Until I Have To Go

Jo was blushing she had hoped that Ricky had another plan with the chocolate and not what Lor did over a year ago for Liam's birthday.

"We can't even shower." Jo mumbled while she sat down at the table across Liam.

"You are not suppose to shower off, after I covered you in it." Liam chuckled, it was cute how much Jo tried to see a point in being covered with chocolate, but she really didn't get it. "We don't have to cover you in chocolate we can just eat it." Even though he was pretty sure that a chocolate covered Jo would taste so awesome.
They had a wonderful dinner, while Liam was dreaming of licking of chocolate from his girlfriend and Jo from being together with Liam forever.

"You know what's weird?"

"What?"

"That Ricky knows exactly what we will do after dinner." Jo looked shy at Liam, it felt for her nearly as if Ricky was still in the room.

"To be honest he doesn't think a lot about it, because he is not interested in this with a girl." Liam tried not to think about the fact that Ricky might was picture Liam with himself in this hut. He looked at Jo again. For some reason she seemed nervous or was she just cold and because of that shivering? It started to rain outside.

"Yeah I guess you are right." Jo's teeth were actually shattering.

"Hey are you okay? Come here closer to the fire I don't want you to get sick again." Liam pulled Jo closer to the fire down of their bed.

"I'm fine." Jo smiled and dipped her finger in the warm chocolate and licked it off. "Mmh that’s really good chocolate."

Liam kissed her gently on the cheek, but Jo didn't turn her head to kiss him back. "You are tense what's wrong?"

Jo looked guilty into the fire. "I know you said you are not going anywhere, but moments like this make me nervous. They always seem like a goodbye to me. I dunno, it's silly never mind." His girlfriend turned around quickly and kissed him, but Liam pulled away. He looked into Jo's eyes he knew every way the light could be reflected in them, he knew every little freckles she had, and he exactly how it felt to kiss those soft lips. He smiled when he whispered. "We made it one year with a lot of trouble in it, what else could possibly happen that drives us apart? Tell your little friend you are stuck with me, a person everyone can see. I'm not letting you go."

Jo smiled shy, without him noticing she had dipped her finger in the chocolate again and painted a chocolate heart on his cheek. Her smile grew into a wide grin. "Maybe..." She started to lick off the chocolate, "... I start..." until her lips found his, "...to see a point in the chocolate."

"Oh I have so much better idea than this, what to do with a pot full of chocolate." Liam unbuttoned her blouse and drew with his fingers and the chocolate on his girlfriend’s body. It made Jo giggle most of the time. "That tickles..."
Liam enjoyed already the drawing act, but he loved licking the chocolate of Jo's body and he had to admit Jo tasted even better with chocolate then she normally does.

It was dark and stormy outside the hut, while inside it the two teenagers were cuddled together. They were out of breath, and slightly sticky from the chocolate.

"Liam? We are safe in here, right? I mean, um no one will just come in or anything like this. Right?" Jo sounded a little nervous. She hadn't been scared of places since December, but right now she felt well safe in Liam's arm but unsafe in this hut. It was just a little bit of wood in the middle of nowhere.

Liam had to grin. It was just too adorable how scared Jo was. Not that he made fun of her, he just thought she was cute like that. At least he could feel a bit manly by protecting her in case she got scared, and he needed to feel manly once in a while. He was so used to always being the youngest or the smallest that he forgot how it felt like to have someone who was smaller and weaker than him.

“Don’t worry”, Liam said, putting his arm around Jo. “We’re perfectly safe here, and even if we weren’t, I would make sure nothing happens to you.”
He felt Jo relax in his arms.
“Actually, I read an article where a young woman was murdered in a hut, and you know what the murder did?” Liam didn’t even notice how terrified Jo looked at him. “He was so stupid! He wanted to hide the corpse somewhere deep in the forest, and then he tripped while carrying the dead woman on his shoulders and fell right into a river where he drowned. Isn’t that totally ridiculous?” He laughed, but Jo still stared at him, completely shocked.

“What? I think it’s funny…”

“You’re such an idiot sometimes!”

“Why?”

“How can you tell me a story about a woman who was murdered in a hut?”

“Didn’t you listen? The woman wasn’t the main point. It was about the murderer who-“

“God, Liam!” Jo took a deep breath. “Sometimes I wonder if you ever heard of the word tactfulness. I highly doubt it.”

“I’m sorry, Jo, I didn’t mean to freak you out or something…”

“Well, you did.” She rubbed her arms while she stared at the fire. As much as she loved him, sometimes he could be the most insensitive person she knew, and he wasn’t even aware of that. She felt his arms around her waist and he started kissing her neck which immediately calmed her down, when suddenly a noise from outside startled them both.

“What was that?” Panic rose in her voice.

“We’re in a forest, that means we’re surrounded by animals.”

“But that didn’t sound like an animal…”

“Relax, it’s not like-“

“Oh God, what if it’s a bear!”

“There are no bears in Oxford county, Jo.”

She blushed. “I know that.”

They heard another voice. Jo’s heart was racing and she held on tightly to Liam who tried to get up, but she wouldn’t let go off him.

“Jo, I need to check what’s out there. Calm down, okay?”

She pressed her lips together while she watched him walking to the window.
“There’s something outside”, he whispered.

“What?!”

“Pssst!” Liam grabbed one of the fire irons next to the fireplace and walked to the door.

“Oh my God, oh my God…”, Jo mumbled. “Don’t open the door, Liam!”

“Calm down, it’s okay”, he hissed, took a deep breath, opened the door and stepped outside. Jo’s heart almost stopped beating while Liam was outside. He looked around carefully. He could barely see anything in the darkness and it suddenly got strangely quiet. He was just about to turn around when something jumped up from behind.

“Aaahhhhhhh!!!” Liam startled and dropped the fire iron, just the moment he realised it was a fox that quickly ran behind the bushes.

So much for being manly…

“Liam, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” He heard Jo’s panicked voice.

Great, I just led out the girliest scream because a fox, a goddam fox, scared the hell out of me! Explain that to your girlfriend, you great protector…

“Liam?!”

“I’m okay, Jo, it was just…um…false alarm.” He picked up the fire iron and went back into the house.
She looked at him with big, scared eyes.
“Why did you scream?”

“Did I?”
Shit, she heard it! Probably everybody in Oxford heard it…

“Of course you did. You sounded like a girl!”

“Thank you.” Liam’s cheeks turned red and he cleared his throat. “Anyway, you’re safe now.”

She frowned. “And?”

“And what?”

“What was it?”

Liam look uncomfortable at her, and Jo had the weird feeling there was something he didn’t want her to know.

“You promise we are safe?” Jo covered herself with the soft wool blanket, her eyes were huge and full of dear. Liam crushed down her and kissed her.

“Yes we are safe. I might tell you horrible stories that scare you without realizing it, but I promise you that that we are safe.” He got up and barred the door. “All locked and secure.”

Liam cuddled back into the bed. “So where were we?” His lips quickly found hers again. “…Oh right here. Mmh you still taste like chocolate.” Liam’s kisses wandered further down Jo’s neck, to her breasts until he pushed her gently back into the pillows. Jo moaned, she really enjoyed being with him. “I love you every moment more than the one before.” Liam looked up and Jo was worried that she seemed clingy. “I mean… sorry I just mean… sorry I’m too needy, I know.” Jo didn’t want to scare him, she knew he never knew really what to answer when she told him that she loved him. Jo pulled him up and kissed him passionately, her hands roaming over his body. Loving to touch every inch of his body. She smiled, she had never thought that she would fall in love with Liam she always pictured herself with a man someone tall and strong, but maybe this was just her mother’s wish reflected in her. There was nothing she missed things in Liam that a boy like Victor would have.
Liam smiled. “I love your breasts.” His tongue was wandering over them. Jo blushed.

“Really?” She sounded unsure about herself.

“Yes, really.” Liam kissed her again, first gently but they quickly got wilder, more intense, more passionately. They both knew that was just their first anniversary the first of many more to come. The rain was hammering loud against the windows that were steamed up, the darkness of the night was pressing against the hut. Liam was holding his girlfriend tight in his arms, he would have to put another log on the fire soon and most candles were gone out by now. He figured that it would scare her if the hut falls into complete darkness, and it was the last thing he wanted for her to be scared. “Liam?” Jo whispered.

“Yes.” It made him grin when he threw a few logs on the fire without wearing any clothes.

“We had dinner, and sex twice what else are normal people doing on their anniversaries?”

Liam lightened another few candles on the table before he came back to bed. “Are you hungry?”

