you'll always be

The last thing he’d meant to do was disturb her, and he’d sigh heavily as he’d heard her shuffling awake at the sound of his voice. He’d nearly turned to leave so that she might go back to sleep, but hesitated long enough that her features appeared from the den. The corners of his lips pulled back as she greeted him, first and foremost if she could do anything for him. ”I wondered if you might invite me in.” His request was humble, and almost not uttered at all. Was it too improper? He'd spent a long time trying to distance himself so his heart might not hurt anymore. Now he knew that had been a mistake.

Where would they have been, if he’d grabbed her that morning and held her instead of allowing her to run away? Why had he so easily fallen into her arms while inebriated? What if their deeper relationship had worked instead of fallen apart? Would they have been driven off? Forced to raise their daughters alone in the woods somewhere? Would life have been better in this moment if they’d been forced in that scenario?