He'd lost two of the people closest to him. It was no wonder he had trouble opening up, letting people in. Yet, he'd trusted her with his painful past.
She wanted to make it better for him, but she knew that sometimes a hurt like this never healed.
There was so much she wanted to tell him. About the pending adoption. About her dreams for the future.
But now wasn't the time.
"I should go," he said after a time. "It's getting late."
She knew he was right, but she didn't want to let go of the closeness of this moment. What if tomorrow he woke up and regretted telling her everything? What if he put back up the walls they had meticulously knocked down tonight?
She had to trust that what they’d forged would last. She followed him through the darkened kitchen. Waited while he pulled on his boots and coat. When he turned back to her, it was the most natural thing in the world to step into his arms. She wound her arms around his waist beneath his open coat.
"Good night." He placed a gentle kiss at her temple, and she tilted her face up for his kiss. He obliged her, his mouth covering hers with what almost felt like desperation. He held her close, and again she tried to offer comfort through her touch.
He broke the kiss and squeezed her more tightly for a brief second before he let her go.
It took until he had wrenched open the back door and was stepping through to the white world beyond for her to find her voice. "Be careful going home. Text me when you get there."
He smiled a tired smile before the door closed behind him.
She was floating on the dreams of a new relationship as she turned off all the downstairs lights and climbed the stairs. Until she saw the boys’ door ajar, and all of the hopeful feelings crashed to the ground in shards at her feet.
