The Thunderproof Sky

by Loretta Lost

  “I can’t believe I’m going into this at all.”

  Once we are within hearing range, we hear that Liam is congratulating Helen’s father on his wedding. I cross my arms over my chest, staring at him warily.

  “I’m so happy for you two,” Liam is saying, but his voice sounds strained.

  “Thank you, son,” Richard responds. “You and Helen are welcome to come spend holidays with us as much as you like. It’s a great place for children to run around and play.”

  I am not sure what place he is talking about, but I see the sad expression on Liam’s face.

  I study him carefully, and I see the guilt and despair.

  I remember that small, terrified woman we met yesterday, and I try to imagine what Liam was like as a boy. He would have been a cute kid, and innocent, like I used to be before all those bad things happened to me. He was probably so scared all the time, living with Jim Larson.

  He was a victim, too.

  “Stay here for a second,” I tell Cole softly, before walking forward. My new boots clink on the floor, and I take a deep breath as I approach Liam. “Hey,” I force myself to say, awkwardly.

  He looks up at me in surprise. His face displays shock and recognition.

  “Are you ready to stop being a little princess now?” I ask him, crossing my arms over my chest in annoyance. “Because I’d really like to have a big brother.” My legs are positioned in a wide stance, and I have the urge to walk forward and hit him in the face. But Owen says he already did that, and I’m not a copycat.

  “Sophie,” he says in amazement, walking forward, and I see his Adam’s apple moving as he swallows. His eyes are wide, and looks almost like Cole did earlier—a vulnerable little boy on Christmas morning. “You came all the way to Switzerland for me?”

  “Not just for you,” I tell him, rolling my eyes. “Owen told me that Helen’s pregnant, and if so, that means I’m going to have a niece or a nephew. I’d like to be part of their life, and actually have at least one person in this world I can call family.”

  “I want to be your big brother,” he says, stepping forward, hesitantly. His hands are outstretched, and there are tears in his eyes. “I have from the moment I first held you in my arms. I wanted to play games with you, like checkers, and tag. I wanted to read stories to you at bedtime.”

  Searching his face, I find only honesty there, and my hard expression softens as he rambles on.

  “I wanted to have a little sister more than anything,” he says, shaking his head to try to restrain the tears, his hazel eyes filled with pain. “When I was younger, I often dreamed that you were there. That we could build Legos together, or make a fort out of sheets. It just destroyed me to learn that you weren’t just a figment of my dreams and imagination.”

  The mention of Legos gets me a little. Cole just said he loved Legos.

  Is Liam anything like Cole, who really was the best brother I could have asked for?

  I’ve never done a 3D puzzle, either. Maybe we could have done those.

  “Sophie, it hurts. All those years we could have spent together? Growing up together, and seeing all the big moments of your life happen. Beating up your boyfriends if they were jerks. I missed out on all of that.”

  He would have beat up my boyfriends? Okay, I’m sold. I mean, Cole did beat up some dudes, and admitted that he recently roughed up Zack. But it’s not the same—he wasn’t doing that out of brotherly instinct. He was doing that to lay some sort of claim on me, even before he was willing to admit we were in a real relationship.

  And there was never anyone to beat up Cole.

  Glancing coyly back at my new fiancé, who I told to wait in the other room, I smile. “I still do have some boyfriends you could beat up,” I assure my biological brother. I kind of want to reach into my coat and show him the bone necklace he helped me pick out, but I should probably save that for later. “It’s never too late, Liam. I know that finding out that day was insane, and I understand that you needed to run. I’ve been running my whole life, from foster home to foster home, and from one state to the next. But at some point, you’ve got to just grow up and face the things you’re afraid of. You’re not a bad person. You can still be a good brother. And a good dad.”

  This seems to be exactly what he wanted to hear, because he moves forward to scoop me up in a huge hug. I laugh nervously, feeling slightly uncomfortable and surprised. Yes, this should have been his first reaction, back in Michigan. But I guess he is kind of damaged. Like me.

