Take the Hope for a Good Life

Twenty-Two

LA, USA
January 13th
Miley's POV

9:00 AM

It was Liam's birthday today, and I was missing him so much. I was woken up by River jumping on my bed.

"River, why?" I whine. "Why can't you just sleep in or let me sleep in?" I ask.

"I'm hungry!" He shouts.

"No need to shout, River. I can hear you just fine when you talk."

"Sorry. Mommy I have a question."

"And what would that be?"

"Is daddy coming home yet?" Then I sigh.

"No, River. Not until February. It's January 13th. Daddy's birthday."

"Can I tell him happy birthday?!" He asks excitedly.

"I can try to call him later." I say.

"Yay!" River exclaims.

"River, don't yell. The baby might be sleeping in my tummy." I say, rubbing my belly.

"Okay, sorry." He whispers.

"It's okay." I say normally.

"I'm still hungry." Then I laugh.

"Well let's get you something to eat then," I say.

"Okay." He says. Then I get up, still in my pajamas and walk into the kitchen with River by my side. "Mommy pick me up." He commands.

"I can't." I say.

"Why?" He asks.

"I can't lift heavy things when I have a baby in my tummy."

"I'm not heavy!" He says, then I smile.

"You're too heavy for my to lift right now. When your sister is born I can lift you again as soon as I'm strong again."

"You're weak?" he asks.

"Yup." I say. "For now."

"Okay." Then I get him something to eat and he sits down and starts to eat. "Aren't you hungry mommy?"

"Not yet, I'm used to getting up a little later so I'm not quite hungry yet." Then he nods and continues to eat.

"What time is daddy coming home in February?"

"I don't know, that's something we'll have to ask him."

"Call him now." River demands.

"Finish eating first." I say, pointing to his food.

When he got done eating I took care of his plate and fork, then sat down with River on the couch and tried to video chat with Liam. When he answered, River got very excited.

"Hi daddy!"

"Hey buddy."

"Hi." I say.

"Hey." He says to me. "What's up?"

"Happy birthday daddy!" River shouts.

"River, he can hear you, you don't have to shout." I say then he nods.

"Thanks buddy." Liam says with a smile.

"Happy birthday. If I could give you a kiss I would right now." I say to Liam.

"Thanks baby."

"Oh, River wants to know what time you're coming home in February."

"Um...I don't know, call me later and I'll have an answer." He replies.

"Okay. Do you have to go?"

"Yeah, you caught me right after my break. I asked the director if I could take it and he said yeah. So I'd better go."

"Really quick question. How's the movie going?" I ask.

"It's going...that's all I have to say haha." Then I laugh.

"Okay, well I'll let you go then. Have fun kissing your co-star."

"I won't. He says. "I'll just pretend I'm kissing you that way it'll look more realistic." Then I smile.

"Okay, bye. River say bye to daddy."

"Bye daddy!" River says.

"Bye you two." Liam says, then we hang up.

"Mommy why is daddy kissing someone else?" River asks me when I put my phone down.

"Um...he's doing a movie, so he has to kiss people."

"You should have done the movie."

"Why River?" I ask.

"That way you can kiss him."

"I'll be able to kiss him when he gets home."

"Fine." He says, and I laugh.

"You'rre funny, you know that?"

"I know." He says with a smile.

"Well how about we go see a movie or something? Wanna go eat popcorn?"

"Yes!" He says very excited.

"Okay, let me help you get dressed then I'll get dressed, okay?" I ask. "Then we can go."

"Okay mommy."

Then I helped him get dressed and then we left. We got in the car and I buckled him in his carseat before I got in the driver's seat. When we got to the movie theatre we decided on an appropriate movie for River to see. Then we got the non-buttered popcorn and went to the movie.

12:00 PM

After the movie we went home, I called Liam again but this time we wasn't at a set, he was outside somewhere.

"Where are you?" I  ask, confused.

"Outside, duh."

"I know that, smartass." I say, then he laughs.

"Just taking a break. Why?"

"I don't know. So, are you enjoying your birthday?"

"It'd be better if we were together. Oh, I have a surprise for you and River by the way. It should be on the front porch. Take River and go get it. Oh shit I gotta go. Bye." Then he hangs up.

"Liam wait I-" Then I sigh. "Ass."

"Who's an ass?" River asks and my eyes get wide.

"No River you don't say those words okay?"

"Okay I'm sorry mommy."

"It's okay. Oh, daddy said there's a surprise for us on the front porch. Let's go get it." Then I take his hand and cautiously walk to the front porch in case he tricked me. When I opened the door I stood there in shock.

"Liam?"