04-15-2017, 02:35 AM
"We," she corrected him. "We will be okay."
His gaze softened as he stared back at her. She was right, of course. He knew he wasn't the only one affected by everything that was happening. Each of their daily lives were shifted and altered by this with only himself to turn to now if any needed him. He didn't mind, of course, but it was still different. It was still change for everyone to get accustomed to. He hoped nobody would find it too difficult. Certainly, not as bad as his heart was.
She admitted she was afraid of what the future would hold, and his brows tugged together in concern. He wasn't sure how to ease that fear, honestly. But she offered him a way to comfort her as she reached for him, and with his wintery chill melting from him, he met her with his cheek and let his eyes drift closed at her sweet kiss.
He tilted his head and returned it with his own, pressing his lips lightly to her cheek before pulling back a little to meet her eyes again.
She surprised him then, and asked if there was anything she could do to help. He glanced away and scanned the treeline just as she had, thinking it over. There were things she could do, that he needed help doing, but he was reluctant to drop responsibility on her, most especially at a time like this. There was already so much she was dealing with.
But perhaps she was like him and found it a little freeing to be able to lose herself in her work. Having something to do to keep her busy and give her mind and her heart a break from everything else. He would leave the choice up to her, though.
He turned back to her with a hesitant smile. "Perhaps you will find others someday that may belong here and guide them home. But for now, I think I just need you here with me." She was the one keeping him whole, holding him together, though he'd never place the weight of that knowledge on her. No, he didn't have friends to lean on. But he had his daughter, and he was finding strength in her calm and caring presence.
"Could you.." he faltered, hesitated. He still wasn't sure how to approach the topic. "If you see your mother some time.. Could you let me know how she is?" There, that wasn't so hard.
It was something he couldn't do himself. He couldn't even imagine seeing her again, and sure as hell didn't want to. He wasn't ready for that. If he ever would be. But unfortunately losing his marriage didn't mean the love just went away too. Didn't mean he didn't care whether she was alive and well, or dead and rotting. It would have been so much easier if he could have hated her. Far less painful, too.
But that wasn't how love worked.
His gaze softened as he stared back at her. She was right, of course. He knew he wasn't the only one affected by everything that was happening. Each of their daily lives were shifted and altered by this with only himself to turn to now if any needed him. He didn't mind, of course, but it was still different. It was still change for everyone to get accustomed to. He hoped nobody would find it too difficult. Certainly, not as bad as his heart was.
She admitted she was afraid of what the future would hold, and his brows tugged together in concern. He wasn't sure how to ease that fear, honestly. But she offered him a way to comfort her as she reached for him, and with his wintery chill melting from him, he met her with his cheek and let his eyes drift closed at her sweet kiss.
He tilted his head and returned it with his own, pressing his lips lightly to her cheek before pulling back a little to meet her eyes again.
She surprised him then, and asked if there was anything she could do to help. He glanced away and scanned the treeline just as she had, thinking it over. There were things she could do, that he needed help doing, but he was reluctant to drop responsibility on her, most especially at a time like this. There was already so much she was dealing with.
But perhaps she was like him and found it a little freeing to be able to lose herself in her work. Having something to do to keep her busy and give her mind and her heart a break from everything else. He would leave the choice up to her, though.
He turned back to her with a hesitant smile. "Perhaps you will find others someday that may belong here and guide them home. But for now, I think I just need you here with me." She was the one keeping him whole, holding him together, though he'd never place the weight of that knowledge on her. No, he didn't have friends to lean on. But he had his daughter, and he was finding strength in her calm and caring presence.
"Could you.." he faltered, hesitated. He still wasn't sure how to approach the topic. "If you see your mother some time.. Could you let me know how she is?" There, that wasn't so hard.
It was something he couldn't do himself. He couldn't even imagine seeing her again, and sure as hell didn't want to. He wasn't ready for that. If he ever would be. But unfortunately losing his marriage didn't mean the love just went away too. Didn't mean he didn't care whether she was alive and well, or dead and rotting. It would have been so much easier if he could have hated her. Far less painful, too.
But that wasn't how love worked.
