Everyone finally joined Liam and the children at the table. Dishes clinked as conversations flowed easily and loudly, just as it always had in the O’Brien home. They devoured the meal quickly, and the plates were cleared before family members migrated to the living room to begin decorating their lush tree. Mary had put on more Christmas tunes, this time Bing Crosby’s White Christmas album.
Grandpa Paddy and Pat sat in front of the tree, giving orders to Daniel on the placement of the lights, and Melanie and the twins eagerly assisted their uncle Daniel with the colorful strands. Maggie and Mary sat on one of the leather couches, carefully going through each fragile ornament, recalling when it was made or purchased.
“The boys sure are excited about Christmas this year,” Liam commented as he maneuvered another heavy box away from the tree.
Patrick’s eyes glazed over with a sad wetness. “Yeah. Beth would have enjoyed seeing them get all worked up about Santa.”
Liam knew it had to be difficult for his brother to experience holidays and other milestones now his wife was deceased. They had all loved Beth, and Patrick was right—she would have loved seeing her boys get thrilled about reindeer and elves and, of course, Santa bringing presents.
“I know, Patrick.” Liam gave his brother a soft hug. There weren’t too many words one could say at times like these.
Patrick nodded with his head turned toward his two sons, who were tugging on a tangle of silver and gold garland.
The tree was just about perfect when Mary brought in a tray of cookies and eggnog to celebrate the family’s decorating efforts. Once they’d all emptied their cups and only crumbs were left, the twins and Melanie piled onto one of the couches in a slumber only children can have—the deep and uninterrupted kind of sleep, with soft breaths escaping from their milky mouths as the adults looked on lovingly.
“I better get them home,” Patrick announced as he yawned and dusted some straggling cookie crumbs from his gray fleece sweater.
“I’ll help you,” Daniel said.
Mary began picking up the empty mugs as Maggie tried waking Melanie gently to take her to the room they were staying in. Liam offered to carry his niece, and Maggie gave him a grateful smile.
As Liam skillfully slipped his large arms around the six-year-old, she stirred for a moment and quickly returned to sleep. He carefully stepped into the room, placed the child in the bed, and pulled the floral quilt up near her neck. He then smoothed strands of auburn hair from her forehead before leaving a gentle kiss there.
Feeling Maggie’s gaze on him, Liam whispered, “You coming back out?”
“No, I’m going to go to bed. Thanks for carrying her,” she whispered back.
“All right, good night, sis,” Liam replied, and he planted a soft kiss on top of her chestnut hair.
Liam joined his mother in the kitchen, where she was busy filling the dishwasher.
“Can I help?” he offered, grabbing some dishes from the wooden kitchen island.
“I have never been one to turn down help, let alone from one of my handsome sons.” Mary smiled sweetly at him.
Liam chuckled. “You sure know how to butter us up to help, huh?
“Well, you can’t blame me. With a family as large as ours, a woman needs all the help she can get.”
Liam smiled at her and sighed heavily. “I felt bad for Patrick tonight.”
“I know. It has to be hard, considering now that the boys are getting a little older. But I try to remind him that Beth is here, and she sees them growing up and what a fine job he’s doing with them,” Mary offered while rinsing a dish.
Handing his mother another dirty mug, Liam thought more about Maggie. It was time to see what information his mother had.
“You know, Mom, we have noticed Maggie seems a bit out of sorts. Any idea what’s going on with her?”
Mary sighed. She was definitely aware of something. “You see, dear, Maggie’s really having a hard time of it right now. Michael’s working very hard to get partner at the firm. She misses him, and so does Melanie.”
“It just seems a little bit deeper than just missing her husband,” Liam said as he handed her another dish.
Mary took it from him and continued filling the dishwasher as she added, “I don’t think you understand how it is for a mother at times, Liam. You see, you and your brothers all have done something with your life. Maggie did too, but she doesn’t see just being a mom and wife as fulfilling.”
