5
"Hey, what is going on here?" Cam asked, and everyone turned to look at him.
"Oh, hello there, Cam. Hi, Lilly. How are you, sweetheart?" Claire replied first.
"She's fine, but she hasn't started grabbing yet, so I am a little worried," Cam voiced his concerns.
"Don't worry, Cam. Some babies are just slower with things like these. Liam here never grabbed anything, and he turned out just fine," my mom reassured him, providing an example to ease his concerns.
"So, what are you guys talking about?" Cam asked again.
"We were just watching Liam's singing performance, and you won't believe how good it is! Here, have a look yourself," Haley handed her phone to Cam and Mitch, and soon the video started playing.
"Wow, Liam. I never thought you could sing this well," Cam exclaimed.
"Cam, this is the first time we have met," I rolled my eyes at his comment.
"I know, okay," Cam rolled his eyes in response.
"Well, I knew he could sing. He sang an original song once before, and it was phenomenal," Mitch interjected between us.
"No fair, L-Cad. You sang them a song and not us," Phil was the first one to retort to Mitch's statement.
"Don't worry, Captain Fun. You will get your song," I smiled and gave Phil a nickname too.
[Phil's Commentary]
"We are getting close. He gave me the nickname 'Captain Fun.' It shows my funny side."
"I am so cool."
[End]
We started grilling, or rather, Phil took over the grilling as the only straight dad here. My mother enthusiastically waited for others, but no one showed up except for an old lady who passed by, offering her congratulations before leaving.
"Don't worry, Mom. It's their loss. They didn't get to know such a strong and beautiful lady," I patted my mother's shoulder while she nodded.
"Yeah! You are beautiful," Phil chimed in.
"The meat's burning," Claire retorted when Phil tried to flirt.
"I'm sorry about that, Desiree. He just sometimes says things without thinking," Claire clarified before things escalated.
Soon, the party started. I focused on the food, which was still hot. Who knows what might come, so it's better to stay focused. I could still feel someone's gaze fixed on me.
But this time, it was two of them. While Alex stared continuously, Haley would also look up from time to time.
It grew darker as we ate. We started late in the afternoon, and now it was past the golden hour. The embers inside the grill were still hot, and the adults were drinking wine while us children had nothing but juice.
"Liam, send me a friend request on Facebook. I will accept it, and we can be friends," Haley's way of making friends was nothing but interesting.
"Ah… I don't have a Facebook account, and do I really need to do that?" I replied. I never had the time for those kinds of things. I never had something to show off to others, so I never needed social media in my life.
"Hey, Liam? Will you really sing a song? Will you sing 'I'm Yours' again? Do you need an assistant?" Alex bombarded me with questions once again.
"Yes, no, and no," I replied, then went inside to pick up my guitar. When I came back, the guitar caught everyone's attention, and they looked at me.
"Ready, Captain Fun, for the song?" I asked Phil, who seemed the most excited among the group.
I pulled out a stool, sat down, and adjusted the guitar in my lap.
I started strumming the strings.
[Better Together - Jack Johnson]
🎶 There's no combination of words
I could put on the back of a postcard
No song that I could sing
But I can try for your heart
Our dreams, and they are made out of real things
Like a shoebox of photographs
With sepia-toned loving
Love is the answer
At least for most of the questions in my heart 🎶
"Wow, is Liam talking about when he and his mother were better together with their father, right Lilly? When they were happy with Liam's father?" said Cam.
"No, Cam, Liam is not talking about that."
[Mitchell's Commentary]
"I haven't told Cam about Desiree and her situation. I told him Liam's father is dead, to stop Cam from overreacting."
"Now I'm regretting it."
[End]
🎶 Why would you want to break a perfectly good heart?
Why would you want to take our love and tear it all apart now?
Why would you want to make the very first scar?
Why would you want to break a perfectly good heart? 🎶
"Is he talking about his father...? How hurt this boy is to turn his sorrows into songs?" Claire couldn't help but look at me with tears in her eyes.
🎶 I have been watching you for some time
Can't stop staring at those ocean's eyes
Burning cities and napalm skies
Fifteen flares inside those ocean eyes
Your ocean eyes 🎶
"Did you hear that?" Phil exclaimed.
"I know, Phil. It's so poetic," Claire let out a long breath and hugged Phil's arm.
🎶 No fair
You really know how to make me cry
When you give me those ocean eyes
I'm scared
I've never fallen from quite this high
Falling into your ocean eyes 🎶
"Ocean eyes? Is Liam talking about his father's eyes? What does it mean?" Cam questioned once again.
"Cam, 'ocean eyes' is just a metaphor for captivating and mesmerizing eyes. Liam is not referring to his father specifically," Mitchell explained.
🎶 Why would you want to break a perfectly good heart?
Why would you want to take our love and tear it all apart now?
Why would you want to make the very first scar?
Why would you want to break a perfectly good heart? 🎶
🎶 Why would you want to break a perfectly good heart?
Why would you want to take our love and tear it all apart now?
Why would you want to make the very first scar?
Why would you want to break a perfectly good heart? 🎶
🎶 In these moments, we're together as one
Finding joy in the love that cannot be undone
Through laughter, tears, and the melodies we hear
We're better together, let that be forever clear. 🎶
"Guys, I think I've got something stuck here. Hang on a second," Luke said as he finished inspecting his pants.