Page 117 of Shattered Melodies

I nodded, keeping my eyes on the road. “Sure is. But I’m glad you’re here, Liam. Really glad.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw his smile soften. “Yeah, me too. Even with all this craziness I’m glad I came back.”

We lapsed into silence again, but it was comfortable. That was one thing I’d always loved about being with Liam - we didn’t need to fill every moment with chatter. Just being together was enough.

As we pulled up to the house, I could see the nervousness creeping back into Liam’s posture. I cut the engine and turned to face him.

“Hey,” I said softly. “It’s going to be fine. They’re going to be thrilled to see you, I promise.”

Liam took a deep breath, nodding. “Okay. Okay, let’s do this.”

I couldn’t help but grin at his nervousness. It was kind of adorable, really. I grabbed his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze before leading him into the ranch house.

“Wait here a sec,” I told him, gesturing to the hallway just outside the dining room. “I want to surprise them.”

Liam nodded, looking like he might bolt at any second. I gave him a wink before heading into the dining room.

“Hey, folks,” I called out, spotting my parents setting the table.

Mom looked up, her face brightening. “Caleb! Right on time. Dinner’s almost ready.”

I made my way over, giving Dad a quick hug and planting a kiss on Mom’s cheek. “Actually, I’ve got a bit of a surprise for you two.”

Dad raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What’s that, son?”

I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. “Well, why don’t I just show you?” I turned towards the hallway, motioning for Liam to come in. “Come on in!”

Liam stepped into the room, looking a bit like a deer caught in headlights. For a second, nobody moved. Then Mom let out a delighted gasp.

“Liam!” she cried, rushing forward to envelop him in a hug. “Oh, sweetie, it’s so good to see you!”

Liam looked stunned for a moment before his arms came up to return the hug. “Hi, Mrs. Winchester,” he mumbled, his voice muffled against her shoulder.

Dad approached next, clapping Liam on the back as Mom finally released him. “Welcome home, son,” he said, his voice gruff but warm.

I watched the whole scene unfold, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. This was exactly what I’d hoped for - my family welcoming Liam back with open arms.

“Alright, alright,” Mom said, wiping at her eyes. “Let’s eat before the food gets cold. Liam, honey, you sit right here next to Caleb.”

We all settled around the table, the air filled with the delicious smells of Mom’s cooking. As we started to dig in, I could see Liam gradually relaxing, the tension easing out of his shoulders.

“So, Liam,” Mom said after a few minutes of comfortable silence. “What made you decide to come back to Oakwood Grove? Not that we’re not thrilled to have you, of course.”

I paused, my fork halfway to my mouth. I was curious about this too. Liam had never really explained why he’d chosen to come back here, of all places.

Liam set down his fork, seeming to gather his thoughts. “Well,” he started, his voice quiet but steady, “I guess I just wanted to live my life the way I wanted to, you know? I was so exhausted of living under my parents’ rule. Always trying to be what they wanted me to be, never feeling like I could just be myself.”

I nodded, understanding completely. Liam’s parents had always been a sore spot, always pushing him to be something he wasn’t.

“And Oakwood Grove?” Dad prompted. “Why here specifically?”

Liam glanced at me, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I guess it felt like coming home. Even after all these years, this place it means something to me.”

I felt my heart skip a beat at his words.

“What about your parents?” Dad asked, his brow furrowed in concern. “Do they know you’re here?”

Liam shook his head. “No, they don’t at first but they recently found out by hiring an investigator.”

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