They had gone down to the River right after Liam had bought the necklace. Securing it in his travel bag, and getting out his Panama hat to shield him from the sun, the three of them walked along the River taking pictures and reminiscing about childhood and getting to build new memories together. Margaret was good for pointing out little things they have missed and carried her travel guide around like it was her bible. They had been enjoying themselves immensely.
"Oh look that lovely couple, with their son," said Margaret, "Soon that will be us Samuel, taking our child away on vacation."
Liam observed the couple in front of them, with the little boy. They seemed rather disjointed. The man kept pointing out sites to the lady, while the little boy seemed more preoccupied with playing with toy yoyo. Liam took a snap shot with his camera draped around his neck not giving them another thought before turning to the river. He wanted a good snap shot of the beautiful skyline in the distance.
He took few pictures and aided Margaret when she said that she would like to give it a try as well. He was enjoying the day for what it was, just snapping pictures of people as they walked along. He was thinking of making an album.
The carefreeness of the outing was soon lost, because he heard a blood-curdling scream, like none ever before and looked around. The lady that had been in front of them earlier with the little boy was screaming.
"Patrick, where is he? Where is Cillian?"
"He must have fallen into the water!" the man named Patrick said, "Oh my god!"
"Do something! Somebody do something!"
Liam didn't even give it a second thought; That Patrick fellow seemed worried like he was afraid of the water. Perhaps he couldn't swim, but there was no time to waste. Liam had been an accomplished swimmer in his youth and when someone was in need he was damn well not going to sit by doing nothing. Quickly he removed his camera and carry bag flinging them to the ground. Samuel did the same, exchanging looks of communication that they were going to help the lad. Liam jumped in the river and started to swim as a crowd joined around having been startled by the lady and her screaming.
"Can he swim Miss?" Liam heard Samuel asks the lady.
"No not well, he's only just turned six. Please do something sir."
"I'm on it miss."
Liam hears Samuel pounce into the water after him.
"Be careful both of you," Margaret screams going to stand beside the lady and calm her down.
They swam out Liam's eyes scan the water frantically, he hopes the child has not gone under already.
"Liam," shouts Samuel, "Over here I found him!"
Liam turns around frantically swimming towards the direction of Samuels's voice. He spots his friend who is propping a little boy with dark brown hair and what Liam can't help but notice, exceptionally rosy cheeks.
"Is he breathing?" Liam manages water has been filling up his pipe ways.
"Barely just," says Samuel, "Come take him by the head and I take him by the feet."
Liam grabs hold of the boy's head, supporting the weight of him on his chest. He kicks forward as Samuel leads the way back to the shore. There is a big crowd gathered now and more men looking to help as they arrive back. Crowds of people who have been watching from boats along the river begin to clap. Liam thinks it's a little too early for that.
"Get out of the way, get out of way," says Margaret to the crowd, "They need to put this child down."
Liam and Samuel set the young boy down carefully. He wonders briefly where his parents have gotten to but turns his concern and attention to the matter at hand. He wants to make the boy breath again. Frantically he gets to work remembering his days of first aid training and starts the routine.
He can't help but look at the child and imagine that it is his own. He starts talking to him, only if to give the child comfort and support, to let him know he is not alone, "Come on buddy," he says, "Come on breath for me. You're going to make it. Todays not your day."
"Does he have a name?" Margaret asks the fellow named Patrick while the lady his companion burrows her face in her hands and continues crying.
"Cillian I think…"
"Cillian," says Liam picking up on there conversation, "Hello Cillian, you're gonna have to do me a favor and survive for me won't you?"
"Someone call for an help. We need a doctor immediately," says a random person in the crowd.
"I'll do it," says Samuel, "You stay here with Liam Margaret."
"I'll take you," offers another stranger. There is a doctor who likes to have his drinks at the hotel nearby everyday around this time. Come with me and I'll take you to him."
And Samuel was off, breaking through the crowd.
Liam continues his rhythm of applying pressure to the chest and breathing, "Come now Cillian breathe, breathe now child." He feels almost hopeless; the child is around the same age as his own son is. He could bear it if the child lost his life today. He decides to switch it up, "Cillian your mummy and daddy over there are crying and beside themselves with grief. You got to come back from wherever you are, you can't leave them now; you're much too young to be dying on us."
Margaret joins him, "Come on Cillian. Wake up please," she crouches down near his feet, "Is there anything I can do Liam?"
"Just keep praying Margaret. Look after the lady, won't you? There's not much else I can do but keep on trying until Samuel or somebody else comes back with a doctor." Liam looks at the child again breathing in his mouth and pushing his chest.
The child looked so angelic almost like he was sleeping and for a moment Liam felt an odd feeling come over him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He had this feeling taking form within him and it was so strong. No it couldn't be?
"I had your son and I gave him away…"
But the child looks so much like him. He pushed the thoughts out his head because they were distracting him and he continues administering CPR. He needed child to live today.
"Come on Cillian, come on he whispers." He has been in his own world up until this point, so focused on the child he doesn't notice the frantic screaming and crying making it's way through the crowd.
"Oh Car I turned away for one moment and he just fell in…"
"Where is he?"
Liam felt the blood draining from his face. That voice, it couldn't be. It was impossible.
"Where is he? Where's my baby?"
There was no mistaking it. He would know her voice anywhere. He feels as though he is in another world right now. His eyes adjust to the child lying right in front of him. He makes one more attempt, "Breathe Cillian…"
The child's eyes open, like he has heard prayers and right then Liam knows, he knows those blue eyes up staring up at him. There expression so unreadable, so confused, he knows them because they are just like his own. He was holding his own son; he had to be. They were his exact eyes, his exact face actually. How come he hadn't noticed before.
"I'll find a way to bring you back to me…"
He had, Liam had literally bought his son back to life, "Cillian," he whispers, "Your name is Cillian?" Liam brings up the child's head for support
The young child nods feverishly, "Mummy, I need my mummy."
"Carla, No!"
Liam is shaking. This is too much for him to take in a the moment. It seems like a dream, a nightmare. He doesn't know what to feel. Slowly he places the child's head back down and turning his head he faces her. Carla, his Carla a vision that is too much for him to behold, all he can do is stare.
He sees it in her eyes the shock and confusion, how she stops midway in her gliding at the sight of him. He still has that effect on her he has rendered her speechless. Her green eyes now incredibly huge and he can see that she is shaking, tongue tied and unable to do anything but look like an utter fool. He wants her to say his name, to make this moment more real because he can't think of what to say to her. There is a realization that she has lied to him, about their son and he feels that she owes him her words in the very least. There is much he wants to say but he cannot find the words.
"Liam," says another voice. He looks over briefly recognizing the face of Michel, the man he had once met at the wedding him Carla crashed in New York, "You made it to Cairo after all."
Liam can't even bring himself to acknowledge Michel at the moment he stares back at Carla just waiting for her to say something. It is making him angry. He thinks fine, if she won't say it then I will. He will say everything she is too afraid to say. He won't let her see his pain or his longing and it the most neutral voice he can muster says,
"Hello Carla. I had no idea you were expecting me."