“So why doesn’t she go back to work?” Liam suggested, leaning against the counter to face her.
“It’s more than just work. Maggie has her plate full, trust me. She has Melanie involved in so many activities, and she takes care of everything at the house. I just don’t believe she sees her value, and she feels she is losing her identity. To everyone over in Seattle, she is either just Michael’s wife or Melanie’s mother. She doesn’t have too many friends over there, or anyone who just knows her as Maggie.”
Liam frowned but understood what his mother was telling him. Still, he had a hard time believing his confident sister could ever have any doubt as to who she was.
Mary continued, “Besides, as if that wasn’t enough, Michael has mentioned wanting more children.” She lowered her voice. “You better not go on and tell her I told you this. She shared a lot of this stuff while we were shopping this afternoon.”
“I won’t say anything, Mom, but when Patrick and Daniel came to my house earlier, we discussed Maggie. We all could tell something was going on.”
“I know, sweetie, and I’m sure it’ll work itself out. Michael is flying in tomorrow, and so I’m sure it will be lovely with him here,” Mary said as she wiped her hands on a bright dish towel that had a tiny snowman pattern. After untying and hanging up her apron, which had a jolly-looking Santa on it, Mary turned to Liam and wrapped her thick arms around his slender waist. “You are a good son and an even better brother,” she whispered, pressing her cheek against his chest.
Liam drove home that night with a heaviness in his heart and mind. As he pulled into his driveway, he said a silent prayer. The clear night sky was filled with diamond-like stars, and without a shroud of cloud coverage, the air was bone-chilling. The freezing temperature made the snow hard, and it crunched under Liam’s boots as he hurried inside.
***
Christmas Eve arrived as Liam sat in his kitchen, enjoying his coffee and large bowl of oatmeal. As he nibbled on some wheat toast and turned the page of the novel he’d been reading, his phone rang.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Good morning, dear,” Mary sang joyfully on the other end of the line.
“Morning, Mom,” Liam replied as he tried tearing his eyes away from the book.
“I wanted to remind you to bring the gifts you got for the children and perhaps a couple extra pillows and blankets if you could,” she said softly.
“No problem.”
“Okay, sweetie, we’ll see you when you get here. Perhaps you can let me know when you are leaving, in case I need anything from the store?”
“Sure, sounds like a plan,” Liam said distractedly.
After they exchanged good-byes, Liam hung up and swallowed the last remaining bite of oatmeal. He closed the book and started humming “Jingle Bells” as he cleared his dishes.
Later that day, he would head to his parents’ home to spend the night. After cookies were left out for Santa, stockings were hung, and the children were put to bed, the adults would usually sit together and enjoy a classic holiday movie. Liam had memorized most word for word, and he enjoyed every minute of it. Once they knew for sure that the children were sound asleep, they would lay out all the gifts. Liam hoped that someday he would have children and could experience that magic with them, but for now he relished this special time with his nephews and niece.
***
Christmas morning was a flurry of activity in the O’Brien house with shiny wrapping paper strewn about and ribbons and bows scattered everywhere. Mary a
ttempted to stay on top of the cleanup by picking up the wrappings after each gift was open, and Maggie tried wrangling all the gifts into a semi neat pile. Michael sat with the rest of the men, taking toys out of their packaging and installing batteries.
“Michael, so glad you made it, man,” Daniel said as he worked feverishly on opening a small toy for Finn.
Michael smiled as he inserted several batteries into a rocket ship for Connor. “I was happy to sneak away for sure. Been so damn busy lately. It actually feels weird just sitting.”
“This is hard work, getting all these darn packages open.” Daniel groaned, surveying the countless items that had yet to be opened.
Liam was carefully cutting away a thick plastic string around a new doll for Melanie as he said, “But did you see the look on their faces?”
“Makes it totally worth it,” Michael replied as Melanie ran up to give him a quick hug before scurrying back to her loot.
