Ten Winters in Boston

The paperwork for Lily's school transfer was almost complete.

So, I kept her home from school, and we spent our days curled up on the sofa, looking at pictures of cities we'd like to live in.

"Mommy, I like Portland. It has so many pretty gardens."

"Portland? Are you two planning a trip?"

Liam's voice made me jump. I hadn't even heard him come in.

I quickly locked my phone. Just as he reached for it, his own phone rang.

Jessica's panicked voice shrieked through the receiver. "Liam! Mason has a fever! I don't know what to do!"

The color drained from Liam's face. He scrambled to throw on his coat and rushed toward the door.

"Don't panic, I'm on my way."

In his haste, he banged his knee hard on the corner of the table.

When Mason got sick, Liam dropped everything in a blind panic. Yet when Lily had a severe allergic reaction, he thought I was just being dramatic.

My God, Liam. Could you be any more obvious?

Lily seemed to realize it too. She quietly climbed into bed, turned her face to the wall, and sulked.

Later that night, after tucking Lily in, I was scrolling through my phone and saw a new post from Jessica.

[Having these two in my life is all I need.]

In the photo, Liam was carefully tucking Mason into bed, his expression etched with concern.

Jessica, wrapped in Liam's coat, was smiling sweetly at the camera.

A cold impulse shot through me, and I liked the post.

A second later, the post vanished.

Then, my phone rang. It was Liam.

"Ava, Jessica was just being emotional when she posted that. Did you have to make such a big deal out of it?"

I scoffed. All I did was like it.

"I don't have time for this," he sighed. "By the way, Jessica's place has a leak. They're going to stay with us for a couple of weeks."

"Get the guest room ready for them."

He hung up before I could utter a single word.