Learning to Swim

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Addie’s laughter echoes through Liam’s apartment bringing a smile to my face. It has been three weeks since we moved out and things have been going surprisingly well. I was terrified of what Addie’s reaction would be, but she seems to be the one that is adjusting the quickest. She asked questions at first, which I did my best to answer, but she handled the whole things surprisingly well. She still asks about our mom sometimes, but each day she seems to care a little less. I know it is terrible to take her away from the only real mother she has, but I’m doing it so that she won’t end up hurt later on. Besides it’s not like our mother had even been apart of Addie’s life all that much before we moved out. She hardly ever paid any attention to her, which is why I think it is almost easy for Addie to let her go. I’m not sure if she even completely understands what is going on.

It has been a little more difficult for me to adjust. It’s such a drastic change for me that it’s hard to feel quite at home. Liam has done everything he can, but I think it might take me awhile to finally relax. I’ve actually been looking for a place on my own because I think it is what’s best for me and Addie, Liam too. Although he has been handling everything really well, I don’t think he is quite ready to have a four year-old running around all the time. Besides I just think it is a smart move to have my own place. That way if something were to happen between me and Liam I would have somewhere to go. I don’t think we will be breaking up again anytime soon, but you never know and I think it is smart to take precautions.

Liam is being supportive of my decision and has been helping me find a place that I can afford. We haven’t found anything yet, but I’m not too worried. I’m sure I’ll find the perfect place for Addie and me to live, but for now we will just have to continue staying with Liam, which definitely has some perks.

It is the most amazing feeling to wake up in the morning knowing that he will be right next to me. I still swear that I’m dreaming sometimes because it is so hard to believe that he is really all mine. Some mornings he literally has to convince me that I’m not sleeping and that he is really there right next to me because I’m so certain that it was nothing but a dream. I’ll never get over how much he has changed everything for me and I love him so much for it. Turns out he was exactly what I needed to pull my life together.

“What are you thinking about?” Liam’s voice breaks into my subconscious and I blink a few times before focusing on his smiling face.

“Not much,” I shrug, not wanting to admit I was thinking about him.

“Whatever it was must have been something happy. You had this dreamy little smile on your face for the longest time. It’s so hard not to kiss you when you look like that,” he says and I duck my head as a blush rises in my cheeks.

“I was thinking about you actually,” I admit and give him an embarrassed grin.

“About how amazing I am, I bet.”

“Maybe,” I reply and he laughs.

“There’s actually something I need to talk to you about,” he says and my heart clenches. I hate those words. They almost always lead to something bad.

“What?” I ask nervously.

“Relax, it’s nothing bad. I promise,” he tells me noticing how tense I am. I let out the breath I had been holding and motion for him to continue. “So, your birthday is coming up and I have an idea about what we should do.”

“Please no. I hate my birthday. Let’s not do anything,” I beg and he gives me a surprised look.

“What kind of person hates their birthday?” he demands.