Deepest Apologies

I Know You

Brian was happy to see Liv smiling and finally looking a little more relaxed as she had gotten chatting to some of the guests that had come to pay their respects. Liv had booked out a small bar with a beer garden not too far from where the ceremony had been held. He was really proud of how she had handled the whole day and he couldn't help but admire her as he sat at a table, waiting for Maci to return from the buffet with a plate full of sandwiches and cocktail sausages and a juice box for herself.

"Good job kiddo", he gave her a high-five after she had placed the food on the table. "How are you feeling?", he asked her as she jumped up in her seat.

"I'm okay", she said casually as she helped herself to a sandwich. "I'm happy mommy's happy again", she continued before taking a bite. Brian could feel his heart swell at his daughter's words. She had such a huge heart for someone so small, and he truly believed there were even adults out there that could learn a lot from her.

"Me too baby. Me too", he sighed contently. He suddenly felt his phone buzz in his pocket as he took it out to see a text from his mother.

Mom: We'll be arriving in 5 minutes. Mom x

Brian put his phone back in his pocket as he stood up from his chair.

"You gonna be okay here for a second cutie?", he asked Maci, who nodded as she enjoyed her sandwich. He made his way over to Liv who had just ordered a drink at the bar as she turned to face him.

"Hey", she smiled brightly. "Is Maci okay?", she asked. Brian nodded as he smiled back at her.

"She's great", he told her. "Um - my parents are almost here so I'm gonna head outside to meet them with Maci if you wanna come with us?", he asked. Liv took a sip of her drink before sighing.

"No, that's okay. I've gotta - I've gotta go thank some people", she told him. Brian could sense her nerves, and although he knew she didn't need to be nervous, he could understand why and he wasn't going to push her.

"Okay, I'll see you in a few", he told her before making his way back over to Maci. "So, my parents are gonna be here soon. Would you like to come and say hi?", he asked her as he approached her. Maci nodded shyly as she took a sip of her juice box before placing it on the table. Brian held out his hand for her as she took it and followed him outside. Just as they stepped out, Brian's parents pulled up in their car and he could swear he could feel Maci's palm beginning to sweat.

"Hello sweetie", his mother greeted him with a hug before stepping back so she could admire the little girl that held onto his hand for dear life. Brian gave his father a one armed hug before, he too, took a step back to admire his granddaughter. "And who's this little cutie pie?", his mother smiled brightly at Maci.

"This is Maci", Brian introduced her proudly. Maci sucked her thumb shyly as she looked up at her grandparents for the first time.

"It's nice to meet you young lady", his father knelt down to her level, offering her his hand to shake. Maci hesitantly let go of Brian's hand so she could shake her grandfather's, giggling as he did a small bow.

"We've heard so much about you", Brian's mother smiled as she reached into her purse. "Your dad told us you like comic books so we brought you some of his old ones from when he was little too", she said as she pulled out three old comic books and handed them to her.

"I have his Superman comic too", she told her proudly.

"Really? You must have a big collection!", she said as Maci nodded.

"Thank you", Maci said as she held the comics close to her chest. Brian felt a warm feeling in his chest as he watched his daughter chat with his parents like they had been apart of her life right from the beginning. She was soon holding hands with both his mother and father as they walked inside, Brian following them closely as a nervous Liv soon caught his eye. Leaving Maci with his parents, he approached her once more.

"You don't have to look so nervous, y'know", he told her. Liv sighed as she pushed her hair behind her ear.

"I know. I just - I feel terrible", she told him honestly. Brian graced the skin on the top of her hand casually with his fingertips as he smiled sincerely at her.

"Don't. It's okay", he told her. He couldn't deny, it was getting harder and harder to keep his affections for Liv from growing. She had grown so much as a person and her strength was so inspiring. He thought the girl he had met all those years ago was feisty and strong but the woman that stood before him was stronger than anyone he had ever met in his life. Brian knew that if she had told him back then that she was pregnant; he'd have stood by her and she wouldn't have had to do this on her own. But he couldn't help but admire her for having done that. He knew she had had the help of her grandmother, but he also knew how headstrong Liv could be and could only imagine the amount of times she had kindly told her grandmother that she didn't need help. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of his parents out of the corner of his eye. His father held Maci's hand as he lead her towards the bar, picking her up and placing her gently on a tall stool whilst his mother made her way towards he and Liv. He gave Liv an encouraging smile before taking a small step back, allowing his mother to approach her.

"I'm so sorry for your loss", she said.

"Thank you Mrs Quinn", Liv replied politely, her nerves evident as Brian spotted her hands shaking a little.

"Please call me Carol, Liv", his mother smiled. There was a moment of silence and Brian thought he should say something when Liv suddenly sighed.

"I'm so sorry Carol. I never meant to - I just-", Liv was cut off when Brian's mother suddenly took her hand within her own.

"I cannot imagine how scared you must have been", his mother suddenly said. "It may not have been the best thing to do but - what's done is done. And what you did? Was really brave", she smiled genuinely at her. "You've raised a wonderful little girl. And I'm happy to have come into her life now than to not have come into it at all", she finished. A few stray tears began to trickle down Liv's cheeks as Brian's heart was warmed to see his mother pulling her in for a hug. He had decided to give the two a moment whilst he got himself another drink at the bar before his mother soon approached him.

"You okay, Ma'?", he asked. His mother nodded as she smiled over in the direction of her husband and granddaughter.

"I'm very proud of you Brian", she told him sincerely, her eyes still on her husband who was currently teaching Maci a magic trick. Brian smiled warmly at her before taking a sip of his drink and catching a glimpse of Liv who was talking to an elderly woman in the corner.

"Hey Ma'? Did you mean what you said? To Liv, I mean", he asked. His mother simply nodded as she sighed.

"If I had it my way we'd have been in that little girls life right from the word go, you know that. But what Liv did? Was incredibly courageous. She made a decision to try and avoid hurting people. It may not have worked out that way, but you can see her heart was in the right place", she told him. His mother was right. For the first time since finding out about Maci, Brian didn't feel any anger towards Liv at all. The resentment he had felt suddenly faded as he looked at her, smiling warmly as she spoke to the elderly woman in front of her. "You should tell her, y'know", his mother suddenly said.

"Tell her what?", Brian asked, his attention back to his mother.

"That you still love her", she said casually as she helped herself to some chips that sat on the bar in a bowl. Brian could feel his heart in his throat as gave a nervous chuckle.

"I don't know what you're talking about", he scoffed before taking a sip of his drink.

"Brian, you're my son; I know that look in your eye", she told him. He wanted desperately to tell her how wrong she was but the truth was; she was right. He was still in love with her. And he was starting to think he had never stopped.