Jo looked confused at him. “No.”

“Good that means we can skip the first part and do the second part again, may plan is to do it until Ricky knocks at that door.” Liam grinned and looked down at his girlfriend’s body.

“Oh okay.” Jo giggled nervous.

“Or we talk. I’m pretty sure you can see beautiful stars out here. I’ll show them to you.”

“Is it safe?”

“Yes as long no fox jumps suddenly at us, but first I want you once more because you know they say three times is a charm.” Liam knew exactly how to press her buttons, actually it started to be a two way game. Jo figured out a few tricks Lorelai hadn’t shown Liam yet and she was proud of it. “Right after this you can show me the stars. Oh.” Jo moaned.

After a while they got dressed, and since the rain had stopped and the clouds had moved fast, they could see most of the stars between the branches of the trees, and it looked absolutely beautiful. Liam was a bit cautious and inspected the area carefully because he didn’t want to squeak again in case a fox or a rabbit or a duck jumped out from nowhere.
After they watched the stars for an hour, the sky turned slightly brighter and they went back into the hut, both tired and a bit exhausted from their ‘workout’ the past hours, and they fell asleep almost immediately after they lay down on the bed.
They completely lost track of time, and the sun was already up when someone unlocked the door. The two were so sound asleep that they didn’t notice the four men who stood in the door frame, looking around confused. The man who had unlocked the door frowned as he slowly stepped in, followed by the other three, but then he stopped. There was an awkward silence while the four men, completely supplied with hunting equipment, including the long rifles around their shoulders, stared at the two sleeping teenagers.

“I think my son is having a lady friend over without telling me…”, Tom Butcher whispered. “That’s why he told me not to get here before ten.” Liam’s back was turned towards him, so he only saw his dark hair and assumed it was his son.

“Shouldn’t we just go?”, one of Mr Butcher’s hunting friends said.

“Oh no, that little rascal didn’t tell me anything about his companion, so let’s see what he has to say now…” He grinned. “I’m so proud of him, I never thought he would find a girl. You know, he’s a bit…”

“Different”, one of the men said.

“Hey, my son’s not different. He’s just more interested in school than in girls, which is strange, I have to admit, but that doesn’t mean he’s different.” Tom took his rifle and tapped Liam’s shoulder with it. “Time to wake up, son.”

“What…?” Liam turned around slowly. His eyes widened in shock as he stared at four men in hunting equipment, one of them pointing a rifle at him. For some reason that man seemed just as equally shocked as him. “What the hell?!”

“You’re not my son!”

“What’s with the rifle?”

“Who the hell are you?”

Jo woke up and gasped in shock when four strange men with guns stared at her- the three in the background had an amused grin on their faces, but the one who talked to Liam didn’t seem amused at all.

“Who are you?”, Liam asked.

“What are you doing in my hut?”

“I think it’s obvious what they were doing in your hut, Tom”, one of the man said, which made the two youngsters blush.

“Are you Ricky’s father?”, Liam asked carefully.

“Yes, I am!”

Shit.

“And who are you?”

“Dad!” Ricky walked into the hut, looking apologetically at Liam and Jo. “They are my friends, and you can’t just burst in like that.”

“I can’t? I’m sorry, but who built this hut with his own hands? I think that was me, so I think that I’m allowed to get in here whenever I want.”

“But I specifically asked you not to come here before ten, and you said that was okay.”

“Sorry, but we decided to start early today, and we had to come here to get some stuff. I didn’t expect to find you with any girl here anyway, so I thought you wouldn’t mind if I’d get here early.” His eyes wandered to Liam and Jo. “How could I have known that I’d find two other kids here…”

Ricky sighed. “Next time I ask you not to come here before a certain time, just do it, okay?” He turned to his friends who jumped up and quickly got all their stuff. “I’m sorry, guys.”

Jo’s cheeks turned only redder as she noticed the other three men staring at her while she put her coat on. “I’m really sorry, Mr Butcher, it was nice meeting you”, she said before she followed Ricky and Liam outside. After all, she was used to show politeness towards the host, and in a certain way Ricky’s father was the host.

“Are you okay?”, Ricky asked as soon as they sat in the car.

Jo and Liam nodded.

“That was your father?”, Liam asked. “Seriously?”

“Yepp.”

“I’m sorry, but I always thought he was more…um…”

“Like me?”

“Ehm…yes.”

“Well, he’s not. I get along with him well, but we’re completely different.”

Liam cleared his throat. “And apparently he doesn’t know that you…ahm…don’t like girls.”

Jo kicked his leg to make him understand that he was sometimes a little too direct.

Ricky blushed. “No I never had the guts to crush his heart by telling him his only son is a freak.”

“Hey stop calling my friend a freak! He is a very good guy.” Jo leaned forward and hugged him in the driver seat. She kissed his cheek. Ricky giggled. “Yeah maybe.”

“Maybe? You are one of my best friends. You just haven’t met the right guy yet, but you will and your dad just wants you to be happy. I totally think Alfie would be a nice partner for you. And he is good looking don’t you think?”

“Hey!” Liam pulled Jo back into the backseat and kissed her passionately. “Don’t look at other man.”

“You really think Alfie is gay?” Ricky asked sounding curiously

“Yes I think so.” Jo smiled enjoying being kissed by her boyfriend. “By the way, Ricky your father is the scariest man know. He scared the crab out of me when he was standing in the hut with a gun.”

“Yeah sorry for that. I promised not to come before ten and I thought I would have picked you up by then.”

“I wasn’t scared a bit, I had everything under control and already thought about how to knock him out with my bare hands.” Liam said holding Jo in his arms. For a moment the care was silent until Jo and Ricky burst out in laughter. They were laughing so hard that they started to cry.

A few weeks later

“Liam did you see my black shoes? I can’t wear my white shoes to the black rope.” Jo was half in buried the closet, throwing shoes out of the closet to find her black pair.

“Jo you mean this pair?” Liam was holding up a pair of black slippers.

“Yes.” Jo jumped up and took the shoes from his hand. “Thanks.” She tiptoed to kiss him. Liam brushed a few lose hair out of her face. Her hair got so long since he met her. He straightened her cap and kissed her.

“Are you excited that you graduate today?” Liam whispered.

“Yes and nervous. All I ever was, was a student and after today I am not a student anymore, I will have a job and not let daddy pay anything anymore. I mean I’m even leaving Oxford.”

Liam pulled her close and kissed her. “You don’t have to leave Oxford. You know that you don’t have to do this for me, right?”

“Yes I know, but I really want to go to London. I kind of have to go. If I don’t go to London and take this job I will always be scared.” When she cuddled into his shoulder her cap fell on the ground.

“Okay. But I want you to know that I will let nothing happening to you.”

“I know.” Jo sighed. “We gotta go, mother wants to see me before the ceremony. She said she would prefer giving me her present in private.”

Liam picked up her cap and took her hand when they left the apartment. It was a warm summer day, a perfect day for a graduation. Jo kissed Liam goodbye when she went with her mother while Liam and Colin saved a couple of seats for them.

“Josephine you are looking wonderful. Your hair is a little messy.” Elizabeth brushed her hair out of her face.

“I like it like this.” Jo said carefully. She had a hard time not being too honest with her mother. She didn’t want to hurt her.

“These earrings belonged to my mother and… she wanted me to get them on my graduation day just as she did, but I never graduated. But you did. I am very proud of you Jo.” Elizabeth never called Jo by her nickname but today she did, it would just be this once but it was her way of apologizing for everything she did wrong. She couldn’t change how she was in the past, and she probably couldn’t really change in acting but Elizabeth wanted Jo to know that no matter how cold hearted she seemed she loved Jo very much and just wanted what’s best for her. Jo smiled at her mother.

“Thanks mom. I’m glad you are back and feel better.” She kissed her mother gently on the cheek. “You should go to dad and Liam they are saving a seat for you. I gotta go to, there is a last briefing before the ceremony.”

Jo took the earrings and went to the other graduates. She found Ricky and hugged him, her hand on her cap so it wouldn’t fall down this time. They both smiled. “We did it Ricky.”

“I know. Isn’t it awesome? Oh hey I got Alfie’s job while he will work on his novel. Isn’t that great?”

“Oh Ricky that is awesome, you will be a great teachers assistant.” Jo hugged her friend again.
Ricky opened her hand and saw the earrings. “Let me help you.” He took put the earrings in her ears. “Let’s go and amaze them all.”

The music began and the two friends walked together hand in hand into the room, smiling and truly happy.

