Page 152 of Shattered Melodies

The barn was alive with music and laughter, the afterparty in full swing. I sat with Liam in a quiet corner, nursing a beer and watching the crowd. It was still surreal, seeing everyone so happy, knowing we’d actually pulled this off.

“You okay?” I asked, nudging Liam with my shoulder. He’d been quiet for a while, his eyes distant.

He turned to me, a small smile playing at his lips. “Yeah, just taking it all in, you know?”

I nodded, understanding completely. It had been one hell of a day.

“Oh,” I said, remembering. “Elijah stopped by earlier. Said to tell you congrats on a successful fundraiser. He’s already taken the money to the bank.”

Liam’s eyes widened. “Seriously? That was fast.”

I shrugged, taking another sip of my beer. “Guy doesn’t mess around. Said he wanted to make sure everything was squared away before he left.”

“Well, that’s one less thing to worry about,” Liam said, leaning back in his chair.

I was about to respond when I spotted a familiar figure making her way towards us. Liam’s mother, looking nervous but determined.

“Heads up,” I murmured. “Your mom’s coming over.”

Liam tensed beside me, his hand finding mine under the table. I gave it a reassuring squeeze as his mother reached us.

“Liam,” she said, her voice soft. “Do you have a moment?”

Liam nodded, his face carefully neutral. “Sure, Mom. What’s up?”

She glanced at me, then back to Liam. “I was hoping we could talk. Privately?”

I started to stand, ready to give them some space, but Liam’s grip on my hand tightened.

“Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of Caleb,” he said firmly.

His mother nodded, pulling up a chair. “Of course. I… I owe you an explanation, Liam. For why I’m here.”

Liam’s eyebrows shot up. “Yeah, I was wondering about that. Last I heard, you didn’t want anything to do with me anymore.”

I winced at the bitterness in his tone, but his mother didn’t flinch.

“I know,” she said, her voice heavy with regret. “And I can’t tell you how sorry I am for that. For everything I’ve said and done over the years.”

Liam stayed silent, waiting for her to continue. I could feel the tension radiating off him.

His mother took a deep breath, as if steeling herself. “Your father and I… we’re getting a divorce.”

That got Liam’s attention. “What? Since when?”

“It’s been coming for a while,” she admitted. “But after I found out what he did to you, trying to blackmail you with your identity that was the last straw.”

I felt Liam’s hand tighten in mine. “Why now?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “After all these years, why decide to leave him now?”

His mother’s eyes filled with tears. “Because I realized how much I’ve lost by standing by him. How much I’ve lost with you, Liam. I want a relationship with my son. If you’ll let me.”

The silence that followed was deafening. I could practically hear the gears turning in Liam’s head as he processed this information.

Finally, he spoke. “And what if I say no? What if I tell you it’s too late?”

I sucked in a breath, surprised by the harshness in his tone. But his mother didn’t back down.

“Then I’ll respect your decision,” she said softly. “But I’ll also keep trying. Keep showing up, keep proving to you that I mean what I say. Because you’re my son, Liam. And I love you. I’m so sorry it took me this long to stand up for that love.”

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