I pour myself a cup of coffee and sit down across from Noah. He doesn’t look up, completely enthralled in whatever article he’s reading. Guaranteed it’s about football. I tried to discourage him, suggest he play soccer but he wouldn’t hear of it. He’s been a natural and it scares me. I see so much of Liam in him and I don’t want to.
“Did you know Liam Westbury was on the cover of Sports Illustrated when he was in high school?”
I spit out my coffee, the hot liquid dribbling down my chin. How does he know this? Nick and I, as well as Mason and Katelyn, have never discussed Liam with Noah. I can’t even remember a time when Liam’s name has come up. We’ve always skirted around that name. I secretly chide the teachers at school always praising Liam for everything he’s done for Beaumont and football.
“Guess what?”
Liam wraps his arms around me from behind, nuzzling my neck. “What?” I ask as I set my books on the shelf in my locker. I catch a glimpse of our junior prom picture – Liam in his black tux and me in my red knee-length dress.
“Someone is going to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated.”
I turn and wrap my arms around him. I know he’s wanted this since last year when he came close to breaking the state record for passing yards and he’s close again this year. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I couldn’t have done it without my girl,” he says before kissing me full on the lips, a big no-no in the hallway.
“We should go celebrate.”
“What are you thinking?” he asks suggestively.
I shrug, pushing my fingers into his recently shaved head. His eyes close as I massage his scalp. He loves it when I do this.
“Are your parent’s home?” he asks and when I shake my head no. He pulls one of my hands into his and walks us out of the school.
“How do you know?” I ask barely able to get the words out without choking.
“I saw the cover at the museum on our field trip.”
“Is that where you met Liam the other day?” My curiosity piques. When Liam showed up at the shop I had no idea how he found out about Noah.
Noah nods. “I was upset over a thing they had for Mason and he was in the bathroom. We talked and I said he was the guy kissing you in the video. Was he your boyfriend?”
Do I answer or deflect? Or do I just come out and say he’s your dad and totally ditched us when I was pregnant even though I never told him. Yeah that won’t work.
“I don’t want you talking to Liam Westbury anymore.”
“Why not?” Noah deadpans.
“Because… because I said so that’s why.” I get up and move back into the kitchen and dump out my coffee. It no longer tastes very good and isn’t doing its job. I just want to crawl into bed and forget this conversation ever started.
Noah slams his magazine down on the table, spilling the rest of his cereal. He sits there, stewing, not moving an inch to clean up his mess.
“Are you going to clean that?” I ask before throwing him a dishtowel. Anger flashes in his eyes. I know I’ve upset him, but he’s just too young to understand the magnitude of this situation. Liam is going to hurt him.
“No,” he says without making eye contact.
“Excuse me?”
He pushes his chair out and picks up his magazine. He turns and looks at me, a look I’ve never seen from my precious boy. His face is red, his breathing is labored.
“I like Liam,” he yells.
I’m taken aback by his outburst. If this is how he’s going to be after two encounters there is no way I can let Liam into his life.
“Liam doesn’t live here, Noah, and once he’s gone you won’t see him again. Let it go.”
“Why do you hate him?”
I don’t, that’s the problem and I wish I did, but he’s a disruption and he’s already ruining things in my house and I don’t want that. I can’t have that.
“I don’t hate him,” I mumble. I press my fingertips to my temple to hopefully ward off the impending headache.
“You used to kiss him, a lot. I’ve seen the DVD’s. How can you kiss someone so much and not like him?” Noah stands in front of me, his arms clutching his magazine. His eyes are trained on me and all I see is Liam.
“That was a long time ago, Noah. People change. I’ve changed and so has Liam. We aren’t friends anymore and I don’t want you talking to him. I’m the adult here and I make the rules. Liam Westbury is off limits.”
“You’re not being fair. I like him and he’s good at football just like me. He can help me get better and he said he would come to my game today!” My heart breaks at the sight of his tears, but I’d take this one day of tears over the months of tears he’ll cry when Liam leaves him. I reach out for Noah, but he moves away and runs off to his room. I’m going to have to find a way to get a hold of Liam and tell him he can’t come to the game. That he needs to just ignore Noah for all of our sakes. It will be easier that way.
At least that is what I tell myself.
When the doorbell rings I rush to let in Katelyn. She takes one look at me and shakes her head, pulling me into her arms.