brother.
She rushed toward him and pulled him into her arms. Holding him as he cried, she patted his back the way she had when he was younger. She couldn’t imagine what he was thinking or how afraid he must be.
“Aria,” he sobbed.
“It’ll be okay.” She willed her own sense of calm into him, trying to ease him. But everything had changed. Nothing she could do would ever take back the horror of her brother experiencing the accident and witnessing his uncle’s death. All she could do was make the present work. She would, too. Jimmy was her only blood kin on this planet, and she’d move mountains to protect him.
Closing her eyes to block out her own emotion, she said, “I’m here. I will always be here for you. I promise.”
Chapter 7
That evening Dan jumped the backyard fence, jogged across the small green expanse, and entered the house. The only light came from the bathroom. As he headed toward it, he saw Aria’s curvy figure in the doorway, standing guard as she watched her brother sleep.
He wrapped his arms around his wife, and together they watched Jimmy sleep—his gangly arms and legs completely tangled in the sheets on the air mattress. A protective, paternal instinct swept through him.
Aria turned toward him, her eyes swimming with tears. He pulled her to his chest, his hand brushing back her curls, and held her. There was so much they needed to say, but right now he knew physical comfort was the best thing he could give her. After a moment, he took her hand and led her to the patio. Once there, he brought her into his arms again. She seemed so tiny and fragile.
“Dan…” She tried to wiggle away, but he wouldn’t let go.
“I’m here for you, hon. Whatever you need, we’re one unit.” He heard her choke as he spoke that last word.
She hid her head against his chest. “I know what he feels…some of it. When I lost my parents, I was so alone and had to be strong for everyone. I don’t want him to have to go through the same stuff.”
He nodded. “I know. But you can’t protect him from his own emotions. The best thing you can do is…to be there for him. Talk to him.”
“Maybe if I had…”
“No, don’t go down that road. There’s nothing you could have done to prevent this.” He held her as she wept. “Let it out. I’m here. I’ll help, too.”
She wiped her face on her sleeve and her eyes lifted to his. The wealth of pain reflected in her gaze nearly broke his heart. She swallowed hard and he listened to her cough. Finally, she spoke. “Let me just say this. Someone else I loved…died, and I wasn’t there to stop it.” Her eyes searched his, begging for a response…some kind of balm to ease the pain. There was nothing that could ease that kind of pain. But he could try to cut the burden in half…bring part of the work onto himself when he was home. Maybe some of the wisdom his grandfather taught him would help Jimmy.
Moving his hands to her shoulders, he held her and said in a firm tone, “Listen to me, you didn’t do this, Aria.”
Her lips trembled. “But my parents—” Tears rolled down her face, dripping off her cheeks and disappearing into the darkness.
“Aria, your parents were in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you had been in the car with them, you would be dead now, too.” He drew her toward him and kissed the top of her head. “You are the kindest, sweetest, strongest, and most caring woman on the planet. You gave up a lot to care for your brother and uncle. I know I don’t know everything you did, but I can imagine some of it.” He placed a kiss on her lips. “I am here to help you with your brother and with everything. We’re teammates. I am a part of this and want to be here.”
His wife shook. He could feel the emotion bubbling up inside of her, and then it burst out in loud, wracking sobs. He held tightly to her, being her safety line in the storm of her emotions. “That’s it. Let it out.” Maybe this time my message sunk
She rushed toward him and pulled him into her arms. Holding him as he cried, she patted his back the way she had when he was younger. She couldn’t imagine what he was thinking or how afraid he must be.
“Aria,” he sobbed.
“It’ll be okay.” She willed her own sense of calm into him, trying to ease him. But everything had changed. Nothing she could do would ever take back the horror of her brother experiencing the accident and witnessing his uncle’s death. All she could do was make the present work. She would, too. Jimmy was her only blood kin on this planet, and she’d move mountains to protect him.
Closing her eyes to block out her own emotion, she said, “I’m here. I will always be here for you. I promise.”
Chapter 7
That evening Dan jumped the backyard fence, jogged across the small green expanse, and entered the house. The only light came from the bathroom. As he headed toward it, he saw Aria’s curvy figure in the doorway, standing guard as she watched her brother sleep.
He wrapped his arms around his wife, and together they watched Jimmy sleep—his gangly arms and legs completely tangled in the sheets on the air mattress. A protective, paternal instinct swept through him.
Aria turned toward him, her eyes swimming with tears. He pulled her to his chest, his hand brushing back her curls, and held her. There was so much they needed to say, but right now he knew physical comfort was the best thing he could give her. After a moment, he took her hand and led her to the patio. Once there, he brought her into his arms again. She seemed so tiny and fragile.
“Dan…” She tried to wiggle away, but he wouldn’t let go.
“I’m here for you, hon. Whatever you need, we’re one unit.” He heard her choke as he spoke that last word.
She hid her head against his chest. “I know what he feels…some of it. When I lost my parents, I was so alone and had to be strong for everyone. I don’t want him to have to go through the same stuff.”
He nodded. “I know. But you can’t protect him from his own emotions. The best thing you can do is…to be there for him. Talk to him.”
“Maybe if I had…”
“No, don’t go down that road. There’s nothing you could have done to prevent this.” He held her as she wept. “Let it out. I’m here. I’ll help, too.”
She wiped her face on her sleeve and her eyes lifted to his. The wealth of pain reflected in her gaze nearly broke his heart. She swallowed hard and he listened to her cough. Finally, she spoke. “Let me just say this. Someone else I loved…died, and I wasn’t there to stop it.” Her eyes searched his, begging for a response…some kind of balm to ease the pain. There was nothing that could ease that kind of pain. But he could try to cut the burden in half…bring part of the work onto himself when he was home. Maybe some of the wisdom his grandfather taught him would help Jimmy.
Moving his hands to her shoulders, he held her and said in a firm tone, “Listen to me, you didn’t do this, Aria.”
Her lips trembled. “But my parents—” Tears rolled down her face, dripping off her cheeks and disappearing into the darkness.
“Aria, your parents were in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you had been in the car with them, you would be dead now, too.” He drew her toward him and kissed the top of her head. “You are the kindest, sweetest, strongest, and most caring woman on the planet. You gave up a lot to care for your brother and uncle. I know I don’t know everything you did, but I can imagine some of it.” He placed a kiss on her lips. “I am here to help you with your brother and with everything. We’re teammates. I am a part of this and want to be here.”
His wife shook. He could feel the emotion bubbling up inside of her, and then it burst out in loud, wracking sobs. He held tightly to her, being her safety line in the storm of her emotions. “That’s it. Let it out.” Maybe this time my message sunk
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