around them. Maggie
could scarcely breathe, shocked and deeply stirred by his confession. In
sharing something so intimate, so tragic with her, he confirmed just how close
they’d bonded during those brief hours together six months before.
She stayed quiet, finding it impossible to find
the right words to say to him at that moment. And she sensed there was more he
wanted to share. She waited, continuing to slowly stroke his hair.
“Her name was Gina. She was six years old
when…she died.”
Maggie didn’t even try to hold back her tears.
There was so much agony and love in his voice. A father’s love. Something she
would never know. “How…how did she die?”
He was quiet for so long she thought he wasn’t
going to answer. But she sensed that this was something he wanted to
tell her. She wondered if he’d ever shared this much with anyone before her.
“It was a car accident. Four years ago. It was February. My wife was taking Gina
home from a ballet lesson. They hit a patch of black ice and slammed into a
tree. I was told they both died instantly.” A hint of cynicism entered his
voice. “As if that was supposed to comfort me somehow.”
She placed her palm on the nape of his neck. When
it seemed that he wasn’t going to say anything further she murmured, “Rachel
was your wife.”
He lifted his head, looked at her with confusion,
eyes red with unshed tears. “How do you know her name?”
Her breath hitched on the sob she couldn’t hold
back any longer. “Y-you spoke it. That night. After the last time we made…the
last time. You were crying. You said her name just before you fell back to
sleep.”
His face paled as he tracked the tears rolling
down her face. He sat up quickly, grabbed her by the shoulders and hauled her
into his chest. He wrapped one arm around her waist; the other pressed her head
against his throat. She felt him swallow. His breathing hitched. “So that’s why
you left without a word, without even a note.”
Her sobs grew louder. “You sounded so g-guilty. I
thought you’d lied to me. I t-thought you’d cheated on your wife or girlfriend.
I felt sick thinking I’d been part of that.”
He rubbed his hand up and down her back, bringing
her closer still. “Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry you thought that. Shh .
Don’t cry.”
But she’d reached her limit. The shock of seeing
him again tipped the scales on the teetering see-saw of emotions she’d fought
to keep in balance for the last six months. Underlying that was the adrenaline
rush of work over the past week, the long hours and sleepless nights. All of
that combined with learning of his tragic personal loss had simply become too
much to bear.
With effortless strength he lifted her from the
bed and carried her over to an armchair in the corner. He sat down, cradling
her in his arms, her legs draped across his knees, her head tucked into his
shoulder. His chest vibrated with soft, indistinguishable words of comfort as
he gently rocked back and forth.
She’d never been held this way by a man. Never.
With the help of Dr. Moira she thought she’d dealt with every emotion, every
repercussion that stemmed from that devastating hole in her life. Apparently
not. His embrace opened wounds that were still too fresh. She held his shirt in
clutching hands, clinging to the reassuring male strength that was a
heart-wrenching reminder of all that she’d missed as a little girl and a young
woman.
But she wasn’t going to mull in self-pity. She’d
been there and done that. Two years of intensive therapy had taught her to live
in the present, to celebrate each day for the blessing that it was. And what a
wonderful gift it was to be held in the arms of a man whom she never thought
she would see again.
As her sobs gradually diminished she became aware
of his words. His voice shook as if he were struggling to hold back his own
tears. “Hush, Maggie. Hush now . You have nothing to worry about. I’m
here.” He kissed her temple.
could scarcely breathe, shocked and deeply stirred by his confession. In
sharing something so intimate, so tragic with her, he confirmed just how close
they’d bonded during those brief hours together six months before.
She stayed quiet, finding it impossible to find
the right words to say to him at that moment. And she sensed there was more he
wanted to share. She waited, continuing to slowly stroke his hair.
“Her name was Gina. She was six years old
when…she died.”
Maggie didn’t even try to hold back her tears.
There was so much agony and love in his voice. A father’s love. Something she
would never know. “How…how did she die?”
He was quiet for so long she thought he wasn’t
going to answer. But she sensed that this was something he wanted to
tell her. She wondered if he’d ever shared this much with anyone before her.
“It was a car accident. Four years ago. It was February. My wife was taking Gina
home from a ballet lesson. They hit a patch of black ice and slammed into a
tree. I was told they both died instantly.” A hint of cynicism entered his
voice. “As if that was supposed to comfort me somehow.”
She placed her palm on the nape of his neck. When
it seemed that he wasn’t going to say anything further she murmured, “Rachel
was your wife.”
He lifted his head, looked at her with confusion,
eyes red with unshed tears. “How do you know her name?”
Her breath hitched on the sob she couldn’t hold
back any longer. “Y-you spoke it. That night. After the last time we made…the
last time. You were crying. You said her name just before you fell back to
sleep.”
His face paled as he tracked the tears rolling
down her face. He sat up quickly, grabbed her by the shoulders and hauled her
into his chest. He wrapped one arm around her waist; the other pressed her head
against his throat. She felt him swallow. His breathing hitched. “So that’s why
you left without a word, without even a note.”
Her sobs grew louder. “You sounded so g-guilty. I
thought you’d lied to me. I t-thought you’d cheated on your wife or girlfriend.
I felt sick thinking I’d been part of that.”
He rubbed his hand up and down her back, bringing
her closer still. “Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry you thought that. Shh .
Don’t cry.”
But she’d reached her limit. The shock of seeing
him again tipped the scales on the teetering see-saw of emotions she’d fought
to keep in balance for the last six months. Underlying that was the adrenaline
rush of work over the past week, the long hours and sleepless nights. All of
that combined with learning of his tragic personal loss had simply become too
much to bear.
With effortless strength he lifted her from the
bed and carried her over to an armchair in the corner. He sat down, cradling
her in his arms, her legs draped across his knees, her head tucked into his
shoulder. His chest vibrated with soft, indistinguishable words of comfort as
he gently rocked back and forth.
She’d never been held this way by a man. Never.
With the help of Dr. Moira she thought she’d dealt with every emotion, every
repercussion that stemmed from that devastating hole in her life. Apparently
not. His embrace opened wounds that were still too fresh. She held his shirt in
clutching hands, clinging to the reassuring male strength that was a
heart-wrenching reminder of all that she’d missed as a little girl and a young
woman.
But she wasn’t going to mull in self-pity. She’d
been there and done that. Two years of intensive therapy had taught her to live
in the present, to celebrate each day for the blessing that it was. And what a
wonderful gift it was to be held in the arms of a man whom she never thought
she would see again.
As her sobs gradually diminished she became aware
of his words. His voice shook as if he were struggling to hold back his own
tears. “Hush, Maggie. Hush now . You have nothing to worry about. I’m
here.” He kissed her temple.
Similar Books