  “Thank you,” he whispers. “Thank you for forgiving me. I don’t know how I lived all these years without having you in my life. I’m going to make an effort to get to know you, and be there for you. And when we get back to the U.S., I’d like to meet those boyfriends of yours and have a few words with them.”

  I laugh, eager to tell him that Cole is right here, and he can have a few words with him right now. But Carmen chooses that moment to enter the room, almost bouncing with excitement, with Owen close behind her.

  “Hey, Liam!” she says happily. “Good job on getting my sister knocked up.”

  “Don’t congratulate me until I know for sure that she can forgive me.”

  “Just beg,” Carmen instructs him, “and beg some more. And then beg again. Works every time.”

  Owen moves to her side, nodding in agreement.

  When the door of the chalet opens, Liam seems excited to see someone. He greets him with excitement, I move away stealthily, closer to Cole.

  “That’s his martial arts instructor, James,” I explain to Cole, softly. “I remember him from the first wedding. I don’t know the girl.”

  “How did you guys all afford the trip?” Liam is asking.

  Richard Winters chuckles. “You know that I’ve got deep pockets, son. I’m willing to do anything to make my little girl happy. And I know what would make her happiest is being with you.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Liam says. “Thank you all for coming. I hope that you won’t be disappointed.”

  “They won’t be disappointed!” Owen says cheerfully. “If Helen rejects you, David will probably propose to her, and I can be his best man instead. Either way, we’re having a romantic wedding in the Alps.”

  Liam turns to Owen in shock. “You would really be such a traitor?”

  Owen shrugs. “I’m on Helen’s team, bro. You ignored me for weeks until I had to break down your door. I’m not exactly your biggest fan right now.”

  Everyone begins to chat among themselves quietly, laughing and shaking hands and making introductions. Owen keeps checking his phone nervously, until finally, a smile lights up his face. He moves to the window, and looks outside, then he turns back cringing and looking a little worried. “Uhmmm.”

  Liam moves to the window to see what his friend is looking at, and all the color drains from his face. I peer outside as well, and notice that Helen is approaching the chalet, and her friend David is beside her.

  They are holding hands.

  “That’s Helen,” I whisper to Cole. “The bride. And possibly her new boyfriend?”

  “Damn! This could be exciting. Fifty bucks on Liam,” Cole offers.

  “What, in a fight?” I try to size both men up. “I guess if he grew up with Jim Larson, he must know how to fight. Plus the judo.” I glance at Cole’s body, appraising him carefully. “You haven’t been going to the gym much lately, either, and Liam said he wanted to beat up my boyfriends.”

  “First of all, I’m your husband, because I wasn’t too pussy to finish a wedding, even when I was sixteen,” Cole responds quietly. “Second of all, five thousand bucks on me.”

  The door to the chalet opens, and the potential bride enters the room with her new gentleman friend. All the chatter stops, and everyone turns to look at her. She doesn’t notice for a second, and just continues talking with David, but then she notices people staring at her and looks up.

  She gasps, and steps backward.

  Her mouth falls open slightly wh
en she sees Liam, and she looks like she is going to have a heart attack. All of the laughter and calmness leaves her face.

  “Liam,” she whispers, as tears fill her eyes.

  Her hand is shaking, and she places it on her stomach.

  My biological brother crosses the room in an instant, and grabs her and kisses her, and they both cry and hold each other tightly. Liam kisses her so deeply, and hugs her so tightly that he lifts her clean off the floor.

  I can’t help it. A little smile touches my lips.

  They look like a scene right out of a romantic movie.

  You know the scene—the one where someone has to run to the airport to stop someone from leaving. I feel Cole at my side squeezing my hand.

  “You owe me fifty bucks,” he whispers.

  I shove my elbow into his side. “That’s almost how I felt when I found you in Nevada.”

  Helen is sobbing, with her arms around Liam’s neck, holding him tightly.

  David looks pretty sad, but he is also smiling at the couple. He did help to arrange this, after all, and tell everyone where Helen was going to be.

  What an amazing friend.

