Chapter48
The depths of his eyes seemed to hold a thousand unspoken words, a million unseen tears, and a profound sense of desperation. In that moment, I saw the façade crumble, the mask slip, and the real Wilson emerge–fragile, broken, and pleading for understanding.
“You’ll listen?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, as if he was afraid to hope. He croaked out the words, his vocal cords strained from disuse, or perhaps from the unspoken emotions.
I nodded at him, a simple, solemn agreement, my eyes locked onto his, conveying a promise of understanding and empathy. My nod was a reassurance that I would be present, fully and completely.
“Yeah, it’s about time we discuss everything, Wilson,” I stated, my words spilling out in a gentle, yet firm, cadence.
“Everything you didn’t tell me, whatever I was lacking-“But before I could continue, he jerked up, his eyes flashing with alarming fear and cut me off mid–sentence. His sudden movement was like a dam breaking, a burst of pent–up emotion that halted my words in their tracks.
“No, you weren’t lacking anything, Leo,” he exclaimed in a hushed tone, his voice barely audible over the sound of his own ragged breathing. As he spoke, he ran a hand down his face, the gesture admission of guilt and remorse.
“I…I just…I was,” he stuttered, his words faltering as he struggled to give voice to his thoughts. His eyes darted away, unable to meet mine, as if the shame and regret were too much to bear.
The air was heavy with anticipation, the silence between us pulsing, as I waited, poised to receive
the thoughts he was finally willing to share.
“It’s okay, you’re usually tired on working days,” I assured.
“How about we talk every night, on weekends, after tucking Willy to bed?” I suggested, offering at gentle smile.
His eyes lit up
with gratitude as he nodded, a small, wearys
creeping onto his face. The tension
in his shoulders eased, his entire demeanor relaxing in response to my proposal.
“I would love that,” he said, his voice laced with a desperate longing.
“I need that,” he added, the words tumbling out with an urgency that betrayed the depth of his
emotional pain.
“I am here when you’re ready,” I told him honestly, my voice firm and resolute. This was the least I could offer after he had taken the first tentative steps towards mending his mistakes.
I couldn’t promise if I’d take him back, not yet, not when the trust I had once placed in him lay in tatters. No relationship could be redeemed without trust, and mine was still a fragile, flickering
Chapter40
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flame.
But I could listen, I could offer a safe space for him to unravel his thoughts and emotions, to confront the demons that had driven him to hurt me so deeply. My presence was a lifeline, tentative distance between the rift of hurt and the possibility of healing. I would listen, and in doin
so, perhaps I could begin to try to see if I could rebuild the Leona that loved him.
Chapter48
