39

Iris Parker

It was the fourth day without news on Liam. I had been sick of worry and so were the three. Even without telling them of anything, they probably felt how worried I was.

Jace had been crying for his dad, worried that someone might kidnap him again and that Liam wouldn't be there to save him the second time.

It hurt my heart when I heard him say those words and all I could do was embrace him, telling him an empty promise that Liam would for sure come back.

I knew he was going to come back because if he wasn't, I was for sure going to resent him for life. He promised that we were all going to be together as a family and I needed him to keep that.

It would be cruel wouldn't it? To give us a complete family only for it to be taken away so suddenly. That's why I needed him back.

It was past midnight and I had just succeeded in putting the triplets to sleep when my phone buzzed.

Immediately, I took it from my pocket to see. My heart fell seeing that the text message was from Liam.

Liam:

I'm coming home soon. I'm sorry for making you all worry. Talk to you later, I love you.

I called the number but it went straight to voicemail. The tears were building up in relief that he was safe. I closed my eyes and whispered a small prayer of gratitude. Thank goodness he was safe. At least he was safe and that was enough for me. And he was coming home, he said.

I didn't know how long it would take him to get home, but I'm happy.

I hurriedly went downstairs by the doorsteps of the mansion, clinging tightly onto my phone as if it would bring Liam back home sooner. The time read ten past eleven. The day had been a tiring one, trying to keep the triplets busy so they forget the worry they felt for Liam.

The past two days had been like that, they somehow didn't believe that Liam was away on a business trip without telling them first. They were so sure of it and so they concluded that something must have happened.

The cold evening breeze made me wrap my arms around myself as I sat down a couch by the front. I felt my eyes dropping, but I struggled to fight the drowsiness. I haven't had sleep from these past four days.

How could I? How could I rest when I knew that somewhere out there, my husband could have been in danger?

'I will just rest my head over here...' I whispered myself as I lay my head against the armrest of the couch. It felt so soft and my eyes instantly shutting themselves. Finding myself falling into the temptation, I sit up straight.

No, I can't sleep.

I have to be awake when Liam came home. I have to welcome him home, tell him that he's... home.

I have to--

~

My eyes were closed, but I was... moving? Strong arm wrapped around me as I was being carried somewhere. Feeling the familiarity of the touch and smell, my eyes flutter open instantly.

And there he was.

Liam Parker, in all his glory.

My eyes water as I stared up to him, he hadn't noticed me awake yet, but I could see the tiredness painted on his face. His jaw were lightly stubbled from the lack of shaving. His eyes glassy.

"Liam..." I barely manage to whisper. His green pasture-like eyes meet mine and his lips instantly lift up. He was currently carrying me up the stairs and he was now leading me to our bedroom.

"Why did you sleep outside? It's cold." he reprimanded softly, one of his hands momentarily letting me go to open the door. Finally, he lets me down.

I bite my bottom lip, trying to hold back the tears.

His hair was disheveled, a proof that he had ran his hand over them many times. The first two buttons of his dress shirt unbuttoned, telling me that he was in a difficult situation.

Although he had just let me go, I wrapped my arms around him, engulfing him in a tight embrace. "I hate it when you do this." my tears were warm and salty, but I bury my face against his chest so he doesn't see my tears.

"I'm sorry, I had to do this." Liam said, his hand going behind my back. I pull away for a bit and stared at him, showing that I was still partly mad.

"Yes, but you could've at least told me! I could've been there for you, I could've--" before I had even realized it, his lips were already on mine.

As much as I had wanted to be mad, I couldn't. The kiss was slow and passionate, enough to communicate what we felt for each other.

When we parted to take a breather, he took my hands, holding them up and kissing them. "I'm sorry, but I had to do this." I was going to protest once more when he saw the look in my eyes. "Alone. This was a battle I had to end alone. I cannot bring you or the kids into it, you know that. I want us to live normal lives, I want us to live as what we are-- a family."

He drops my hands and proceeds to plant small kisses on my forehead. "My dad told me that love requires sacrifice. I wanted to take control of our family business for the longest time, I wanted to be the sole head of it. I thought my life would be complete after I was the head of Aquile Neres, but losing and having you all here now opened my eyes to what really mattered. Thank you." Liam ended as he kissed my forehead, truly feeling grateful.

My heart warmed up at what he said. I took a deep breath before breathing out.

Liam is always too stubborn. When he has mind set on something, he was going to do it without fail.

There are still many things I didn't about Liam's past and the world that he had tried to so hard to obtain. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I even wanted to know.

His ambitions had driven him to be a person that he never was. It led him to a lonely road, he sought for control that eventually led to his brokenness.

As we kept our arms around each other for who knows how long, he buried his face on my shoulder and rested.

Liam seems to believe that he could never owe up to his mistakes. But he was wrong.

"I'm so proud of you." I whispered gently, running a hand through his hair.

I heard him huff in disbelief. "What is there to be proud of? I'm a mess."

"Aren't we all? But what's important is that you're fixing the things where you went wrong. Not a lot of people can do that."

This time, he lifted his head to look at me. His eyes wet with unshed tears that he refused to let down. The vulnerability had taken me by surprise, but it didn't take long before I put on an honest smile.

Don't you find that a man's complete honesty is attractive?

He sighed and looked up. "I guess if you put it that way."

--

Iris Parker

I opened my eyes abruptly and there he was. Liam was really by my side. I wasn't dreaming. He's really here. I whispered my prayer of gratitude. Liam is safe. He had finished fighting his demons from his past. We could all move on. Truly move on.