Liam sat next to Jo’s parents. It was nice to see Colin again, and even Jo’s mother seemed more relaxed and was a tiny bit friendlier to him than usually, which really meant something. She shot him an approving glance as she noticed that he wore a nice suit and his hair was neatly parted to the side, so he didn’t actually look very different to the other Oxford boys. She still had troubles understanding his accent though, but at least she treated him normally, and not like a stray dog that her daughter had picked up from the street.
Liam eyes wandered around and he noticed Alfie who winked at him. Liam remembered what Jo said about him- about the possibility that Alfie wasn’t that much different than Ricky- so he quickly turned his head into a different direction and then saw Mr Butcher, who glared at him as well, which made him feel even more uncomfortable, so he looked straight ahead where he suddenly spotted Graham who, with a few other musicians, was about to start the music for the ceremony. Liam didn’t have much time to do anything, because the moment he saw Graham, they started with the music and the graduates walked by. Liam turned around and smiled at Jo whose cap looked like it was about to fall off her head any second. Jo’s eyes found his, and she smiled back at him.
After the students sat down in the three front rows and waited for their names to be called, Jo turned around, and Liam made funny faces which made her giggle. As soon as Elizabeth glanced in Liam’s direction, he quickly pretended to be focused on the brochure in his hand, but when she turned her head way he looked at Jo again and she had a hard time keeping a straight face.
Liam was so proud of her. The past year Jo had gone through so much, and sometimes it looked like she couldn’t win this battle anymore, but she did. She pulled herself together and fought. She made it. His lovely girl made it.
Jo’s name came rather late since her last name started with a W, but when it was finally said Liam couldn’t hold back a grin.
“Josephine Yvaine Williams.”

The moment Jo got up to get her diploma, Liam got up as well and clapped. “You go, Jo!”

Jo turned her head towards him and smiled, a little shy, but proud and happy at the same time. Colin chuckled while his wife only stared at Liam, completely confused about this ‘inappropriate’ behaviour.
After all the names were called and the students were congratulated, they threw their caps in the air and walked back to their friends and relatives. Jo almost stormed into Liam’s arms and hugged him so hard as if she worried he would leave her.
“I love you!”, she said, her face buried into his shoulder.

“I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks.” She looked up to him. “For everything.”

“I didn’t do anything. The only thing I did was getting you into bad situations. Your life would have been so safe if I wouldn’t have appeared and-“

“Pssshht!” She pressed her finger on his lips. “You’re the best thing that happened to me, and there’s nothing in the world that could change that fact.” She kissed him before he had the chance to argue with her.

“Josephine…” Colin and Elizabeth appeared behind them. Liam took a few steps back to leave them some time with their daughter. While he watched her parents hugging and congratulating her, Liam felt something inside he hadn’t felt for a long time. It was that hole inside his heart that he kept carrying around after his mother was gone, and through the years he learned to ignore it, and only felt it on rare occasions. While he watched Jo so happily surrounded by her parents who loved her, he started to feel it again, that hole that nobody could really fill, and he tried to ignore it, but it was really hard, because he was surrounded by all those laughing students with their parents.

“Hello, Liam.”

He turned around and saw Graham standing behind him. “Hi…”

“She’s lovely, isn’t she?” He looked at Jo, who was still talking to her parents, although her eyes wandered to Liam now and then.
“I remember the first day I met her, that six-year old girl, still dressed in her school uniform, because she just came home from school. And she had even more freckles back then, and she was so ambitious. It was her first piano lesson and she wanted to start with Tchaikovsky…”

Liam chuckled. “That sounds like Jo.”

“I’m glad you two found each other, she’s a wonderful girl. She’s a lot like…”

“Mum.” He didn’t look at Graham, his eyes were fixed on Jo. A barely visible smile appeared on his face. “Mum was a lot more stubborn and strong-minded, but the way Jo fights for the things she loves…that reminds me of her…”

“You’re right.” Graham nodded. “You found a very special girl, Liam. Don’t do the same mistake I did and leave someone so remarkably special.”

“No way.” Liam looked up to his father and smiled. “Even if she would tell me today that she’s pregnant with triplets, I wouldn’t leave her for the world.”

“I’m glad to hear that Liam.” Lorelai appeared behind Liam and his father. “Hello Mr Hart it’s been a while. How are you?”

“I’m very good. And please call me Graham. As I heard I have to say congratulations to your wedding and to your son. As I heard you finally caught John in your net?” Graham smiled at the younger woman. “Where is your little one?”

“John is changing his nappy, he is well trained.” Lorelai chuckled. “Liam I thought you two are not planning on getting pregnant yet?” Jo had told Lorelai that Graham was Liam father but she didn’t intent to use the knowledge until Graham or Liam confirmed it.

“Lor…”

“Hey I thought I told you that you can call me Mina again, I miss it.” Lorelai winked at him.

“Mina stop embarrassing me. It is weird enough that you and Jo talk about me, but do you have to mention this in front of my dad?”

Lorelai smiled at Graham, she knew him since he started giving Jo piano lessons, she was often at Waterfall Downs she loved England. “Only about the good stuff. So how is the mission special ring going?”

Liam blushed, he looked quickly to make sure Jo hadn’t heard Lorelai, but his girlfriend was talking with Ricky and the two couples of parents. He didn’t really dare to look at Lorelai or Graham. He was saving since seven month and it wasn’t really a lot he had. Most of his money he spent was for his flat in London even though he barely spent any time there anymore.

“Um yeah okay I guess. Kind of slow but that is okay too I still need a special moment and before that I have to figure out the how’s and where’s.” Liam was speaking to his shoes.

“Let me know if I can help in any way.” Lorelai said quietly. “Anyway, doesn’t our little one looks dashing in the gown and cap?” Lorelai hugged her little sister from behind and made the cap fall off again. “How does it feel to have a Bachelor of Honours in Arts?”

“Very weird, now I’m grown up and I’m not even yet eighteen. I’m glad you made it you saw the ceremony didn’t you?” Jo smiled that her eyes sparkled.

“Yes we came a bit late, but we saw the ceremony. You were so awesome up there. You made me insanely proud.”

“Shall we go and enjoy the wonderful graduation picnic in the Botanic Garden.” Colin smiled and offered Elizabeth his arm. Jo was putting her cap back on her head and took Liam’s hand. “Hey you are pale are you okay?” She whispered to him.
Liam smiled and kissed her gently. “I’m fine and very proud of you.”

Jo felt as if she was flying. She couldn’t stop humming. “Seriously?” Liam looked surprised at her. “Sorry I like this song, is this better?” Jo started to hum a new song. It made Liam laugh. “I thought that is your song when you are scared?” Liam looked at her, wondering if she was alright.

“True it is, but it also means something else to me.”

“And that is?”

“That you love me even when I act crazy.” Jo blushed. Liam laughed, while Jo started humming Molly Malone again. Just when they entered the Botanical Garden, later there would be lampions lighten. In the big white tent was a huge buffet and everywhere around the Garden where little tables. “I love you Liam! I hope you don’t mind that I now have a University degree.” Jo looked with her doe eyes at him, he cap slowly falling down again.

“Are you kidding? It’s great that you have your degree, why would that bother me? And leave that ridiculous cap off, it keeps on falling down.” He grinned while he picked the cap off the ground and brushed with his fingers through her hair. “I miss your short hair.”

“What? You don’t like my longer hair?”

“Of course, but with the short hair you looked different than all the other girls.”

“And now I look like every other girl?”

“No, you look great. Really. I just meant that I miss your short hair because it reminds me of the time we first met.”

Jo still looked a bit sceptical. She was always extremely insecure about her appearance, even if she tried not to take it too personally.

“Come here…” He pulled her into a hug. “You have to toughen up a bit, Jo. I’m not saying that to hurt you, but soon you’ll be off to London, and you’re not in your safe little university environment anymore, so you’ll be in the middle of harsh reality. You have to get a thicker skin and stop worrying what other people say or think about you.”

“You’re freaking me out a bit, Liam”, she mumbled.

“I’m just honest and point out the things to you that you don’t want to see yet.”

Jo looked up and he could tell that he really did freak her out.

“Come on, Jo, relax, okay?” He wanted to say more, but the same moment Colin appeared next to him and took Jo’s hand.

“Excuse me if I interrupt you two, but I need to borrow my daughter for a few seconds, there are good friends of mine who also have high positions in Oxford, and they would like to talk to you.”

Jo nodded quietly and followed her father to a group of old men in tweed jackets.
Tweed jackets. In July. By 25 degrees and sunshine. Did those old Brits never get tired of their tweed jackets?

