Torn (22 page)

“Hey, Court, Liam just came up looking for me. He is giving me the look of ‘women and their phones.’ I
better go, we were supposed to be watching a movie but I got sidetracked by you.” I laughed.

 

“Oh, I see. Well, have fun! We will have to get together for lunch next week and plan our nights out in
the city of Sin. Let me know how this weekend.” She paused. “Have a good weekend!”

 

I was really puzzled by her last statement but didn’t want to postpone the movie longer.

 

“You too, Court. Talk to you later.” I hung up. I rolled off the bed and smiled over at Liam. “This movie is
not going to watch itself!” I said acting if I had been waiting on him this entire time.

“What was I thinking? I have been taking up some much time on the phone with my girlfriend! SO
sorry!” He said smacking my ass and heading down the stairs. I started to run after him laughing.
We cuddled up on the couch; Liam had the movie set up just to hit play. This movie was just something
that we always enjoyed watching together. Even though the movie was just as hilarious as the first time
I watched it, I could tell my eye lids were getting heavy. I laid my head down on Liam’s lap and he began
to play with my hair and I soon dozed off.

I woke up with a jolt. I was in a cold sweat and found that the movie was off and Liam was not on the
couch with me. I felt my heart still racing and knew that I was having a bad dream, but this time I don’t
remember anything about it. I saw a male figure in the background but could not put a face to it.

I quickly jumped up and headed upstairs to find Liam asleep in the bed. I quietly crawled into bed with
him.

 

“Hey.” He whispered. “Sorry, you looked so comfortable. I didn’t want to wake you up.” Liam rolled into
a cuddle. “You are sweating! Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I think that I was having a nightmare. Or maybe its cause downstairs gets a little warm. I am fine
though.” I snuggled into him and started to fall back asleep.
Saturday morning went just as planned. I got some much needed sleep; I actually slept in until 10! I
managed to stay in my pajamas all day long, did some laundry and cleaned up the entire house. I felt like
the day was actually quite a productive day, although I had said I wasn’t going to do a damn thing.

Liam had to run into the office for a little bit, but he was home by lunch. Bearing sandwiches from a tiny
deli. We sat in the backyard and enjoyed the beautiful weather and the delicious grub. We talked about
our upcoming trip, the planned bachelor/bachelorette parties and the going out to Haze. All the while
we managed to flirt like we had when we were dating.

After lunch, we carried all of the trash and plates into the house. While I loaded up the dishwasher, Liam
then made his way towards the backyard again to mow the lawn and contribute to the housework;
however it was more like the getting out of it by offering up the lawn. I could then see him chatting up
with some of the other neighborhood guys.

We weren’t antisocial, per se, but we didn’t have game night like some of the other families and the
only time we really got to know everyone was during the summers. I was a social person, but some of
these couples always made me feel like we weren’t part of the ‘group’ cause we didn’t have kids yet.

Suddenly, I saw Liam pat a guy on the back and jog over to the house. I was just being nosy through our
front window.

 

“So some of the neighbors are having a mini barbeque this evening and would like to know if we wanted
to join in?” Liam poked his head through the screen door.

“Oh, yeah. We can. We have some beers in the fridge; I can make a quick dessert? Did they have any
requests from us on what to bring?” I started to look over myself thinking that I would need to take a
quick shower.

“Nope, they said bring some beer or liquor if we got any and then if we wanted to bring anything else.
They said they are gonna start in about an hour, so go grab a shower and I will meet you out here.” He
leaned in and gave me a quick kiss. Liam had always loved when the neighbors did some bonding time,
especially over barbeques. He would light up like a tree.

I watched him head back to some of the guys that were starting to toss a football around. I ran upstairs
to get ready.

After smelling like house cleaning supplies, it was really nice to have some fresh soap and shampoo run
their scents around me. I stood in the shower a little extra longer; I was really starting to get nervous
about tomorrow. I was actually glad that this gathering was going on; it would be nice to get some other
ladies around me to keep my nerves from being rattled and spending time in the house thinking
tomorrow all night.

