CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Crystal

I walked into my father’s bedroom, holding a cup of tea with lemon in my hands. I still couldn’t get used to seeing him in a wheel-chair. In my mind, he was still the man he used to be five months ago – strong and full of life energy.

“Hey,” I said, kissing him on the cheek. “How are you feeling?”

He put the newspaper he had been reading aside and smiled gently. “I’m fine, Darling. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Have you taken your medicines?”

“Yes.”

“Have you eaten well?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want anything but tea?”

“No.”

“Seriously, Dad, you are the easiest person in the world to deal with.”

He laughed. “Then who’s the hardest one?”

I sighed and sat in a chair facing him.

Holding a cup of tea in his hands, he said, “I know something’s bothering you, Crystal. And I’m sure it’s not just about my current state. What’s going on?”

“It’s a long story…”

“I have plenty of time to hear it.”

“Maybe next time. Better tell me, do you want to see how things with the lake house remodeling are going?”

“I’m sure you and Stanley will do a great job redoing it. Mom and I have been thinking about moving there.”

“What? Why? This place is big enough for all of us.”

“Yes, but Stan is going to Washington, and you are grown up enough to live your own life, have your own family and be free to do whatever you want.”

“Not that sharing a place with you has ever stopped me from doing whatever I wanted to do. Besides, I hate being alone. I’m used to big family dinners and chaos in the house. I’m gonna lose my mind living here alone! Plus, you know how much I hate darkness. Remember those bears-like sleepers that scared the hell out of me? Well, nothing has changed since then - I still believe in ghosts living under my bed.”

“This is exactly why mom and I thought it was time for us to move out. Maybe if you find a nice guy to protect you from those imaginary ghosts, darkness won’t seem so scary anymore.”

I grimaced. “Easier said than done. Guys nowadays are cowards. I bet they don’t even wear slippers at home.”

“Maybe if you let at least one of them a little closer than within shooting distance, your opinion will change.”

I rolled my eyes. “I doubt it. But will try.”

“Good.” He smiled. “Are you sure there’s nothing you would like to tell me about?”

“Positive.” I stood up and kissed him goodnight. “Sleep well. Do you want me to help you get into your bed?”

“No, I’m fine. I’ll read for a little bit more.”

“Okay.”

Leaving the room, I bumped into Stanley.

“How is he?” He asked, nodding to the closed door behind me.

“Fine. At least that is what he keeps saying.”

“I talked to his doctor today and you know what? He said there’s a small chance to see Dad walking again.”

“Really?”

“He said there’s a new therapy treatment for people with the same problems our father has. It may take months or even a year before we see any positive changes in his state. But it’s worth a try anyway, right?”

“Absolutely! Have you spoken to our father about it?”

“Not yet. First, the doctors need to take a few additional tests.”

“Dad said he and mom want to move to the lake house. Do you think it’s a good idea?”

“I don’t see why not. Fresh air will surely do him good. Besides, you know how much he likes the house. He always said he wanted to live there.”

“I know, it’s just that… I can’t imagine myself living here all alone. It feels somehow wrong.”

Stanley smiled and said, “I’m sure there’s at least one person you and I both know who would gladly share this place with you.”

“Liz is married, remember?”

“You know it’s not her I’m talking about.”

“Not an option.”

“Why not?”

“Because we are friends and…”

“The kiss I witnessed the other night told me something completely different.”

“Ugh, you are not going to let this topic go, are you?”

“Have you talked to him?”

“I have.”

“And?”

I paused before telling Stan the news about the operation. “I’ve decided to remove the scar.”

He ran one hand through his hair and I saw tears glisten in his eyes. It was such a rare moment to see my brother’s weakness, but I knew how much strength was standing behind it.

He pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly. He still felt guilty for listening to me six years ago and taking me to the lake house instead of the hospital. He thought it was his fault that the cut turned into an ugly scar. I knew he wanted me to remove it a long time ago.

“It’s the best news you could have ever given me, sis. Do you want Liam to perform the operation?”

“No. I asked his dad to do it for him. I know Liam most likely will be too nervous to touch me. But I want him to be present during the operation.”

“It’s a great idea. I’m sure his father will do his best to make the scar almost invisible. I’m so sorry I failed to do it myself.”

“Don’t say that. You did a great job. It was me who was too stubborn to listen to you.”

He rubbed my cheek and said, “I’ll be there too. Not in the surgery, but in the waiting room.”

