Maeve
The tightening in her chest is so painful it steals her breath, bringing tears to her eyes, making them sting as she clutches him closer while the sobs wrench through his body. His thin frame shaking almost violently in her grasp. Gentle fingers still card through his hair, letting him release the emotions he's so desperately bottled up in an attempt to keep himself together. Her lips press against his temple, a quiet shushing slipping past her lips, the universal sound of a mother soothing her child.
His question pulls her attention, causing her to draw back ever so slightly, face tilting down towards the top of his head. A heavy sigh expands and deflates her chest, lips parting as she struggles to pull together the response he deserves. It was what she had done. Why she had left. To heal, to put the pieces together again in peace, away from prying eyes and questions from those who meant well. "Yes... It was." And he is right. It had helped. She was healing. "I know. I know... We haven't made it easy for you. Either of us." She was at least coherent enough to acknowledge what her choices had done to her family. To her son.
The furrow between his brow adds another crack to her heart and Maeve reaches forward, smoothing it gently with her thumb before she's cupping his cheek. Her palm warm and solid and real against his skin. Jade eyes hold his as she nods in response. "Yes. I wouldn't offer it otherwise. I want you here." Want. Need. Both of them holding the same weight. Drawing a shallow breath of her own, Maeve corrects herself, "I need you here, Jude." It was time for her to stop hiding from people. Her own family included in that. Her lips manage to curl into a slight smile, barely tugging the corners of her lips up, but somehow still forming a wane smile.
His question pulls her attention, causing her to draw back ever so slightly, face tilting down towards the top of his head. A heavy sigh expands and deflates her chest, lips parting as she struggles to pull together the response he deserves. It was what she had done. Why she had left. To heal, to put the pieces together again in peace, away from prying eyes and questions from those who meant well. "Yes... It was." And he is right. It had helped. She was healing. "I know. I know... We haven't made it easy for you. Either of us." She was at least coherent enough to acknowledge what her choices had done to her family. To her son.
The furrow between his brow adds another crack to her heart and Maeve reaches forward, smoothing it gently with her thumb before she's cupping his cheek. Her palm warm and solid and real against his skin. Jade eyes hold his as she nods in response. "Yes. I wouldn't offer it otherwise. I want you here." Want. Need. Both of them holding the same weight. Drawing a shallow breath of her own, Maeve corrects herself, "I need you here, Jude." It was time for her to stop hiding from people. Her own family included in that. Her lips manage to curl into a slight smile, barely tugging the corners of her lips up, but somehow still forming a wane smile.
And I was catching my breath
Staring out an open window
catching my death
Staring out an open window
catching my death
