten into growing up. It felt like Liam had never left as he looked around the table at the family of his heart.

“It wasn’t that bad, Dad,” Marty said as he laughed. “Just a small dent.”

The senior Harrison snorted. “Small dent, my ass. I still have no idea what possessed you two to play ball hockey right beside my car.”

Liam flushed, still contrite since he was the one who’d missed the save, leaving Walter’s car open to damage by the hard plastic ball. They’d gotten into a lot of trouble that day, with both boys being grounded by their respective fathers. As penance, Marty and Liam had to do yard work to pay off the repair bill.

After dinner Liam was full and exhausted. He fought to keep his eyes open and his attention on the conversation. Luckily, Marty seemed to sense how tired he was.

“I should get Liam back to my place. I’m sure he needs some time to unpack and decompress. It’s not a long flight, but it can take a lot out of a person.”

Liam smiled gratefully at his friend, and after hugs all around, they piled into the car for the short drive to Marty’s downtown condo. Marty wasn’t one for trendy or upscale, and said on more than one occasion he would have preferred a country home, but the building was close to the office.

Liam had been to Marty’s place a couple of times, so a tour was unnecessary. He didn’t even need to be told where to stow his gear, and went directly to the spare bedroom to put his clothes away.

“You’ve changed the place around,” he said with a grin when he found Marty in the kitchen. The living room and guestroom had been completely re-arranged, and Liam suspected the master had also received the same treatment.

“I dated someone into Feng Shui,” Mary replied, with his cheeks pinking slightly. “She kept babbling about flow and harmony until I finally gave in and let her rearrange everything.”

“Which one was this?”

“Heather.”

“Didn’t you two only date for a few weeks?”

“Yep. She didn’t last long after she tried to rearrange my office. You know how I am about my office. ”

Liam shook his head, and accepted the mug of tea Marty handed to him. “Thanks. I love that you have Earl Gray in your cupboards, even with me living so far away.”

“I replenished my stash the second you said you were coming to visit.” His friend winked and took a sip of the beer he’d opened. “Anything special you want to do tonight? Check out our old haunts? Hit a club?”

“If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to just chill out here. I know you haven’t been gone that long, but I’ve missed you.” Liam looked down at his cup, swirling the hot liquid.

“I missed you too, Shorty.” Liam smiled when Marty pulled him to his strong chest. “How about we put something mindless on the television, and catch up on everything you haven’t told me since I’ve been gone.”

Liam laughed, giving Marty a hip bump. “Why do you think I haven’t told you everything?”

“Because I know you. You either don’t want me to worry about you or you don’t want me to kill Alek.”

Snickering, Liam led the way to the brown leather couch, sinking into the butter soft cushions. “Well,” he said, leaning into Marty’s embrace. “I told Alek I wanted to try to be friends….”

This chapter probably took took a twist you didn't expect, but I hope you enjoyed it.  
 
A huge thank you to my editor and friend, Gary, who is a constant source of support and encouragement.   Thank you to everyone who reads and supports this story.