I applied my lotion and picked out a cute pink sundress. This way I could look a little dressed up but
throw on some flip-flops to keep it casual. I blow dried my hair really fast and put on a little bit of
makeup.
I decided to check my phone before heading out, I planned on leaving everything inside. I had a text
message.

Hey. Sorry for yesterday, I had no right to be a jerk to you. You don’t deserve that. I’ll see you
tomorrow.

It was from Caleb. Did he have timing or what? I, for once in the last week, was not upset. The text
actually brought a smile to my face. I thought that it was really sweet of him to apologize for being so
cold to me. I still was nervous about seeing him tomorrow.

I set my phone down, grabbed the beer out the fridge along with a bottle of rum that was in the freezer
and grabbed one of the 2 liter bottles of Diet Coke. I managed to work everything so I could carry it all in
one trip. I had to set the soda down to open the front door, but as soon I stepped out Liam came to the
rescue.

I could smell the aroma of the steaks from our driveway and my stomach instantly began to rumble. I
headed over to the table where the rest of the drinks were and set everything down and went to mingle
with some of the other ladies. They all were very welcoming and I immediately felt comfortable and
thought this was going to be fun.

By the end of the barbeque, I had learned a few of our neighbors were either expecting their second or
third kids and how they loved to see us have a few. I just smiled as they talked about their son was doing
this, or their daughter was into that. However, tonight all of the kids were with either sitters or at the
grandparents’ house and the parents were so excited to get rid of them. That part had cracked me up.
Tell me to have kids so I can send them off.

After we all had finished off all the beer and the rum and we all did a shot of someone’s Patron; we
decided to call it an evening. My poor liver was going to be in shock at the end of next weekend, I was
glad that I had a couple drinks to get it prepped.

“Did you have fun?” Liam asked as he grabbed my ass. He was obviously a little buzzed; I think that he
was the one that mostly drank the rum.

 

“I did. They are all very nice. I am still laughing about telling us to have kids and then send them to
grandmas.” I chuckled about it.

“Yeah, but they were right about one thing.” He turned me to face him. “Ryleigh, I really want to start a
family soon. I think that you’d be an incredible mother and I hope to be a great dad. Now, I know that I
screwed up and you have to work on your trust with me, but I do love you and I think that we would
have some amazing kids.”

I didn’t know if it was the liquor or just the rush of blood from my head. I wasn’t really expecting that
tonight.

 

“Liam.” I said hesitantly.
“We don’t have really talk about it tonight, but I want to get it out there.” He quickly responded.

“I know you do, as do I. I just don’t think that we are ready for kids right now. I think that right now we
enjoy being able to plan trips at a drop of a hat, being able to go to last minute neighborhood gatherings
without having to think about who is going to babysit. I love you, I do, but…”

“Do you WANT kids Ryleigh? Liam asked sternly.

 

“Yes! Of course I do. I just, well…” I paused again.

 

“When?” He pressed.

 

“Well. Can we wait until we get back from Vegas to talk about it?” I asked with a smile. I didn’t know
what I getting myself into, but I think I just agreed to start trying for kids after next weekend!

“Really?” He lit up like a Christmas tree at that moment and picked me up into a hug and squeezed me
really tight and began to kiss me hard. “Ryleigh, this news has made me the happiest man ever! I love
you so much! I can’t wait until we have little babies running around! I can’t wait to tell your mom! She’s
going to be so happy!”

“Liam, we just are going to start talking about kids when we get back; I would rather you not say
anything to my mom right now. Please?” My stomach was in knots.

“Alright, lips are sealed! Now, I’d say let’s go practice, but I am finding that I am kind of drunk and I don’t
want to be at a dinner party with a hangover. I say we go upstairs and hit the hay, what do you say?” He
began to actually giggle, “I did a rhyme.” Yep he was drunk.

“I’m so proud. Yep, let’s go upstairs.” I said pushing him towards the stairs. Things were so crazy now, I
can’t really imagine adding a poor kid to the mix.

I love kids, I think that they will be great and especially if they are my own. I just wasn’t sure that I was
really ready. Or was it that I wasn’t sure of my marriage and that was putting kids off? We had never
talked about kids until Courtney told us she was pregnant, so why all the sudden to push it? I could feel
the buzz of the alcohol really getting to me by thetime we reached our room. I couldn’t think anymore
and was happy about that moment.

