He blushed purple at her words, and squirmed gently in the bed, wishing to move, wishing to really look at her but knew he couldn’t thanks to his neck. Stupid neck brace. Why can’t it be four days already? Instead his hands pressed against her gently, trying to convey how much the words touched him because, truly, they did.
“I’m just. Used to the pain like that. I know it sounds horrible but, but this got me through this. Having you there got me through it so-so calmly because I saw you looking so afraid, so scared. I can’t. I can’t be the source of your fear, Katelynn. Not now, not ever.”
She picked herself up even more so her torso could straddle him, one hand on both sides of him as she peered down into his eyes. Her face was one of sereneness, eyes filled with love. “I wish I could say the same about myself…but seeing you be so brave..it makes me want to try harder for you. To stop crying at every opportunity. You’re my role model for that it seems,” she said, a smile melting across her face.
Leaning down, her lips brushed against his cheeks so softly they were like a whisper against his skin. “I’m trying so hard…to be like you..”
He smiled softly and lifted a hand to push it gently through her hair, pinning some behind her ear.
“Oh Katelynn.” he whispered. “I. I’m glad I can be… be a source of bravery for you… more then you possibly know. I mean. Me? Brave? Strong? I’ve never felt like those things in my life until you came into my life… now, now you telling me this… thank you. Thank you so much.”
Jack Maple 