CHAPTER 13
LIAM
He gave me the time and place and asked me to come watch him. Said I could give him some pointers on his five-step drop at halftime. I want to do this, I do, but I don’t know. Josie made it crystal clear she wants me to have nothing to do with him and I don’t see her knocking on my door asking me to claim him.
But I want to watch him play. I want to remember what it was like to love the game and maybe I'll learn to love it again now that I have a reason to watch – if I’m even allowed to have this reason. Josie holds all the cards where Noah is concerned.
The last time I sat down for a game was Mason’s last one as a senior. I never had a chance to tell him, but I never missed a game, watching him on television every Saturday. A few times I thought about showing up to one, but I wasn’t ready to face anyone. Apparently, I’m still not since I can’t have a decent conversation or be in the same room with Josie without pissing her off.
But she’s so feisty when she’s upset. I miss that. I miss seeing the fire in her eyes when she’s determined to prove me wrong. I miss the passion in her body when she’s trying to show me what it’s like to be loved by her. I’d give anything to feel that with her again, even if it’s just for one fleeting, solitary moment. Just one quick taste of my girl again and I’d be complete.
I’m a liar.
I’ve been lying to myself since the day I left Beaumont. I walked away from the one great thing in my life because I was selfish enough to think I didn’t need her and that she’d be better off without me.
And if I could, I’d go back and change it all.
“Hello?”
“Liam?” I look at my phone, confused by the number showing on the display.
“Yeah, who’s this?”
“This is Betty Addison, your grandmother.”
I pull the phone away again and look at the screen. Maybe I didn’t hear her properly, but I swear she said grandmother. I only know my father’s side of the family. My mother never talked about her parents.
“Um… okay,” I say not sure what else to add.
“I’m in town this week and I thought we could have lunch. There’s a nice little café by your campus.”
What do I have to lose and it’s free lunch. “Sure,” I say. We set the date and time to meet. We talk a bit more and she asked that I hear her out before making any judgment calls as to why she’s been absent for the last eighteen years of my life.
I agree.
I’m nervous as I wait for her, my leg bounces. The same annoying habit I’ve picked up from Josie. When the chair in front of me pulls out and she sits down I see an older version of my mother. Or what I envision my mom will look like.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you,” she says while studying my face.
Conversation is awkward at first as we get to know each other but half an hour in it's like I've known her my entire life. We sit and talk for hours. My grandma tells me she’s an actress, but hasn’t acted in years. When I ask about my mom and why they don’t talk, she shows me a picture of Bianca. She’s dressed as a starlet, holding a trophy. Betty says it’s her Rising Star Award, she won it at sixteen.
“She never told me.”
“When she met your father she gave up her dreams for his. I fought hard to make her see what she was doing, but your father was determined to have a trophy wife on his arm and your mother would do anything to please him.”
I sit and listen to my grandma tell me about a mom that I don’t even know. The last thing Betty says to me that day is something I will never forget. “Follow only your dreams, Liam.”
One phone call and a few hours changed my life and it’s questionable whether that change was for the best.
I could be living happily with Noah now, raising him and coaching his football team. Josie would be my wife. I was going to marry that girl and she knew it. Hell, our parents knew it and mine hated it. They didn’t like that Josie’s parents didn’t have the social status they did and didn’t belong to the stuffy country club, but I didn’t care. That girl rocked my world.
And I’m willing to bet she still does.
I decide to clean Katelyn’s truck. I don’t want her messing with the broken beer bottles and I certainly don’t want the twins climbing in the back and cutting themselves. This is the least I can do for her after she’s opened her heart and home to me.
Last night, holding her, for the first time I felt like I could belong somewhere. I could be me without having to put on a show. Like Liam Westbury could exist again, but maybe this time I could combine him with Liam Page.
Just as I finish sweeping up the glass and disposing of it, the alarm on my phone goes off. I know it’s telling me that Noah’s game is about to start and I need to make a decision. Do I go and risk Josie getting pissed? Or do I go and show my boy that while I may not be around, I do intend to keep my word?
I make the only decision possible.
My bike rumbles as I hit the starter wishing I had kept the rental or at least had my truck. I wonder if my parents kept my truck. I could go ask, but that means visiting and I’m not so sure I’m ready to face them yet. I wasn’t in Los Angeles three days before my dad had my truck taken away. I’m sure Sterling and Bianca Westbury won’t be so glad to see their straight-laced son show up on a motorcycle with his tattoos showing. But then again maybe a trip to the country club is in order.
