Is It A Dream?

I'm So Sorry

Danny pushed her hair back into place, seeing more tears waiting to fall. "I swear to you, I'll get those bastards that hurt you."
Linda nodded and sniffled, looking down. She wished she could turn back time, so she could avoid the situation all together. She sniffed again, the tears starting to fall.
"Aw, honey, c'mere." Danny Helda his arm open, inviting Linda into a much needed hug.
She scooted next to him, swinging her legs across his lap. She clung to his shoulders as hers shook violently. She let Danny's soft, loving voice filter through her ears and into her brain.
Danny rocked Linda in his arms, softly telling her everything was going to be okay.
Linda shook her head, "no, no. I'm worthless. A waste of your time and money and energy-"
"Linda Reagan." He hooked his finger under her chin and tilted her head up so he could look her in the eye. She didn't open her eyes, "look at me." He continued when he saw her blue eyes, "don't ever let anyone tell you you're worthless. Inferior. Not good enough. Because you're better than 'good enough'. You're superior to a lot of people I know. You're.... what's the opposite of worthless?"
"Valuable?" Linda barely choked out.
"Yes, valuable. You just went through six months of hell, of gut-wrenching torture. You came home, and you fought. You fought for your life, for your sanity, for your day to day routines. You fought to keep a promise, a vow you made twenty two years ago."
"I did?"
"You did. You promised to fight in sickness and in health. And I'm fighting, too. Fighting for you, for your happiness, for your dignity. For all of you. All your perfect imperfections, your good days and your bad."
"Our dreary Mondays," she sniffled, reciting the next line of their vows.
"Wacky Wednesdays."
"Fun Fridays."
"Youthful years and grandparent decades."
Linda managed a smile through her tears. Danny had come up with the last line. "For better or worse."
"For richer or poorer."
They finished together, "in sickness and in health as long as we both shall live."
"I'm sorry," she sniffed, "I'm really, really sorry."
"Linda, I don't want to hear those words again." Danny chastised, "don't apologize for something you had no control over."
"I'm s— I didn't mean to. But I really am sorry! I-" she was cut off by Danny's kiss. She didn't shy away, which made her husband extremely happy. She opened her mouth for Danny's tongue, finding a sense of complete and utter relief when his warm tongue met hers. She wrapped her arms around him, feeling good once again. She broke the kiss and laid her head on Danny's shoulder, "do we still have the soup?"
"You wanna eat?" He smiled widely. It was the first time she ever wanted to eat after the shock wore off. She nodded. "Okay. You stay here and I'll be back shortly." He handed Linda her shirt, but forwent his own. He walked down the stairs, a little happier than he had been in a few weeks. The total euphoria of Linda being alive was sizzling down into total worry for her. If Pills and therapy weren't helping, then what would? Revenge, maybe? Justice? Danny just didn't know as he heated up the soup. But he needed to know, he needed to find out. Part of their vows was, "even in the darkest, grimmest, everything's-lost of times, I will fight to pull you up. To help you see the light in the midst of darkness. To show you that silver lining, that rainbow in the sky." Today, Danny had helped Linda make a step towards the rainbow and the silver lining. But she lost her footing, and he was determined to set her back on her feet.