"Did I tell you it's a boy? We're having a boy."
His arms muffles the last of her voice but that does not stop her words from hanging heavily in the air.
This should have been a happy occasion.
One that should have ben met with joyous exuberance and fanfare, perhaps with him sitting after dinner at home, and her, presenting him with a onesie telling him of their childs gender, or maybe with family and friends wherein they'd cut into a cake with bated breath until they see blue at its center.
He wishes that that was the truth.
That they are laughing together instead of him crying with her, that everything is simple and normal instead of fate being a sick motherfucker and giving them the dirty finger.
Her breath catches on a sob and he hugs her even tighter in his embrace.
He wants to remind her that she is a soldier but it is not the time for analogy, but rather, for him to say something comforting the way only he used to previously know how.
I just wanted to tell you that -
- That
His adams apple bobs up and down as he searches for the words because frankly, he has none.
He strokes her hair with his hand.
Soothing her and calming her, quieting down her anxious heart.
Whatever you need, i'm here.
He feels he should say something more than that.
That he should DO more than that.
But he has nothing more to offer, he's also beatdown, he is broken...
FOR NOW.
(Tomorrow is another day, he won't lose hope - he'd give her hope, together, he'd do anything so that they can win this fight).
