The low hum of the rain against the glass pane was the only sound filling the bedroom, heavy and rhythmic. I opened my eyes slowly,'s' staring at the ceiling where the amber glow of the streetlamp outside cast long, trembling shadows.
On the small sofa across the room, Liam lay perfectly still, wrapped in the thin plaid blanket he had pulled from the closet. Because of his leg, he couldn’t fully stretch out on the short cushions; his knees were bent awkwardly, and his broad shoulders seemed cramped against the armrest. Yet, his breathing was slow and even, as if he had finally found a profound sense of peace just by being in the same room as me.
My heart, which had been hammering against my ribs just moments before, began to settle into a dull, aching throb.
“I’ve waited more than twenty years for you…”
The words echoed in my mind, carrying a weight I wasn’t sure I was prepared to bear. Twenty years. While I was out in the world, chasing men who broke my spirit, crying myself to sleep in lonely city apartments, and questioning my own self-worth, Liam had been right here. In this quiet, sleepy town, fixing broken radios and ancient television sets, watching me from afar with a heart full of unspoken devotion.
I looked at my bare ring finger, now adorned with a simple silver band. It hadn’t cost a fortune. It didn’t flash under the light. But as I rolled it over with my thumb, it felt heavier than anything I had ever worn.
I didn’t sleep that night. Every time I drifted off, I would startle awake, expecting to find myself back in my old life, facing another empty morning or another bitter argument. But each time I opened my eyes, the silhouette of the man on the couch remained—a silent, immovable guardian.
