We Were Right From The Start

We got to Sam's nursery 10 minutes later, 5 minutes early. Liam parked at the curb but I didn't want to get out for Sam until half past, which was when we were supposed to pick the kids up. "We have a couple of minutes," I said, looking at the clock. "I didn't know how long it would take to get here, sorry."
"It's fine, Frankie," he smiled and took my hand in his. I turned and smiled at him.
"You're staying afterwards, right?" I asked and he smiled and nodded.
"I thought we were going to work on the presentation?" he said and I nodded, remembering I had suggested that earlier.
"Oh, yeah, right," I said. Liam smiled tenderly at me and cupped my cheek in his soft hand.
"We don’t have to, we could do something else," he said and I felt my heart racing.
"I guess," I whispered as he moved closer to me. I looked down at his lips and watched as they got closer to mine. Then my eyes closed at Liam's kiss. He kissed me passionately and yet lovingly and I felt myself melting into his arms.

He pulled back after a short while and smiled down at me. He gently brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear. "Don't you have to go get Sam?" he asked and I looked at the clock. It was 35 minutes past.
"Oh, crap," I said, realising I was slightly late. "You distracted me," I smirked and then got out of the car and went into the small hall.

Sam came running over to me happily. "Frankie!" he grinned.
"Hey, Sammy," I said happily. Mrs Fine came over then and smiled at me and I smiled back.
"I just wanted to remind you that nursery won't be on on Thursday and Friday this week," she said and my eyes widened. I didn't know this. What if mum wasn’t back by then? No, I told myself, no she will be back.
"Ok, thanks," I smiled and then took Sam's hand as we walked out of the hall. "Sam, you're going to have to be good, Liam's here as well, and there is no child-seat in his car." Sam just nodded.
"Do you love Liam?" he asked and I looked down at him. I glanced at the car which was still a way off. I saw Liam through the glass.
"Yeah, I do," I smiled down at Sam. But he didn't smile back.
"Why doesn’t mummy love daddy like that?" he asked and I froze. Sam, however kept walking and I noticed Liam get out of the car. He helped Sam in and then came over to me, concern written all over his face.
"Frankie, what is it? What's wrong?" he asked. I couldn’t look at him, I was staring in Sam's direction. I just shook my head and looked down at the floor, frowning. How was I meant to answer that question? How did Sam realise that mum and dad weren’t in love? "Frankie, baby, talk to me," Liam said from beside me. I couldn’t say anything. I just shook my head, as though dismissing it and then shakily walked to the car. Liam walked by my side to the car and opened the door for me. I got in without thanking him and just sat.

Sam and Liam spoke throughout the car journey but I didn't say anything. My mind was still in shock. Once we were home, I automatically unlocked the door and Sam walked in and into the living room but I just went and sat on the bottom step of the stairs. Liam watched me carefully for a few seconds and then shut the front door and came and sat next to me. He hugged me into his chest and I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around him as well. I took several deep breaths and eventually I felt like my normal self again. "I always thought Sam hadn’t been affected much by my parents, I thought he didn't notice," I said softly. Liam was listening, but didn't interrupt. "But he knows, he knows she hates him. He knows he hits her. He knows they are not like normal parents. And he's suffering because of it." I squeezed my eyes shut. "I tried to protect him from it, distract him. I thought I had...but I didn't." A tear trickled down my cheek. Liam noticed and held me tighter.
"It's not your fault, Frankie," he said softly. I clenched my jaw to stop from crying. Neither of us said anymore, we just held each other tightly. "Do you want to go watch a film? Screw doing work." I smiled and nodded. Liam stood up, pulling me with him. He kept me in his arms as we walked into the living room and sat on the sofa. "What do you want to watch?" he asked as we watched Sam watching the Wiggles.
"The Lion King," I said and Liam smiled at me and Sam turned and grinned. I smiled at both of them and Sam ran off to find the film.
"Are you okay?" Liam asked me tenderly and I nodded and snuggled into him.
"Yeah," I sighed. There wasn’t anything I could do about it now. The damage was done. I just had to pray that Sam wasn’t effected in the long term because of my parents.

Sam returned and put the film in and then came and sat next to me on the sofa. He cuddled into my side and we settled down to watch the film. I loved the Lion King, it was my favourite Disney movie, except maybe Anastasia but we didn't have that. As I listened to Liam breathing and his heart beat, I eventually found my eyes closing, and before I knew it, I was asleep.

I woke up a while later on my bed. I rolled over and saw Liam typing away at my computer. I yawned and stretched, which caused Liam to look over at me. He saw I was awake and he smiled tenderly. He came over and sat next to me and took my hand in his. "I'm sorry I fell asleep," I said groggily. Liam laughed softly and kissed my forehead.
"It's ok," he smiled. "I've been doing some biology," he said and I smiled at him gratefully.
"How's it sounding?" I asked as I sat up slowly.
"Not bad," he grinned. "We need to decide which bits I say and which bits you." I nodded.
"We're allowed to read it, aren’t we?" I asked and he nodded.
"Yeah, we don’t have to learn it," he smiled and I smiled back.
"How about we say every other point?" I asked and he nodded. I sighed and fell back against my pillows. It was silent for a few minutes. "I need my mum to come home. I can't look after Sam as well," I said softly. "The nursery is shut on Thursday and Friday. I don’t know what I will do if mum isn’t home by then..." Liam looked at my sadly and I knew there was something he wasn’t telling me. "What?" I asked him but he looked away.
"Nothing," he said. "Why don’t you phone her?"
"I should, I know, but I don’t want to rush her coming home. I'll phone her on Wednesday evening if she isn’t home by then," I said and Liam nodded. He then looked over at the clock and I did the same. "It's 7.30?" I asked, shocked. "Oh, my God, I'm so sorry, I've been asleep for hours." Liam just shook his head and smiled.
"It's alright," he said honestly.
"What about Sam? What about his tea?" I asked.
"It's ok, Frankie, calm down," he said. "I made Sam Macaroni Cheese, he's in bed now." I immediately relaxed. I smiled at him and kissed him tenderly.
"Thank you," I whispered against his lips.
"Anytime," he whispered back.

Liam stayed for about another hour and then he had to get home. I went into Sam's room and found his fast asleep. I then went downstairs and into the kitchen. Liam had washed up the dishes and bowls from Sam's dinner. I officially loved that boy. He was too amazing for words. I grabbed a banana out of the fridge and then went upstairs and lay on my bed. I couldn’t get to sleep but I didn't know what to do except lie there.