Charlie went out of the room to greet Karen, giving her a kiss on the cheek while scooping up Aaron. "How was he? A complete devil I'm guessing. Rockstar to the core!" Aaron pulled an evil face and squirmed out of his grasp to go run into the kitchen and find an apple. "Hope he wasn't too bad for you."
Meghan went after Charlie, only to come back a second later carrying her little brother. "Meg, be careful, he's too heavy for you." Meghan didn't like being to told that, John was her most favorite baby-doll, if not her only. But she went to the sofa letting Liam take his son from her.
Charlie followed Aaron into the kitchen and grabbed him up, throwing him laughing over his shoulder with a grunt. It hurt his back a great deal, but he wouldn't put Aaron down. "Hey, lad, were you good for your awesome auntie?" Aaron laughed breathily and tried to answer, but Charlie tickled his foot so he started laughing. "Hey! Answer my question you silly!"
Liam held his baby boy, listening to his babbling, while Meghan pulled her mum inside to show her the new guitar and to tell her she had learned a new song, especially to play to her mum.
Charlie smiled as he watched Meghan play for her mum. The child was so much better off having her Da near. No child should be without a parent. He set Aaron down, looking into his bright eyes and thinking what would have been the case if Claire had had to be a single mother. Would Aaron be as bad as Meghan had been?
One could nearly have seen all the thoughts Karen had when she learned that Liam had given his daughter the new guitar - at least from what the girl knew - and that it had been Liam who had taught Meghan her mum's favorite song. Liam knew it wasn't easy for Karen, but it wasn't easy for him either; ´He only hoped that time of uncertainty would be over soon.
Charlie sighed deeply. He'd never have to find out what Aaron would be like because Charlie wasn't planning on going anywhere. Not unless someone forced him. Which could potentially happen, but not the point. He smiled wider as Karen's face lighted up as Meghan played 'The Rose' to her.
When Liam looked at Karen he thought he saw some glistening of tears in her eyes. He leaned over to her and wiped them away. "You okay, Karen?" She only nodded, but with a kind of loving smile.
Charlie pushed Aaron towards the kitchen, wanting to give Karen and Liam some alone time. Claire came walking into the living room before Charlie caught her by the waist, and with one look of his eyes, followed them into the kitchen as well. Once there, Charlie kissed her lightly on the lips. "Just give them a second. They might actually start talking if we don't interfere too much..."
Liam had seen Charlie leaving from the corner of his eye. He put John down on the floor when Meghan had finished. "Meghan, take your bro and go see if Charlie has some cookies." he told their daughter, and Meghan, knowing her dad, knew what to do. "You alright?" Liam repeated when he and Karen were finally alone.
Charlie wrapped his arms around Claire's waist, his chest to her back. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, feeling Claire do the same. The children were looking at them strangely, but seemed to sense the importance of the moment. "Meghan, do you want to get some cookies out for everyone?" He didn't want to move from this spot. Claire felt so warm and comforting right now, and he definitely needed some comfort.
Liam felt tense, but still tried not to show it. Karen sighed and turned to fully face Liam and take his hand. She said that she shouldn't have waited that long, but she had because she thought that with his plastered leg, it would be better if Liam still stayed with Charlie. Now though she wanted him to come back home, because she couldn't stand the empty bed much longer.
Claire leaned back against Charlie, and he held her tightly. "Well, they're not yelling." He said. "Thats a start." Claire laughed, and tried to go pour the children some milk, but Charlie stopped her. "Just stay here, just for a minute, please." She looked at him sweetly and held still.
Liam breathed in deeply. "Are you really sure you want this? Are you sure you're not rushing?" Liam sounded to himself as if he didn't want to go back, which was absolutely not the case, and there wasn't actually any rush either, because nearly a year had been a long time. Karen looked at her husband for a moment before sealing his lips with her own. This was more than the answer to Liam's question.
Charlie started to fidget. "I can't stand tension... I have no patience!" Claire laughed and leaned him back against the counter, whispering him to shush, they'd hear him. Charlie rolled his eyes, and began to fidget again. "I hate suspense!"
Karen's kiss was more than surprising for Liam. And it wasn't just a peck, it was a real, long, even romantic kiss. Liam thought his heart would burst from all the feelings rushing through his mind, and that that burst would push every individual drop of tears he had hidden so long out of him.
Charlie suddenly felt his chest lighten, and he sighed. "I think its alright. I wouldn't go in there yet, but I think its alright." Claire smiled, and Charlie let her go this time.
