The Risk Takers

Part 29 | New Goals

After five hours of whirl-winding around the mall, we finally make it back to my condo with bundles of bags adorning our arms. I drop my heavy purchases in the foyer and Harper takes her bags upstairs. I noticed Colin's car wasn't in the visitor parking lot and am glad he's not staying around for dinner. I have enough to deal with and entertaining Harper and Colin can be exhausting. I make my way down the hall and into the living room where I find Liam sprawled out on the couch watching some show on the History Channel. He spots me out of the corner of his eye and smiles to me when I drop into the chair across from him, "How was shopping?" I dramatically slouch my shoulders and act exhausted. He laughs and pushes himself upright on the couch, "Where's Harper?"

I look over my shoulder, "Upstairs. She needed to get some work done before dinner. What did you do today?" I ask him and I see him tense up slightly. I eye him as he fiddles with his wedding band.

"I actually went to visit my dad," he says with caution. My eyes widen as I ask, "What? How? Where? In jail?"

He nods, "I wanted to know if he was still there or if he was back causing chaos elsewhere."

"And..."

"And we talked for a bit. I told him we figured out he was just trying to screw us all over and that he almost succeeded. I told him his plan ended up making it easier for us to move back to Highland Park to be with your sick father. Start fresh elsewhere."

I slightly shake my head as I respond, "Well that hadn't been decided on officially yet. We still need to talk to Teddy and I don't think we should just leave Steph hanging out to dry in Virginia."

"He doesn't need to know it's not official yet. He just needs to know his so called revenge really didn't faze us. That we are moving forward in our lives and as usual, he's not welcome. That he ruined all chances of being in our child's life and if he ever comes near us again I will kill him."

My jaw drops at his harsh words, "You told your dad that?"

Liam nods, "Yes I did. He needs to know we are done. He doesn't matter to us. I don't want him to think we even think about him. I don't even want our kid to know he exists."

I am silent for a moment as I process his words. I know Liam had no soft spot for his dad but I didn't know he wanted him to be nonexistent in our kid's life either. I don't mind the barricade- I guess Topher did that to himself.

"What did he say?" I ask him still stunned and he shrugs, "He went on and on about how I betrayed him first. How we took away everything he worked hard for. He was blaming you for taking me away from the agency. He accepted no blame on anything that's happened since he left us all those years ago and he tried to manipulate me against you. The man won't accept responsibility for his actions and I am done. He's a narcissistic sociopath and I want him no where near my family at this point."

"He won't be in jail much longer you know. If he really is C.I.A still they are going to come and scoop him up."

Liam nods, "Oh I know, I got it from the Captain after I visited that he's being released back to their custody on Monday. That's why I went to visit him so he knows not to ever contact me in the future and to leave you the hell alone. His plan didn't work."

I look to Liam and I can see how serious he is. He wants to start fatherhood by completely cutting off his own father. I think if Topher hadn't done this, Liam may have let him come around the baby eventually. Topher ruined his relationship with Liam all by himself. He stayed away, ignored his son while pouting about taking his control over people away. He never reached out, not when Liam graduated college or the academy. Liam left him off the invite list for our wedding but pictures were all over social media, even then he didn't say a word. I watch his stern expression soften and I ask, "So if Teddy agrees, is this what we are going to do? Move back to Highland Park and start over?"

Liam nods, "I'm not against it. Let's face it, it would probably be better to raise a baby in a nice neighborhood in Texas instead of a busy city like Los Angeles. Our friends were mostly work colleagues out here, we'll be tight with Colin, Harper and Teddy anywhere."

"But before Harper gave us that idea, we were going to go to Virginia and talk to Stephanie and see what other mayhem Topher created. Are we just going to abandon all that?"

Liam eyes me and scoots forward on the couch, "Baby girl, that was before we knew your dad had months to live. I'm not going to continue this vendetta shit when you could be home getting ready for our baby and enjoying these next few months with your dad. Topher doesn't matter to me."

"But what about your job? What about my job? I want to be with my dad, I do and I will but we've also worked so hard Liam."

My world is spiraling out of control and I don't know which path to take. Two weeks ago everything was status quo and now I am questioning my whole future. Something I have never done before. I have always known I have wanted to be a lawyer and be married to Liam, both of which I've accomplished. But what happens if I lose one of them? I've never thought about an alternative ever. I was just starting out as a lawyer and hadn't even made partner or won a big case all on my own. Am I ready to let go of my hard work and start over in a new office, in a new city at entry level?

I watch Liam bite the inside of his cheek and his eyes narrow. He is thinking of something and he always makes that face when he's debating saying something out loud. I eye him to spill whatever he is thinking and he says, "I can use my abilities for many things El, I could still provide for us if I wasn't a detective. Why do you want to be a lawyer? You've always said it's because you can use your ability for good."

I nod, "Yeah and I have used it for good. Reading minds makes me an excellent prosecutor and defender. I am a damn good lawyer."

"I know you are, but being a lawyer has been the only main goal you've ever had, even though it's not the only one that you can use your abilities for good. There are other options for us. We always talk about traveling and going to cooking classes and having a vacation home in Aspen and visiting Harper in Scottsdale and Lily in New York but we never have time to do any of it. The last vacation we had was our honeymoon in Italy and since then, we can never find time for fun. We enjoy the few hours we get off a week together but other than that we work. I'm okay taking time off and enjoying you and the baby and your father. We'll be okay if you take a break too. You can still find a way to use your abilities for good until we figure out what happens after your father-"

He abruptly stops talking which is good because I couldn't bare to hear the word dies. I cannot even think of that happening. I swallow my bubbling emotions because I know if I open that flood gate it's going to be impossible to seal it shut again. Liam grabs my hands as I bite my lip, "These next few months will be about your father and preparing for a baby. Topher no longer matters. Revenge doesn't matter. L.A doesn't matter."

I nod to him as I attempt to process and accept what's happening around me. I hear the door bell sound and Liam flits his eyes in that direction, "It's Teddy. I figured we needed to talk to him." I watch as Liam pulls himself from the couch and disappears into the front room. Great, another serious discussion lurks in my near future. This is when I wish I could get piss drunk to deal with all of these changes in my life.