Chapter 38

a/n: my belated christmas wishes to those who celebrates and happy holidays to everyone !!!

~ also i've completed this story and i'm going to update all the chapters today so make sure you read them by order, okay. and don't get confused.

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Chapter 38 — Our Boyfriend

Just when Liam starts to think that nothing can go wrong in his life anymore, everything does.

It starts with a phone call from his mother when he was out with Aaron and Jason.

She never really calls him unless it's an emergency, so he picks up the phone, already wary.

"Hello," her voice comes out with very poorly veiled worry.

"Hey. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, no. Have you by any chance seen your sister?"

"Rylee?" he stands up from the couch, signalling with a finger to the two men who have moved their attention from the television to him and moves a little further away, "Uh, I saw her this morning before I left for work. Why?"

"Did you see her any time after that?"

"No. I haven't been back. Mom, what's going on? Where's Rylee?"

He hears her sigh, "I don't know. I got a call from the school. She didn't pick up the kids either, I just got them. And we're at the house now. It's unlocked, but she's not here. Her car's still here too. But I cannot find Rylee,"

"What? Shit," he curses, "I'm coming back right now. Where are the kids? Are they okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I told them she went to the supermarket. Tania didn't ask any questions after that, but..." her voice drops a few tones, "... Claude's not convinced. They're okay though. I'm going to make them dinner. Find Rylee, please. I've tried calling her — she's not picking up her phone,"

"Okay, okay. Did you check if she left any notes or anything?"

"I checked. There's nothing,"

"Okay. I'll call you when I find her. Don't worry,"

Only when he ends the call, he realises that both Aaron and Jason have followed him and are looking at him rather intently. Jason is the one to first say anything.

"Is everything okay?"

"Mm-hmm," he nods, walking part them towards the door, collecting his car keys, "I have to go back right now. I'll call you guys later,"

"Wait. What's going on? Just tell us," Jason persuades again.

Liam goes to insist once again that nothing was wrong, when Aaron simply shrugs, saying, "We're coming along by the way,"

"What?" he turns to him surprised.

"It's obvious that something is going on. So, we're coming along,"

Liam does not know why he didn't just tell them in the first place. It is something that he always does, he figures. He never shares his problems, not wanting to burden anyone. And he does not accept help easily either. Maybe it's a good thing he has a stubborn man like Aaron and a persistent man like Jason in his life right now. He knows they are not going to leave his side that easily.

And so, he tells them what has happened.

Immediately, Aaron offers to drive him, and Jason offers to cover the other part of town, hoping to find his sister as fast as they can. Liam informs him of the place she could possibly be, and Jason assures him that he'll double check every single place he comes across and keep him informed.

However, before they have even gotten in their cars, Liam gets another call from his mother.

"Hello?" he answers.

"She's back. Rylee's back,"

"What? How? Where did she go? Is she okay?"

By the way, his mother hesitates before answering, he knows that there is something not right, "She's okay. But I think you should come back now,"

"Yes, okay. I'll see you soon," he cuts the call and turns towards the men, offering them a placating smile, shrugging slightly, "She's back now it seems,"

"That's good, right?" Jason asks.

Liam nods, "I have to go back though. Check in on them,"

"We're coming," both the men say simultaneously, and despite feeling a bit unnerved, Liam finds himself smiling.

"Let's go then,"

He does not know if it's a good or a bad thing that he brought along his boyfriends with them; because the car parked in front of his house is the furthest thing from his mind that he expects to see.

Maybe it's just his eyes playing tricks on him. Maybe it's a different car. Maybe it's possible for two very similar cars to have similar number plates nowadays. He doesn't know who he is fooling here exactly.

He rushes inside the house and the first person he sees is his mother since she's been standing right at the door as if she's been counting the seconds until he arrives.

"Where's Rylee? Is she okay?"

She nods, offering him a small smile, but it looks very much strained, and she has a conflicted look behind her eyes, "She's in her room, sleeping,"

Liam starts to walk past her, wanting to check on his sister despite his mother's assurance but she grabs his arm, stopping him, "She's okay. You can see her later. I think there's someone else you should see first," she nods towards the living room.

Liam knows he should not be shocked since he saw the car and his reasoning for the said vehicle was pathetic really but still, he couldn't believe his eyes when he sees him in the living room.

Benjamin. His ex-fiancé.

