𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝟏𝟖 +

𝐓 𝐇 𝐈 𝐑 𝐓 𝐘 - 𝐅 𝐈 𝐕 𝐄

Lenore

The car ride to Eden's apartment felt longer than it should have. With each mile, my grip on the steering wheel tightened, the tension growing unbearable. It had been three days. Three days of no word from her. No calls, no texts, nothing but silence. That's not who Eden was. She wasn't someone who disappeared without a trace, who avoided her responsibilities. I could still hear Clara's voice echoing in my mind, asking me if I'd heard anything about her.

I hadn't. And that alone was terrifying.

I tried calling her again as I pulled up to her building. It went straight to voicemail. I pressed the phone to my ear, listening to the familiar sound of her voice on the automated message, my heart sinking a little deeper. No response. Again.

Parking the car, I slipped out and made my way to her apartment, each step heavy with dread. This wasn't just a professional concern anymore. No, this had gone far beyond the boundaries of work. It was personal now, and I couldn't stand the thought of something happening to her without me knowing.

I reached her door, my heart pounding in my chest. The hallway felt quiet, too quiet, like the air was holding its breath right along with me. I raised my hand to knock, hesitating for just a moment. What would I find on the other side? Was she hurt? Sick?

I knocked softly at first, then a little louder, the sound reverberating off the walls. Nothing. No answer. Panic clawed at my chest. I knocked again, louder this time.

Please, let her be okay.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching the door. My heart leapt into my throat, relief and anxiety swirling together in a confusing mix. The door creaked open slowly, and there she stood.

Eden.

But she was barely recognizable. My breath caught in my throat as I took in her appearance. Her usually vibrant, stylish self was nowhere to be found. Instead, she stood in the doorway, her eyes bloodshot and swollen from what I could only assume were days of crying. Her hair was a disheveled mess, sticking out in wild directions, and she was dressed in nothing more than an oversized t-shirt and basketball shorts.

She looked like she hadn't slept. Like she hadn't eaten. Like the weight of the world had been pressing down on her, and she was on the verge of crumbling beneath it.

"Eden," I whispered, taking a step closer to her, my voice filled with concern. "Darling, what's wrong?"

That simple question was all it took. The dam broke. Her expression, already fragile, shattered completely, and before I could even process what was happening, Eden collapsed into my arms, her body shaking with violent sobs.

I caught her, pulling her into me, my arms wrapping tightly around her trembling frame. She buried her face in my chest, her hands clutching desperately at my coat, as if holding on for dear life. Her sobs were raw, unrestrained, and they tore through the quiet apartment like a storm. I could feel her pain, her grief, radiating off of her in waves, and it broke my heart to see her like this.

"Oh, Eden," I whispered, resting my cheek against the top of her head as I held her close. "It's okay. I've got you."

I didn't know what was wrong yet, but I knew this—whatever it was, it had broken her. And that alone was enough to send a deep ache through my chest.

We stood there like that for what felt like forever. Her sobs wracked her body, and I held her as tightly as I could, letting her release the torrent of emotion she had clearly been holding inside for far too long. Her tears soaked through the fabric of my coat, but I didn't care. All that mattered was being there for her, offering her whatever comfort I could.

Slowly, agonizingly slowly, her sobs began to subside. Her grip on me loosened, though she still held on as if afraid to let go entirely. I ran my fingers gently through her tangled hair, trying to soothe her as best as I could, murmuring soft words of comfort that I wasn't even sure she could hear.

When her breathing finally steadied, and the tears had mostly stopped, Eden pulled back just enough to look up at me, her eyes filled with so much pain that it made my stomach twist. Her face was blotchy, streaked with tears, and she looked utterly exhausted.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying. "I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to fall apart like that."

I shook my head, cupping her cheek in my hand, wiping away a stray tear with my thumb. "You don't need to apologize, Eden. You're allowed to fall apart. Whatever this is... whatever's happening, you don't have to go through it alone."

Her lower lip trembled, and she closed her eyes, leaning into my touch for just a moment before opening them again. "It's my mom," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "She's... she's dying, Lenore."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, and for a second, I couldn't breathe. Dying. Her mom was dying. My heart clenched painfully in my chest as I looked at her, seeing the depth of her grief, her fear, in every line of her face.

"She has cancer," Eden continued, her voice breaking again. "It's been getting worse, and now the doctors say... they say she doesn't have much time left. A few days, maybe. I've been staying at the hospital with her, but I—I just couldn't do it anymore. I had to come home for a little while, but it's killing me, Lenore. I don't know how to—how to deal with this. How am I supposed to say goodbye to her?"

Her voice cracked, and fresh tears spilled down her cheeks as she looked at me, her eyes pleading for something I didn't know if I could give. An answer. A way to make it better. But I had none. All I could do was be there for her, hold her, and hope that my presence was enough to offer some small comfort.

"Oh, darling," I whispered, pulling her back into my arms. "I'm so, so sorry."

Eden buried her face in my shoulder again, her tears soaking through my shirt as she clung to me, her body trembling with grief. I held her as tightly as I could, wishing more than anything that I could take her pain away, that I could fix this for her. But I couldn't. All I could do was hold her and let her know that she wasn't alone in this.

We stood there in the doorway for what felt like an eternity, the world outside fading into the background as I focused entirely on her. The weight of her grief was overwhelming, but I would bear it with her. I would be her strength when she had none left.

When her sobs finally quieted again, and the tears had slowed, Eden pulled back slightly, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. She looked up at me, her eyes red and swollen, but there was a small flicker of something in them—gratitude, maybe. Relief, even, that she wasn't alone in this.

"I don't know how to do this," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I don't know how to let her go."

I cupped her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me, my own heart breaking for her. "You don't have to do it alone," I said softly. "I'm here, Eden. I'm not going anywhere."

She stared at me for a long moment, her eyes searching mine, as if trying to find some semblance of hope in the darkness. And maybe, just maybe, she found it, because she nodded slowly, her lip trembling as she leaned into me again, resting her head on my shoulder.

I held her like that for a long time, the silence between us heavy but comforting in its own way. There were no more words to say, no more explanations to give. Just the quiet, shared grief of two people trying to navigate a world that had just been turned upside down.

And in that moment, as I held Eden close, I made a silent vow to myself. I would be there for her, every step of the way. Through the grief, through the pain, through whatever came next. She wouldn't have to face this alone. Not as long as I was there.

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~ R