Friday evening, my wife came over to me with the idea of going for a walk. Even though I would love to do so, her leg still bothered her a little bit; so I didn't want to push anything. I shook my head, and she playfully threatened to go on her own.
When I still didn't follow her, she hurried over and took my hand in hers. "I promise I won't overdo it!"
I shook my head and asked her to give her leg just a couple more days.
"Then I'll go by myself. I have no problem with it if you don't want to come with." She started for the edge of the shelf.
"Don't! I'm telling you-"
"I am NOT made of glass, Flynn! Walking might HELP me heal up! Ever think about that? Huh? I don't CARE what Tangled Fan says! I'm going for a walk if it kills me." Anger flashed in her eyes when she wheeled towards me.
THAT is what I was afraid of. That it would make her leg worse, and she'd end up with a permanent ache...or worse.
Unfortunately, instead of just calmly voicing my fears, I shoved them aside and got mad at myself for being fearful. "Then don't complain to me and come limping home when you realize I'm right!" I snapped.
As soon as I heard myself, I froze, horrified.
Everyone went silent.
My poor wife's eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and her lips jerked in attempts to spit something out. A look of sheer horror was quickly replaced by anger.
"You-you don't have to be such a JERK!" She yelled, shaking her head at me and giving me a LOOK.
"Wait-" I was immediately overcome with regret. I tried to grab her, but she was gone before I could get ahold of her.
I started to go after her, but Merida stopped me.
"Ye really blew that, pal. Yer lucky that's all she did! If it was me-"
"I KNOW what you'd do, but I'm not married to you! Now, please let me go after my wife."
"She needs time to cool off. Trust me, I know her. You go after her right now, and she's gonna think she IS right, and get even madder at you. Just wait. She'll be back, and she'll have cooled off by then. Trust me."
Rayne and Blondie nodded in agreement, and I sighed, all feelings of anger draining away.
"I suppose you have a point. I really messed up, didn't I?"
Merida nodded, walking over to pick up Allie. "Yep, you did. Big time."
We all stood around in awkward silence. Rayne, Blondie, and Jase all retired to bed.
I picked up Hallie and held her. "Merida, what if she..." I trailed off.
"She'll come back, don't ye worry. She loves ye and it's mutual, and she knows it. If I'm wrong and she doesn't come back by mornin', you can go after her. But don't quite yet, okay? Just trust me on this."
I nodded silently. "I just feel so horrible. It was uncalled for, how I treated her."
"Trust me, that's nothin' compared to what people can get into. But in the doll world? Yes, it was quite uncalled for."
"I just don't get why she can't understand why I'm afraid she'll get hurt!" I said, laying a sleeping Hallie down and pacing.
"Because you've been like this all week long, and she's sick of it. Now, get to bed, I don't want ye wakin' up the babies with yer pacin'!" Merida grumbled; though she didn't make a move to go to bed after she laid Allie down.
I didn't argue. I crawled under our bench and eventually went to sleep, though I tossed and turned plenty, because it was oppressively muggy outside - that and I was worried.
I was woken up by what I had thought was my wife talking to Merida. I only caught snippets of it, and then silence. I thought I'd just been dreaming - since I had been having a dream about her - and laid quietly for a few moments. But then I decided I'd best go out and make sure.
When I crawled from the bench, I looked around. Sure enough, there was my wife.
"What did you want to say?"
She whirled around to face me.
"Flynn! I..uh, did I wake you?"
"I wasn't sleeping very well. I wanted to talk," I stared at her.
"Me too..." she trailed off and her eyes darted around with uncertainty.
Finally, a sense of relief washed over me, and I took a big step over to my wife, grabbing her into a kiss. After I pulled away, I stroked her hair, overcome with relief.
"I-m" she started, overlapping me.
"I am so - go ahead. Sorry."
She gave a quiet chuckle, placing her head up against my chest.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called you a jerk. You aren't. You were just trying to protect me..and I feel terrible about it."
I gave her the whole spiel known as my apology, and then I felt so much better to get it off my chest. I rubbed her back as I thought of what else to say. "Next time I'm overprotective, just swat me upside the back of the head, okay?" I finished.
"Nope." she said. "Just..if you could just be a little less protective, and at least give me the benefit of the doubt as to whether or not I can do something, please?"
I rested my cheek on top of her head. "Okay. I'll try, anyway. I'm sorry."
"You already said you were. I should be the one apologizing, because I called you..." before she finished, I took her face in my hands. She stopped and looked up at me while I rubbed her cheeks with my thumbs, and then I leaned in to kiss her again.
When she pulled away, she said, "So, we're all fine again?"
I grinned down at her. "I hope so!"
She gave a cute smile and then leaned closer into me. I put my arms around her and gave a satisfied sigh, setting my chin on her head. "I love you, hon. Even if I might not act like it sometimes, I do."
"Same here. Love you, too," she said sweetly. And then she looked up at me, her eyes wide. "Oh my gosh...you need to get to bed! It's way too late for you!"
"It's ten o' clock. That's not 'way too late'. But I'll be good." I pulled away from her and she followed me to 'bed'.
I laid down on my side (I can't sleep on my back..I just can't) and she flopped down too, squeezing her eyes shut. I propped myself up on my elbow, still too relieved to go to sleep. I had been so worried she'd begrudge me or still be mad or something. I gently whisked some hair from her face, and she opened her eyes.
"That's not sleeping." she said, a hint of a grin forming on her lips.
I tried to find something to say, but couldn't really put words to it...but I made a valid attempt, anyway! "I'm just relieved we were able to not...like...I dunno. I'm just glad there were no hard feelings, I guess is what I'm trying to say." I gave her a grin, and she returned it with a smile.
"Same here, once more." she told me.
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