Liam

I felt like I did the right thing.

The look on Rena's face when we came back to this town and then when she saw her old house - it's one I don't think I'll ever forget.

She looked so genuinely happy, I'm not sure if I've ever seen her look like that before.

Well, maybe when there are red velvet cupcakes around.

When she cried in my arms on my birthday, all I wanted was for her to not hurt anymore.

I've learnt from past experience that coping and acting okay, doesn't necessarily mean that you are. It was what I did and what Rena was doing. She needed to let it out. To say the words, even if they tasted bitter. It was needed.

The day she told me that she didn't feel like she had a home - I felt something within me break for her. The hurt in her voice, she actually believed it.

She felt like she didn't have a home, when that was so far from the truth.

That day I had already decided I would do something, anything, to remind her she had a home. She wasn't lost or just a wanderer.

I wanted to bring her back to happy memories.

Rena and Bea explored the entire house that day, with Rena telling Bea everything about how things used to be when she lived here.

I still remember the days where I would come over here, to play or for dinners, or for help.

I know that a lot of things have really changed since then, yet, I feel like not all has. Rena is definitely how she used to be, but in a good way. Actually...in the best way.

She's same in that she's just as kind, caring and sweet.

I saw in the living room, tying my shoes when I heard Bea call out to me.

"Daddy," she came in, holding something in her hand and a curious look on her face.

"Yeah, sweetheart?" I asked her, as she came near, standing in between my legs and pushing whatever she held in her hands, into my chest.

Bea looked at me with a pout. "What's this?" She asked, taking the words right out of my own mouth.

I looked at what Bea had given me and it looked like some kind of box or case for something.

"I'm not sure," I frowned, and then looked at Bea. "Where did you get this?"

She pointed in the direction she came in. "I found it by the stairs."

"It's probably belongs Rena then," I told her. "I'll give it to her, you go get dressed please."

Bea moved away from me, and then gestured to herself.

"I am dressed," she huffed.

I playfully narrowed my eyes back at her. "Not in pyjamas, you're not," I said and she threw her head back dramatically.

"Ugh," she groaned and then stomped out the living room.

I was left smiling at her antics.

"So much personality in such a tiny body," I muttered to myself.

I also think it was partly due to Rena.

Bea had been picking up a few habits from her, which made me laugh, since I don't think either of them could tell.

At one point I caught a glimpse of the two of them twirling their hair whilst thinking, at the same time. I had to bite my lip to keep myself from laughing.

I'd be happy if my daughter grew up to be the kind of person Rena is.

I looked at the small velvet box that was in my hand.

My curiosity increased and I unzipped the box. When I opened it, I found some jewellery within it, but only one piece caught my eye and nearly made me choke on the air I was breathing.

It was the charm bracelet that I had given Serena years ago when we were younger, as a thank you for helping me out so much.

The bracelet still looked like it was in perfect condition, with each of the individual charms I had gotten her still on it. They represented things that made me think of her, and they were all still there.

Picking it up, I held it in my hand, the delicate metal feeling cool against my palm.

"She kept this. After all this time," I whispered to myself.

"Liam, why is Bea grumbling upstairs about not being able to wear her pyjamas?" Rena's voice then snapped me out of my daze.

I quickly jumped out my seat and looked at her with the bracelet in my hand, as she smiled walked into the room.

I probably looked all kinds of guilty right now.

She had her hand rested on her waist. "You know if I-" she stopped in the middle of her words and looked at the bracelet. "Where did you-" she began to say.

I looked down at the box I had left on the sofa. "It was inside this," I said and looked back up to her. "You kept this?" I asked her.

Rena looked at the bracelet, as if she were remembering something, like I had just done.

She then looked at me with a smile. "I mean, yeah, of course I did."

She'd said those words so casually, as if there were no question about it, but for me, I felt like I was only filled with questions.

"But after everything?" I asked her, in reference to not only how much of an asshole I'd been to her, but also, so much time had passed between us.

I know Chris had told me Rena would sometimes wear it, but that was back when they were in college. I didn't expect her to still have it with her.

"Well, I stopped wearing it, but it doesn't mean I just threw it," Rena told me. "Although, I thought I kept this somewhere else. I didn't realise I put it in here," she added.

I smiled look at the charm bracelet I still held in my hand. "I really thought it would've broken by now."

Rena snorted in response. "Liam, this is me. I still have books from college and high school kept in neat condition," she said.

Yeah, makes sense, she was always a bit of a neat-freak.

