Chapter 204: A Familiar Name
Liam’s P.O.V.
The woman who took me in—her name was Beatrice, but she told me to call her Becky. She wasn’t what I expected. I thought she’d be another person who gave me a sandwich and sent me on my way. Instead, she pulled me into her tiny apartment above her café, gave me a blanket, and told me to take a warm bath. I didn’t argue. I had never felt so cold in my life.
She stood outside the bathroom door, telling me she left some clothes on the counter. "They might be a little big, but they’ll do for now," she said.
I could barely recognize myself when I looked in the mirror. Clean. No dirt, no grime. Just a pale boy with scars that stretched up into his hairline.
By the time I stepped out, Becky had hot soup waiting for me. "Eat first," she said. "Then we’ll talk."
I didn’t argue. I ate like I was starving. Because I was.
She didn’t ask questions right away. She let me sleep first. The softest bed I had ever touched.
The next morning, she sat me down at the kitchen table, hands folded in front of her. "So, sweetheart," she said. "Do you remember your name?"
I hesitated. My lips parted. But nothing came out.
She sighed. "That’s okay, honey. We’ll figure it out." She tapped her fingers against the table. "For now, you need something to go by."
She studied me, and I could see the wheels turning in her head. Then she smiled. "How about Noah?"