Change

Liam’s Point of View

I lock the door behind me as I kick of my shoes and make my way through the house shutting of lights as I go to make my way upstairs to my bedroom.

Instead I stopped at my mom’s bedroom door, hearing that she is still awake on the other side of the door. “Mom?” I ask as I crack open the door to see her laying on her side of the massive bed back turned away from me as her body shutters from all the crying. “I was just going to let you know I was home.” I finished my sentence as I made my way over to her.

“Thank you for letting me know, love.” She said as she wiped away tears.

“Mom?” I ask as I take a seat on the ground in front of her as she lay on her side. “I love you.” I smile as a smile broke out across her face as well.

“The thing I love most about you.” She said as she motioned her hand towards my face as she mentioned my smile. “I’m sorry for always overwhelming you, Liam.”

“I would take away the heaviest of burdens to see you happy again if I could, mom.”

“You already do.” She says as she runs her fingers through my dark and messy hair as we sit there in silence. “How was you day, I haven’t seen you since last night. If you were trying to sneak out last night you should really work on being a lot quieter.”

“A lot has actually happened today, believe it or not.” I smiled as I caught myself in her gaze.

“Well then tell me all about it.” She beamed.

“It is a pretty long story and it is pretty late, maybe tomorrow?” I ask as I was about to pull myself up to leave.

“I have all the time in the world,” She began, “It’s not like I will be going to bed any time soon.”

“Very well then,” I laughed as I take my seat back on the ground again. “Where should I begin-”

“Start with last night.” She deadpanned.

So I began, “Charlie and Anna were out of town and Reina, their niece, well you know her. I am pretty sure I would have mentioned her to you by now.” I laughed, “But anyways the power went out because of the storm and Reina called because she was scared, so with all the chivalry I could muster because honestly I was kind of scared. I go over there because she believes someone is in the house, like some scary movie or something. So that is why I left so loudly, as you put it, in the middle of the night to go over there to make sure she is ok and everything.”

“And why didn’t you come back afterwards?” She asked.

“I ended up on the couch because I told her I would stay with her since she was scared.” I answered back.

“You like her,” My mom says with smirk, “Don’t you? There were always crushes but never someone you were truly interested in.”

“I could honestly go on and on about her but I don’t even know where to begin.” I say as a smile begins to grow across my lips as I look over at my mom with amusement in her eyes for the first time in a long time. “God, she is so beautiful mom.”

“Can I meet her?” She asked, “Reina, is it?”

“We’ll see about that one.” I say getting up for the second time, but getting pulled back down again.

“I would really love to meet the first girl my son has ever mentioned to me about liking.” She says as she held onto my wrist as she adds, “You still have to tell me about the rest of you day.”

“Right, well the morning was pretty normal with work and all.” I continue, “While at practice though, I have been working pretty hard lately, mom, but coaches from all over the country have been interested in my abilities as a quarterback. I got an offer from USC. California seems pretty far from here though. I don’t know if I could do that.”

“Hey now,” My mom began as she adjusts my face to look at her, “Don’t let your brother and I stop you from living out a dream of yours. You have done more than enough for the two of us, you don’t always need to act like an adult.”

“I know, I know,” I would just miss out on so much here.”

“Like what?” She said, “Like me always crying in bed and your brother who-”

“Has cancer mom,” I added, “he has cancer and something could happen while I’m not around. I don’t want that.”

“You know he wants you to play, even if it was on another planet, Liam.” She states, “If that were even humanly possible.”

“I know.”

“So do it, work hard move to a different state and do something you love, your father would be so proud it you did.” She said as I just look at her as my heart started to ache at the mention of my father. “Now go on with the rest of you day, you have a whole afternoon and night to tell me all about.”

“I decided to take Reina down to The Valley meet a few people like Josh, Mia and her friends Stephanie and Liz.” I continue once more. “I thought it might be nice for her to get to know some other people so when school care around she wasn’t so nervous.”

“Did she get along well with them, like you planned?” She asked.

“She could honestly get along with anyone.” I laughed, “I would assume they are somewhat friends by now.”

“You speak to highly of her, Liam.”

“I am just telling you the truth, mom.” I counter.

“Why do you like her so much, love?” She asked as she sat up in her bed.

“Because,” I had to think for a minute on why I actually did and how I even liked her in the first place, “Well because her life is just like mine. It is nonetheless, more tragic than my own, mom and in a weird way she understands me and I understand her. I tell her all about my life and she doesn’t pity me like everyone else I know. She has lost just as much as I have, if not more.”

“I am sorry to hear that about her, Liam.” She whispers.

“So am I.” I answered. “I do have more to tell you about tonight, that I think you might like.”

“Well get on with it then.” She smiled.

Leaning against the bed as I sit on the ground I finish telling her about my night. “No more butting in with questions so I can finish, ok?”

“Not long after the bonfire at The Valley, I took her to go stargazing because she has never been able to do that were she is from and we pretty much just ended up talking.” I look over at my mom who is staring at me with a hardened look. “You know, you should really trust me more. There is more than just sex in a relationship, or whatever the two of us have right now, but I will finish now.” I say as I go on with my night.

“Sorry, Lov-” My mom starts.

“Let me finish.” I say with a bit of sassiness, I guess Reina was right; I am kind of sassy. Between my mother and I, we didn’t really keep many secrets, so why not tell her about what happened tonight. “Do you know the song ‘Good Night’ by Gloriana?” I ask as she shakes her head yes. “Well it was playing on the radio as I was dropping Reina off.

“Parked in the driveway as the two of us sat in silence and I ruined everything by saying ‘Well, I guess I will see you tomorrow.’ Seriously, how lame is that? I like her a lot and all I can say is ‘see you tomorrow’? God, I am lame, the worst part is; I know she likes me too. I could have honestly told her how I actually felt about her. So she leaves my truck and makes her way up to the front door just as I am about to pull out of the driveway and wallow in pity about how stupid I was. But I actually start to listen to the song, which couldn’t have come on at a more perfect time.

“So I put the truck in park and run up to her right before she can even open the front door. And I kissed her, mom and I am so glad that I did.”