Page 81 of A Simple Reminder

His smile widens, and his hand lingers for a moment longer, as if trying to say everything words can’t. “Good. That’s all I need to hear.”

It feels like a puzzle piece slipping into place. His hand lifts, rough and comforting, gently caressing the back of my head. For a fleeting moment, I feel safe, like a child again.

We stay like that for a few minutes, just breathing each other in.

When his hand lowers, pulling away from me, I slowly release him, my voice trembling as I whisper, “I love you, Dad.”

Our eyes meet, but what greets me isn’t the father I remember. His gaze is dull, confused, the clarity that was just there is now slipping away again.

His nose scrunches slightly as he studies me, his expression clouded with uncertainty. His voice is hesitant, distant, and it cuts deeper than anything ever has. “Who are you?”

The words hit me like a physical blow, knocking the air from my lungs. My chest tightens painfully, my throat constricting as new tears prick my eyes. Tears of pain are back.

I stagger back a step, my legs weak beneath me, my fingers trembling at my sides. It’s like my body doesn’t know how to hold the weight of what I’m feeling—the heartbreak, the loss, the ache for the man who’s still here but somehow so far away again.

I clutch at the edge of the chair behind me, trying to steady myself, but the crushing emptiness in his question steals every ounce of strength I have left.

THIRTY-THREE

SOPHIE

Ibroke down in Liam’s arms when I left Dad's room. The weight of it all hit me at once, overwhelming and inescapable. I don’t think I could settle on just one emotion because I felt them all—relief that, even briefly, my father had seen me; sadness for the sudden nature of those moments; fear that it might be a long time before I find him like that again; and hope—fragile and bright—that a part of him is still there, holding onto me in the ways that matter most.

He even remembered that I’d sent him photos of my tattoos and asked to see them. I showed him the small forget-me-not behind my ear, and as much as he dislikes tattoos, I think he might actually like this one. But there was one tattoo I couldn’t show him—the one I share with Liam, the one we have inked on our fingers. I’d covered it, kept it hidden, but it’s still there, close to me always.

Liam didn’t say anything when I cried, just held me tighter, his hand running soothingly over my back as I let it all out. It wasn’t until much later, when my tears had dried and the world felt still again, that I realized how much I needed him here, in this moment.

“How are you feeling, Soph?” Liam leans toward me in the back of the cab, his gaze kind, knowing. We’re supposed to make two stops—one at my apartment and one at his. Originally, I only had a half day off, but after leaving Dad, Liam insisted I take the whole day to rest. But Adeline isn’t home; she’s at work, and the idea of being alone right now fills me with a strange hollowness I’m afraid to explore.

“I’m good,” I answer, knowing he doesn’t believe me, but he lets me have my words, lets me feel what I need to feel.

“Liam?” I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes?”

“Can I come with you?” The words slip out, fragile and hesitant, as though I’m testing the air between us. Do I even have the right to ask? My voice feels too small, too exposed, but I can’t take it back. I need someone. I needhim.He’s the only one who can keep me standing when my knees feel weak enough to buckle. The one who stays, even when I’ve given him every reason to walk away. Let’s be honest—he’s upset with me.Veryupset. But he’s Liam. And that means something. It always has.

My throat tightens as I whisper, “I don’t want to be alone,” my gaze flickering to his, searching for something—anything—but I drop it before I can see too much. Rejection. Indifference. Or worse, pity. I couldn’t survive pity from him.

Liam’s expression softens, worry flickering in his eyes like a shadow he can’t quite hide. He reaches out, his large hand enveloping mine. His thumb brushes gentle, steady circles over my knuckles, an anchor in the storm swirling inside me.

“You never have to be alone, Sunshine,” he murmurs, his voice quiet but filled with a depth that wraps around me like a safety net. There’s no hesitation, no doubt, just a promise spoken as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. “Of course, you can come with me. For as long as you need.

The last time I was in his apartment, I was sneaking out, doing the classic walk of shame, leaving him in bed like a ghost slipping into daylight. But now, as I stand beside him, watching him open the door to his sleek, modern penthouse, it feels different—solid, real even.

He has one of those high-tech password locks that clicks open with a soft beep, and I catch the sequence he types in:ninety-four, twenty-two, zero, six. My birthday. A small smile settles on my lips, and a flicker of something unnameable stirs in my chest. I feel cherished, even if he’d never say it out loud. But I don’t say anything either—this is for him, not for me.

The door swings inward, the soft lighting and clean lines of his space welcoming us like an unspoken promise.

“How about you jump in the shower and relax a little?” Liam suggests, his voice is a gentle caress and all I want is to lean into him. “I’ll order us some ramen for lunch.”

The suggestion is like music to my ears; he knows ramen is my comfort food, especially Szechuan ramen, my favorite. It’s the perfect antidote for a rough day, the warmth seeping into you from the inside out, is the best medicine for a broken soul.

“Okay,” I say, a small smile tugging at my lips, grateful for how well he knows me.

A shower actually sounds perfect. Liam leads me to the en suite bathroom in his bedroom and leaves me to it. I pull my hair free from its tight ponytail, and it springs up wildly, sticking out in all directions. I look like I’ve been electrocuted—fantastic.

I strip off my clothes and step into his very modern shower, eyeing the buttons and controls like they’re part of some spaceship. What is all this? I press the first button I see, and a jet of ice-cold water rains down from the ceiling.

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