Balancing Protective Love

Chipped Tooth

Back at home, Alex helped Linda settle into the living room, where he had prepared a small spread of her favorite foods and drinks to help her relax. He wanted to do everything he could to make her comfortable after their stressful day.

"Here, have some tea and snacks," Alex said gently, placing a cup of chamomile tea and a plate of fruit in front of her. "It'll help you unwind."

Linda tried to smile, but the discomfort from her chipped tooth made it hard to enjoy anything. She winced as she took a bite of fruit, the pain too much to ignore.

Alex noticed her distress and set his cup down. "Hey, what's wrong? You're not eating much. Is something hurting?"

Linda hesitated, struggling to hold back tears. She had tried to avoid discussing her tooth, but the pain was becoming unbearable.

"I... it just hurts," she finally admitted, her voice trembling. "But it's nothing, really."

Alex looked at her with concern, sensing that there was more to it. "Linda, if something's bothering you, you can tell me. I know it's been a rough day."

As Linda's emotions got the better of her, she broke down and started crying. Her tears made it clear that the pain was more than she could handle alone.

Alex moved closer, wrapping his arms around her in a comforting embrace. "Hey, hey, it's okay. You don't have to go through this alone."

Through her tears, Linda finally spoke. "I chipped my tooth earlier, but I didn't want to say anything. It's hurting so much, and I didn't want to worry you."

Alex's expression softened with understanding and concern. "I see. I didn't know about the tooth until David mentioned it to me. He thought you should tell me yourself."

Linda nodded, her tears slowing down as Alex held her close. "I was just embarrassed."

"Don't be," Alex said soothingly, gently brushing her hair back. "But just let me have a quick Look."

Linda tenses up, "Uh why would you?"