“Thanks. You know how much I hate hospitals.”

“It’s gonna be all right.” He gave me another hug and then I went to my room, too excited about tomorrow’s appointment to get a wink of sleep. It was going to be one of the longest nights of my life.

***

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” I said, taking off my blouse. I was standing behind the folding screen in Liam’s office and he couldn’t see me.

He spoke from the other side of the screen, “What exactly do you mean – undressing for me or saying ‘yes’ to the operation?” I couldn’t see his face, but I knew he was smiling.

“Both,” I replied.

“Tell me when you are ready.”

I took a deep breath and walked from behind the screen. “Ready.”

His eyes slid down my chest, pausing for a moment on my black bra and then stopped at the scar. I swear it started to tingle the moment his gaze focused on it.

As if feeling my uneasiness, Liam said, “Relax. It won’t take long. I just need to take a few pictures of it, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t.”

“Okay.” He took a camera and told me to turn to the light. After the photos were taken, he examined the area around the scar, made a few notes and then said, “You should know that removing it completely is not possible. The cut was quite deep. But after the operation, the scar will be less visible, the skin tone of the injured spot will be almost as the rest of your belly skin, and the surface of the wounded spot will be much smoother. If you are not satisfied with the result, after some time, we can try additional treatments to lessen the visibility of the scar. Do you have any questions?”

“How long am I going to stay unconscious after the operation is over?”

“A couple of hours. Does it still bother you?”

“A little.”

He knew exactly what I was afraid of.

“Everything’s gonna be okay. Trust me.”

“Can I get dressed now?”

His lips curved in a sly-fox smile. “If you want to…”

“It’s an appointment, Doctor. Not a date.” I returned behind the screen and took my blouse hanging on a chair.

“Then how about you go on a real date with me?”

I was glad he couldn’t see my face at the moment. I was sure it lit up like a Christmas tree at the mere thought of going on a date with him.

“I thought you were done asking me out.”

“Chances are high I will never stop trying.”

After I got dressed, I took my purse and went to face the doctor again. “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” I said.

“Why?”

“We both know why.” I lowered my eyes, unable to look at him. To say that I was being jealous about Kim having his baby was an understatement. Every time I thought about it, I wanted to die.

Liam walked over to me, took my hand and laced my fingers with his saying, “Maybe I can’t change my past, but I will not let it affect my future. Or yours.”

A baby was going to change a lot and Kim would always be a part of Liam’s life, no matter how many women he dated or married after her.

“I gotta go,” I said. I didn’t want to continue this conversation, not now anyway.

“Okay.” I could feel Liam’s disappointment. He didn’t want me to leave. Maybe he wanted me to tell him that despite everything, there was a chance for us to be together again. But at this point, I couldn’t promise anything. To be honest, I doubted I would ever get used to sharing him with another woman, who wasn’t just any woman, but the mother of his first child.

I looked down at our laced hands, wondering if there was a way to make things work between us.

“When is my next appointment?”

We were standing too close to breathe freely without that familiar feeling like I was lacking air, too excited to be with him again, yet too scared to leave and never see him again.

“I will show the pictures I’ve taken to my father. He will study them and then make an appointment. He will look at the scar again and tell you more about the operation. If everything goes well, we will schedule the operation for next week. What do you say?”

“Next week?” My heart did a double pump.

“Too early?”

“Yes. No.” I chuckled. “Sorry, I’m a bit nervous.”

“It’s okay. I understand.”

I looked him in the eye and smiled. “Thank you for everything. I don’t think I would ever agree to an operation if I didn’t know you would be there during the surgery.”

“It’s just a small part of what I owe you.” He leaned forward and placed a small kiss on my lips. There wasn’t anything passionate about it, but my whole body trembled in response.

“See you later,” I said, hoping I wouldn’t faint right in the middle of his office. The kiss promised to be my only thought for the rest of the day.

Not good. Not good at all.

“Are you going to the studio now?” Liam asked.

“Yes, why?”

“No reason. It was just a ploy to find out about your plans for the day.”

He walked me to the door and wished me a nice day.

I mumbled something in response and rushed out of the waiting room, dying to breathe some fresh air. The tension between us was too obvious to ignore it. Even if we were not kissing or trying to tear each other’s clothes off our bodies, the thoughts about doing just that never left my mind. And no matter how many times I told myself I didn’t want him, he was the only man on the planet my body and soul craved.

