“Hey, munchkins,” he said softly, lowering himself to the carpet beside Maddie.
Hailey remained at the window, but her eyes tracked his movements warily. Maddie scooted a few inches away, a subtle rejection that cut deeper than any hockey injury.
“Can we talk for a minute?” he asked, keeping his voice gentle.
Maddie shrugged, a noncommittal gesture that reminded him painfully of Kate when she’d been upset but trying to hide it. Liam took a deep breath, steeling himself.
“I need to tell you both something important,” he began, forcing himself to maintain eye contact despite the accusation in Maddie’s gaze. “I made a mistake. A terrible mistake.”
Hailey slid from the window seat, drawn by the raw emotion in his voice. She approached cautiously, like a wild animal unsure whether to trust a proffered hand.
“I was wrong to let Sunny go,” Liam continued, the admission scraping his throat. “I was scared, and when grown-ups get scared, sometimes we make bad choices.”
“Scared of what?” Maddie asked, her first direct words to him in so long.
“Of getting hurt again,” Liam answered honestly. “Of loving someone and losing them, like we lost Mommy.”
Hailey inched closer, her small face crumpling with confusion. “But youmadeSunny go away.”
“I know, pumpkin. That’s the mistake.” Liam struggled to find words a five-year-old might understand. “Sometimes when people are afraid of falling down, they sit down on purpose so no one can push them. But that means they never learn to stand tall, to run, to dance.”
Maddie’s brow furrowed as she processed this. “So you made Sunny leave because you were afraid she would leave anyway.”
The perceptiveness of his six-year-old daughter never ceased to amaze him.
“Something like that,” Liam acknowledged. “But I was wrong, and I’m going to try to fix it.”
Hope flared in Hailey’s eyes. “You’re going to bring Sunny back?”
Liam hesitated, wary of making promises he couldn’t keep. “I’m going to try my very hardest.”
“What if she doesn’t want to come back?” Maddie asked, her voice small but challenging. “She was really sad when she left.”
“Then I’ll have to prove to her that we all want her here,” Liam said. “That we’re not giving up on her.”
Hailey finally closed the distance between them, pressing her small hand to his freshly shaved cheek. “I knew you were still in there, Daddy.”
The simple trust in her gesture nearly undid him. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry I’ve been lost recently.”
Maddie remained slightly apart, her natural caution asserting itself. “What about your hockey team?” she asked. “They don’t like Sunny.”
Liam met her gaze directly. “Some things are more important than hockey, Mads.”
A flicker of surprise crossed her face, followed by the faintest hint of a smile. It wasn’t forgiveness, not yet, but it was a start.
“Now,” Liam said, pushing himself to his feet, “I’ve got some people to talk to and some things to set right. Will you two be okay with Beth for a bit?”
Hailey nodded, already looking more animated. Maddie gave another of those Kate-like shrugs, but this time there was less ice in her eyes.
As Liam left the playroom, he heard the soft patter of feet behind him. Turning, he found Maddie standing in the doorway, her small shoulders squared.
“Daddy?”
“Yes, Mads?”
“Don’t be scared anymore, okay?”
Liam’s throat tightened. “I’ll try my best, baby. I promise.”