“Liam, could I talk to you for a moment?”, Graham asked. Liam wasn’t sure if he just imagined that, but it actually sounded like he was in trouble.

“Yes…” He looked at bit hesitantly, like a little boy who had just been caught doing mischief.

“Honesty is a really good thing, and I would never say that being honest is bad, but…um…sometimes people can be a bit too harsh when they are honest, you know?”

Liam looked confused at him. “What?”

Graham cleared his throat. “It’s really great that you’re an honest person, but there’s a fine line between being just honest and being too straightforward. You tend to be a little too direct, you definitely got that from your mother, which isn’t always a bad thing, but when you’re with a person like Jo who, on the other hand, is very sensitive, you might consider the fact that you should try to…well, just try to emphasise a bit more with her instead of throwing your brutally honest opinion at her like that. I’m pretty sure you don’t do it on purpose and you definitely don’t want to hurt Jo, but you don’t realize that being too honest can be a bit rude sometimes…”

Liam rubbed his neck. “See, there’s a problem…”

“And what’s that?”

“I have a really hard time emphasising at all. With everyone, actually. I just…I don’t get people and feelings, that’s just not for me…”

Graham laughed. “You really are a scientist, aren’t you?”

“I guess…”

“But scientists aren’t automatically sociopaths, and I’m pretty sure you’re not one either. I just wanted to point out that your directness can sometimes be a little hurting to someone like Jo, but she loves you too much, so she doesn’t say anything. She’s probably used to it as well.” Graham’s eyes wandered to Jo. “Anyway, that was just an advice. I really didn’t mean to butt in like that, I know that it’s not my business, but…”

Liam chuckled. “Not in a million years I would have imagined that one day I would talk to my father who gives me advice on girls. I thought I would fly to the moon first before that would ever happen.”

“And I never thought that one day I would talk to my son and give him advice on girls”, he replied with a smile. “Speaking of girls, what did Lorelai mean earlier when she was talking about a ring?”

“Oh…” Liam stared at the ground.

“Are you planning to propose to Jo?”

“Ahem…well…yeah…when I have the money together and the time is right. Not now, we’re obviously too young, but sometime…um…in the near future…” He immediately shut up when Jo walked towards him. Graham understood that Liam didn’t want Jo to know yet, so he remained quiet as well, but he had a hard time holding back a smile.

Liam put his arms around her and kissed her on the forehead. “Hello, beautiful.”

Jo looked from Graham to Liam. “What’s up with you two?”

“Nothing. Just father son talks.” Liam looked nervous, Jo knew Liam something was up but she also knew that it wasn’t time for her to know it yet. Graham smiled at her. “Congratulations Jo. I’ve got a little something for you.” He handed her a very pretty handwritten music sheet. It took Jo only a moment to see it was the song she had written for Liam. “If you agree I would like to use it for my next record obviously mentioning that you wrote it. I think I got it all together but have a look over the notes to see if they are all like you wrote them.”

Jo looked from the sheet to Graham and back. “Wait a minute are you saying that my song will be sold as a record?”

“Yes if you want.”

“Oh my God that would be so amazing.” Jo let go of Liam’s hand and jumped at Graham.

“Good I want you to come with me to London and record it with me together.”

“That is the best present ever. Thank you so much.” Jo kissed him on the cheek and turned around to Liam. Smiling all over her face.

“That’s a great present.”

“Excuse me children there is someone I know and I should say hello. I’ll see you later. By the way Liam you should consider telling the Williams who your father is, it might put you into a better light for Elizabeth.” Graham winked at his son and disappeared in the crowd. The band had just finished the last upbeat song and started a slow song. “Liam? Would you dance with me? Please?”

Her boyfriend sighed. “I guess I have no chance to say no.”

Hand in hand they went to the dance floor Liam still couldn’t dance but Jo didn’t mind to improvise. “Liam?”

“Yes?”

“Are you happy?”

“Yes, very.”

“When you think about us, do you see us together forever? I mean with children and everything? Even when we are old and grey? I like the idea of turning Waterfall Downs into a school for gifted children, and I would like to um raise our children there.”

Jo’s head was resting on Liam’s shoulder. She loved the idea of grew old together with Liam, carry his children under her heart. In moments like this she pictured herself and Liam on their wedding, or how they would decide to have children to know you not just have sex because it is fun, but because you want to see the fruits of their love.

It was nice dancing with Jo, although he was still not the most secure dancer, but he couldn’t do much wrong with a slow dance. He liked having Jo so close to him, holding her hand while she rested her head on his shoulder. It was perfect.
And then she said children. Our children.
Liam immediately stiffened. The first things that came to his mind were octuplets, a huge pile of diapers, and crying, and no sleep for…like ever!
Okay…maybe the possibility of Jo being pregnant with octuplets wasn’t very high, but still…
A child. Or children. She had said the plural. He remembered her mentioning that she would like to have more than one child. God, that thought made him nervous! Just the thought of one baby made him nervous, but two…or three? Oh God, what if she wanted three children? Oh Lord…

“Liam?” Jo looked up after he didn’t respond. “You okay?”

“Sure.” His voice got very high, immediately revealing his nervousness. He quickly cleared his throat. “Sure. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because as soon as I mention children you get all stiff and nervous.”

“I’m not stiff and nervous. Not at all.”
Wow, man, that sounded convincing…

“Oh, really?” She raised an eyebrow. “Liam, you do know that just because I talk about children I don’t mean that you have to get me pregnant by tomorrow. I just finished university, and there is no way I’m thinking of children yet.”

“Well, you actually do think of children, otherwise you wouldn’t talk with me about it.”

“Okay, I think of children, but so does any other girl my age. It’s natural for girls to start thinking about babies when they hit a certain age…” She saw how terrified Liam looked, and quickly continued. “Not that I want a baby now, I’m just saying…It’s normal that girls think and plan for the future earlier than boys, especially when it comes to starting a family. I’m aware that most 19-year old boys are too immature to think of children yet, and you are definitely one of those boys, but if it makes you feel any better, I consider myself immature as well, so I don’t think we should have a baby for at least some years.”

All Liam could hear was baby. Babies. Family. Babies. And more babies.

“You’re still with me?”, Jo asked.

“Mhm…” He nodded slightly.

“Okay, so, in the future, in many, many years, when we’re both much older and more mature, can you imagine to raise children and build up a school for gifted students?”

“Ahem…children…as in more than just one child?”

Jo giggled. “Yes, dummy!”

“Ahem…what is so bad about…eh…one child?”

“Seriously? You’re asking me that? You grew up as an only child, I grew up as an only child, and I think you can agree with me that it gets really lonely.”

“I never had problems being an only child…”

“Well, maybe you didn’t, but it really sucked for me. All your family’s expectations lie on you and you only, and that’s not good for a child. And I was so lonely all the time that I came up with imaginary friends to play with. I don’t ever want my own child to go through that. So yes, we should have at least two.”

“Whoa! Wait, wait! At least two? Do you want to form an own baseball team?” Liam stared at her.

“No, of course not.” Jo smiled at him and kissed his cheek. “Okay, I’m just a little curious…would you rather have a girl or a boy?”

Liam actually laughed, even if it was a rather nervous laugh. “Well, the thing with girls is…I probably would suck being a father to a girl because I just don’t get girls at all. I don’t know how to treat them, I don’t know what they want…”

Jo giggled. “So you’d prefer a boy then?”

“Well…if we had a boy I would worry he would become too much like his father.” Liam grinned. “And we don’t want that, right?”

((OOC I love the octuplets and the pile of diapers!!))

Jo giggled. “Girls are not that difficult. And you treat me quite well, so I think you would do a good job with a daughter. And since I just told you I want to carry your children you can’t be such a bad guy.”

The young girl looked fondly at Liam.

“And I know you don’t want to think about this but I never picture a huge wedding like Lor’s. I want it a lot smaller and simpler.” Jo whispered.

Liam was silent and looked over her shoulder into the distance.

“Just so you know. I’m not this rich brat people think I am.”

“I never thought you are a rich brat.” Liam kissed her. The song ended and an upbeat song started.

“Let’s get something to eat. I’m starving I wasn’t able to eat anything this morning.” Jo grinned, she knew Liam and she knew he wasn’t the biggest fan of dancing. Since it was afternoon there were tea sandwiches and cakes. Later there would be a dinner and a party for the students at The Parks. Jo and Liam went with plates full of cakes and teas to the small table Lor and John were sitting with Edward. Liam stopped cold just next to the table. “Mina, you… I can see… Holy Saint Patrick.” He turned around and it took Jo a moment to realize that Liam was embarrassed seeing Lorelai breast feed Edward. Of course you didn’t really see Lorelai’s breast but you saw it a little bit, not more as you saw when she was wearing one of her outfits.

