I shake my head. “No, I did that on purpose.” I try to smile, but her ‘I’m going to kill you’ look has me shaking in my boots.
Josie walks over to the bike, walking around it. “It’s cute.”
That’s my cue. “You could learn to ride it. I mean, after the baby is here. I’d teach you.”
She walks back over and sets her hands on her hips. “You need to learn how to communicate with me.” She jabs me in my chest to emphasize her point. “I’m serious, Liam. Talk to me about everything.”
“I know, you’re right.” Josie stands there with a satisfied look on her face as a result of my instant agreement with her.
“I know this is going to be a stupid question, but do you want to go for a ride? I bought a helmet for you. It’s not like the one I have at home, this one doesn’t go fast at all and we’ll take all side streets.” I waggle my eyebrows at her. We have a lot of fun on the Ducati that I have home, and could have some fun here.
Josie shakes her head. I get it. “I’d like to go to the house, though. Can we take a cab?” By house she means my grandmother’s place. I nod and pull out my phone to call the bellhop and ask him to get us a Town Car.
I’m looking forward to getting out on the open road with this bike, but until then, it’s parked. As soon as we’re back on the street, a black Town Car is waiting. I tip the bellhop and tell the driver where to go. I should’ve rented a car for us to get around in. I don’t like it when others have to drive me around. I ask the driver to stick to the main streets because I want Josie to see as much as she can. As we drive into the Hollywood Hills, the houses get bigger, grander. A lot of people live beyond their means around here, but my grandmother didn’t. Her biggest splurge was the parties she liked to host.
Josie all but hangs out the window as the driver maneuvers the hills. Every few houses she points and I tell her who lives there, or who used to. I realize that while she’s here, we need to do the Hollywood tour so she can learn where the rich and famous live.
We pull up to my grandma’s house and the black steel gate blocks my way. I type in the last code I remember, which is my mother’s birthday, and the gate starts to move. It’s fitting that the first time I’ve come back is with Josie. If it weren’t for her, I don’t think I’d be doing this right now.
As soon as the driver parks, Josie is sliding out of the back and looking around; nothing has changed. I don’t know who has been taking care of the house, but I have to find out. There’s only one more keypad that I can use to gain entry and that’s around back. With Josie’s hand in mine, we walk along the brick walkway leading to the backyard.
“Holy shit,” Josie says when she sees the pool and the landscaped yard.
“Yeah, I didn’t really use the pool when I was here.”
“Why not?”
I shrug. “Too busy, I guess.”
I flip the door open on the keypad and press in the code. The door unlocks, allowing us to enter. Taking a deep breath, I hold the door for Josie and she steps in, immediately mesmerized by the grandeur inside.
“Liam… this is… wow!”
It’s been about eleven years since I stepped foot inside this house. I never came back after she died. I told Sam to get my shit and sell it. I didn’t want it. Of all the bad things that Sam did, this wasn’t one of them. I’m thankful she didn’t do what I asked.
Josie follows me around the house. My fingers are touching everything. One would expect layers of dust, but no, this house is spotless. I avoid the living room, instead choosing to go to what used to be my room.
I flick the light on and everything looks the same. The watch I used to wear sits on the dresser. The night before my grandmother died I had taken it off and never had a chance to put it back on the next day. I leave it there, afraid to touch it.
“This was my room.” I sit down on the bed and pull open the top drawer of the nightstand. There she is, all eighteen years of her. I pull out the picture of Josie, remembering the night it was taken like it was yesterday. It was the night of homecoming. We had been crowned King and Queen. Times were simpler then.
“I kept this in my bedside table and would look at you every night. You’d help me write songs, and you’d listen to my problems. The first song I played after I got signed was something I wrote for you. Right after the show, Harrison and I were told we were heading out on tour. He wanted to celebrate, so we went and got the tattoos. That’s the night I got your name across my chest.” I take a deep breath. I haven’t told this story to anyone, ever.
“The next day, I woke up to a loud crash. When I came out of my room I found my grandmother lying on the floor. I called 9-1-1 and tried CPR, but she had a brain aneurysm and was dead before she hit the floor. One day I’m on top of the world and the next, at the bottom of the barrel.”
“I’m so sorry, Liam.”
I set Josie’s photo back in the drawer and close it. “I had lost you and Mason because of my stupidity and then I lost my grandma. That’s when I started getting numb just so I didn’t have to feel the pain.”
“I have something to tell you.”
“What’s that?”
“Your mom cornered me in the park the other day and apologized. She told me so much about her life, your grandparents and a little bit about your dad. Later that day, when I came home, I found out about the pictures of you and Layla. She was there with Noah and I invited her to dinner. She was with us when I got the call from Aubrey about the baby. We talked a lot afterward and the best part of the night was seeing her laugh. I’ve never seen your mother laugh before, but that night she did. She and Noah watched your games on DVD while sharing ice cream and when it was time for her to leave, I asked her why she never took you to meet your grandma. She said that Sterling had told her she passed away when you were three.”
Liam looks at me like I’m a foreign object that doesn’t belong in his home. “He did that?”
I nod, biting my lower lip. “I told your mom that wasn’t the case. I think you need to bring her here, show her that her childhood home still stands.”