He was deep asleep and as I stared at his perfect face, I couldn't help but remember everything that happened between us.

From bumping into Liam in a restaurant and causing a huge accident to knowing him. Falling in love, being his girlfriend and eventually his wife. To the revelation of reality and all the hurt and pain that we had caused each other. To being alone taking care of the triplets. To Jace's disappearance, to meeting Liam again. To living as a family and fixing our problems.

Liam and I had been through a lot, that's for sure. We have done things that have terribly hurt each other, said words that we shouldn't have. But we were still here, even more determined to live our lives together.

What we have is forever.

When Liam told me that love required sacrifice, I understood now what he meant. Once in a lifetime, you will find a love so deep that you'd be willing to give up even your wildest ambitions and possessions, your pride, your time for them. Whether it be your family, your friend or your special one.

Love is more than sunshine and the flowers. At times it will be tested and tried and when you make it, you see that it was all worth it.

Holding on was worth it.

Love is a process and an on-going thing. It doesn't stop at marriage when your I do's are uttered. Life will throw you its lemons and you will get tired and impatient, but when you love, you choose to go through your problems together and not against each other.

Love does not prove itself by the mere words of 'I love you'. Love must be shown to be felt. Even from the smallest of gestures, love can be shown.

That was what Ian meant and that was what he did.

I got up the bed, leaving Ian to sleep in. He was tired and he needed to rest. Dressing up, I left the room cautious not to wake him up. I went inside the triplets' room to see that they were still sound asleep.

Jamie's arms were on Jace's face while Jacob was lying upside down and his legs were so close to Jamie's face. I chuckled at the cuteness and left. They deserved to sleep in more also.

As for me, what better way to start the day than with a heavy breakfast?

I walked down the kitchen with the happy smile on my face.

I was almost near when I heard music playing from the kitchen. As I entered, I see nanay Grace already cutting up some fruits. She lifted her eyes to me and she scowled. "Aiya, go sleep some more! I'm making you breakfast." she scolded as she stopped cutting the fruits to come to push me away from the kitchen.

I couldn't help but laugh while I fought back.

"Nanay! No! I should be doing this, you should go back to your room and I will cook us breakfast. You've done so much for us already. It's time we gave you back the care you deserved." I said.

She tried to hold it back, but the smile was stubborn and it showed. "If you insist so much, I'll let you help me." she said. I sighed, she really wasn't going to be beaten over this.

I could see, some of her characteristics were passed onto Liam.

I started mixing in a few ingredients for pancake, the ones the triplets really liked. I haven't cooked in a while and I was starting to miss it.

Nanay Grace and I talked as we made breakfast.

After a good hour, we finished cooking and all that was left was to prepare the table. And so, that's what I did.

"Go wake them up now, I'll finish up." nanay Grace said and I nodded.

I made my way to the triplets' room first. As soon as I entered the door, Jace's head bobbed upwards and as he saw me, he smiled. I returned it to him. I approached their bed and kissed Jace's forehead.

"Morning little munchkin, why don't you wake your brothers up? I have a surprise for you." I said and winked at him. Jace smiled widely and quickly shook his brothers.

"Jacob, Jamie! Wake up! Mommy has a surprise!" he says and shakes them. I couldn't help but laugh because Jacob and Jamie had looked so bothered as they woke up.

Jamie crawled to me and started whining, probably because of how violently Jace had shook him.

I soothed him and stopped Jace from doing the same thing to Jacob. Gently, I mouthed and he nodded. Jace hovered Jacob and shook him lightly this time.

Finally, the second child started stirring. His eyes opened slowly and they looked around before stopping to mine. He smiled and sat up. "Mommy..." he said and dropped his head on my knee.

"Wake up, now. I have a surprise waiting for all of you." I say and smiled knowingly. They stopped to guess and then their mouths opened.

"Is it daddy?! Is he here now?!"

"We have to go see him, if he's here now!" Jace said, getting up.

"H-hey, not so fast. Go wash up first and then we'll see him." I said. The three already made their way to their bathroom and started washing up.

As I stared at them, I couldn't help but smile.

They had grown so much, I cannot believe it. We have all come so far.

I heard the door open and I quickly turned around. Liam's eyes met mine and we shared a smile. He signed, asking if the triplets were inside the bathroom and I nodded.

He walked towards us, making sure not to be heard or seen until he was by the doorframe of the bathroom.

"Morning." I whispered and he came to, lacing his arms around my waist and pulling me towards him. He gave me a kiss on my lips, but then we quickly separated when we heard the kids' screams.

"Daddy!" they all screamed in unison and ran towards Liam even with Jacob's toothbrush still in his mouth.

Liam and I laughed as the three ambushed him into a hug. Liam knelt down and received their embraces.

"I missed you all so much!" he said and lifted them all in one go. I instantly got alarmed.

"Hey! That's dangerous!" I said and approached them, making sure that none of them fell. However, the four just laughed.

"Relax, I've got them." Liam said.

"Higher! Higher!" Jamie chanted. Liam laughed and finally brought them down. I sighed, relieved.

"Alright, let's all go down now. Breakfast is waiting." I said and took Jace by my arm. The others followed us downstairs.

We all sat in the table with nanay Grace and ate.

It was a bright morning, if someone saw us, they'd probably say we were shooting a commercial with all the giggles and happiness that there was in the air.

But this wasn't a fantasy, it was now our reality.

Liam held my hand under the tables and I looked over him and smiled.

I couldn't help but be overwhelmed with gratefulness.

Thank you.

--

THE END