Wendy frowns, looking away for a long moment, and I hold my breath.
"I'm leaning toward yes," she admits, and I bite the inside of my cheek to contain my excitement. "I think it could be good for us—even if it's just to figure out how to co-parent... but, I'm going to keep the separation..."
I smile broadly. "Good, I want you to."
She blinks. “...really?"
I nod and hold my hands out, palm up, between us. Letting her decide, giving her control. She looks at them, her face so hopeful it hurts.
Slowly, like she's waiting for me to rip my hands away, she places her shaky hands in mine. I close my fingers around them, and she exhales choppily, my own mirroring it.
Her eyes meet mine, glimmering with unshed tears.
"I gave you a year ofbad—I know it's because of what happened with Silas, but I could have talked to you. I didn't. That was my choice. I'm fixing it now, but I still owe you a year of good. Let me earn back your trust. Let me earn back your love."
Wendy studies me, green eyes peering into mine, before shenods.
Going for broke, I lean down and press a lingering kiss on the back of each of her hands. Her scent hits me so hard I feel dizzy, and I rub the soft skin with my thumbs.
When I look back up at her, she's smiling at me. The love I hold for this woman spreads through my body, and I'm powerless, returning the smile just as broadly.
When the moment breaks, she takes her cellphone out and sighs. "I have to go pick up Liam."
"Let me walk you out," I say, and she grins, both of us standing and walking toward the front.
It’s started snowing again, and I frown at the roads, seeing that they're covered in a blanket of white. She should be home in time before it gets bad, but I worry about salting and shovelling.
"Do you need me to—" I can't help but offer, but she gently cuts me off.
"Liam already offered to shovel," she smiles, shaking her head with a laugh. "It's one of his chores that he claimed."
I nod, smiling despite the ache in my chest.
Liam. The man of the house now.
I'm gonna fix this Liam. I'm gonna fix what I broke, with your mom, with your brother, and with you.
"Drive safe, baby.”
"I will," she promises, before zipping her coat against the cold and walking outside.
I stay at the door watching her walk toward her car parked in the driveway.
I always loved how snow muted the world, just turned down the volume, a peaceful stillness.
Wendy stops halfway down the stone path before turning around. The sight knocks the air from my lungs. My wife's coat and hair are a shock of red against the white of the snow.
Then she smiles at me.
"Atlas..." she says, looks at me for a long moment before she gives me a shy grin. "You never lost my love."
My heart stutters and then kicks like a fucking drum.
"Yeah?"
Her smile widens and throws my own words from the letter back at me.
"Not for a single second."
