[ The sound of his laughter, brief though it is, gets a smile out of her — even if it's wobbly, and pinched around the eyes. The longer she speaks with him, is reminded of his familiar mannerisms, the more she misses him. She suffocates the spark of hope in her heart that he might solidify, and that this is simply some strange magic at work that will run its course and return him to normal at the end of it. That hope unanswered would be too cruel.
As she focuses on containing her emotions to her chest, she's surprised to see him bowing his head in sincere apology. And the feelings in her chest boil over, hot tears dropping from her eyes like lead. She shakes her head furiously.
Stuck in her throat are the words, No, it isn't your fault.
In her heart are the words, I would have given anything for you to be there.
She takes a deep breath to shore up her constricted throat and looks up at Eustace through a blur of vision. She already knows her voice will be a shaky mess, but she has no choice but to power through. ]
Mr. Eustace, you've already done everything for me. I never thought, not even once, that you ever had anything to apologize to me about.
[ And in return, has she done enough? Has she only ever been an obligation, someone small to look after, to add to a list of concerns? He never needed her the way her mentor in London did. It boggles her to this day that Eustace decided to concern himself so much with her. ]
I wanted to thank you. For this gift. And for being my friend... since the very beginning.
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Date: 2023-07-12 03:39 am (UTC)As she focuses on containing her emotions to her chest, she's surprised to see him bowing his head in sincere apology. And the feelings in her chest boil over, hot tears dropping from her eyes like lead. She shakes her head furiously.
Stuck in her throat are the words, No, it isn't your fault.
In her heart are the words, I would have given anything for you to be there.
She takes a deep breath to shore up her constricted throat and looks up at Eustace through a blur of vision. She already knows her voice will be a shaky mess, but she has no choice but to power through. ]
Mr. Eustace, you've already done everything for me. I never thought, not even once, that you ever had anything to apologize to me about.
[ And in return, has she done enough? Has she only ever been an obligation, someone small to look after, to add to a list of concerns? He never needed her the way her mentor in London did. It boggles her to this day that Eustace decided to concern himself so much with her. ]
I wanted to thank you. For this gift. And for being my friend... since the very beginning.