Crossing boundaries

83.

Midnight came and went, and still no sign of Freen. Becky sat alone on the couch, staring at the cake she had carefully chosen, now untouched and forgotten. She felt the sting of tears in her eyes but tried to hold them back. She told herself that Freen would walk through the door any minute now, that she would have a good excuse, and that they would make up and everything would go back to normal.

But when 2 a.m. finally rolled around, Becky's hope was all but gone. She heard the front door creak open, and her heart leaped in her chest. But as Freen walked in, looking exhausted and drained, it became clear that this night would not go as Becky had hoped.

Freen barely looked at Becky as she entered, her steps heavy and sluggish. "Hey," she muttered, her voice tired.

Becky didn't respond right away. She watched as Freen dropped her bag and headed straight for the bedroom without even glancing at the cake or the decorations. Becky's heart ached with the pain of rejection and disappointment.

Finally, she couldn't hold back any longer. "Freen," she called softly, her voice laced with emotion.

Freen paused in the doorway, turning to look at her. "Yeah?"

"Why didn't you come home?" Becky's voice was trembling now, her emotions barely under control. "I planned something for your birthday... I waited for you."

Freen sighed, rubbing her temples as if trying to ward off a headache. "I'm sorry, Becky. I was stuck at work. They threw a surprise party for me there, and I couldn't leave early."

Becky's heart sank further, the disappointment turning into a sharp pang of hurt. "You didn't even think to call me? To tell me what was going on?"

"I was busy," Freen said, her tone flat and dismissive. "I'm exhausted, Becky. Can we please talk about this later?"

But Becky couldn't let it go. The pain, the rejection, the feeling of being ignored and unimportant—it all came crashing down on her in that moment. "No, Freen, we can't talk about it later! You've been pushing me away for days, and now you just walk in here like nothing's wrong? I'm tired of feeling like I don't matter to you!"

Freen's exhaustion turned into frustration. "What do you want me to say, Becky? I'm sorry, okay? But I'm dealing with a lot right now, and I just need some space to breathe!"

"That's all you ever say!" Becky's voice cracked as tears began to stream down her face. "But what about me, Freen? What about us? You're shutting me out, and I don't know how to reach you anymore. I've tried to be patient, I've tried to understand, but you won't even talk to me!"

Freen took a deep breath, trying to keep her emotions in check. But the stress, the exhaustion, and the overwhelming burden she'd been carrying finally caught up with her. "Maybe you're right, Becky. Maybe I am shutting you out. But I'm doing the best I can, and I'm sorry if that's not enough for you."

Becky's heart broke at those words. She looked at Freen, her tears blurring her vision, and whispered, "I'm just trying to help you, Freen. But you won't let me."

Freen didn't have the energy to respond. She just shook her head, turning away and heading to the bedroom. Becky followed her, desperate to find some way to bridge the gap between them, but as Freen climbed into bed, Becky's frustration finally boiled over.

As Freen tried to reach out and hug Becky, Becky pushed her hand away, her voice cold and distant. "Stay away from me, Freen."

Freen froze, her heart sinking as she realized just how much damage had been done. She didn't say anything, didn't try to argue. She just turned over, lying on her side of the bed, feeling more alone than ever.

The night was long and painful for both of them. Becky lay awake, her mind racing with thoughts of what had just happened. She loved Freen with all her heart, but the hurt and rejection were too much to bear. She didn't know how to reach Freen anymore, and the thought of losing her was tearing her apart.

Freen, too, couldn't sleep. She stared at the wall, her mind filled with regret and guilt. She knew she had hurt Becky, knew she had pushed her away when all Becky wanted was to help. But the weight of everything—the work, the case, her mother's dependence—had crushed her, and she didn't know how to make it right.

As the first light of dawn crept into the room, both women lay in silence, the tension between them thicker than ever. They knew they couldn't go on like this, but neither knew how to make the first move. The night had exposed deep wounds, and it would take time and effort to heal them.

But as they lay there, a quiet resolve began to form in Becky's heart. She knew she couldn't give up on Freen, couldn't let this misunderstanding and hurt tear them apart. She would find a way to reach her, to remind her of the love they shared, even if it meant enduring more pain and rejection.

For Freen, the night had been a harsh wake-up call. She realized that she couldn't keep pushing Becky away, that she needed to let her in, to share her burdens instead of trying to carry them all alone. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she also knew that she couldn't afford to lose Becky.

And so, as the new day dawned, both women lay in bed, still apart but beginning to understand that they needed each other more than ever. The road ahead would be difficult, but they were determined to find their way back to each other, no matter what it took.

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