The drive through town is becoming familiar. I used to dream of these streets at night until my dreams just became hazy and convoluted. After a while you just forget. You forget that old lady Williams never takes down her Christmas decorations even though the town begs her to do it. You forget that the whole town shuts down for Friday night football. People don’t forget you though and what you’ve done, both on the field and off.
When I pull up to the school, the bleachers are packed. The sound of my bike gets their attention, something I wanted to avoid. I take off my helmet and slide on my ball cap and fake eyeglasses. I’m sure the disguise isn’t needed, but if I don’t look like Liam Page maybe they’ll leave me alone.
Katelyn waves to me from the stands, her face looks sad. Josie is sitting next to her, but she doesn’t look and I’m okay with that. I haven’t earned a wave or a smile from her… yet.
I avoid the bleachers, opting to stand against the old oak tree that has been on this field long before I was old enough to play here. I hear Nick on the side, calling out plays and can see Noah when he takes center. I stand a bit taller when I see his number. He’s wearing the same number I wore: eight. I swallow hard and clear my throat. I don’t want to show any emotion and I’m sure it’s just coincidence. But what if it’s not?
Peyton comes over halfway through the game and hangs with me. She holds a football under her arm and is wearing cleats. I remind myself to ask Katelyn if she plays football. I can totally see Mason allowing his daughter to play. I’d ask her, but I don’t want to give her any ideas. I laugh when she calls out plays or yells at the refs to 'flow a flag'. As I watch her, I see so much of Mason in her and wonder how Katelyn is going to manage. I start to wonder about their financial situation and if there is any way I can help. I know Katelyn won’t take a hand-out, but I’ll figure something out. I don’t want to see them struggle and I have the means to help them.
The final whistle blows and Noah is jumping up and down. I can’t help but smile and feel a little bit proud even though I didn’t do any of it. Watching him out there lead his team at this young age, he’s showing so much promise. I can only hope he’ll be better than I was and actually follow through with college and his promises.
I feel an ache in my heart when he comes running over to me, his helmet in his hand and his hair matted down with sweat. He looks like I did after a game.
“You came?” he says it as if he didn’t expect me to.
“I said I would. Sorry I was late I had some things to do first.”
“No, that’s okay. I’m just glad you got to see me play before you left town.”
I was supposed to leave this morning, but promised Peyton football. Sunday is still a few days away and I haven’t checked in with Sam. She’s expecting me tomorrow.
“I’ll be here until the end of the week. Miss Peyton and I have a date on Sunday in front of her TV.”
“To watch football?”
I nod.
“Cool, maybe I can come too?”
I look at Peyton who eyes Noah. “That would be up to Peyton. Maybe you guys should talk about it.”
Noah looks at Peyton and smiles. She rolls her eyes. I start laughing. I see romance in their future. Noah watches as Peyton runs over to Katelyn. “So how did I do?” he asks when he turns back to me.
“You did well. You released too early on a few plays, but that is just a matter of you and your receiver getting your timing down. You guys just need to practice your routes and you’ll be fine.”
“Wow. This is so cool getting tips from you.”
“Noah what did I say?” Noah freezes when Josie speaks. I look at her; her face is stern and determined. She’s not walking toward us, she’s stomping.
“Liam was just giving me advice.”
Josie barely makes eye contact with me and I realize this is going to get ugly. Her expression tells me everything I need to know; she’s not going to let me see Noah.
“Go to the car, Noah. Now!” Josie points much like those mothers we used to make fun of when we were younger.
I don’t move a muscle. I wait until Noah is far enough away before I move toward her.
“Don’t come any closer, Liam. I mean it. I don’t know what game you’re playing, but it stops now and I want you gone. You need to leave and just forget about Noah.”
“What the hell are you talking about? He asked me to come and I said I would. I would’ve been here the whole time if I knew, but I didn’t. So don’t come at me with this bullshit game, Josie. You kept him from me and, yeah I get that you couldn’t get a hold of me on my cell, but there were other ways.
“Get off your high horse, Josephine, because if you fall it won’t be pretty.” I stuff my hands into my pocket and walk away. I didn’t want to blow up at her, but she egged me on.
“I tried!” I stop and turn around.
“Is that so?”
“Yeah it is.” She stands with hands on her hips and I know she’s full of shit.
“I’m sure you did.”