Tangled Affections

59.

Becky's POV

As the night fell, I found myself wrapped in the warmth of my mother's arms. It was a feeling I hadn’t known for years—a feeling of safety, of being loved unconditionally. But as comforting as it was, a part of me felt restless. The memories, the nightmares—they were always lurking in the shadows, waiting to surface when I was most vulnerable.

Mom was already drifting off to sleep, her soft breathing calming me. But as I lay there, trying to close my eyes, the familiar haunting image flashed before me: that man, his cold eyes, his twisted smile. My heart raced, and I jolted upright, gasping for air.

"Becky?" My mom's sleepy voice broke through the silence. Her arms tightened around me, pulling me back into her embrace. "What's wrong, honey?"

I hesitated for a moment, but the concern in her voice made me realize I couldn’t hide it anymore. The nightmares had been a part of me for so long, but now that Mom was here, maybe it was time to let her in.

"It's the same nightmare," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "About that man… from my childhood."

Mom’s body stiffened beside me. She didn’t say anything at first, but I could feel the shift in her breathing. Slowly, she sat up, turning on the bedside lamp. The soft glow illuminated her worried face.

"Tell me, Becky," she said gently. "Tell me what happened. I should have known all these years... I should have been there for you."

I swallowed hard, the words almost too painful to speak. "It was when I was little... when I used to live in orphanage. A fake mother came and took me home. Giving me away to her sn. He—he tried to hurt me. I was scared, so scared, but I didn’t know how to tell anyone. And since then, the nightmares—they never went away."

Tears welled up in Mom’s eyes as she listened, her hand never leaving mine. "Oh, Becky," she whispered, pulling me close again. "I’m so sorry, baby. I had no idea."

"It's okay, Mom," I said, my voice cracking. "But it still affects me. Even with Freen... it’s hard. I love her so much, but every time we get close, I freeze. And I hate it. I hate that I can’t give her what she deserves."

Mom wiped away her tears and kissed my forehead. "You’re stronger than you think, Becky. But you don’t have to go through this alone. You have Freen, and you have me now. We’ll figure this out together, okay?"

I nodded, feeling a little lighter, though the heaviness of the past still lingered. As we drifted back to sleep, I couldn’t help but wonder how Freen was feeling. Did she know how much I loved her? How much I wanted to be with her, despite everything?

---

Freen's POV

That night, sleep didn’t come. My thoughts were a storm of worry and fear, all circling around one person—Becky.

I knew she was with her mom, probably finding some comfort there. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that Becky hadn’t been herself lately, and even though she smiled and laughed, there was a part of her that was always distant, always holding back.

It wasn’t just about love; it was about trust, about being vulnerable. And I knew that as much as I tried to be there for her, her past was standing between us. Something that wouldn’t let her fully open up.

I sighed, staring at my phone, hoping for a message or a call from her. Anything to tell me she was okay. But the silence was deafening, and all I could do was wait.

........