Two days later,
Daniel came in with a paper bag and a soft smile on the lips. "I brought fries,your favourite",he said. Velma didn't smile. She was standing by the window,arms folded across her chest,the curtain casting faint stripes of lines across her face. Daniel paused"You okay?" . She turned to face him slowly and said "Olivia came here " . That wiped the grin off his face "when?".
" Two days ago,she stood right where you are standing". He placed the back on the table and ran a hand across his face" I should have told her sooner". She didn't cry",Velma said . She didn't scream,she just looked at me like I was the final straw",Velma added. " Velma ", Daniel called out her name. "She told me she stayed with you when you didn't even know how to say my name"." I know",he replied quietly. " I asked her if I hated me and she couldn't even say no with her full chest". Daniel stepped closer but she took a step back,"I love what we found again but I don't like the way it came",she said softly." Do you think I planned this" , Daniel asked. " No,that's what makes it harder ",she replied. He was silent. Velma continue,"it doesn't feel right...not yet. Not when someone heart is bleeding while ours is just beginning to beat again".
The quietness between them was thick,full of everything neither of them wanted to admit."so what are you saying?",he asked. "I'm just saying....maybe we need to pause. Not forever just until the weight of this isn't on my conscience",her voice trembled. Daniel looked at her like she was slipping through his fingers again. But this time she wasn't running. She was choosing to stop, just long enough for her to breathe. He nodded slowly" I don't want to lose you again". "You are not,I just want to choose where we are when we are not standing on someone else's path". He moved to her slowly,held her face gently and kissed her forehead. No pressure,no begging,just quite understanding.
Then he picked the paper bag"I'll still bring fries next week",he said. Velma smiled faintly" I will still like it".