Liam’s
mother is dead.
Anne Houston, the most intimidating,
fearsome woman that Grace had ever met…was dead.
It didn’t seem possible, it didn’t seem
real. And if it felt unreal to
Grace, than she could only imagine the shock Liam must be in, as he settled up
the bill for their meal and prepared to leave the restaurant.
His normally pale face was almost gray,
and his eyes looked haunted, but he seemed to have brought his emotions
completely under control.
“I need to go to the hospital,” he told
Grace, checking the time on his cell phone as they walked out into the fading
light of the city. He waved at a
black limousine that was pulled over just ahead by the traffic light.
“I’ll come with you,” Grace said,
shouldering her purse and moving quicker to keep up with him.
“Okay,” Liam said, his tone neutral.
They got in the back of the limousine and
Liam told the driver where to go. Then
he began texting on his cell phone, his face a mask of control and calm. There were no powerful emotions raging
just beneath the surface.
Seconds later, he was on his phone
speaking to his brother. “Exley,
listen to me,” Liam said into the phone, his voice tight but unshaken. “I’ve just received a call from the
hospital and Mother’s been in a terrible accident.”
Grace wanted to take Liam’s hand and at
least give him some kind of support, but he seemed closed off and unreceptive
to anything from her. His body was
even turned away from her.
“She’d passed away, Ex. I’m…I’m on my way to the hospital now to
make an identification of her body…you speak to Vera and tell her, okay?” Liam’s shoulders hunched and he took a
long, shuddering breath. “I’m
certain. Please just come to the
hospital as quickly as you can. Okay.”
When he was done, Liam hung up and began
texting on his phone.
His expression was locked tight and Grace
felt powerless to reach him.
As Liam texted and the limo progressed
through New York rush hour traffic, Grace sat next to him and fought to keep
her emotions centered. It was
difficult not to wonder if Liam even wanted her around—or if he
considered her presence a nuisance, inappropriate given how little time they’d
spent together before this tragedy.
I
don’t belong with him. Scott was
right. In the end, the truth always
comes out, and despite Liam telling me he loves me, right now its so clear that
he doesn’t feel he can lean on me.
But she tried to remind herself that Liam
was surely in a great deal of pain, shock and confusion. It had been mere minutes since he’d been
called and informed of his mother’s death. And now he’d had to call and tell his younger brother that their mother
was gone forever.
Who could blame him for being
self-protective at a time like this?
Your
job is just to be here, that’s it. Just be here and let him know you’re not going anywhere, and you’re not
expecting anything from him. You’re
here for him, Grace. It’s time to
stop thinking about yourself for once.
They were caught in bad traffic, slowed
almost to a crawl.
Liam put his cell phone away and stared
out the window. She watched him,
the pale skin of his neck and jawline, the earthiness of his hair. He was beautiful, and she loved him, but
it had turned suddenly painful and it was a searing, burning pain.
She finally decided to try and give him
some comfort by putting her hand gently on his thigh.
His leg flinched as if she’d just thrown
acid on him, and she removed her hand as quickly as she’d put it there.
Liam continued staring out the window as
the car fought to inch its way forward in brutal city traffic. If there’s a hell, this must be the road
to it, she thought.
“Is there anything I can do?” she asked,
her voice soft, quivering a bit with the tension of uncertainty.
Liam shook his head. “No,” he said.
There was another long and painful
silence.
“I
mother is dead.
Anne Houston, the most intimidating,
fearsome woman that Grace had ever met…was dead.
It didn’t seem possible, it didn’t seem
real. And if it felt unreal to
Grace, than she could only imagine the shock Liam must be in, as he settled up
the bill for their meal and prepared to leave the restaurant.
His normally pale face was almost gray,
and his eyes looked haunted, but he seemed to have brought his emotions
completely under control.
“I need to go to the hospital,” he told
Grace, checking the time on his cell phone as they walked out into the fading
light of the city. He waved at a
black limousine that was pulled over just ahead by the traffic light.
“I’ll come with you,” Grace said,
shouldering her purse and moving quicker to keep up with him.
“Okay,” Liam said, his tone neutral.
They got in the back of the limousine and
Liam told the driver where to go. Then
he began texting on his cell phone, his face a mask of control and calm. There were no powerful emotions raging
just beneath the surface.
Seconds later, he was on his phone
speaking to his brother. “Exley,
listen to me,” Liam said into the phone, his voice tight but unshaken. “I’ve just received a call from the
hospital and Mother’s been in a terrible accident.”
Grace wanted to take Liam’s hand and at
least give him some kind of support, but he seemed closed off and unreceptive
to anything from her. His body was
even turned away from her.
“She’d passed away, Ex. I’m…I’m on my way to the hospital now to
make an identification of her body…you speak to Vera and tell her, okay?” Liam’s shoulders hunched and he took a
long, shuddering breath. “I’m
certain. Please just come to the
hospital as quickly as you can. Okay.”
When he was done, Liam hung up and began
texting on his phone.
His expression was locked tight and Grace
felt powerless to reach him.
As Liam texted and the limo progressed
through New York rush hour traffic, Grace sat next to him and fought to keep
her emotions centered. It was
difficult not to wonder if Liam even wanted her around—or if he
considered her presence a nuisance, inappropriate given how little time they’d
spent together before this tragedy.
I
don’t belong with him. Scott was
right. In the end, the truth always
comes out, and despite Liam telling me he loves me, right now its so clear that
he doesn’t feel he can lean on me.
But she tried to remind herself that Liam
was surely in a great deal of pain, shock and confusion. It had been mere minutes since he’d been
called and informed of his mother’s death. And now he’d had to call and tell his younger brother that their mother
was gone forever.
Who could blame him for being
self-protective at a time like this?
Your
job is just to be here, that’s it. Just be here and let him know you’re not going anywhere, and you’re not
expecting anything from him. You’re
here for him, Grace. It’s time to
stop thinking about yourself for once.
They were caught in bad traffic, slowed
almost to a crawl.
Liam put his cell phone away and stared
out the window. She watched him,
the pale skin of his neck and jawline, the earthiness of his hair. He was beautiful, and she loved him, but
it had turned suddenly painful and it was a searing, burning pain.
She finally decided to try and give him
some comfort by putting her hand gently on his thigh.
His leg flinched as if she’d just thrown
acid on him, and she removed her hand as quickly as she’d put it there.
Liam continued staring out the window as
the car fought to inch its way forward in brutal city traffic. If there’s a hell, this must be the road
to it, she thought.
“Is there anything I can do?” she asked,
her voice soft, quivering a bit with the tension of uncertainty.
Liam shook his head. “No,” he said.
There was another long and painful
silence.
“I
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