“Liam seriously relax, and it is not as if you hadn’t seen Lor before.” Jo giggled, for the first time she actually thought it was funny and it didn’t hurt that Liam had sex before they got together.

“Well yeah, no I mean. Can’t you cover yourself a little bit?” Liam was blushing, but at least he sat at the table. He was starring at Jo so Lorelai’s breasts did pop into his view. And for the matter of fact Jo liked it being his centre of attention and not long the two teenagers were kissing each other. They heard John and Lorelai speak in the background but they were too busy making out to hear them. “Seriously you two can’t you at least cover yourself.” John took the gown Jo had taken off and threw it over the two. It hid them perfectly and just encouraged them even more. In a moment Liam and Jo took a breath, the young girl whispered. “I love you Liam. Hey did you really mean that I look better with short hair?” She brushed some hair behind her ear. “Sorry I always act so stupid when you talk about my appearance. I just can’t sometimes believe that your really think I’m pretty that’s all.”

“I know you’re so insecure when it comes to you appearance, and I just don’t get it.” Liam touched her cheek gently. “I mean, I know that’s a girl thing, constantly complaining about your looks and that sort of stuff, but you really seem to think that you’re not pretty, and that’s completely ridiculous.”

“But…”

“There’s not but. You’re beautiful, in your own way. With short and with long hair, with freckles or without, and if you would suddenly gain a few pounds I wouldn’t mind at all. All those things really don’t matter to me because you’re so…so…” He paused for a moment. “Lovely.”

Jo smiled, and it brightened up her entire face.

“Anyway…” Liam quickly turned his head into a different direction before she could notice that he blushed. “Seems like Ricky and Alfie get along well”, he said as he spotted the two talking at the other side of the tent.

“Oh yes, they get along really well…”

Liam raised his eyebrows and looked at Jo. “Why are you saying it like that?”

She grinned. “Because they do get along really well.”

“What’s with that weird tone in your voice?”

She giggled. “Come on, isn’t it obvious?”

“What is obvious? That they get along? I think they should, because Ricky is filling up Alfie’s position, so…”

“Oh man, you really don’t have a gay radar, do you?”

“A what?!”

“I told you I was sure that Alfie likes guys, and after seeing him and Ricky the past weeks and how they act around each other, I got the final proof.”

“No, that’s ridiculous, you read too much into this. Alfie seems very…straight.”

“Just because he doesn’t dress like Ricky and because his voice isn’t as high as Ricky’s doesn’t mean that he’s automatically straight.”

“Seriously, Jo, I’m absolutely positive that he is!”

“You also wouldn’t believe that Ricky was gay until I showed you his cute little notes in his notebook.”

“Don’t remind me of that!”

“Jo laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’m just saying that you’re not really talented in spotting gay people. Actually, you’re totally blind when it comes to those things.”

“Whatever…”, Liam mumbled, still not completely convinced that Jo was right. “Jo?”

“Hm?”

“Earlier you asked me if I was happy.”

“Yes.”

“Are you happy?”

“Of course I am. This day has been so great and-“

“Not just today. In general.”

Jo looked at him. “I am”, she said. “As long as you’re around I’m the happiest girl in this world.”
Liam could tell that she wasn’t lying.

“Well, I’m glad to hear that.”

“Liam?”

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

He didn’t reply immediately. “Um…I’ll get some food, I’m really hungry.” He smiled briefly and got up. “Want to come with me to the buffet table?”

“I go with you everywhere, even to the moon.” Jo got up and giggled. Jo was holding Liam’s hand when they saw Ricky disappear with Alfie.

“Do you need more proof?”

“Maybe he is showing Ricky his new office?”

“Right, and Ricky has to lose his tie because?”

Liam went pale. “No way he did?”

“Yup and he had that guilty look you have when we do it somewhere we might shouldn’t.”

“Does he do this a lot? I mean with teachers?”

“What no, that’s why he waited until graduation. And for the matter of fact I think this will be his first ever.”

Liam looked surprised at Jo. “How do you know that?”

“He wrote once a poem, it clearly said that he is still a virgin. I guess that will be over in an hour.” Jo looked nearly proud in the direction Ricky and Alfie had vanished.

“How can you be so cool about this?” Liam sounded nervous.

“It is not different as if we do it.” Jo grinned. “Actually today is my last day as a student here and we never did it on campus.” Jo looked questioning at her boyfriend.

Liam was still too freaked out about the information he had just received. He didn’t even really hear what Jo had suggested, nor did he really notice how her hand slipped under the jacket of his suit.

“I’m pretty sure you’re reading too much into this, once again…”, Liam said.

“Reading too much into what?”

“Alfie and Ricky…they don’t do…um…”

“Yes, they are.”

“He’s only showing him the office. Or something like that.”

Jo smirked. “No, he’s not. And besides, Ricky has already seen the office.” Her hand wandered up his chest, but she didn’t do more because they were still in public.

“Well, then he shows him something else.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure he shows him a whole lot of things…”

“Jo!” Liam was actually blushing. “Stop saying that, you’re wrong.”

She pulled her hand back. “Will you stop freaking out about Ricky and Alfie? You do know that you sound kind of…”

“What?”

“Jealous.”

“Of whom?”

“I don’t know, maybe your special dream tried to tell you something.” She said it more jokingly than serious, but Liam stared at her in shock.

“No!”

“Then stop obsessing about them.”

“That sounds so weird, Jo! I’m not obsessing about two guys. I just can’t stop thinking that, um…well…”

“Are you still thinking about them?” Jo raised her eyebrows.

“No, not like that!” Liam sighed. “Okay, let’s just…change the subject, okay?”

“Fine by me”, she said, her hand reaching his. “You probably didn’t hear me because you were so obsessed with-“

“I am not obsessed.”

“Okay, you were not obsessed, but distracted by a certain thought, that you didn’t even hear what I was saying to you, right?”

“Ahem…not really.”

Jo grinned as she leaned forward to whisper something in his ear. “I said I never did it on campus.”

“Did what?”

“You’re not paying attention at all today, are you?” She rolled her eyes. “I never did it on campus and…”

“It?”

“It.”

“Oh…it!”

“Did somebody put something in your drink today?”, she asked, shaking her head.

“Sorry, I was just…”

“Still thinking of Ricky and Alfie.”

“No!” He blushed, and looked around. “So you want…um…here?”

“Not right in front of the guests, dummy!” She took his hand and dragged him out of the tent.

“Don’t you think your family and friends will notice that you’re missing?”

“First of all, they are busy talking to important people, and secondly, we won’t be gone for long.” She went into one of the old buildings that was completely empty, because all students and professors were outside. Before Liam could argue with her – not that he actually wanted to stop her from what she was about to do, but he was still a bit nervous that someone would caught them- she pressed him against the wall and kissed him. “This time…”, she said between her kisses. “try not to look so guilty when we get back to the tent. It sometimes takes just one look at you and they can tell what happened.”

Liam grinned sheepishly and managed easily to spin her around that she was pressed against the wall. He kissed her passionately, his kisses wandered down her neck and suddenly she felt how Liam opened her zipper. Jo looked surprised at him. “Liam we don’t have time for this.” Liam’s lips found hers. “But I got inspired by Edward.”

“Huh?” Jo didn’t understand what Liam meant. “Edward, the two month old boy? You talked?”

This time Liam chuckled. “You’ll see.” He actually got the idea when Lorelai was breast feeding her son, and he had to admit he loved Jo’s soft breasts and by the pleasure in Jo’s face she liked it too.
Not long later Liam leaned his head against her shoulder they were both heavily breathing.

“We should go back before anyone noticed our absence.” Jo said out of breath. Her boyfriend nodded and zipped her dress. He just had closed his shirt and picked up Jo’s panties when they heard voices. Jo took his hand and pulled him out the opposite direction as they came in. Jo knew all those building of the Botanical Garden. When she was younger she often had waited on Campus for Colin and very often she didn’t get into the library so she found the Botanical Garden as her quiet place to read. They stopped to catch their breath, Liam hand while running stuffed Jo’s panties into his pocket, and he was about to give them back but… “Shhh. There is someone.” She pressed him against the wall, he couldn’t see through the door when Jo saw Ricky and Alfie. At she didn’t mean to but it made her sick, Alfie was kneeling in front of Ricky clearly doing something that Ricky really liked. She took Liam’s hand and pulled him away. They ran through a couple of corridors and came out back into the garden with the other party guests. And of course they ran into Lorelai.