"Would you...will you wear it again?" I asked her.

My voice sounded timid to even myself.

Serena raised her brows at me. "Now?" She asked, clearly surprised by my question.

"Please?" I asked her and she smiled.

"Help me put it on?" She asked and I nodded.

Rena took steps closer to me, and then held out her wrist towards me.

Gently placing the bracelet around her wrist and clasping it, I smiled. It felt like we were back to being kids, when I first gave her the bracelet.

"It looks perfect," I commented and Rena smiled at me, as she ran her fingers over the bracelet gently.

"Thank you," she said and before I could say anything, we both heard Bea's voice yelling out that she was hungry.

"What's this place?" Bea asked, scrunching up her face as she looked around, but then as soon as she spotted cake, her eyes lit up.

I smiled down at her, as she held my hand.

"Mama Macy's," I told her.

Rena crouched down next to her. "You'll love it here, Bea. They have the best milkshakes and cakes."

I could then see grin develop on my daughters' face.

She clapped her hands. "Ooo cake!"

"Serena Hastings, is that you?" We both looked in the direction of the familiar voice, and to my surprise, it was Mamma Macy herself.

Her real name was Margaret Clemmens, and she was the first one to start this place. As the years went by, the name Mamma Macy kind of stuck and we all just called her by that name. She kind of is like a mother to all of us.

I looked to Rena and saw a wide grin on her face.

"It is," she nodded, as Mamma Macy walked towards us.

"Hi Mamma," Rena said.

"Oh, my darling girl. It is you," she said and then hugged her tightly. "How are you? I've missed you, dear, so much."

She then turned towards me after releasing Rena from the hug.

"Liam Hunter, you as well," she said and I nodded.

"It's nice to see you, Mamma," I said.

Just as I was about to go in for a hug, she instead smacked both Rena and I on the back of our heads.

We both winced and rubbed the place where she'd hit us.

"Why don't you two come visit more?" Mama asked us in a scolding tone.

We both bowed our heads, like guilty children caught in the act. "Sorrym Mamma," we said in sync, and then looked at each other with a smile.

Rena then pouted. "I've missed you a lot," she said.

Mamma narrowed her eyes. "Lies, you missed the cakes," she said.

"But I missed you more," Rena said as she hugged her.

Mamma shook her head and leaned away from her. "Still so cheeky," she said and then looked down.

"Oh and who is this little one? Is she your girl?" She asked looking down at Bea and then to Rena.

I was going to answer, but then Bea stepped forward. "I'm her bumblebee," she said, rocking on her heels, with her hands behind her back.

Rena looked down at Bea adoringly, "That she is."

I smiled to myself. Bea really wasn't one to let someone else answer for her.

"Oh, she's the cutest little munchkin I've ever seen," Mamma cooed at Bea. "Come, sit down at that booth, I'll have everything ready for you," she said.

"Can I-"

I was about to ask for what I wanted, but then Mamma looked at me with narrowed eyes.

"Are you really going to tell me your order?" She asked, and it was clear that the question was rhetorical.

I held up my hands in a surrendering motion. "Okay, okay, I trust you," I chuckled.

"As you should. Now, go sit down," she said and I nodded, following Rena and Bea to the booth to sit down.

Not long after we sat down, our was food served.

"Here you are," Mamma said, and my mouth watered seeing the food. I saw both Rena and Bea's eyes widen, seeing the cupcakes.

"I love you, Mamma," Rena grinned at her.

Mama smiled. "Then come see me more often."

Rena held up one of the cupcakes and looked at her. "For these cakes, I'll move in with you," she said and Mamma laughed, walking away whilst shaking her head.

I looked at my daughter who had already dug into one of the cupcakes.

"How is it, Bea?" I asked, amused and a little concerned with the way she scoffed down the treat.

Bea then moved the cupcake away and gave me a toothy grin. "Yummy," she declared, with frosting all over her face.

"Oh, baby, you have frosting everywhere," Rena laughed. "Let me get some more napkins," she said, but before she made a move to get up I stopped her.

"Let me," I told her, and got up myself.

I grabbed a few more napkins for the mess Bea was currently making, and just as I turned, I felt someone grab my arm.

I turned to see Mamma smiling at me.

"I'm so happy to see you, Liam," she said and I smiled.

"Me too, Mamma," I replied, placing a hand on top of hers.

She then looked over my shoulder. "I'm even happier to see you with Serena," Mamma said, and just as I was about to reply, she continued. "I've been rooting for the two of you since you were both so little and used to come into my shop."

