I
Part One
Liam
“For crying out loud, Maddie! How many times do I have to tell you? No jumping on the goddamn couch!”
Liam Anderson’s voice erupted before he could reconsider the harshness of his tone or the expletive he had let slip.
Across the living room, his six-year-old daughter’s cherubic face crumpled, her lower lip quivering as she fought back tears. Toys, coloring pencils, and sheets of paper were scattered across the couch and floor nearby.
A wave of shame and self-loathing twisted in Liam’s gut, prompting him to rub a rough hand across his stubbled jaw. What kind of father had he become, making his little girl cry over something so trivial?
“Aw, honey… I’m sorry, okay? Daddy didn’t mean to shout.”
Heaving a ragged sigh, he crossed the room in two strides and knelt in front of Maddie. Her wide blue eyes, achingly reminiscent of her late mother’s, brimmed with unshed tears that threatened to shatter his composure.
Reaching out, he cupped her tiny face in his large palm.
“You just have to be careful, princess. No more jumping, alright? You could get hurt, and I…I couldn’t live with myself if that happened.”
The anguish in his voice hung in the air, draining the remaining oxygen from his lungs. He knew his dramatic words wouldn’t makemuch sense to Maddie, but the painful truth was clear — he had already endured the nightmare of losing someone so precious. If anything happened to his daughters, he feared he would completely unravel.
Seemingly appeased by his heartfelt apology, Maddie nodded solemnly. Then, she leaned forward and wrapped her tiny arms around his thick neck in a tight embrace. Liam’s eyes closed instinctively as he returned the protective hug, breathing in the scent of kids’ shampoo and floral laundry detergent.
“I love you, Daddy,” she whispered in his ear, each syllable landing like a soft kiss, grounding him in the present moment.
Holding her small body more snugly against his broad chest, Liam pressed his lips to her crown of unruly blonde curls.
“I love you too, Mads. More than anything in this whole world. You hear me, girl?”
She giggled at the playful gruffness he deliberately infused into his voice. This was a long-standing game he had played since she was an infant: delivering sweet words in his hulking hockey player persona. Her musical laughter never failed to lift his spirits in response.
Yet, just as that warm feeling washed over him, it evaporated when his gaze drifted to the neatly framed photographs the living room mantelpiece.
There she was, immortalized in those glossy moments. Kate, radiant and luminous, her long blonde hair framing a face illuminated by a blindingly joyful smile. Whether in solo shots showcasing her delicate dancer’s frame or family portraits, the effervescent beauty he remembered shone from every photo.
God, he missed her so deeply that it felt like the air was being stolen from his lungs. It was as if someone had connected an oxygen line to his chest and was mercilessly twisting the valves, leaving him on the brink of asphyxiation.
Liam’s shoulders sagged under the weight of grief. His muscles tensed as that monstrous grip of sorrow tightened around his chest — until a tiny hand brushed against his cheek. It was Maddie’s silent plea for him to return to her. To the here and now.
Though his spirit was battered by loss, paternal instincts kicked in. Liam unclenched his jaw and pulled his thoughts back from the edge of despair, refocusing on the small warm body nestled against his chest.
His younger daughter, five-year-old Hailey, came tearing around the corner, a whirlwind of strawberry blonde curls and purple overalls adorned with tinkling bells.
“Daddy! Daddy! I made you a pretty picture during quiet time!”
She screeched to a halt in front of him, cheeks flushed from exertion and eyes sparkling with her usual joy. In that moment, as he took in her glowing, animated features, Liam felt a fresh wave of devastation at how much this tiny dynamo embodied Kate’s vivacious spirit. He steeled himself. He had to be strong.
“Well, let’s see this masterpiece then, Hurricane Hailey,” he encouraged, his tone lighter than he felt.
Obligingly, Hailey presented her prized finger painting — a vibrant swirl of colors at the center of the paper.
“It’s all of us!” she proclaimed proudly. “Me, you, Maddie…and Mommy. She’s looking down on us from the clouds, like an angel!”
The innocent exuberance of her words detonated like an incendiary device in Liam’s hollow chest. He bit down hard on his molars, struggling to contain the surge of emotion threatening to erupt.
“That’s beautiful, baby,” he rasped, forcing the words through a sandpaper throat. “Your mom…she would have loved it. Just like she loved both of you.”
