For Now and Always (Liam Payne)

Chapter 24

At promptly 8am the next morning, Eva was ready. She knew her mother would turn up at any moment. They had brought breakfast at the ridiculous time of 6:30. Liam had forced her to eat something that was supposed to be eggs and to drink all of the orange juice. Then she had sent him home to shower and get her a Sausage McMuffin with cheese. The nurses brought her a hair brush and an elastic so she could get her hair into a ponytail and she attempted to arrange the hospital gown to look...well, better that it looked now. She should have told him to bring her jammies.

She heard her before she saw her, her heals clacking down the hallway. The door flew open and in came her mother. "Evangeline! Darling! You are awake. Now, don't you worry. I have spoken to the CEO of this hospital and explained that I am a CFO of the McLaren group in the US. You will be well taken care of. As soon as possible, we will get you home."

"I don't want to go home, mother. I am happy here." Eva said. Her father walked in leading Liam. He had a McDonald's bag. She hoped he knew enough to hide it from her mother.

"Regardless, Evangeline, you are coming home. This little fantasy is over. You can go to college at home and not have to worry about anything. I don't like the idea of my daughter living in squalor just to prove a point. We understand. You aren't a baby. Now, no more arguments." She said.

"Mother! Daddy, please. Tell her I can stay. I've paid everything up until May 1st. My grades are wonderful. I like it here." Eva begged.

"Gwen, it's only 10 more weeks. She will be fine for 10 more weeks. And I'm sure she's not living in squalor. Right, honey?" her father said.

Liam scooted around them and hid the bag under her bed. "I've got rehearsal at 10. Dylan said she'd come and sit with you if you'd like. Here's your phone." Liam was confused. Eva's family obviously had money. Why did she have such a crappy cell phone? Why was she living in that tiny flat? Had they cut her off when she announced her plan? He needed to get her alone. At that moment, the doctor walked in. Her parents turned to talk to him and Liam whispered "What is going on? Your family has money. Why are you..."

"Shhh...Liam. You heard her. She didn't like my plans. I was told to do it alone. If I wanted to leave home, I needed to do it myself. Now, give me that Sausage McMuffin. I'm starving."

Liam reached into the bag and grabbed it out. She got in one bite before her mother turned around. "What are you eating, Evangeline? Give that here. That is awful for you. What have I told you about grease? Do you want to breakout?"

Eva rolled her eyes and started to hand over the sandwich. Liam intercepted it saying, "That's mine. I was just giving her a bite.'

"Well, don't share that with her. We don't want you getting pudgy again, do we? We don't want that bad skin to come back." Gwen said.

"Gwen, dear, leave her alone. She is fine." Her father said. "Now, Eva dear, the doctor has said that he will be able to release you today, if your temperature stays normal. We are staying for a few days, just to be sure. Do you want us to take you to the hotel with us?"

"I'd really rather just go back to my flat." Eva answered.

Gwendolyn did not look happy. "Well, we have some sign some papers about insurance and apparently your intake record is incomplete. We will be right back."

As soon as she was out of ear shot, Liam said "What a ..."

"Bitch. I know. Give me that." She grabbed her breakfast sandwich. "I'm eating every bite of this acne causing, pudgy maker."

Liam fell into hysterical laughter.

........................................

The doctors released her just before 6 that evening. Liam drove them all to Eva's flat. "This is a very nice car, young man. What does your family do?" Gwen asked.

"Uh, well my dad makes airplanes?" he answered.

"He constructs airplanes? Which company? Boeing? Air Bus?"

"No, ma'am. He works in the factory." Liam told her.

She looked confused. "Then how can he afford Land Rover?"

"Mother, you are going to embarrass yourself and us. Just drop it, please." Eva begged.

"It's a perfectly logical question. This is a 40,000 dollar car. How can such a young man afford such a car?"

"Oh god, mother. Please. He's rich, okay? He's in a band. He's like, super famous. Okay? God." Eva said.

For once in her life, Gwendolyn Stuart was speechless. Eva smiled to herself.

..........................................

Liam got them safely to her flat and she took her parents inside. Her mother was appalled at the state of the kitchen, complained about how small the lounge was and offered to buy her all new furniture for "that awful bedroom." Dylan was nowhere to be found. Eva had warned her.

Her parents stayed long enough to make sure she was settled and made plans to see her tomorrow for lunch at the hotel. They were going to leave the next day.

"Oh, thank god they are gone! Please, can we go to your place? My bed is so small." Eva asked.

Liam was thrilled. She wasn't angry at him and she wanted to go to his place. Everything was back to normal. Plus, he now understood why she was so quiet. She probably never got a chance to talk when she was younger.

On the car ride he couldn't help but ask "Okay, your mother is Gwendolyn, you are Evangeline. You call your sister Lex. What in the hell is your sister's name?"

"Alexandrea. Alexandrea Jeanette. I swear to god."

Liam laughed. "Holy Christ. What is wrong with your mother? What's your middle name?"

"It's not really her fault. My grandmother was named Genevieve and her mother was Serendipity. It could have been worse. And Elizabeth. Evangeline Elizabeth. I nearly failed kindergarten trying to spell that!" They laughed the entire way to Liam's place.

Once they arrived, Eva snuggled into Liam's bed, happy and content. She couldn't think of a better place to be. Liam laid down next to her. "It's not that late. Do you want to watch TV? I'm sure I can find some awful old lady movie for you to watch?"

"Liam?"

"Hmmm?" he said, looking through the channels distractedly.

"Would you make love to me, please?"

Liam dropped the remote, looked at her and nodded. Without speaking, he took her into his arms and showed her just how much he loved her.

...........................................

The next morning, Liam brought her orange juice and a box, in bed. "What's this?" she asked.

"Uh, Orange Juice? It's good for you. Drink it."

"I know that!" she laughed. "What is in the box?"

"Oh, well you missed Valentine's Day. It's your present." Liam explained. "Open it."

She took off the horrible white wrapping paper (Wrapped it myself!) and found a familiar light blue box. Too big for a ring, too big for a bracelet. Holding her breath, she opened the box. It was a heart shaped pendant on a fine platinum chain. The heart was hanging a bit off center, so it hung at an angle, and it was covered in diamonds. She couldn't even speak.

"Do you like it? It will match your bracelet."

She looked up at him, gulped and nodded. It looked expensive. It felt expensive. Her inner demons were fighting. They had only been dating about 6 months. This had to have cost him a fortune. It sparkled, winking up at her. She could hear her evil said say "Put it on! We like it!" while her practical side said "That could pay your tuition for four years."

"Oh god, Liam. I love it but..."

"No. No buts. I almost lost you. I can't ever lose you. I can't ever be without you. I'm saying forever, right now. I'm saying forever." Eva cried and let him put it around her neck. "I will always love you. Now and always. No matter what."