“There you are I was looking for you.” She looked from Liam to Jo and back. She leaned closer and whispered let me guess my two little ones just had sex in a dark corner and by the way Liam’s hand is in his pocket let me guess there wasn’t time to out on your panties.” Jo looked shocked at Lorelai. “How?”

Lorelai giggled. “I’m good aren’t I?”

“I saw Ricky and his boyfriend, they did…” Jo couldn’t finish the sentence she didn’t even know how much Liam had seen but she realized that he was right it was weird and to see the two men like this.

Liam didn’t really notice what was going on around him. He kind of noticed that Lorelai talked to them and said something about knowing what they just did and that he had Jo’s panties in his pocket, and Jo said something as well, but none of the conversation really reached him.

“Liam?”

He didn’t react.

“Liam?”

He felt something. A hand on his shoulder. No idea whose hand it was.

“What’s wrong with him? Is he in some sort of catatonic shock?” Lorelai shook him. “Hey, Liam, are you listening?”

When he still didn’t move, Lorelai pinched him. “Boy, you’re as pale as a nun’s behind!” She turned to Jo. “Well, at least he’s breathing.”

“Liam?”

Jo’s voice. Wake up. It’s going to be okay. Just forget about…No, I can’t!

“I think I’m about to cry…”, he whimpered.

“Oh.” Jo took a deep breath, mainly because she still had to calm down herself. “So…you’ve seen-“

“Ahh! Denial!”

“What?”

“I’m in denial that I saw anything at all.”

“You two, get a grip!”, Lorelai looked at the two youngsters. “It’s not like you two are completely innocent and haven’t done anything like that, so stop yammering about it as it was the worst thing you’ve seen.”

“It is the worst thing I’ve seen!”, both Liam and Jo said at the same time.

“I highly doubt you would have reacted like that if you walked into a normal couple and not two guys. Well, Jo, maybe you would still have reacted a bit like that, but you…” Lorelai’s eyes wandered to Liam. “…it’s not like you’ve never seen anything like that in one of those films you used to watch, and probably still watching.”

He blushed. “That is not of import”, he mumbled and avoided any eye contact. “And I most certainly don’t watch anything with two…guys…”

Lorelai took a deep breath. “Okay, I would suggest you two calm down, act normal, stop thinking about it and get back to the guests. By the way, Jo, Stephen is here.”

“Oh really?” She smiled. “Liam has to meet him!” She took his hand. “Where is he?”

Lorelai pointed towards the tent.

“Liam you have to meet Stephen, I’m pretty sure you two have interesting things to talk about”, Jo said.

“Okay.” He nodded and followed Jo to the tent when he suddenly stopped. His eyes widened in shock.

“Oh.My.God.”

“What?”

“Is that…is that…Stephen Hawking? The Stephen Hawking?”

“Yepp.”

“And you know him?”

“Well, I don’t know him well, but yes, I met him before.”

“He’s like…he’s the most intelligent human on this planet! I’m plain stupid compared to that man! He’s a bloody genius! He’s like…he’s a superhero!”

Jo giggled. “I figured you would find him interesting…”

“Find him interesting? I admire him! Okay, that sounds a bit gay coming from a guy, and I had enough gay for today…but you know what I mean.”

She nodded. “You should talk to him.”

“Really? What if I say something embarrassing?”

Jo had to laugh. Liam was so adorably intimidated and star struck by a man who wasn’t that much older than him.

“Just relax and talk about astronomy. You never say anything embarrassing when it comes to astronomy.”

“Yeah, but this…this is Stephen…this is huge! I bet I’ll completely mess up and embarrass myself.”

Jo pushed him towards the man in the wheelchair. “Come on, you can do it.”

“Okay, okay!” He took a deep breath and walked towards the man.

“Liam!”, Jo yelled but he didn’t turn around, he was too distracted. She sighed. “You still have my panties in your pocket, you idiot…”

It made Jo still giggle when she thought of the day of her graduation. Liam was so cute shy when he met Stephen, but just as Jo expected the two got along very well and Liam didn’t embarrass himself. Not counting that Jo wasn’t wearing her panties for an hour and Liam had them in his pocket. Stephen had Liam suggested a few books he might like and now he was reading like a maniac. Jo thought it was cute and let him do it. She had sent a copy of the blueprints of Waterfall Downs to a friend of her parents an architect. He made a couple of suggestions for alterations to turn Waterfall Downs. It were quiet days, but they both liked it.

“I gonna hit the shower.” Liam kissed Jo. “You wanna join me?” He smirked.

“No I gotta return a couple of book today. I won’t be long. Promise.” Jo pulled Liam back down and kissed him passionately.

“Be careful.” He whispered.

She nodded, took the heavy bag full of books and went out the door.
Just when she came out of the library the heavy rain started, she felt like swimming home even though she was running. When suddenly she heard a whining, it sounded so scared and hurt. She looked around and found under the bench at the side of the road a tiny little puppy.

“Oh my God. Come here little one. Come I won’t harm you.” He was just a soaked as she was, but she opened her jacket and huddled the little puppy close to her body to warm it up. They were both shivering but the little dog seemed to trust her.

“Liam! Liam! Where are you? I need a towel actually two would be good.” She stayed at the door she didn’t want to flood the flat. Liam came half dressed out of the bedroom. “Stop yelling like this I’m here. Gee you look frozen.”

“No just soaked, well okay and frozen. But look what I found.” Jo unbuttoned her jacked and showed Liam the little dog. “He was hiding under a bench all alone. He is still very young, not older than six weeks I think. Can we keep him? Please.”

Jo looked pleading at Liam, just like the little puppy. It might was helping that she was taking off her soaked clothes and was wearing nothing but the towel Liam had given her. She picked up the puppy and huddled him into the second towel. “Please Liam. I promise he won’t replace you. He will be an addition to the two of us.” She had the puppy on her arm when she tiptoed and kissed Liam. “He will sleep in the living room never in our bed or on the couch and I will never kick you out of bed to walk with him because it is still early.”

Jo looked with her doe eyes pleading at Liam, and the puppy well he was a puppy of course he looked with puppy dog eyes at Liam.

God, those doe eyes! And those puppy eyes! He could hardly handle Jo alone when she looked like that, but now there were two of that sort!

Liam cleared his throat. “First of all, before you just decide to keep some dog you found somewhere on campus, you have to find out if he belongs to someone. Maybe his owner lost him, or he ran away. So, tomorrow we should make a few posters and pass them around campus. I know that most students are gone by now, but we should at least put some posters up, in case his owner is going to look for him.”

Jo looked a bit sceptical, because she wanted to keep the puppy so bad, but she knew that Liam was right. She hadn’t thought about the possibility that the dog belonged to someone else. Maybe a little child was missing him right now.

“And in the meantime we’ll wait until someone gets the puppy.”

“And what if nobody comes?” There was hope gleaming in Jo’s eyes. “If he doesn’t belong to anybody?”

Liam looked at that little, wet, pathetic creature in Jo’s arms. He’s never been very fond of animals in general, but he liked dogs more than most other animals. However, that didn’t change the fact that Jo just dragged in a whole bundle of responsibility, no matter how small the dog was, the responsibility for a small dog was huge.

“You heard what I said, right? I will walk with him every day, and make sure he doesn’t do anything bad, I will train him, and feed him, and he won’t replace you and-“

“He obviously can’t replace me, he can’t even talk. And what kind of replacement would that be if you replace me with someone who doesn’t talk?”

Jo smiled. “So, what do you think?”

“I don’t know, Jo…”

“Please.” She walked towards him, her towel was almost falling down. “He can protect me.”

“Hey, that’s my job!”

“But you’re not always there.”

Liam looked a bit guilty. “He can’t protect you yet, he’s tiny.”

“But he will grow up.” Jo looked at him with the most pleading doe eyes. “Please, Liam. I’ll do anything you want!”

He raised his eyebrows. “Really? Now, that’s tempting.”

“And I mean it. Just let me keep him- in case nobody comes and takes him back. Please, please, please, please, pl-“

“Okay!” Liam sighed. “Keep the dog, but don’t expect me to-“

“Thank you!” Jo kissed him so euphorically that he almost stumbled back. “I love you so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Okay, okay.” Liam took one step back. “But don’t get too used to him now, you might have to give him away again.”

“Yes, I know.”

Who was he kidding? Of course his girlfriend had gotten used to the dog by now. She had probably planned the next 15 years with that dog already…

“Now you go shower before you get a cold, and I’ll start on the posters.”

