17

Iris Parker

My head throbbed like a hammer hitting my skull. I winced at the pain and grabbed a pillow, burying my head under it.

Of course, it didn't help.

Why does my head-- oh. Right. I drank last night.

My eyes instantly open. I drank last night. Oh, goodness. Where am I?

I looked around and relief washed over me when I realized that I was in our room. Good, I got home safely. Now, the next question crept into my mind.

How did I get home?

But I couldn't think any further because my head started to hurt badly once again. Ugh, I hate hangovers. This is why I didn't like drinking that much. But talking and explaining the past to my best friends took my energy away and tired my heart. I guess that's why I drank so much.

I heard a door opening and my head immediately yanked to its direction. My heart seemed to stop when I see Liam at the door. He stops and looks at me for a moment before fully closing the door.

"Good morning." he says lowly and I notice the glass of water that he was holding. I start cursing myself when I thought of the possibilities that he was the one who brought me home.

No, no, just no way. He knew what happened to me when I got drunk. I hope I didn't act like that.

"What happened last night?" I ask as I watch him near me and handing me the glass of water with a pill.

He smirks amusedly and extends his hand with the pill. I mumble a small 'thank you' and take it from him. "Of course, you don't remember." he says and shakes his head. "Well, it's probably better that way." I didn't fail to pick up the hurt and regret in his voice.

I was stunned because he let an emotion slip through.

As I drank the pill that he gave me, I started wondering until when we were gonna play this game of charades. We can't just forever keep guessing what we each feel and think. It's getting tiring and I'm tired of it.

"No work today?" I asked after I realize that he was still here, leaning on the bed frame. I seem to have interrupted his thoughts because his emerald eyes snapped back at me.

"No. I was thinking that maybe we could bring the triplets out."

I raised my eyes at him. What? Bring them out?

"Is there something wrong about that?" he asks, seemingly confused but I quickly shake my head.

"No, no, not at all. It's just... A bit sudden." I say, more to myself than him, but he managed to hear it anyway. He smiles and I melt inside.

I quickly chastised myself for being affected though. I shouldn't be, I just couldn't go back. But all my thoughts just kept coming back. After all, it's not just about me or him. It's about him, me and most importantly.

Any choice that we make now will affect them greatly.

I grew up in a complete family and I don't want to withhold that away from them, they deserved a complete family also. But I stared at Liam who was walking towards the closet.

Deep inside, I know that I've already made my decision, but my heart couldn't accept it yet.

-----

We were eating at Miles End Club. Today, their menus consisted of Italian cuisine and as soon as we sat down, they started serving the food by courses.

"Daddy, what's outside there?" Jamie asks and points to the balcony. Liam momentarily looked to the way he pointed and smiled.

"A football field." he answered. I couldn't help but smile also. Liam loved football and I wasn't all that surprised when he brought us to Miles End Club.

It's basically a club for football lovers, and it's super fancy. Liam's family had been members of this ridiculous club for years and they pay a hefty amount for it. But I guess if you love something, the money doesn't really matter.

"Are we gonna play later?" Jacob asked, his 'r's sounding a bit like 'w's.

"Of course. I'll teach you myself." he says proudly and ruffles Jacob's hair. I look over to Jace who had been silent the whole time.

Jace was silent, sure, but after he got rescued, he became more silent and my heart ached every time I saw him spacing out. I wonder where his memories take him.

I hold his hand softly and he immediately looks at me. His eyes were glassy, reminding me of Liam's for a while.

"You okay, baby?" I ask and he nods slowly but I knew he wasn't. And I didn't know how to take away the monsters that haunted him.

I cast a glance at Liam who was watching us. I smiled sadly and he understood how I felt. He must have felt terrible too.

After eating, Liam toured us a bit around the club, well, mostly the triplets. I've been here a couple of times. Finally, all of us got changed to some football attire and got out of the field. We were all dressed in a black and white uniform.

I tied my hair up and made my way to the field where I saw the triplets starting to kick the ball and chasing after it.

My eyes found their way to Liam and my breath hitches for a second. I always loved how he look in his football attire. Hot.

But I quickly look away before he notices.

We start playing.

"Here, Jace!" Jamie screamed to his brother. Jace looked up and kick the ball towards Jamie but Jamie misses it and Jacob catches it.

"Go, Jacob!" I cheer, lightly running towards the goal where Liam was guarding it.

He had a wide grin on his face, clearly enjoying the moment. I was too. But something inside kept bothering me, and I knew I couldn't ignore it any longer. I had to stop it.

