where we had our first breakfast months ago. We sat down at the same table and ordered the same food.
“Well, I had my doubts but you kept your end of the bargain. You should let me buy breakfast, though.” Liam said with a pleased grin.
I shook my head, “No, it’s on me. You are not the one who has been a brat for two months. He crossed his arms. “True,” he said playfully. I wanted to change the subject. I felt guilty enough already.
“Tell me about Ireland. What is it like? Is your family there?” I asked. His grin quickly fell and his jaw clenched in anger. The mood swing surprised me.
“I’m sorry,” I quickly said, not knowing what I did to cause this reaction. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” I tumbled out my words as I looked at him, trying to place his emotion. He recovered and his face turned soft again.
“Ireland is the most wonderful place on earth. The whole isle is covered in rich green beauty. It is magical, like you.” He reached across the round table to stroke my cheek and my stomach swirled.
“Liam,” I said at length, and he dropped his hand.
“Sorry, but your eyes mesmerize me. I have difficulty controlling myself. Why don’t you tell me about your parents?”
“Well my Mom owns a little clothing boutique and my Dad is a lawyer. They are completely different in personality, but they have been married forever so I guess whatever they have going works.” I took a bite of my eggs. They were starting to get cold from sitting there uneaten.
He leaned into the table, “Do you have any siblings?”
I smiled, “I kind of think of Kayla and Morgan as sisters, but no, I am an only child. My parents adopted me when I was a baby,” I shrugged.
His eyes went wide, “That must be difficult to not know your real parents. Mine have both passed away. I don’t remember my mother, but my father was my hero. He died when I was fourteen.”
He lowered his eyes to the table. I tried to keep my composure. Liam was an orphan. Now I understood the reaction when I asked him about his family.
“I…I am so sorry Liam. That is… terrible.” I struggled with the words. I felt an overwhelming sense of compassion for him.
I had a typical, mostly happy childhood, but I did sometimes feel the loss of the family I had never known. It was nothing compared to Liam’s story. Having just a fraction of an idea of what that pain must feel like made me feel sick. I reached out and took his hand not knowing what to say. He kept his eyes down as he spoke.
“I did not mean to put a damper on the mood. It was years ago. I just wanted to share it with you.” He kissed the top of my hand. I almost started to cry but managed to stay strong.
“I am glad you told me,” I breathed out in a shallow voice.
The guilt of abandoning him these past months now overwhelmed me. That must have hurt him on a deeper level than I could have known. I was no better than Doug. I felt disgusted with myself for treating him that way, especially since he had forgiven me so easily.
The rest of breakfast was quiet but I continued to hold Liam’s hand, for his comfort and my own. His touch was warm and soft. I reluctantly unlatched our fingers when we rose from the table.
“What are you doing tonight?” he asked as we approached my building.
“I am going to practice in the dance studio, as usual, after I clean all the mirrors.”
As I said this he turned to face me, “I don’t suppose I could persuade you to skip it and have dinner with me instead, as friends of course.” He grinned, waiting for my response.
I bit my lower lip before I answered continuing toward the door, “I haven’t gone there to clean the mirrors in a while, and my teacher made a comment about me blowing it off last week. They kind of rely on me now. Since I had been cleaning them all semester, the custodian hasn’t touched them. Plus, it is nice to have some private studio time.” I sighed, regretting for the first time that I could not
“Well, I had my doubts but you kept your end of the bargain. You should let me buy breakfast, though.” Liam said with a pleased grin.
I shook my head, “No, it’s on me. You are not the one who has been a brat for two months. He crossed his arms. “True,” he said playfully. I wanted to change the subject. I felt guilty enough already.
“Tell me about Ireland. What is it like? Is your family there?” I asked. His grin quickly fell and his jaw clenched in anger. The mood swing surprised me.
“I’m sorry,” I quickly said, not knowing what I did to cause this reaction. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” I tumbled out my words as I looked at him, trying to place his emotion. He recovered and his face turned soft again.
“Ireland is the most wonderful place on earth. The whole isle is covered in rich green beauty. It is magical, like you.” He reached across the round table to stroke my cheek and my stomach swirled.
“Liam,” I said at length, and he dropped his hand.
“Sorry, but your eyes mesmerize me. I have difficulty controlling myself. Why don’t you tell me about your parents?”
“Well my Mom owns a little clothing boutique and my Dad is a lawyer. They are completely different in personality, but they have been married forever so I guess whatever they have going works.” I took a bite of my eggs. They were starting to get cold from sitting there uneaten.
He leaned into the table, “Do you have any siblings?”
I smiled, “I kind of think of Kayla and Morgan as sisters, but no, I am an only child. My parents adopted me when I was a baby,” I shrugged.
His eyes went wide, “That must be difficult to not know your real parents. Mine have both passed away. I don’t remember my mother, but my father was my hero. He died when I was fourteen.”
He lowered his eyes to the table. I tried to keep my composure. Liam was an orphan. Now I understood the reaction when I asked him about his family.
“I…I am so sorry Liam. That is… terrible.” I struggled with the words. I felt an overwhelming sense of compassion for him.
I had a typical, mostly happy childhood, but I did sometimes feel the loss of the family I had never known. It was nothing compared to Liam’s story. Having just a fraction of an idea of what that pain must feel like made me feel sick. I reached out and took his hand not knowing what to say. He kept his eyes down as he spoke.
“I did not mean to put a damper on the mood. It was years ago. I just wanted to share it with you.” He kissed the top of my hand. I almost started to cry but managed to stay strong.
“I am glad you told me,” I breathed out in a shallow voice.
The guilt of abandoning him these past months now overwhelmed me. That must have hurt him on a deeper level than I could have known. I was no better than Doug. I felt disgusted with myself for treating him that way, especially since he had forgiven me so easily.
The rest of breakfast was quiet but I continued to hold Liam’s hand, for his comfort and my own. His touch was warm and soft. I reluctantly unlatched our fingers when we rose from the table.
“What are you doing tonight?” he asked as we approached my building.
“I am going to practice in the dance studio, as usual, after I clean all the mirrors.”
As I said this he turned to face me, “I don’t suppose I could persuade you to skip it and have dinner with me instead, as friends of course.” He grinned, waiting for my response.
I bit my lower lip before I answered continuing toward the door, “I haven’t gone there to clean the mirrors in a while, and my teacher made a comment about me blowing it off last week. They kind of rely on me now. Since I had been cleaning them all semester, the custodian hasn’t touched them. Plus, it is nice to have some private studio time.” I sighed, regretting for the first time that I could not
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