She nodded, gave the puppy a kiss and handed him over to Liam who looked a bit helpless because he wasn’t sure how to hold him.

“Just pretend he was a baby”, Jo said. “And that’s how you hold him.”

“A baby.” Liam stared at the dog. “Brilliant.”

“He needs a name. What about-“

“Go shower, Jo, you have goose bumps all over your skin.”

“Okay, okay! I’ll think of a name while I shower”, she said and ran into the bathroom.

Liam was left with the dog for a moment, and he just stood there as if he didn’t know what to do next.
“Boy”, he said. “I’m just glad Jo found a dog and not a homeless horse out there…”

Jo showered in no time and got dressed even faster. “Liam?” He wasn’t in the kitchen where she expected him. He was picking up all books and everything else that was on the floor.

“What are you doing?”

“Dogs pee, and gnarl on everything they find. And I think your dog is hungry.”

Jo looked a little sad at Liam. She had really hoped he would like the dog. She hugged Liam. “Hey Liam, you know that I love you and the way you act just shows me how much you love me. And I’m sure Teddy loves you too. You have to teach him how to protect me.”

“You named him? Jo I told you don’t get too attached yet.” Liam pulled her closer and kissed her. “He is starring at us.”

“What? Who?” Jo turned around and saw the tiny fur bundle stare at them. “Oh Teddy.”

“What’s with the name? Can’t he have at least a proper name, when it has to be form a book? Something we both like?” Liam looked at Jo, she was wearing his Goofy jumper and God he was turning her on.

“He is named after Theodore Laurence, but Laurie sounds like a girl so we gonna call him Teddy.” Jo smiled sweet at Liam, her hand was under his shirt gently touching him. Liam sighed and took her hand. “Feed the dog first. And I dog proof the flat.”

Jo tiptoed to kiss Liam. “I love you so much.”

Liam smiled and kissed her once more. Jo went in the kitchen. “So Teddy, let see you are still so little. I guess you are not even used to solid food yet. Oh I know.” Jo made him a bowl of rice cereals and added some chicken to it. “Here I think you like this.”

She put the bowl next to a bowl of milk. But Teddy didn’t touch the bowls. Jo set him right next to them. But he still didn’t eat.

“Liam. He is not eating, what if he is sick?”Jo sounded worried. Liam sighed he was worried something like this would happen.

“Maybe it is a little too warm?” Suddenly he remember what she had said hold him like a baby. “Pick him up and hold him while you feed him.” He sat down next to her and put his arm around her waist. He watched her feed Teddy holding him close. She had this happy smile on her face. She looked up and saw Liam watch her, it just made her smile wider. She kissed him. “You gonna get your finder’s fee as soon Teddy is settled in the laundry basket.” Her kiss was passionately.

“Finder’s fee, hm? Sounds good to me.” He kissed her back. “But I didn’t find him.”

“Well, then you get a reward for being such a great boyfriend and allowing me to keep him.”

“If nobody else comes to get him.”

Jo sighed. “I really hope nobody is looking for him, I-“

“Already got too attached to him”, he finished her sentence. “I know.”

“I can’t help it. I mean, how can you not get attached to a creature that small and helpless and innocent?” She looked at Teddy, and Liam noticed this strange, dreamy smile on her face that he already saw when she was holding Edward in her arms. “I can’t even imagine how it must be to hold your own baby after it is born. It already feels so wonderful to have this little puppy in your arms, but your own child…” She didn’t even realize what she was saying, she seemed completely lost in her thoughts.
Something made Liam nervous. No, it was not the fact that she started talking about babies again. It was the fact that she talked about babies and he didn’t freak out. That made him nervous. Why didn’t he freak out again while she held Teddy in her arms and talked about babies? Why was he suddenly so calm about it?
The same moment Jo’s eyes met his and he quickly looked away, as if he had done something wrong.

“I’m sorry, I really have to stop talking about children…”

“No, it’s okay.” He got up and went into the kitchen. Now he was freaked out because he wasn’t freaked out about the ‘baby talk’. What the hell was wrong with him?

A week later Teddy was still with them, and it seemed like nobody was looking for him, which made Jo really happy, because with every passing day she got more attached to the puppy and couldn’t imagine giving him away again. Although she had promised Liam that she would walk the dog three times a day, he didn’t want her to walk him alone at night, so he always accompanied her, and in the mornings, when he was awake around seven and couldn’t fall asleep again, he got up and walked with Teddy alone, because he knew how much Jo loved to sleep in. Besides, he actually liked going outside with Teddy, it was a great opportunity to get some exercise and fresh air.
One morning, when Liam came back with Teddy, Jo was already awake and looked sleepy at him.

“Hey, what are you doing up this early?”, he asked when he entered the flat and saw her sitting on the coach.

“The phone woke me up half an hour ago, you got a call”, she said while she picked Teddy up. “It’s something with your job, you have to be in London tomorrow.”

“Oh, okay.” He watched Jo and Teddy. “You’re going to be all right?”

She smiled. “I hate it when you have to go, but I’m not longer completely alone.”

It was hard as always to let Liam go, but she kissed her boyfriend said that she loved him and that he has to hurry back home. She never wanted that her last words to Liam were I love you. Not because she didn’t love him, she loved him more than anything, but because she wanted the times he left to go on a mission to be as normal as if he would go to the bakery. But as soon the door was closed behind him she picked up Teddy and held him close. She cuddled with her dog on the couch and watched cartoons. She had made a schedule of things she wanted to do while Liam was gone and she hated to come home from walking Teddy, but she was doing okay, maybe even better than she ever did when Liam was gone.
Liam was gone since four days, when she got the call from Charles.

“Miss Josephine, I have bad news. Anne died last night peaceful in her sleep. She left a couple of things for you and in her last will she wished to be cremated. The funeral will take place next week. I informed already your parents her mother will stay in Morocco but your father will come back. Josephine are you still there? Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Yes, I’m still here. No I’m fine. I need to, um go. Send me all details for the funeral.” Jo hung up. It was late afternoon, a misty day.

“Teddy? Come here boy.”

A day later the invitation for Anne’s funeral arrived. Jo didn’t pick it up, she was cuddled with Teddy on the couch. Left three times a day, fed him but except of that she and Teddy where cuddled on the armchair. She had promised Liam Teddy would not learn to sit on the couch so she would make it a habit of sitting with Teddy on the big armchair. She wasn’t sure what day it was or what she last did all she did was sit there and stare at the TV, it wasn’t switched on.

“Honey, I’m home!” Liam closed the door behind him. “Don’t I sound like a real American 1950s dad? Now you have to put an apron on and pretend that you have spent all afternoon in the kitchen to prepare a lovely dinner for your lovely husband.” Liam picked some letters up from the floor. It was weird that she hadn’t picked the mail up yet, especially since it was right next to the door.
“I hope you do know I’m only this friendly because I want to get laid. And I know, that doesn’t sound like a good American 1950s dad.” He looked up with a grin, and then noticed that Jo sat in the arm chair, staring blankly at the black screen of the TV. “Nice show you’re watching…”
She didn’t react.

“Jo?” Liam walked to her and saw how pale she looked. She sat in the chair like she was completely paralyzed, it was hard to see if she was breathing at all. Teddy lay on her lap and wiggled with his tail when he saw Liam, but Jo didn’t even look up at him.
“Okay, is it something I said? I’m sorry, I wasn’t just looking forward to see you because I want to get laid, I was looking forward to…well, to be with you. You know that, right? I’m definitely not-“

“She’s dead.” Jo still avoided any eye contact with him.

“Who?”

“My mother.”

“What?” He looked shocked at her. “But I thought…wasn’t she doing better? I mean, after her treatment and…at your graduation she looked very healthy, how is it-“

“No, that mother is alive.”

Liam seemed confused. “What?”

“Anne.” She slowly turned her head towards him, and he could barely look at her because she looked so hurt. “Anne died in her sleep a couple of days ago. The invitation of the funeral is somewhere in the mail…” Her voice started to tremble.

Liam opened one of the letters that was addressed to Jo and read the invitation. The funeral would be tomorrow at noon at a cemetery near Waterfall Downs.
“Jo, I’m so sorry.” He looked up from the invitation and took her hand, but she turned her head away. “I know how much Anne meant to you…”

“She was like a mother for me, more than my mother ever had been. That woman raised me. She took care of me, she was the one who read stories to me when I was afraid at night. She was there while my mother didn’t even notice when I wasn’t feeling well. Anne was always there…” Jo bit her lip. She refused to cry for the past days because she knew that nobody was there who could stop her once she had started, but now that Liam was here she suddenly felt so much weaker, like a little helpless child, and she felt tears running down her cheeks.
Liam put his arm around her, but she still turned away from him.

