Chapter 12 - THE WOMAN WHO REFUSED TO BE SAVED
Roman found Claire sitting on the floor of her office.
She had been there for nearly an hour.
He knocked on the open door.
“Claire?”
She looked up.
Her eyes were red.
“Hi.”
He crouched beside her.
“Bad day?”
She laughed bitterly.
“Understatement.”
Roman sat on the floor.
Not beside her desk.
Not above her.
Beside her.
For several minutes, neither spoke.
Then Claire whispered, “I keep wondering what I missed.”
Roman looked at her.
“With Daniel?”
“With everyone.”
Her voice broke.
“Ethan. Madeline. Daniel.”
She wiped her cheeks.
“What is wrong with me that I keep trusting people who hurt me?”
Roman turned toward her.
“Nothing.”
Claire looked at him.
He continued.
“Trusting someone isn't a mistake. Betraying that trust is.”
She swallowed.
“But I should have known.”
“Maybe.”
He paused.
“Maybe there were signs. Maybe there weren't.”
Claire stared.
Roman continued.
“But you don't have to become suspicious of everyone just to prove you've learned something.”
Her eyes filled.
He smiled gently.
“You can learn to set boundaries without closing your heart.”
Claire began crying.
Roman opened his arms.
Then waited.
She moved into them.
He held her.
No promises.
No grand declarations.
Just warmth.
May you like
And quiet.
And the extraordinary relief of being allowed to hurt without being told to hurry up and recover.
