ter 10
A few weeks later, Lucas approached me with a proposition.
I know this is going to sound crazy,” he began, his voice hesitant, “But I have an idea. A razy, impossible idea.”
He took a deep breath and met my gaze, his eyes filled with a mixture of hope and uncertainty.
‘Move in with us,” he blurted out.
[ stared at him, my mind reeling. “Move in? With you? And Liam?”
“Yes,” he said, his voice gaining confidence. “You and Liam, you have this… connection. I’ve
never seen him so happy, so relaxed. And you, Evelyn, you’re like a different person when you’re with him. You’re… lighter, somehow.”
He reached for my hand, his touch gentle and reassuring.
“I know this is a lot to ask,” he continued, his voice softening. “And I’m not asking you to be his mother, or anything like that. But I see the way you look at him, Evelyn. The way he looks at you. You two, you’re good for each other. And God knows, we could both use a little more love and happiness in our lives.”
He was right. We were good for each other. Liam brought out a side of me I had forgotten existed, a tenderness, a capacity for love that I thought I had lost forever. And Liam, well, he needed someone to love him, someone to help him navigate the choppy waters of childhood grief, someone to be there for him, unconditionally.
“Okay,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Okay?” Lucas asked, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Okay,” I repeated, a smile spreading across my face. “I’ll move in.”
