Suddenly, Tal was back, and he was crouching beside her chair. This time, when he reached slowly for her face, she flinched only slightly, more out of anticipation of pain than fear. But when his fingertips made contact, they were light and gentle, and she willingly turned her head to allow him to examine the bruising. Another person, in another time, might have responded to his statement by saying, I don't either. But Soh was not another person, and this wasn't another time, so she simply met his eyes in silence, her own eyes tear-filled and sad.
He moved away, back to the kitchen, and Soh stared at the wall, numb and unseeing, until he returned with a cold compress. She took it, gently settling it over her eye, wincing at the first contact. But after a moment, it started to feel soothing, and she relaxed, if only marginally. Tal's eyes were full of questions, but he didn't press her. "Thank you," Soh said, lip trembling. "That helps."
What was she going to do? She owed him the truth, especially after all this, but she knew that he would hate her after, and that, she couldn't bear. This was all her fault. If not for her stupidity, her weakness, they could have been enjoying a nice lunch. Instead, here she was, useless in her own home, as Tal tended to her with a care that she hadn't experienced since she was a child. She remembered being sick once, when she was very small, and her mother's cool hand on her forehead, gentle murmurings of reassurances. It was one of the few memories she had of either parent, and it was this that came to mind as Tal continued his ministrations.
He moved away, back to the kitchen, and Soh stared at the wall, numb and unseeing, until he returned with a cold compress. She took it, gently settling it over her eye, wincing at the first contact. But after a moment, it started to feel soothing, and she relaxed, if only marginally. Tal's eyes were full of questions, but he didn't press her. "Thank you," Soh said, lip trembling. "That helps."
What was she going to do? She owed him the truth, especially after all this, but she knew that he would hate her after, and that, she couldn't bear. This was all her fault. If not for her stupidity, her weakness, they could have been enjoying a nice lunch. Instead, here she was, useless in her own home, as Tal tended to her with a care that she hadn't experienced since she was a child. She remembered being sick once, when she was very small, and her mother's cool hand on her forehead, gentle murmurings of reassurances. It was one of the few memories she had of either parent, and it was this that came to mind as Tal continued his ministrations.