Liam let his tears run freely, now that they were tears of joy he didn't have to hide them anymore. And it felt good to just let his feelings express themselves, he didn't know when he had cried the last time, but he knew it had been long time. At the moment there was no need for words.
Charlie went over to sit at the table with the children. He leaned in to Aaron and John and asked "How was your day with Auntie?" Immediately a babble of childish chatter arose, talking about how the boys had gone to the park, fed ducks and watched dogs play, and how this dog was so cute and a duck almost tried to bite John's finger, so on and so on. Charlie barely listened, he was feeling so optimistic.
After quite a time Karen stood up, saying that they should go look for the others. She insisted on Liam coming with her, because he needed some exercise. So Liam got up as well and Karen helped him walk over to the kitchen.
Charlie took a bite of a cookie, with a snarl, and all the children laughed as crumbs lined his mouth. Claire rolled her eyes and smacked him on the back of his head and he just smiled. "Me like cookie!"
"Me too likes cookie." Liam grinned entering the kitchen. He made Karen lead him to the table, and sitting down he grabbed a cookie too. Karen let go off Liam and went to talk to Claire about where to find all of Liam's stuff in this house.
Charlie leaned into his brother like a 12 year old. "Well???" he whispered, still chewing on his cookie. "What's going on bro?"
"Well, a lot actually. You're gonna get rid of me." Liam told his brother.
Charlie hit his fist against the table in excitement. "All right, mate, that’s awesome! Whee!" He sat back, bouncing in his seat. Aaron looked at his dad like he had suddenly grown carrots out of his ears, but didn't say anything. Claire came back into the kitchen with a wide smile lighting her face.
Liam couldn't do much more than mirroring Claire. She told him that Karen was packing his stuff and he shouldn't worry about helping, it was alright like this. She hugged him saying that she was very happy for him. "Thank you. I hope I wasn't too much a burden while I was here."
Claire looked offended and bopped him on the head. Charlie laughed. "Yes, Liam, you were an absolute drag. Always fixing our house and stuff.... what a terrible guest."
"Aye, until I made a cripple of myself." Liam said getting smacked another two times. Meghan watched the whole time and found it was very funny her dad was getting hit. She giggled, getting up bouncing and stated she'd gonna go help her mum. "How did I deserve such a family? Huh, John, how do I?" Liam asked lifting John onto his lap. John just giggled.
Charlie placed his elbows on the table, lacing his hands together and placing his chin on them, making his eyes wide. "Well, Liam, when two people love each other very much..." he started in a high voice, but Claire gave him the look of death. He smiled cheekily and blew her a kiss.
Liam chuckled. "You're so stupid Charlie! Oh but, I've got you something." he said. He sat John back onto his chair and stood up carefully.
Charlie raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He laid his arms down on the table and his head on them, looking at his brother suspiciously.
Liam grinned. "Come on, move your lazy ass and come to the study with me." he said and began hobbling out of the kitchen.
Charlie thought about defying orders for a few moments. After all, the bastard has called him a lazy ass. But curiousity won over, as it always did. He pushed himself up from the table and slowly followed his brother into the study, tempted to scratch his head in curiosity.
Liam sat down and took the guitar into his hand, not telling Charlie anything about what was going to come next, because he wanted it to be a surprise, and also, he didn't even know if Charlie remembered they had been talking about finishing the Two Brothers song and performing it together when Charlie had been in hospital. He just started to play and sing:
Funny now
You finally see me standing here
Funny now
I’m crying in the rain
All Alone
I tried to be invincible
Together now
We can be saved
Funny now
You finally live your family life
Funny now
You had to go through so much pain
All Alone
With no one standing at your side
Together now
We can be saved
Funny now
You taught me how to carry on
Funny now
I’ve always felt like I was Cain
All Alone
I swear I would have broken down
Together now
We can be saved
Funny now
Some things can not be done alone
Funny now
Accepting help is not that hard
All Alone
Our lives would not make any sense
Together now
We can be saved
Charlie just sagged against a wall in amazement. His throat tightened and he felt the burn of tears prick his eyes, but not in a sad sort of way. He didn't know what to say. He just stared at Liam with a disbelieving smile.
Liam laid the guitar aside, and stared back at his brother. He didn't know what to say; He had just said everything he wanted to say. He swallowed. "Say something, Charlie." He begged in a low voice.
Charlie finally stood up again, walked to the door and closed it. Then he moved over to Liam, leaned down and pressed his lips against his hard, but not for very long. "You're amazing. Thank you so much, brother."
Liam drew back staring at Charlie. Everything inside him was feeling awkward now. That had been the last reaction he'd have thought of.