  Even Liam smiles at David thankfully.

  “Helen,” Liam says gruffly. “I love you. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  “I know,” she says, looking down tearfully. “I know.”

  “You were right about the test,” Liam says. “Now, I think I finally understand how you felt about your eye surgery. You always say that you’re so thankful, but really, I was just doing my job. It was nothing at all. Anyone could have done that surgery on your eyes, but there aren’t many people in the world who could care about me enough to discover that I had a sister. You have given me something priceless. You have returned Sophie to me, when she could have remained lost forever.”

  He looks at me, and I give him a slight smile. I also smile at Helen, who gives me a little wave—she seems happy to see me. I am happy to see her.

  A little jealous of her perfect, happy family, and her happy pregnancy. I mean, it hasn’t been a drama-free pregnancy, because she nearly lost her fiancé, thanks to me—but she had David, and her wonderful father, and sister…

  Liam takes both of Helen’s hands, before dropping to one knee.

  I almost roll my eyes, but I guess this is the begging part.

  “Helen,” he says, “you have given me a family. You are my family. I’ve felt like a dead man, these past few weeks, being so far away from you. Will you please consider marrying me again? If I swear on everything that is holy that I won’t fuck it up this time?”

  “I—I don’t know,” she responds, with confusion all over her face. “Liam, I’m pregnant.”

  “Owen told me. It’s wonderful news.”

  “Gee, I wonder who told Owen?” she says, turning to glare at David, who whistles innocently.

  “Are you sure you’re pregnant, honey?” Dr. Leslie Winters asks. “I’m so happy for you, dear!”

  “Yes, Leslie—or should I say ‘Mom’?” Helen responds happily. “I confirmed it with a pregnancy test called ‘Maybe Baby’ that I got from a vending machine.”

  She seems so proud of this, and genuinely excited. I stare at her in wonderment. She was strong and prepared to handle her pregnancy and motherhood without Liam. She didn’t care if he never spoke to her again. She got her positive test, and she just kept on living her life, exploring Switzerland with David. Going to a beautiful chalet in the Alps.

  Because she had a good mother and father, a voice inside my head says. She doesn’t know just how bad it can be, when things get really bad.

  “You got a pregnancy test from a vending machine?” Carmen is asking her with surprise.

  Cole leans close to my ear, and whispers. “Let’s get one of those, and use it someday.”

  I want to smile—but Cole still thinks I’m Serena. If he knew who I really was…

  Helen is talking to her sister with excitement. “You can get the coolest things from vending machines in Switzerland!” Then she glances at the possible groom, skeptically. “Liam, I’m just scared that you won’t be there. Things get hard when you have kids. There’s so much to do, and no time to make mistakes. I just don’t want to be disappointed again by you walking away. I don’t want my baby to be disappointed.”

  “God, Helen. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do to prove how much I want to be there for you and this baby. I couldn’t live with myself if I wasn’t there for all of it—to give you massages if you’re in pain, doctor’s appointments, the birth—and even to change dirty diapers.” He squeezes her hands. “If you marry me, I will do unlimited diaper changes from now until the end of time. That is how much I love you. I will never complain about the smelliness, because I will just be so freaking thankful that you are letting me be near our baby and our baby’s wonderful poop.”

  “Really?” she says tearfully and happily. “Do you really mean it?”

  “Yes. I will be there for you 110%, through thick and thin. I can’t live without you, Helen Winters. If you aren’t with me, I just fall to pieces. Please forgive me and come home.”

  “Liam,” she finally says, nodding through her tears. “I will. Of course, I will. Do you know how scared I was? I thought I was never going to see you again.” She hugs him tightly. “You’re everything to me, Dr. Liam Larson. I need you in my life. You better be in this, 110%, because I’ll kill you if you leave me again. Please, let’s get married as quickly as possible, before you change your mind and have another temper tantrum. Also, I want that thing about the diapers in writing.”

  Everyone in the room laughs and cheers, and Liam and Helen look a little embarrassed to be the center of attention, but more just overjoyed to be together again.

