Maureen appears from the kitchen, apron dusted with flour, arms already outstretched. “Oh, come here, my loves.”
She wraps me in a hug and nearly squishes the air from my lungs, then pulls back to cradle my face. “You look thin. Are my boys not feedin’ you?”
“Tour life.” I giggle nervously at the word “boys,” knowing she means Padraig and Liam.
She hugs Linus with equal enthusiasm and turns her attention to Liam like she’s trying to stitch him back together. Her hands frame his face, thumbs brush the tired places he can’t hide, and I see it clear as breath on glass. She loves her son with a force filling this entire room.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” She kisses his cheek. “Rory’s…” She pauses.
Liam stiffens.
“Upstairs,” she finishes.
As if he heard her, Rory appears on the landing and joins as we sit at the table.
Dinner starts with softball questions from Maureen. The flight. The tour. Padraig and Mara. Cillian jumps in with talk about some of the projects he’s working on at McGloughlin Construction.
We dig into the corned beef and cabbage. No one says much. It’s not exactly tense, more like awkward. Throughout, Rory watches Liam with a careful, almost fragile attention. Not pushing. Waiting.
When plates begin to clear, he speaks. “I’m glad you reached out.” His voice carries a weight he has held for years. “This is nice.”
Liam nods. “Yeah.”
“You’re not home often.” Rory takes a small breath. “Never on your own.”
Liam nods again. “No.”
Linus shifts closer to Liam. I slide my hand to Liam’s thigh. He weaves his fingers between mine, grounding himself between the two of us.
Rory clears his throat. “I am glad you’re here.”
“Well, we’re here for a reason and I don’t know where to begin.” Liam puffs out a half laugh.
Maureen grips Rory’s arm. A familiar gesture.
“How about this.” Liam draws a bracing breath. “I’ve been hidin’ myself from this family and I want you to know who I am.”
The room suspends with a hovering stillness.
“I’ve been in love with Linus since the year after everythin’ happened here. We met at Wazzu. He managed Fireball. I was scared to tell any of you…” He pauses. “I didn’t think I could ever bring him around our family after. When his visa expired we split. Padraig, obviously, knows all of this.”
Linus stays still beside him, eyes low.
Liam continues, “There’s more. The reason I cut it off was Linus and I dreamed of findin’ a woman who would love both of us but never believed it was possible. We broke up. I didn’t think I could be faithful to him. Or anyone. I felt like a loser and was determined to never give my heart away again. Spent years livin’ the rockstar life with all of the trappings.” He looks directly at his da. “Nothin’ was off limits.”
I shift in my seat so I can rest my head on his shoulder. I’ve never been so proud of Liam in my life and I don’t care if my affection bothers his parents. He needs me and he has me.
“Linusdidn’t give up on me. He brought me back into his life a couple years ago.” Liam’s voice softens. “And he wasn’t alone. Avonna and Linus are married. She loved him long before I stepped back into the picture and she also knew Linus still loved me, inexplicable, but true.”
Linus chuffs out a laugh. Liam brushes his thumb over my hand.
“They waited for me.” He shuts his eyes. “Made space for me. Offered me a home. A partnership. A life where I didn’t have to split myself in half to be normal.”
He looks at Rory. Direct. Unshielded.
“What did I do to repay them for lovin’ me?” Liam’s voice breaks. “I hid them from Padraig until recently. From all of youse. From everyone. I was terrified I would drag shame back into this house. I couldn’t bear the thought you would see depravity every time you looked at me.”
I clamp my hand around his.
