Having an easy life was the last thing she expected, if she even ever made it back here. But she never imagined she'd be here without Jack. She went back to the island because of him. Because she couldn't stand the thought of letting him go without her. It was awfully self-destructive to assume she would never leave without him. So badly she had wanted to stay.
Her reason for return clings to Kate now, his little head falls on her shoulder. She sets him on his bed tenderly and runs her fingers through his fine hair as he pulls the covers up to his neck. Aaron sees Claire standing at the doorway to his room and smiles at her, but Claire stays at the threshold. Kate now knows better than ask for her to come in and sit with them and help tuck Aaron into bed.
"Not sleepy," Aaron declares, but Kate knows better by the way he tucked his head into her neck when she carried him in that he'll be asleep with twenty minutes.
"Do you want me to read you a story?" She asks him willingly. It's very likely that she will sleep in the rocking chair tonight. Although uncomfortable, next to her son is the only place she can actually rest.
Aaron shakes his head. "No, Daddy."
Kate remembers the first time Aaron called Jack that. It was a night like this when they had the wood burner running and the drapes of Aaron's bedroom window were pulled back so they could see the moon, so full it cast a glowing light on them. Jack was in the rocking chair that Kate sat in now, reading to Aaron before bed. And Kate sat on the floor at Jack's feet, her chin on his knee, watching Aaron's eyelids fall slowly only to reopen in the next moment. Kate kissed Aaron when the story was over and lingered at the doorway, waiting for Jack. He ran his hand along the side of the child's face. "Goodnight, Daddy," Kate heard him whisper to Jack as he drifted into sleep. Jack had turned to her after kissing Aaron's forehead. They smiled at each other until they fell asleep.
Nobody is smiling now. A lot of time has passed since Aaron has even seen Jack, let alone been comforted by his storytelling. It's almost as if Aaron knows Jack is gone and, like Kate, he has never missed and needed him so much.
Kate inhales deeply, trying to collect herself before she falls apart. As a mother, she wants to tell Aaron that everything will be okay with as much bravery and assurance she can muster. But as Kate, the broken person she has become, silent tears fall from her eyes and she hates herself for crying in front of Aaron. "Daddy's never coming back, Baby."
Aaron sees his mother, upset and crying. He doesn't understand why Daddy's not coming back or why he has been gone a long time. All he knows is Mommy is hurting and he reaches up to hug her, crying together.