Patrick was opening another container of batteries when he said, “Every year it seems like they get more and more stuff. At least more stuff that requires batteries.”
“So when does your flight leave, Michael?” Liam asked carefully, making sure Maggie was not in earshot.
A sudden look of disappointment washed over Michael’s face. “Unfortunately, this evening. You know I only want to give them the best life. Making partner at my firm will give us that. But sometimes I wonder why I’m sacrificing all this time. It’s such a drag not being able to be with Maggie and Melanie more, especially during the holidays.”
“When will you know if you made partner?” Liam asked.
Michael sighed. “Well, I’m hoping to know more by the end of winter or around spring. Keep your fingers crossed for me.”
Maggie entered the living room again after having disappeared for quite some time and smiled sweetly at her brothers and husband. Liam could tell she was happy Michael was here.
“Just wanted to tell you guys that Mom has French toast ready,” she announced, eliciting a loud cheer from the children.
After a delightful family breakfast, the kids resumed playing, and Liam said his good-byes to Michael and the rest of the family. Michael mentioned he would return for New Year’s Eve, which was a lively evening for the O’Briens. Mary usually decorated their basement and set up game tables, and they would drink champagne and whiskey way past the midnight toasting hour. They would dance and laugh until dawn, and Liam was happy to hear Michael would be back for that.
Chapter Four
Rachel
Rachel had made it through California the previous day, and now her silver BMW was eating away at the highway. She’d never realized how long the Golden State was. The central agricultural area seemed to go on forever, with countless fields and groves as far the eye could see. Along the way, when boredom got the best of her, she would call Chelsea at various gas stations she stopped at, but Rachel did enjoy the solitude of the open road and the change of scenery. She had been excited to soar past Sacramento and was thoroughly exhausted by the time she made her way to northern California.
After waking up the next morning and being properly fueled with coffee and fully energized for the trek ahead, Rachel was thrilled when she sped past the Welcome to Oregon sign. Oregon was a pleasure to drive through. Thick trees covered the mountains, the peaks of which were covered with snow, and dotted the sides of the highway. The roads were wet, and a dense fog had slowed her journey slightly.
She was halfway through Oregon when she needed gas. Rachel parked, hopped out, and was preparing to swipe her credit card when a gas station attendant raced toward her. She looked at him in confusion as he quickly instructed not to fill her own tank. She felt like a fish out of water, not knowing what the proper etiquette was. Did she tip the attendant? If so, how much?
Rachel felt wary as she headed over the border into Washington. A mixture of uncertainty and excitement created nauseous waves in her belly. Trying to calm her tender nerves, she told herself this move was the right call and there was no turning back now. New Year’s Eve was in four days, and she hoped she could go into it feeling hopeful.
As she pulled into a station for more gas, she hesitated, watching to see if other drivers were filling their own tanks. Happy to witness an elderly man pumping gas into his car, Rachel felt a sense of relief as she unscrewed her fuel cap.
When she was back on the desolate highway, with her stereo blasting a tune from the eighties, her cellphone erupted loudly.
“Hello?” she asked, turning down the music.
“Hey, wanted to see how your adventure was going,” Chelsea chirped from two states away.
“I crossed into Washington a little bit ago. It’s so different here. The area I’m in now looks sort of plain. Not a whole lot of trees like the pictures I saw,” Rachel said, scanning the vast, desert-like landscape along the Columbia Gorge.
Chelsea laughed but then sounded concerned as she asked, “Are you sure you’re going the right way?”
Rachel rolled her eyes. Chelsea was one to talk. The girl relied on her GPS even when taking a walk around her apartment complex. “Hey, you know me! I mapped everything out online, and yes, I’m going the right way,” Rachel defended playfully. “I decided to take the shorter route, which doesn’t take me through the western side of the state, you know, like by Seattle and stuff. I figure I can always go over there and visit one weekend.”