I didn't even know what exactly to say to her words, but it was clear she was mistaken and seemed to have the wrong idea about Rena and I being here together.

"Oh, we're not-" I began to say, but Mamma cut me off.

"I hoped the two of you would end up together, and now you have such a beautiful little girl," Mamma sighed. "She's a good one, Liam. Never let her go," she added sternly, looking straight at me.

I looked back to where Serena and Bea sat, the two of them laughing together and it was a sight I truly didn't want to let go of.

"I won't," I said, and looked back at Mamma.

She nodded at me. "Good," she said and then went about her way, as I walked back, returning to our booth.

"What was that about?" Rena frowned at me, looking curious.

I just shook my head at her. "Nothing, just scolding me some more," I said and she laughed my words.

Rena dug into her food, but then paused for a moment. "Oh, now that we're here, it reminds me of something important I wanted to ask."

I give her a little nod. "Yeah sure, go on."

Rena looked at me a little funny, like I've said a joke and didn't even know it.

"I meant Bea," she said and then turned towards her. My brows just furrowed together in confusion.

Bea seemed to perk up hearing her name.

"Me?" She asked, with a mouthful of food.

It probably looks as if I've never fed her.

Rena nodded at her, taking a napkin and wiping the corner of Bea's mouth. "Yeah, Bea. I'm basically introducing a new cake in my other shop, and I wanted your help?"

Bea's face scrunched up a little. "Help? But I can't cook," she shook her head.

Rena smiled at her and tapped Bea's nose. "But you can eat. I'm calling it, Bumblebee and I need your help to taste it. Will you help me?" She asked one more.

Clearly Bea loved the idea, judging by the way her face her face lit up.

"Yes! I'll eat it," she shouted, ignoring the looks of people gave our way, but I couldn't care less about them, since my girl looks so happy.

Bea then looked at me, smiling from ear to ear. "Daddy, Serena's going to name cake after me."

"I'm going to name the best cupcake after you," Rena corrected her, smiling at Bea's excitement.

"That's really cool, baby," I told Bea, mimicking her excitement. "What's going to be the flavour?" I asked.

Bea just looked to Rena for a response, as do I.

"We'll work on that with Elias-" she waved off the question, and I remembered him as the guy who handles her other shop. "-but for now, I know exactly what it'll look like," she then added.

Bea went back to happily eating, whilst I looked to Rena.

"Thank you for doing this," I told her and she narrowed her eyes at me, with a little smirk.

"You're not getting your own cake, Liam," she told me and I laughed at her words, as she went back to eating as well.

I think I'm getting something better instead.

The owners of this house called me earlier, to check if everything was okay, but to also to say there was a little something for me.

Apparently, when Rena and her family were packing, something was left behind, but they kept forgetting to send it back to them.

Since we were here for a couple of days and I mentioned one of the previous residents would also be coming, they wanted to pass something along, whatever it was that they may have left.

When I went to the living room and opened the coffee table drawer, there was an envelope with my name on it.

Opening it, I felt the air leave my lungs.

It was the photo booth pictures that Rena and I took at the summer ball years ago.

I remember how I basically hauled her into the booth because I was nervous about dancing and needed to talk to her.

Rena was my calm.

We didn't even realise that the picture was taken at first, but then we posed for the rest.

I guess they just got left behind whilst she packed up.

God, these pictures.

The way she looked at me.

Had Rena always looked at me like this?

It's the eyes that were always the giveaway, and right now, it's as if Rena's eyes were giving away an emotion that I'm not sure of...well, actually I feel like I know it, but I don't know if I'm just seeing what I want to see.

Wait, no. What am I saying!?

"Liam, are you alright?" I look up to see Rena smiling at me, and somehow, that's enough to make me smile too.

I go to answer, but it's like I can't talk. I'm just thinking, is this all in my head, or is Rena looking at me like she...? No. I must be imagining it.

"Liam?" Rena asked again, looking confused.

"Sorry, I was just thinking," I told her with a smile, and she gave me a weird look, before smiling and turning away.

"Rena," I called out her name, causing her to turn back towards me.

She waited for me to say something, but I didn't. I just looked at her.

"Yeah?" She asked.

Searching her face, I then shook my head. "Nothing," I said, and she just shrugged and walked away.

As she walked away from me, I realised something...

I want Rena to look at me, like she did in those pictures, whether she actually meant it or not.

I want her eyes to have the emotion I'm searching for...

I think...I think I maybe just want her.

Fuck.