Jacob
I’m trying to absorb everything Ximena’s telling me, trying to understand her pain. But the truth is, I’ve never been married—never been through what she’s going through. I don’t know that world, and it makes me feel powerless.
Ximena exhales deeply, a sound heavy with frustration, and instinctively, I tighten my hold on her. I need her to feel safe, to feel that I’m here—right here—with her. I need her to know she doesn’t have to carry this alone, that we’ll get through whatever comes next.
"Let’s get some breakfast," I say, my voice softer now, "and then we can talk about everything that's been weighing on your mind." I loosen my grip, but it’s hard to let go, even just a little. She looks at me with those doe eyes—eyes that always seem to pierce right through me—and I can’t he