Tomorrow was going to suck.
I woke up with the worst hangover that I have had in a very long time. Liam was still passed out next to
me. I looked over at the time; it was only 8:42 but now was as good a time as ever to get in the shower. I
headed into the bathroom and closed the door. The water definitely did make me feel a little better. I
heard the bathroom door open as I stood there for an extra minute.

“Hey why you up so early?” Liam grumbled.

“I don’t know, honestly. I just woke up and after the pain that was throbbing in my head, I figured the
shower would help. Could you possibly get me some orange juice and some Advil, please?” I asked and
really put some whine into the ‘please’.

“Sure. I will also brew some coffee. What time are we supposed to be at your mom’s?”

 

“I believe six. So we have all day to recover.” I tried to giggle but my head was started to throb more. I
should have known better than to do tequila.

 

“Alright. I’ll go make some coffee, but I’ll put your OJ and Advil will be on the counter when you get
out.” He said as he shut the door.

I soaked in the shower for a little longer and then began to wash up. I really did not want to go to dinner
tonight, but I haven’t seen my mom in a little while and I figured this would be a nice evening to see her.
I was really hoping that everything went smoothly.

I came out to find that Liam left me not only my orange juice and Advil, but a flower that we both
noticed that was starting to grow in the backyard. My heart kind of melted. I quickly chugged the juice
and popped the pills. I dried off and quickly put on another sundress, I was going to skip the primping
but remembering that Caleb was going to be there; I wanted to look a little more beautiful.

I finished up blow drying my hair and put on my makeup and found Liam watching me. I smiled at him in
the mirror.

 

“Why are you getting all glammed up? Not that I don’t love it, but we are just going to your mom’s for
dinner and that is not for another, what, nine hours?” Liam asked.

“Well, I was going to go browse the mall.” I lied. “Also, some old friends of my mom and mine are going
to be there tonight as well. I don’t want to look like I was hit by a tequila truck, so I thought putting a
little extra work would help a little.”

Liam smiled and shook his head.

 

“We were just talking about Courtney and her primping and here you are.” He chuckled.

 

“Oh shut up. So we like to make ourselves beautiful. SOME of us can’t roll out of bed looking amazing.” I
shot him a dirty eye.

“Don’t hate me cause I am beautiful!” He joked andheaded into the shower. “So you are going to the
mall?”
“Yeah, I’m going to maybe find something to wear for our night out in Vegas and then I want to stop and
get my mom some flowers and Avery some good wine.”

“You know the man has a wine cellar, right? Why would you buy him some more wine?” Liam asked as
he pulled the curtain back.

 

“I know, but I feel it’s a kind gesture. Like ‘thanks for cooking for us, here is more wine to add to your
collection’.”

 

“Okay. Well, I’m going to finish in here and then probably be lazy down in my chair. So I will see you in a
couple hours?”

 

“Yeah. I shouldn’t be too long. I love you!”

 

“Love you too. Have fun.”

I headed downstairs, grabbed my purse and my phoneoff the counter and headed to my car. I noticed
that I had a little message envelope but it didn’t say that I had a new text message. Did Liam check my
phone? My heart began to race and even dropped a little. I tried to play it off and think that it was my
phone, but then I noticed that the message was from Caleb, but it was from last night.

Hey beautiful. Out drinking right now and can’t stop thinking about you. I miss you. I am glad I
get to see you tomorrow night.

 

Shit. I really hope that Liam didn’t see that. I could just play it off as he was drinking and it was supposed
to be funny. SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! Tonight is going to be a disaster if he did see that.

“Just act normal, Ryleigh! Everything is going to be fine. Our parents are going to be there and it is not
going to be a problem!” I said aloud to myself as I drove towards the mall.
Shopping was truly the best therapy. I managed to find a few more outfits to take with me to Vegas. I
was going to look hot next weekend. I even managed to find a new bikini for the pool. I made my way
back to my car, stopped at the liquor store and got Avery a really nice bottle of wine. I was going to hit
the flower shop, but the store across from the liquor store had some beautiful arrangement of flowers
out on the sidewalk.