thought i could fly, so i stepped off the golden

Kindness was a thing that felt so unusual and strange to her that she didn’t know how to respond, especially kindness from a complete stranger. She hadn’t experienced kindness from her own parents or siblings so why would she think that she could expect it from a passing stranger? Once the explanation of her son’s recent attempt at the same act came to light her reaction did make more sense. It was more of a reaction to the recent trauma than it was just a random act of concern and care. That explanation helped Tamsyn make logical sense of the interaction and helped her feel slightly less uneasy about the woman. At least she could believe that she wasn’t trying to get something from her or had some alterer motive. She simply didn’t want to lay witness to something that was so fresh in her own memory and that made sense.

Tam felt her jaw tighten when the possibility of her mother being pained by the idea of her suicide, but she reminded herself that the words meant no harm and were simply a way for the stranger to relate and sympathize. Without the context of her past it probably just seemed like a way to coax her away from the cliff so Tamsyn did her best to not think too much of it. ”I’m sure,” she muttered doubtfully, but didn’t elaborate beyond that. She was too tired to be angry or resentful. It just felt like an old, aching wound at this point - one she tried not to bother too often. She wondered sometimes if her family ever missed her or regretted the decisions they had made, but she doubted it.

When Zee introduced herself with a motion to lead them away from the cliff so they could move back toward the trees, Tamsyn gave a small nod and padded away from the edge, following her lead. It didn’t bother her to be so close to the potential danger, but she didn’t see the point in worrying her new acquaintance unnecessarily. “I’m Tamsyn,” she responded as she let her eyes drift away for a moment, scanning the tree line while she let her thoughts process. She didn’t think she would have actually sent herself over the edge, but... she wasn’t entirely sure either. There was a mix of confusing emotions clouding her mind - more than she really felt capable of untangling this late at night with as little sleep as she had gotten.

”It’s nice to see that you’re worried about your son,” she said after a moment, turning her head back toward Zee once again. She didn’t know this female or her son or what had driven him to want to do what he was about to do, but it seemed to genuinely bother Zee and that was almost enough to make Tam trust her. She thought back to the times when her own mother had simply sat by unblinking while... She forced the thought away and carefully kept her expression motionless as she fought back her own emotions. Instead, she focused on Zee and her son, now curious and somehow invested in their current state. “How is he doing now?”