But I couldn't spoil this moment. I wanted to engrave this moment in my heart and keep things this way forever.

Jacob ran, with a determined look on his face. He sped up, dribbling the ball quite nicely and when he was close to the goal, he kicked it. Liam delayed his guarding so the ball went in.

"YAY! I scored!" Jacob screamed cheerfully. I ran to him, smiling. I carry him up.

"Wow, look at you! Such a big boy already!" I compliment. He laughs and the others approach us.

"That was great, big boy." Liam tells Jacob and kisses him on the cheek. "And all of you, great teamwork!" he says and kisses both Jace and Jamie on their cheeks.

"Ew, dad! You're all sweaty! Yucky!" Jamie exclaims and tries to get away from Liam. We all laugh.

"Daddy, since you lost, you're gonna have a punishment!" Jacob says and wriggles out of my arms.

We all look curiously towards him. He goes near Jace and whispers something. Jace smiles and nods. Next, Jacob goes to Jamie and does the same thing. Jamies laughs mischievously and nods.

Liam and I share a confused look and I let out a nervous chuckle. What were they planning? What was Jacob planning?

Finally, they come in front of us in a horizontal line.

"Okay daddy. We're gonna tell you your punishment." Jace says and smiles. I smiled that he was finally smiling.

"Sure, what is it?" Liam asks confidently.

The triplets share a look with each other and smile. Oh no, this can't be good.

"You have to kiss mommy." they said in unison. They had a talent in synchronization, you see.

My smile instantly drops as both my eyes and mouth widen. What were they saying?!

They were kids for goodness' sake!

"What are you three sayi--" but before I could finish scolding them, Liam laughs out loud. I turn to him and see him laughing fully.

My heart fluttered at the sound, I always loved his laugh. I mentally rolled my eyes. What didn't I not love about him, honestly?

"Sure, I'll do it." he agrees and my eyes widen even more. My heart started to race as Liam turns towards me. He walks a few steps and here he was, right in front of me.

"Liam! Get away!" I say threateningly and take a few steps back. The triplets laugh behind him.

He smiles amusedly and says something lowly. "For them?" he asks.

"No."

Liam pouted and feigned pain, even reaching for his heart. "Ouch, it seems mommy doesn't like me, kiddos. Show's over." he says and momentarily turn to the triplets.

They all pout and for a while, the four of them looks alike.

"Mommy, you're not even trying to make up with daddy." Jamie says, crossing his arms over his chest.

"We're mad at you now." Jace says which surprises me.

"What?! That's unfair!" I cry out.

"You never let daddy kiss you." Jacob says.

"We won't look." they say in unison again and I groan.

I looked at Liam who was enjoying all of this too much. Did he plan this? Is this why he let Jacob score that goal?

Ugh, I don't know.

"Fine, but close your eyes!" I say to them, making it seem like I was annoyed, but I wasn't really. And besides, I had a plan myself.

Liam snaps his eyes at me questioningly, probably wondering why I had agreed.

"Okay!" the triplets say again and I see them cover their eyes with their hands.

Liam walks closer and I let him in my personal space. My heart was hammering against my chest and all I could do was to hope that he didn't hear it.

He holds my face with one hand, lifting it up to look towards him. His touch sent sparks that I've been wanting to forget. He leans in closer and I literally feel my breath stopping. But before he presses his lips to me, I push turn my face away and push him.

He quickly raises an eyebrow at me, shocked at what I did. I smiled victoriously at him.

"Done! Happ--"

And then I felt his lips on mine, sending me on cloud nine.

______________________

Iris Parker

I haven't come up with a plan yet, but my decision was made. This play-family wasn't working.

It's probably selfish of me, but I just can't help it. I can't just go on living everyday beside the very man who took everything away from me and my family as if nothing was wrong. Although my kids were much happier than how I've seen them before, in so many ways, it's so wrong.

I feel like I'm betraying my parents, my hardships, my self.

The three-story house stood in front of me reinforced everything that I was feeling. I haven't been here in 5 years either.

In my memory, it used to be so grand, cozy and homely. It was still well taken care of, but it didn't stand as elegant as before. It was my home.

I pressed the door bell and clung tightly on my clutch.

"Who is there?" the voice asked and I was quite surprised that the guard didn't recognize me. Probably someone new.

"Iris... Iris Williams." I said, trying to normalize how that should sound. I was so used on having the Parker name and it sounded weird saying my name how I used to.

"Oh-oh! Miss Williams! We'll open the doors right away and inform Mr. Williams." the guard says. The gate doors started opening.

