Angel and Faith
Sodden dark hair clings
Heavy and unmoving
To the sides of her face
But she does not try
To push it aside
Barely notices the feel of it
In her overwhelming rage
The man before her stands
Tall, dark, brooding
With no joy
Nor anger
On his face
He blocks her blows
Soaking in her fury
And though he could easily do so
He does not fight back
Her rage swells
Frustration choking her
Hot and painful in her chest
And she hits him
All her power in her blows
Screaming for him to fight her
Screaming for him to defend himself…
But he looks at her
No expression
On his impassive face
No anger
No impatience
Only pity in his eyes
Pity and sorrow-
For her…
She feels her knees weaken
As something breaks inside her
Something that she had walled up
Years ago
So tightly
She had not thought
It could come undone
As the agonizing grief
Scalding, even as it flowed
Unchecked, uncontrolled
Poured through her
Body and soul
Her face crumpled
And the first of her tears
Threatened to break her apart
Her fists slackened
Falling limp, harmless to his chest
As she lowered her head
Her cries tearing at her voice
Begging for him
To retaliate
Begging for him
To kill her…
But he did not do
As she would have done
He did not strike out
Did not seek vengeance
Upon the one who had hurt him
Hurt the ones he loved
So badly
And so often
Instead
He looked at her
With a gentleness
A compassion
She had never known
Did not feel she deserved
And as her knees buckled
He caught her
Holding her up
As she only wished to fall
He held her without words
Reassuring
Caring
Forgiving…
Even as he could not fix her
Could not change
What she had done
He held her
A solid presence
In her shattered world
As the rain fell around them
And her sobs echoed in the night