“I know it’s hard for you, but you have to see it like this. She had a nice life, didn’t she? I mean, for so many years she had you in her life, and it’s obvious how much she loved you. She also died in her sleep, which is good. I mean, not that dying is good, but…ahem…” God, he just couldn’t talk about stuff like that! He never knew what to say in those kind of situations.

“It feels like my mother died. I feel like…I’m so…empty. It feels like there’s a big hole right inside me…” The tears didn’t stop, and she had a hard time to keep it together.

“I know.”

“How would you know?”, she snapped, but at the same moment realized what she just said, and to whom she had said it. She quickly turned around to look at Liam. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean…I’m…”

“It’s okay.” He stroked her wet cheek.

“No, it’s not. I was too upset, I’m so sorry that I said-“

“Really, Jo, don’t worry about it.” He pulled her close and rubbed her shoulders. “I know you’re upset, you don’t have to apologize for anything. Just let it all out, it’s okay.”

She buried her head into his chest and wrapped her arms so tightly around him as if she was scared he would get up any second and leave her. Teddy still lay on her lap, occasionally sitting up when he heard her sobs.
Half an hour later they were still in the same position, but Jo’s tears had finally stopped. Her eyes were t still puffy and her cheeks were wet, but she couldn’t care less. Her ear was right were Liam’s heart was, and it calmed her down just listening to his heartbeat.
While he stroked her hair softly he kept singing a song very quietly, barely audible, but Jo listened closely to the lyrics and a tiny, weak smile appeared on her face.

Liam kissed her and said. “I’ll be right back.” He took Teddy so that the little one could do his business while he went to the pub next door and bought a huge portion of chips. He knew that Jo hadn’t eaten in the past couple of days and no matter how bad she felt she needed to eat.
He stepped outside and found Teddy sitting in front of the pub door, he got up when he saw Liam, his tail wriggling and a little nit bouncing up and down. Liam smiled kneeled down and petted him a moment.

“Come on Jo is waiting for us.” Liam picked the dog up and quickly climbed up the stairs. Jo hasn’t moved an inch, she was just starring at the black TV.

“Jo? I got food, I want you to eat a little bit.” Liam was standing in the kitchen preparing the chips. Jo nodded, she got up slowly and went to Liam in the kitchen. He wrapped his arm around her, and even though she had wasn’t crying anymore she felt still miserable. Liam knew how she felt, maybe for the first time he could relate to what she felt. Not that it would change how he could talk to her. But he smiled when Jo took a chip and ate it.

“I’m sorry.” She mumbled into his chest.

“Huh? For what?”

“That you mom died.”

Liam stiffened but nodded. “Come on let’s watch some TV, okay?” He kissed her gently. “Do you know that the Aboriginals in Australia believe that you can’t say the name after a person died? They say it keeps them from moving on into the afterlife.”

Jo looked up at Liam. “I don’t know if I can do that.”

“No sorry I didn’t you that you can’t say Anne’s name anymore. Listen have some more chips and then you try to sleep a little bit, okay?” Liam had her close, he looked at Teddy the dog was sitting in his basket playing with one of Liam’s socks. But Teddy seemed to understand that it wasn’t his place with them on the couch.

"Liam?”

“Yes?”

“Does this hole get filled again? I mean you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. Just… I know Lorelai never stopped missing her mom and… I dunno.”

Liam was very quiet for a moment. He wanted to tell her what he kept telling himself for the past five years. He wanted to tell her that this hole that someone left behind after they died would be filled again, and that one day she would just stop feeling the hole at all.
But instead he said the truth.

“No.” He stared at the blank TV screen. “There are some things that can’t be filled, and some people that can’t be replaced, no matter how much we try. You’ll always have to live with that. I can assure you that after a while you won’t feel this emptiness as strongly as you do now, but it will never go away.” He turned back to Jo. “I’m sorry if I’m too honest, but I don’t want to tell you something that’s wrong.”

She nodded quietly. “That’s okay.” She took his hand. “I really appreciate it that you…share this with me.”

“Yeah.” His eyes wandered to the window.

The next day they attended the funeral. It was a quiet, very nice service, and Jo didn’t let go off Liam’s hand once. Jo’s parents were traveling through Europe for the summer, but right after Colin heard the news of Anne’s death, he went back to be at the funeral. After the service was over and Colin waited for a taxi to bring him back to the airport, he went to Jo and Liam and talked to them for a while.

“Jo, are you sure you will be all right?”

“Yes, father.”

“We’ll be gone for most of the summer, and especially now-“

“I will be fine”, she said and finally managed to smile. “I have two boys who protect me now.”

“Hey, one and a quarter!”, Liam said.

“Actually, you’re right, one and a quarter. Teddy is the one, you’re the quarter.”

“Jo!” Even if she was teasing him, he was glad she did it, because she finally smiled again, and that was all that mattered to him.
After Colin left they went back to Oxford- just to pack their luggage to go back to Waterfall Downs again. Colin offered them to stay in their house, and since Jo had never had the whole house to herself, and since Liam had all kind of, ahem, interesting ideas to do in this huge house, they decided to accept the offer to stay in Waterfall Downs for a while during the summer. Colin said Lorelai or John would occasionally check if everything was all right, but he also said they should enjoy their time together- and he winked at Liam as he said that.

Two days after the funeral Jo, Liam and Teddy drove to Waterfall Downs. It was extremely warm that day, and Jo already suggested that they should jump into the pool later. Liam agreed, though he had another idea that Jo didn’t know of yet.

“Okay!” Jo turned around to look at Liam after they entered the huge house. “No parents. No adults that tell us what to do, when to go to bed, how long to sleep. No rules!” She grinned. “This is like a dream come true. You can’t even imagine how much I wished for this to happen when I was little.”

“I completely understand. This house is so tempting to act crazy.”

She laughed. “Exactly.”

After they brought their luggage upstairs, Liam disappeared in the bathroom, and came out fully dressed in one of the expensive suits that Jo had stored for him in her room for fancy occasions.
She raised her eyebrows.

“Seriously? You do know that my parents aren’t here, right?”

“Yepp.”

“So why on earth are you wearing one of the suits that you hate so much?”

“Because I can finally do what I wanted to do since the very first time I came here.”

“And what’s that?”

He grinned. “Take a swim.”

“Oh no!” Jo laughed. “You really want to jump into the pool fully dressed in an expensive designer suit?”

“Yepp.” He walked out of her room. “You can join me if you want. Oh cool!”

“What’s cool?” She followed him into the hallway and chuckled when he saw him. “I think the skateboard belongs to Timmy, the son of one of our maids. I saw him with it a couple of times.”

“Awesome!” Liam picked up the skateboard and went downstairs. “You know where to find me!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be by the pool in a moment”, she replied and quickly went back into her room. Meanwhile, Liam went outside, put the skateboard on the floor and jumped into the pool. While he waited for Jo, he laid down on an air mattress and hummed Molly Malone.

This was crazy, and that was exactly why she loved the idea. She considered to wear one of her super fancy dresses, but she picked the one dress she always felt trapped in. She hurried down to the pool and found Liam floating on an air mattress, he was humming and enjoying the sunshine.

“Hey you pretty boy in the pool.”

Liam looked up and started laughing. “Is this your school uniform?”

“Yes and I hated it. That’s why I will free myself from it today.” Jo grinned and just a moment later she had jumped into the pool. Liam pulled her closer to him up the mattress and kissed her. She undid his tie and unbuttoned his shirt.

“Seriously here?” Liam whispered. Jo nodded grinning flirty at him.

“We’ll drown in the deep water, let’s swim to the shallow water.” He his kissed his girlfriend one more time, slid off from his mattress and swam with fast known strokes to the shallow water. Jo watched her boyfriend and followed him slowly her dress was heavy and dragging her down. And she was never a strong swimmer, but not that bad.
Jo kissed Liam, touched him while he took off her uniform. Their clothes were floating in the pool, while the two teenagers made love. They both were nervous, they knew no one was here but it still was exciting.
Even though the water was heated, but it was still not warm enough Jo was shivering. Liam climbed out of the pool wrapped a towel around his waist and made sure Jo was covered as soon she came out of the pool. They snuggled up on the sunlounger, Liam held her close.

“You never told me that you are a swimmer.” Jo was out of breath, and still shivering. “I never was a big fan of swimming, I was more the lie on a mattress and read person.”