***

“Count down from ten to one,” Derek aka Liam’s father, said, when the anesthesiologist put a mask on my face.

I turned my head slightly to the right where I knew Liam was standing. His face was half covered with a mask, but his eyes were all I needed to see. There was so much love in his gaze, I felt like I was drowning in it.

“Ten, nine, eight, seven…six…five…” A cloud of soft pink smoke swallowed me. I felt so light, as if I were a cloud too, flying further and further away from my pain.

There was no one else around me, just the wind and me. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt so good. I could run through time and space, be whoever I wanted, sing, dance and never once think about the reason for my magical dream.

I had been locked behind the mask of someone I never wanted to be for so long. It was my choice, my shelter. Everyone thought I was strong and brave, but only a few knew the real me. I was okay with that. Until the moment I realized how tired I was of pretending. I didn’t want to pretend anymore. Like water washes away paint from the canvas, I wanted someone to draw a new picture of me, take away my pain and shush my inner demons. Being asleep suddenly felt so relieving, as if I hadn’t slept for years.

The fog around me started to clear, revealing a beautiful waterfall, floating in gentle waves. Silver drops were falling into the rich blue ocean, singing a song only my heart could understand. It was a place where faeries could live.

I stood in awe, each step would bring me closer to the roaring water.

Just when I was about to take another step forward, someone pulled me back, wrapping firm arms around me.

“Stay with me,” the familiar voice said into my ear.

I turned around, but didn’t see the face of the person I expected to see standing behind me.

I looked at the waterfall again, but it didn’t look safe or magical anymore. Tons of water poured over rocks big enough to turn your bones into a handful of ashes. From the top of the hill the depth of the ocean looked ruthless and terrifying. One step forward, and it will take me away.

I started to step back, until the waterfall was no longer visible; now there was just me and the boundless sky above me. Nothing to be afraid of, nothing to run away from…

***

Liam

It’s been almost two hours since the operation was over. It didn’t last long, but for me, it felt like the longest operation in my life. I watched my father’s every small move, step by step checking in my mind everything that should be done. I was glad I wasn’t operating. My hands shook even though I knew everything would be fine.

I looked at Crystal, sleeping peacefully in her bed. It was almost noon and she was about to awake. I hoped she didn’t have any nightmares. I wanted her to wake up and feel free from everything that had been scaring her for so long.

“Is she awake yet?” Stanley looked into the room.

I shook my head and went out into the hall.

“How long are you going to keep her here?” He asked.

“If everything goes well, she’ll be home in a few days.”

“Not home. She didn’t tell our parents about the operation. They think she’s in New York. They don’t know about the scar, remember?”

“Oh, right. Then where is she going to stay when she’s allowed to leave the hospital?”

“I thought about the lake house, but it’s too loud in there now. The workers still have a lot to do there. But Kameron suggested taking her to his father’s place. Their housekeeper, Bree is a formal nurse. She said she would look after her. And one more thing… I wanted to thank you.”

“There’s nothing to thank me for.”

“You made her change her mind about the operation. You can’t even imagine how much I wanted her to get rid of the damn scar. But she never listened to me.”

“Listen, Stan, there’s something I wanted to tell you…”

“I know about you and Crystal.”

“What?”

“I always knew you had a crush on her.”

“Shit… Was it so obvious?”

“To me – yes. Even the day of her eighteenth birthday, I knew you were there because she wanted you to be there.”

“But you never tried to take her away from me.”

“Why would I do that?”

“You kept a gun in your closet, remember? Do you think I didn’t know how much you hated all of her male friends?”

Stanley laughed. “The gun was broken. I told you about it because you couldn’t take your eyes off my little sister and I wanted to make sure you treated her well.”

“Un-freaking-believable…”

“I don’t know what happened between you two and why she started hating you, and I hope it’s not because you dared to hurt her, but I hope you will find the key to her heart. She loves you, Liam, and I hope your feelings are mutual. Otherwise, I’m gonna make sure the old gun remembers how to fire a round.”

“I love her too, always have. I don’t know what’s going to happen after she leaves the hospital. All I know is that I never loved anyone as much as I love her. And I would give away everything I have just to win her back.”

“It’s all up to you, man. I know my sister and she can be a real pain in the ass, but deep down inside, she’s just a girl who dreams big and believes in fairy tales. And I hope one day, her fairy tale comes true.”