Page 86 of Anteros' Return

“Yes. He wasn’t just my friend. I loved him so much, Liam.” I sighed. “How did you know?”

He jumped up and rummaged in his desk drawer, pulling out a picture. “This is how.” He handed me what he was holding, and I was right, it was a photo. One of Beck and me when we were young and in love. We looked so happy together as I was wrapped in his embrace at the park one summer afternoon.

“I look just like him, and I know after Beckett it was only ever me and you.” He leaned his head on my shoulder, taking the picture from my hand and staring down at a younger version of his dad.

“You do look like him. The only thing you have from me are your eyes.”

He reached up, touching my face. “But they’re beautiful, Mummy.” He kissed my cheek as I fought back the tears. This little boy had taken all this in stride. He was incredible, and I couldn’t be more proud.

“Do you want to speak to Beckett?” I asked.

“Yeah, I do… Can you ask him to come here?”

“Of course I can. I think he’s more than ready to speak to you about everything.” I stood, leaving Liam to occupy his beanbag chair alone.

I left him looking at the picture in his hands, and after so many years, it was amazing that Liam finally knew who his dad was and knew he was loved and wanted.

As I stood at the doorway to the living room, I saw Beckett sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands, worry radiating off of him as he waited for me to come back downstairs.

“Hey.” I broke the silence as he snapped his head in my direction.

“Is he okay?” His brow furrowed. “I didn’t want him to find out that way.”

“He already knew, Beck. He knew since the beginning.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a mixture of emotions.

“And he’s gone along with everything we’ve said this whole time?!” He sighed. “Wait, how did he know?”

“He found a picture of us. One of the ones I kept in my drawer.”

“You kept our photos?” He pulled me towards him as his lips turned up into a soft smile.

“I couldn’t get rid of anything to do with us. I didn’t have the heart to.”

He pulled out his phone, flicking through to find a certain something before turning it around for me to see. “Me either.” Right there in front of me was an album that held all of our photos. “I couldn’t delete a single one. I couldn’t erase us.”

I finally let the tears fall. Ones he caught with his thumbs, swiping them away. “I knew that fate would bring us back together, and there were so many times I wanted to jump on a plane back to you, but I didn’t want to disrupt your life. Now I know I should have gone with my gut.”

“I wish you had too.” I rested my forehead against his, wanting to savour this moment with him. “Liam wants to talk to you.”

“He does? He doesn’t hate me?” he breathed.

“Not at all. I think he just needs to know that you had no idea about him. He wants his own answers.”

“Thank you, Em.” He cupped my cheek, his eyes remaining on mine. “Thank you for letting me be a part of his life and for letting me back into yours.”

“Go and see your son, Beck.” I kissed the palm of his hand as I removed it from my face. “I’ll give you both some space.”

He took a deep breath before leaving me standing alone in the living room. I reached for my phone on the side, dialling Harry’s number.

“Em, what happened?” He answered after half a ring. I never tended to call on Liam’s birthday. We liked our own day away from everyone.

“He knows.” I sighed, holding in the tears as my voice began to break.

“Did you tell him?”

“He knew from the beginning. He found a picture and put two and two together.” I clutched the necklace Beckett had given me, trying to calm myself down. “Mike came here, and Liam called Beck his dad, and now they’re talking upstairs.”

“That fucker!” I could feel his wrath through the phone. “He’d better hope he doesn’t run into me.”

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