Charlie knew he'd crossed a line. Just as everything was getting back to normal, he'd gone and fucked it up. He moved away quickly, going to sit on a chair across the room. "Sorry" he mumbled. "Got carried away."
Liam softly smiled at his brother, though in reality he was quite shocked. Today - Of all days! - Charlie nearly had fucked up everything Liam had worked hard for over the past few months. "Don't worry." he said, not sure if he is lying at Charlie or rather himself.
Charlie ducked his head. "I'll just go. Thank you so much for the song. I love it. Sorry again." He walked out of the room dejectedly, finding Claire in the other room, looking curiously at him. He pulled her into a tight hug, and she hugged him back just as tightly, though she was obviously confused.
Liam let his head fall back on the back of the sofa. "Fuck!" He hadn't meant for Charlie to leave, to be offended, to feel guilty, or whatever Charlie was feeling right now. He picked the guitar up again and started playing Yesterday, for that seemed to be the adequate song that first would come to his mind.
Claire asked him what was wrong, and he said simply that he'd almost just fucked everything up. "I'm so sorry, love. I was being stupid." Claire just held him, having no idea about what was happening, but she was ok with that, for now.
Silent tears were running down Liam's face. Utterly stupid, he thought, making that a reason to cry. But maybe it just were his emotions, still being kind of alerted from before, from Karen. But he really hadn't meant for Charlie to feel bad. He fucking loved his brother - though, not the way he had loved him before; he had learned that his family needed more of his love than Charlie did.
Claire took Charlie's hand and led him to the couch, curling up there together. He breathed in her scent and let it calm him, and slowly he stopped shaking so much.
Hearing Meghan hopping down the stairs, Liam wiped away his tears and made his way back to the kitchen to find his son there playing with Aaron. Liam sat on a chair and ask Aaron to come onto his lap. "Uncle Li's going to go to Meghan's, to stay there. But I will come over to check if you're being, good, aye?" Aaron nodded and Liam let him back onto the floor.
Claire looked over the edge of the couch and saw that Liam and Karen were preparing to leave, and she nudged Charlie. But he didn't want to move, so he pretended to be asleep. Claire disentangled herself from Charlie and he could soon hear her voice talking to Liam, thanking him for all his help.
"I was only giving back what I got, Claire. I might have to thank you much more." He said, getting a shaking head in response. He hugged her tightly before lifting John up on his arm and leaning onto Karen for support him on walking. "Wait, where's Charlie?" he said when they were nearly out of the front door.
Claire quickly told him that Charlie had fallen asleep on the sofa that he hadn't been sleeping well so it was best for him to get his rest. Charlie snorted as he heard this, but softly enough so no one could hear.
Liam sighed deeply. If Charlie was asleep, he'd better not wake him. "Well, tell him to call me, okay? And tell him that I left it on the coffee table in the study." Answering Claire's asking look he added: "I'm sure Charlie'll know what "it" is." With that they went to the car, getting the kids and Liam's stuff inside.
Charlie waited fifteen minutes or so after the door had closed before he opened his eyes. Sleepily, he walked around the living room and into the kitchen, glancing at the clock. 3pm. His stomach grumbled. What a weird day it'd been already... he made himself a sandwich and sat down, eating it alone when Claire came in with Aaron, asking if he could watch him while she went to the store. Charlie nodded numbly.
Liam had been back in the house in the last weeks, but it felt still extremely strange to be back for good now. Karen got his stuff inside while Liam took the children by the hand and took Meghan's guitar. Inside Meghan pulled him into the living room and onto the sofa and no sooner had he sat down she and John began tickling and hugging him and climbing on him, well knowing and enjoying that their dad was back.
Claire came back from the grocery less than an hour later to find Charlie and Aaron curled on the couch, sleeping with a puzzle half done before them. She smiled, unloading her parcels and looking most amused. She was worried about Charlie, but as the man yawned and turned onto his back, she knew that whatever came to be, they'd always work it out together.
It was the greatest thing to happen, that Karen asked me to come back. But it wasn't easy too. We both had made quite a lot of experiences without each other in the meantime, but we could work it out. We had made it through the worst time of my drug taking together, so we could handle this too. And for the children it was obviously the best to be a family again.
What I haven't been thinking of in that time of break-up, in that time living at Charlie's, had been Charlie and me. Well, I have thought about it, but very seldom and never in the way I had before that time. It was weird, working hard on the new image, on being respectable, had totally thrust aside this side of my life. I still wonder how Charlie is thinking about all this. His kiss on the day of my return home was far to surprising for me and still confuses me sometimes.
Liam | |
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