Sneak peak of Stilling the Thunder
Looking into those blue eyes, I hadn’t seen it before. My own grief had shielded what I had known in my own life. The idea that I wasn’t alone in the fight was a comfort, but the shattering feeling filled me when I came to the knowledge that my gentle husband had shared in the same nightmares, the same hauntings bringing me to my knees.
My knees buckled as he held me by the arms and we both sank to the floor. He hadn’t said a word but it was evident in his face. My breaths shortened as I sat looking at him, he looked lost and broken. What had happened, why hadn’t I seen it before? I was so in tune to others that had been abused. I could spot a victim most days before they ever spoke a word, it hadn’t occurred to me that he too had been in my shoes. He had understood because he had been there. He hadn’t told me, for some reason he hadn’t told me.
"I’m okay," he whispered. "I didn’t want you to know, you had enough to deal with. It was a long time ago."
I heard his breath catch when I reached to touch him and pulled away. "No, Bella, I want you to touch me. Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid to love me. I’m still me." My heart broke as I watched him. Taking me by the hand he cupped it tenderly as he placed his hand over mine. Placing my hand on his chest he took a deep breath and I felt his heart race beneath it.
"It’s okay Bella, you know now, it isn’t a secret any longer. I never wanted you to be burdened with it, not after everything you have been through."
Taking my hand from his chest I ran my fingers down his jaw tracing every line. I had no idea what his story could be, but I knew it was haunting him. I could feel the presence in the room of someone that had not been invited. I had felt it in myself many times. The hands of someone who were not welcome, the breath of a stranger and the rage of a lion on a hunt. "Chase it away Bella," he said softly, "Don’t let him stay."
Unedited............
My knees buckled as he held me by the arms and we both sank to the floor. He hadn’t said a word but it was evident in his face. My breaths shortened as I sat looking at him, he looked lost and broken. What had happened, why hadn’t I seen it before? I was so in tune to others that had been abused. I could spot a victim most days before they ever spoke a word, it hadn’t occurred to me that he too had been in my shoes. He had understood because he had been there. He hadn’t told me, for some reason he hadn’t told me.
"I’m okay," he whispered. "I didn’t want you to know, you had enough to deal with. It was a long time ago."
I heard his breath catch when I reached to touch him and pulled away. "No, Bella, I want you to touch me. Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid to love me. I’m still me." My heart broke as I watched him. Taking me by the hand he cupped it tenderly as he placed his hand over mine. Placing my hand on his chest he took a deep breath and I felt his heart race beneath it.
"It’s okay Bella, you know now, it isn’t a secret any longer. I never wanted you to be burdened with it, not after everything you have been through."
Taking my hand from his chest I ran my fingers down his jaw tracing every line. I had no idea what his story could be, but I knew it was haunting him. I could feel the presence in the room of someone that had not been invited. I had felt it in myself many times. The hands of someone who were not welcome, the breath of a stranger and the rage of a lion on a hunt. "Chase it away Bella," he said softly, "Don’t let him stay."
Unedited............
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