The End

Chapter 50: You Had Me At Hello

Ellen wasn't sure which felt worse, the knowledge that she was the reason Patrick's family was unraveling, or the certainty that she would soon live through her own version of the same heartbreak.

Her brow furrowed with concern as she glanced to the time on her phone. It had been nearly 5 hours since Patrick had met with his kids. She hadn't heard from him. A fact that she didn't let her worried mind linger on for too long.

The only sound to be heard in the bungalow was the sound of her pacing footsteps. She padded to her purse, ruffling through it to find her keys. For a moment the thought of leaving crossed her mind.

She was very secure in their relationship. It had withstood a lot. But it had never withstood this. That combined with the silence was enough to conjure the kind of intrusive thoughts that nightmares were made of.

Still, she loosened her grip on the keys and found her lip balm at the bottom of her designer bag instead. She plopped her bag back down on the table and returned to her pacing. This time landing on the far corner of the red sectional. Curling her legs underneath her, she reached for a script Patrick had left on the end table.

By the time he came through the door, she had made it a quarter of the way through. He came around the corner and leaned against the wall. "Hey," she said softly. Ellen slowly closed the script and uncurled herself from the couch.

"Hey," is voice gruff from his exhausting evening. His body language screaming defeat. Patrick let his keys fall to the table by the door. He hovered there for a moment. 

Ellen stood, worried she'd over stayed her welcome. Maybe part of him had hoped he'd come home to an empty bungalow. "I hope it's ok that I waited..." She lingered toward him, ready to dart for the door if he confessed that he wanted to be alone.

He shifted from foot to foot. He ran his hand through his hair. Freeing his silver curls. His tortured eyes meeting hers. A painful bolt of lightening shot through her chest. 

Patrick closed the space between them with urgency. He kissed her lips like she was the drug he needed. His hand immediately pushing underneath her soft cotton shirt. It was a desperation she was unfamiliar with. He wasn't desperate for her. He was desperate for the pain to go away.

Ellen kissed him back, nearly swept up in the moment before she pulled away from him breathlessly, "Patrick..." 

"I'm sorry," He ran his hands through his hair again, stepping back from her.

"Don't be sorry," she said firmly. She caught his arm, anchoring him to her. "Just don't disappear into me..." He didn't break her contact with him but he collapsed to the sectional next to them. 

She sat next to him, quietly. Watching him silently unravel in front of her. Slipping further into the pain of their consequences. He did't speak for several minutes. His eyes growing redder by the minute. 

"Tallulah and Darby didn't come." His voice so soft it was nearly a whisper. The kind of whisper that was clumsy with emotion.

"I'm sorry Patrick," her voice genuine and haunted. Her words hung there for a long beat before she followed it with, "They just need time."

"Sullivan came," Patrick let a little lightness into his voice. "He was," Patrick shook his head, glancing to make eye contact with her, "he was strong and mature. He asked hard questions. The right questions."

"Wow," Ellen said softly but wanted to give him space to elaborate.

"Don't get me wrong, he wasn't happy with me. But I'm so proud of the person he is." Patrick paused, letting himself reflect on the interaction, "he said I showed up for him when I didn't understand, so he was showing up for me."