"Oh. Aaron, Jason. You're here too," his mother greets and that's when he remembers he had brought them along as well.

Great. Just great.

He turns to them with a pleading look to not cause any scene — Jason knows everything there is to know about his ex, and Aaron did see him before, so they need no introductions.

"I have to talk to him," he tells them and before either of them can say anything, he turns back to his mom — she knows that they're both his boyfriends now and she didn't even need a minute to get accustomed to the fact and is happy for him, "Can you entertain them for a bit? Thanks,"

He leaves them and walks toward the living room. He does not bother with any pleasantries, "Can we talk outside?"

Benjamin nods, standing up and both of them walk outside the house and sit on the bench in the porch.

"What are you doing here?" Liam gets straight to the point.

"Didn't Anne tell you?" Benjamin asks, a little taken aback, "I found your sister actually,"

"You did?" that is a new information for him.

"Yeah, I was... passing through when I saw her walking barefooted down the street, and she seemed dishevelled — I couldn't just drive by. So, I stopped, and she didn't really say anything much, but still I thought it better to drive her back to the house,"

"Oh," is all Liam can really say, and scratching the back of his neck, he expresses his gratitude, "Thank you," as much as he hates the guts of this man, he is not going to overlook the good deed. Who knows what would have happened if he didn't see her; would they have found her even?

"It's fine," he bobs his head.

"So, you were saying you were passing through?" Liam does not want to risk a moment of silence between them, lest it becomes too awkward.

He gives him a grimace, "Actually, no. I was coming here to see you,"

Maybe he should have stayed silent.

"See me? For what?" he forces out a chuckle.

Benjamin drags his hand down his face, and that's when Liam notices just how tired he looks. His eyes seem hollow and sunken, his hair is overgrown, he hasn't shaved his beard.

"I–" he lets out a long exhale, shaking his head lightly, "I cannot stop thinking. About how stupid I was. I shouldn't have lied to you. Shouldn't have cheated on you. Absolutely shouldn't have let you go,"

It's Liam's turn to sigh. Not this again, he thinks to himself. He is well past all this, beyond past him, "Just don't,"

"Listen. I'm sorry, Liam. I'm really sorry. I am more than ready to spend the rest of my life apologising to you," and just like that he drops to his knees and takes out a small ring from his pocket.

Liam jolts up from the bench and steps back, "No, no, no. No," he stops him before he can say anything stupid — well, anything more stupid if that's possible.

And as if by some personal time buzzer, the door opens and out barges Jason, Aaron and his mother.

"What is going on here?" his mother asks, "Liam?"

"Nothing, nothing," he runs a hand through his hair, only minutes away from pulling them out by its roots. "Will you please get up?" he turns to Benjamin, not able to remember the last time he felt this angry.

"No," Benjamin has to be adamant, "Will you–"

Jason comes to stand in between them, crossing his arms, "I think it's time you leave, buddy,"

"Who are you, man? Let me talk to–,"

"He is our boyfriend,"

"Our?"

"Yes, our," Aaron decides to join in as well.

And as much as Liam would have preferred for this whole thing to not have happened, it at least gets Benjamin on his feet again, "What?"

"I'm dating both of them. And it's really none of your business," Liam intervenes, pushing Jason back, "I don't need any more of your apologies. And it's still what I told you before — I don't want to have anything to do with you,"

"But you're dating two of them. And that's okay?" he looks to Liam's mother, as if he might get support from her — she simply nods, "But–"

"Okay, man," Aaron places a hand on his shoulder from behind him and guides him away, "It would be better for you to not say anything anymore, and just leave,"

"But–"

"Bye, Benjamin," Liam waves him off.

He looks at all of them conflicted and very much defeated and at last turns and walk away.

Liam sighs, exhausted, "I'm so done,"

Jason puts an arm around his shoulder and pulls him towards him and Liam gladly rests his head against his chest. They all go back inside the house. Anne disappears inside to check on Rylee once, just in case. Liam decides he'll take a few more minutes to himself, before going to see his sister.

They settle on the couch.

"You guys don't have to stay," he tells the men.

"We know," Aaron tells him, but makes no move to leave, and Liam has no heart to complain.

He is more than glad to have the two of them with him. He closes his eyes, wanting to rest just for a few moments, and he doesn't know how, but he doses off to sleep.

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