  “Cute proposal,” Cole whispers in my ear, hugging me from behind. “Not quite as epic as tearing apart a prison to rescue a guy, then casually giving him a ring.”

  “No,” I tell him, “or getting a super romantic tattoo and whipping it out at 30,000 feet.”

  “Whipping what out? The tattoo, the ring, or—”

  “Everything,” I answer softly.

  “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” Cole says, kissing my neck and placing his hands on the sides of my hips, squeezing gently. “Just you wait and see. I can top that. The best is yet to come.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Cole and I are sitting at a table in the chalet, slightly away from the others, sipping cocktails and chatting between ourselves. I put on a simple, black dress and a pair of heels, to socialize—although I haven’t done much socializing yet. Helen has gone off to get prepared for the surprise wedding, with the new wedding dress that Carmen brought, and the makeup artist her father hired. There is even a wedding photographer, and a priest on the premises.

  The Winters family really thought of everything.

  “Aren’t you happy you came?” Cole asks me.

  “Not as happy as you are about the architecture,” I tease him.

  “I’m just glad to see you connect with a family member,” he responds. “After what happened in New York.”

  “I guess it is a little nice being in a Swiss chalet,” I muse, looking around at the mountains. “I mean, there was a restaurant called ‘Swiss Chalet’ in Canada that Zack’s sister ordered a few rotisserie chicken dinners from—but I think I prefer the real deal.”

  Liam chooses that moment to approach us. “Hello, Sister Sophie!”

  “Well, that makes me sound like a nun.”

  “This is your boyfriend?” Liam asks. “I didn’t realize he came with you!”

  “Yes, this is Cole. My fiancé, I guess,” I say, showing off my ring. “Cole, meet Brother Liam.”

  “Whoa, look at that rock! Sorry we didn’t get a chance to be introduced earlier, man. I’m Dr. Liam Larson.”

  “Good to meet you,” Cole says. “Congratulations on getting your girl back.”

  “Thanks, man. Everything that’s happened lately—not my proud
est moment.” Liam seems genuinely embarrassed. He tries to switch the topic. “So, has Cole been good to you, Sophie? Or do I need to roll up my sleeves and fight to defend your honor? And if I do need to do that—can I wait until after the wedding photos? Maybe after the wedding night, if you don’t mind. Cole looks pretty tough, and I don’t think Helen would appreciate marrying a guy with a black eye.”

  “See? He knows he would lose,” Cole whispers to me, and I glare at him.

  “Cole has been really good to me,” I assure Liam. “No need to kick his ass today.”

  “What about the other boyfriends?” Liam asks. “Didn’t you say you had more than one?”

  “She sure does!” Cole volunteers. “You see, she has multiple personalities, and a different lover for each one.”

  “Cole,” I complain, kicking him lightly under the table. When he flinches, I remember I am wearing high heeled shoes. I smile at him sweetly, hoping I drew blood.

  But Liam is laughing. “That’s a really interesting illness. But you shouldn’t joke about it like that—I know it’s sensationalized in movies and whatever, but it’s actually pretty common, and there are millions of people living with it undiagnosed. And there’s this crazy stigma that it’s supernatural, or dangerous—a lot of doctors don’t even know how to treat it, or don’t ‘believe’ it exists. Isn’t that a weird word for doctors to use? It’s in the DSM-5, it’s not a mythical creature like the Tooth Fairy or Santa Clause. You don’t have to believe in DID, you can just fucking study it and actually help people…”

  When Liam realizes that we are staring at him, his face reddens and he clears his throat. “Sorry, that’s a little bit of a doctor rant, for you guys. I just get so disillusioned with the American healthcare system sometimes.”

  “So you know a lot about mental illness?” I ask him. “PTSD? What about neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, dementia, …”

  “I don’t know enough. I specialize in treating eyes, and I usually turn to my colleagues for help on those subjects.”

  “Liam, there’s something I need to tell you,” I blurt out. This time, Cole kicks me under the table. I glare at him.