Ready to Run Part 2

Chapter 11

Olivia

"Hey Liv! Come check this out. It'll look wonderful on you!" Ruth calls from across the store, holding up the maxi dress I had my eye on the minute I walked in the store.

"I'm one step ahead of you." I tell her, pointing out the same dress I have in the stack of clothes thrown over my arm. "I need to go try these on anyways. My arm is going to fall off."

She just laughs and I head off to the dressing rooms. I'm missing Liam but I'm having a great time with the girls. They took me to breakfast this morning to bond over waffles and coffee before dragging me to all their favorite shops in Wolverhampton. His mother is one of the sweetest human beings I've ever met. She's one of those people who can't help but be maternal. She's made every effort to make sure I feel welcome. His sisters have been great as well. I could tell they were trying to test me at first but apparently I passed because then they started sharing embarrassing childhood stories about Liam at breakfast and haven't stopped since. I'm sure he would be horrified that I'm hearing them but in a way it makes me feel like they've accepted me as one of their own. I feel silly that I was even worried about meeting them in the first place.

When I walk out of the dressing room I see Karen sitting on the couches outside. It looks like she's waiting on me so I put the clothes I didn't like back on the rack before walking over to sit down next to her.

"Did you find some things you liked dear?" She asks sweetly.

"Always." I reply with a laugh. "But you have something else on your mind don't you?"

"You're sharp. It's one of the things Liam loves about you, I'm sure."
"He's told me, yes. Has he spoken to you about us?" I ask. Part of me is scared to hear what Liam has told his mother about our relationship. I care about him a lot but it still makes me feel uncomfortable to hear him throw around the L word when I'm still processing everything. I'm sure hearing how he feels about me from his mother would be even worse. On the other hand, my curiosity is getting the best of me.

"He didn't have to dear. I'm a mom. I know things. I'm just happy you two have found each other. You are planning on moving to London full time after you graduate right?" She asks excitedly.

"I haven't figured that out yet. I'm still weighing my options." I was right. I'm uncomfortable. How do you tell your boyfriend's mother that you aren't sure if you love her son because not only was your last boyfriend a cheating asshole who made you think he cared about you just to get in your pants, but also, said son lied and hid his feelings from you in the beginning, giving you a whole host of trust issues?

"Weighing your options? What options are there to weigh? You two love each other. Why would you want to be apart?" She asks, confused. There's that L word again.

"I care about Liam, a lot. But I also have to make decisions based on what's best for me, not just where my boyfriend lives." I tell her, slightly offended.

"I'm sorry dear. I don't mean to be presumptuous. I'm just going on what I saw between you two last night. From what I saw, I thought it was pretty serious." She clarifies, making my anger disappear but not my uneasiness.

"Not exactly. We've only actually been a couple a few weeks. I mean we do care about each other but we're just living in the moment, enjoying being together." Somehow I know the words sound stilted coming out of my mouth. I know how I feel about Liam but describing it is so much harder. I feel like what I just told her doesn't do justice to the connection I feel to him. I'm about to amend my statement but she interrupts.

"I understand that but I also know my son. He's not one for flings. Every girl he's dated has been serious. But even so, I've never seen him look at someone the way he looks at you. You're it for him. And something tells me you feel the same way about him."