Page 118 of Shattered Melodies

I took Liam’s hands and gave it a gentle squeeze. I wish that I could take all his stress away from him.

Mom said. “We’re just happy to have you here, Liam. However long you want to stay.”

I could see the relief wash over Liam’s face. “Thank you,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “That means a lot.”

As dinner continued, the conversation flowed easily. Mom and Dad caught Liam up on all the town gossip, and Liam shared some stories about his life in the city. I mostly just sat back and watched, content to see Liam fitting so seamlessly back into our family dynamic.

After dinner, as Mom was clearing the plates, we offered to help but she refused as usual. Dad leaned back in his chair, fixing Liam with a thoughtful look.

“You know, Liam,” he said, “I hope you know that what happened all those years ago that’s water under the bridge. We never blamed you for leaving.”

I tensed, not sure how Liam would react to this topic. But to my surprise, he just nodded, a small smile on his face.

“I appreciate that, Mr. Winchester,” he said. “I’ve carried that guilt for a long time. It means a lot to hear you say that.”

Dad reached out, patting Liam’s shoulder. “Please, call me John. Mr. Winchester makes me feel old.”

I couldn’t help but smile at the exchange. It was like a weight had been lifted, not just from Liam’s shoulders, but from all of us.

“Hey, want to see my room? It’s pretty much the same as you remember it.”

Liam’s eyes lit up with curiosity. “Sure, why not? Lead the way.”

We excused ourselves from the table, thanking my mom for the meal one last time. As we climbed the stairs, I felt a flutter of nervousness in my stomach. It was silly, really. Liam had been in my room countless times when we were younger. But this felt different somehow.

I pushed open the door, letting Liam step in first. He paused in the doorway, his eyes scanning the room.

“Wow,” he breathed. “It’s like stepping back in time.”

I chuckled, moving to stand beside him. “Told you it hadn’t changed much. Well, except for the bed. Had to upgrade to something that could actually fit me after I hit my growth spurt.”

Liam wandered further into the room, his fingers trailing over the dresser, the desk, the old guitar stand in the corner. “You kept all this stuff?”

I shrugged, trying to play it cool even as my heart raced. “Yeah, well. Guess I’m a bit of a pack rat.”

The truth was, I’d kept everything exactly as it had been when Liam left. It was like I’d been preserving a moment in time, holding onto the memories of us together in this room.

Liam turned to me, a soft smile on his face. “It’s nice. Comforting, you know? To see that some things don’t change.”

I nodded, taking a step closer to him. “Some things don’t,” I agreed. “But some things do change. For the better, I think.”

Liam’s eyes met mine, and I saw a flicker of something there. Understanding, maybe. Or hope. Before I could overthink it, I closed the distance between us, tackling him onto the bed.

We landed in a tangle of limbs, both of us laughing. It was like we were teenagers again, wrestling and rough-housing without a care in the world. But as our laughter died down, I became acutely aware of our position. Liam was beneath me, his chest rising and falling rapidly, his face flushed.

“Hi,” I said softly, suddenly feeling a bit breathless myself.

“Hi yourself,” Liam replied, his voice equally quiet.

For a moment, we just stared at each other. I could feel the heat of Liam’s body, could see the flecks of gold in his hazel eyes. God, he was beautiful. How had I ever let him go?

“Caleb,” Liam whispered, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. “I’ve missed this. Missed you.”

I leaned into his touch, closing my eyes for a moment. “I’ve missed you too, Li. More than you know.”

Liam’s thumb brushed over my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. I opened my eyes, seeing the longing mirrored in his. “Why did we ever let this go?” he asked softly.

I shook my head. “I don’t know. Stupidity, pride…life.” My voice trailed off, but my thoughts were racing. How many nights had I lain awake thinking about him? Wondering what could have been?

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