Page 27 of A Simple Reminder

His words melt some of the tension in my chest, making my airways clear. This man is everything. I sit beside him, feeling a little lighter. “You’re incredible, you know that?” I admit, resting my head on his shoulder for a moment.

He chuckles softly. The sound is becoming one of my favorites. “I try my best.”

We sit in silence for a small moment. Then, I begin to talk, the words coming more easily than I ever thought they would. “It’s just… Everything is so uncertain. My dad, us, the future. I’m scared of what will happen when I go back home.”

Liam listens intently, his hand rubbing gentle circles on my back. “I get it. But we can figure it out, one step at a time.”

“Yeah, but what if my dad won’t get better?”

Liam's back straightens slightly at the mention of my dad as if it struck a chord within him, but then he relaxes, his gaze softening. “Tell me about your dad.”

I take a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. Will he think differently of me after I tell him? I quickly erase that thought, Liam would never.

“My dad has always been strong, you know? The kind of person that could do anything. But after my mum left us when I was ten, it became too much for him. It was just the two of us against the world, but he had to work two jobs to provide for us and to put me through school.” I glance at Liam, meeting his eyes briefly before continuing. “As I got older, I started noticing his struggles. The late nights, the hidden bottles, and his distant stares during his substance-induced haze.”

I swallow hard, feeling the tears in my eyes, but I continue, “When I was fifteen, I found him passed out in the hallway, and we spent the night in the ER because he had overdosed.” A single tear falls down my cheek, and Liam catches it on his finger before taking my hand in his.

Liam's eyes hold mine, his gaze unwavering. “I’m so sorry, Sophie. That must have been very hard for you.”

“It was,” I admit, my voice trembling.

“I became his caretaker in more ways than one. Even while excelling in school, I worked extra shifts at the café to help make ends meet. Despite everything, he always tried to shield me from his demons.”

Liam's thumb brushes gently over my knuckles, offering silent support. “It sounds like your dad loves you very much.”

“He does,” I whisper, a bittersweet smile tugging at my lips. “He left notes on the fridge when he went to work early, made my favorite pancakes on Sundays, and cheered the loudest at my soccer games. His love was constant, even as his addiction threatened to tear us apart.”

Liam’s grip on my hand tightens slightly, his expression pained yet compassionate.

“When I left for college, his health took a turn for the worse. His addiction spiraled, and he started forgetting things when we spoke–names, places, where I was. He’d repeat himself, asking me the same questions over and over. His emotions got heightened; he fell into aggressive states, breaking things in the house, and then he got depressed and didn’t leave the house for days. I tried to go back home as much as I could. It broke me because I didn’t understand what was happening, and I felt so guilty for leaving him.”

“You did what you had to do and couldn’t have known what would happen.”

“No, but I should have,” I say softly. “When I returned home one weekend, he was in even worse shape. He had lost so much weight, and his eyes seemed dull and distant. I took him to the hospital, and after endless tests and hours of agonizing over ‘what-ifs,’ they finally told us the horrible news: early-onset dementia, possibly exacerbated by years of drug abuse.” I blink back the tears, trying to focus on Liam, but my vision blurs. “I decided to stay in New York with him, taking online classes so I could work extra to pay for the caregiver and rehab that he refused to go to.”

Liam nods his head understandingly. “And what happened?”

“Aliyah has been amazing. Dad’s very comfortable with her, and she’s made such a difference. It’s like having your little cheerleader at home. She’s actually the one who encouraged me to apply here through a scholarship. I don’t know why I listened and did, maybe for fun. I never thought I’d get accepted, but when I did, she found the letter and showed it to my dad. He was so proud and upset because I hid it from him. He cried, and I cried. Seeing the world has always been my dream, so he told me to go. He needed me to, and if I did, he'd go to rehab. We made a deal, and that's where he is now…”

After a moment of silence, he reaches for my hand again, his touch warm, steady—like he’s grounding me, or maybe himself. His thumb traces slow, reassuring circles against my skin. “Sophie, you are strength itself. The kind that endures, the kind that shines even in the darkest moments. Your father must be so proud of you. And so am I.”

I manage a small smile, this one reaching my eyes. “Thank you,”

“The idea of drugs is the worst,” I continue after a moment, my voice steadier now. “I've never done drugs, nor do I want to. What happened at Marcos... I know it's only weed, but a drug is a drug. I don't want to be around it, do it, or have anyone close to me do it.”

Liam shakes his head. “You don’t have to explain your reason; I understand.”

“Thank you for understanding and listening to me.”

Liam smiles warmly and leans forward, pressing his lips gently to my forehead. “Always,Sunshine.”

As we walk together, our conversation shifts to lighter topics. I find myself telling Liam how my dad always calls me hispetal, and our flower being is the forget-me-not. It's a term of endearment we've shared since childhood. I glance at Liam's arms, noticing the delicious spread of artwork. “Fun fact,” I say with a wistful smile. “I've always wanted to get a tattoo of a forget-me-not.”

“Why don't you get one?” Liam suggests casually, his eyes sparkling with interest.

I hesitate, caught off guard for a moment. “I don't know... I just never got around to it.”

“How about now?” he asks, surprising me. “We could get one together.”

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