"No, please don't inform him. I'll surprise him." I smiled sadly.

"Very well, miss."

The gate doors opened and I entered the Williams property. In all honesty, I didn't want to come back here. I didn't want to see my dad. I'm too ashamed by the things that I have done, I was the reason why—

Stop.

I took my time walking to the house and I noticed that there weren't as many maids or guards that were walking around as I remember it to be. The grass and plants weren't as green and the ground wasn't as clean.

I sighed and shook my head. Little details don't matter.

I opened the door and went inside. A maid quickly greeted me by taking my bag. I thanked her briefly before taking a tour of my old home.

The house still smelled of fresh mint and laundry because those are two things my mom loved. Mind and laundry. Why? I never really knew.

The living room was still the same, the furnitures were still here, the daisies still in the vase as if they've lived there for these past fiver years.

My mother's kitchen was still the same, everything was placed the same. I opened the bottom drawer beside the dishwasher and I almost broke into tears when I saw a bar of chocolate hidden at the very back.

My hands were trembling, but I took the chocolate and slowly opened it. I took a bite and instead of a sweet taste, the taste of warm and bitter water overshadowed the chocolate. It was my tears.

"Iris?"

I immediately stopped. My sobs were shushed by the mere voice.

Slowly, with my heart breaking inside my chest, I turned around to look at the man who I adored my whole life.

His hair was a mixture of black and grey. His face had more wrinkles now, his glasses fogging up. His eyes were widened at the sight of me and I slowly let go of the chocolate I was holding. I took big strides of steps to get to him and when I was in front, I embraced him.

He hugged me back and started saying how much he missed me. My heart broke even more and all I could do was apologize.

"I—I'm" the lump in my throat didn't let me speak. "I'm so— s-so sorry, Dad." I kept saying. I repeated and hoped that I would attain forgiveness with enough sincere apologies.

My father held my face in between his hands and shook his head. He started fixing the strands of hair off my face.

"Shh, Iris. What do you have to apologize for? It was all my fault. If only I hadn't made that deal, you wouldn't have been caught up in it. I'm the one who's supposed to be sorry, honey. I just... I just missed you so much." he said, his own tears wetting his face.

"I missed you too, Dad. And this house. I missed everything here." I admitted. He looked behind me and smiled sadly.

"I made the maids put a chocolate there everyday just in case you came back and came looking for one." My heart melted and broke.

"Oh, dad. You know I'll always come back here. I couldn't leave here. This is where I belong, this is my home."

"I know, I know. It's just... you were gone for so long and I was feeling very lonely living in such a big house."

I hugged him again and apologized another time. After that, we talked about what we've been up to these past five years.

I told him how I've been working as a marketing operations manager and that I lived in a condo just one or two hours away from here. I chose to keep the triplets hidden from him for a while since I wanted to surprise him.

As for my father, he still managed some of the little businesses that was left and that he was getting by... without my mother.

"I miss her so much, but seeing you now. You have grown to look much more like her and I'm happy for that." my dad reminisced.

I smiled sadly. My mother died 5 years ago, right when we lost all of our business franchises. The stress was too much for her heart and one heart attack was all it took for her to be away from us.

I cried nonstop. My mother was my strength, I told her everything and she always imparted to me her wisdom. When she was gone, I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to face my problems alone. I was so used to having her there and when she wasn't, I chose to run away from everything.

"I miss her too Dad. But life is life. We have to go on, she would've said that same thing."

"You're right, sweetie." he looks at me, teary-eyed. "I'm so proud of who you've become."

That shattered my heart. Was I someone to be proud of? It's my fault that we lost all our business, it's my fault that mom died.

"So what about Liam, Iris?"

As if on cue, my phone started ringing. It was Liam. I looked up to my father, as if asking for permission to answer it. He gently smiled and I stood up and made sure that my father was out of earshot before answering the call.

"Hello?"

"Iris, where are you?" Liam's voice spoke through. I could tell he didn't sound too happy.

"Uh, just out to do some errands, why?"

"Where? I'll pick you up—"

"No, no. I'll be fine."

"I'll pick you up." it was final. I sighed frustrated. What was up with him? He can't control me like this!

"And I'm saying no, Liam. I'll get home by myself. Now, if you don't mind, I'm in the middle of something very important." I said and hang up before he could say something else.

My heart pounded against my chest, but I ignored it. At least, I tried to.

I made my way back to my father.

"Dad, I'm so sorry, but I have to leave now. I'll explain everything when I come back."