Just the Way you Are

Hurting

It started when Hetty saw that Granger was looking more gloomy then usual.

Her office

'Are you okay? You look more, sad then usual.' She said.

'A friend that I've known since our spy days died today.' He responded.

'Oh. I'm so sorry. Do you need to take some time off?'

'In 3 days, yes.'

'Well, consider it granted.' She responded.

A week passed, and Hetty noticed that Granger was still mourning the loss of his friend. He hardly talked to her, and when they were at work, he mostly stayed in his office.

Then one day, Hetty noticed that he wasn't in his office. She searched the whole building, and she saw the door to the burn room was slightly open. She sat down next to the door.

'I know you're in there Owen. I'm not coming in, I'm just going to sit here and talk.' She said. 'This reminds me of a couple years ago. I had a bad nightmare before I came to work, I was trying to put it out of my mind, but it was driving me crazy.'

'At the time, I had been struggling with bad dreams because of what happened to me in Vietnam. I was feeling so sad and weak, I went to the burn room and sat down next to the door. After a little while, you came here and sat down next to the door. You told me that it was not weak to tell someone that I was hurting. You kept talking until I felt okay enough to come out, and we hugged. It meant a lot to me.' Hetty continued.

'I'm sitting here right now, to tell you that it's okay to admit that you're hurting. It doesn't make you weak, it means you are human. And I'll be here to talk whenever you feel ready to come out.'

A minute later, Granger came out of the room and sat down next to her.

'He was a good friend. Always had a good joke to tell, gave good advice. Thought he would live for a long time, he also never thought either him or me would ever get married. In short, I was the only one who got married, he was dating someone.' Granger said.

'Sounds like he was quite special to you.' Hetty replied.

'In a way, yes. Didn't expect to feel this strongly at losing a friend. Guess being with you all this time has really changed me.'

'Or, This is who you've really been all along, and you just needed someone to remind you of it.'

'Maybe. Thank you for the encouragement.'

'Anytime.' And she hugged him.