“Oh, I want to go too! Maybe I’ll have to fly up for a girls’ weekend after you get settled, and we can go over there together and see that Space thingy,” Chelsea said with enthusiasm.
“Space Needle,” Rachel corrected.
“Yeah, that thing. So how is the trip going so far? Do you miss home yet? You ready to come back?”
“I haven’t even been gone two whole days yet.” Rachel laughed, picking up her speed on the open road.
Chelsea grew quiet for a moment. “Well, I miss you.”
“I know, and I miss you too. I can’t believe I start on Monday,” Rachel exclaimed, reclining her leather seat back a tad.
“Pretty wild. So have you heard from anyone else yet?”
That was a loaded question as far as Rachel was concerned. She hadn’t heard from her mother except for a short text message wishing her a safe journey, which was actually quite unexpected and appreciated. She’d also received a short email from her father that confirmed he was still disappointed with her decision to relocate. Her brother had called once to ask if this was really what she wanted to do. They had both made a promise to keep in touch, and he’d said he would try to fly up soon.
“I got a call from Ethan early yesterday and a text from my mother and an email from my father,” Rachel answered dramatically.
She could picture Chelsea on the other end of the phone, her bottom lip sticking out sympathetically as she attempted to move her perfectly sculpted brows, which resisted from all the Botox in them.
Chelsea was a great friend, and she understood how Rachel’s family operated. Her own family wasn’t that different. Chelsea’s father, also a successful plastic surgeon, was far too busy working to really know what was going on in Chelsea’s life. He figured if he provided everything for his only little girl, he had done his job as a father. Chelsea’s mother, though still married to him, was more focused on shopping and lunching with her elite group of friends, though she did take more of a personal interest in Chelsea than Rachel’s mother ever had in her own daughter. Chelsea reaped the benefits of being wealthy without having to really work for anything. She enjoyed lunching and shopping, whereas Rachel didn’t get any kind of thrill from either. Rachel, however, did accept some of the perks of having a successful and wealthy father, one being the luxurious ride she was driving.
“Well, that’s good they contacted you at least. How is your devilishly good-looking and single brother doing these days?” Chelsea asked sweetly.
Oh boy, Rachel thought. That is one relationship that had been attempted more than once and f
ailed each time. Why can’t Chelsea see they’re never going to be a match? “Ethan is still Ethan. I don’t know what you like about him so much, Chelsea.”
“I think it’s pretty much just how damn sexy he is. Yup, that’s it.” Chelsea was laughing hard.
“Good grief, woman, have you no shame? You seem to forget he’s also my brother, so I can’t say I can put him in the sexy category,” Rachel teased.
“Well, on that note, next time you talk to that sexy doctor, tell him I say hello.” Chelsea’s voice turned thick with feigned lust.
“Yeah, I’ll be sure to do that.” Rachel’s sarcasm was equally as thick.
“Call me when you arrive at the hotel tonight. Where are you staying at again?”
“I’ll stop in Spokane for the night. I figured the Realty office will be closed by the time I get in tonight, so I might as well see what Spokane looks like. That way, I will be super well rested when I see my new place tomorrow,” she responded excitedly.
“God, what if it’s a total dump, or, like, not what you thought it was going to be?” Chelsea’s voice was laced with sudden panic.
“I’m sure it’s fine. The woman I spoke with said it was the nicest one they had available. She seemed professional and not like some backwoods hillbilly, okay?” Rachel said as the image of a redneck real estate agent showing her a home in a swamp appeared in her tired brain.
“How did you know I was just thinking, ‘What if that were the case?’” Chelsea squealed.
“Because I know you, and how worried you are, and how you are secretly hoping this doesn’t work out, and that I will have to come back.”
“Okay, okay, you totally know me. And yes, maybe I’m kind of hoping you go up there and hate it. But I do want you to know I want you to be happy, and I’m glad you are going on this adventure. Just really would have been fun to have gone with you,” Chelsea said sadly.
Loving Liam (Cloverleaf #1) Page 5
