Spiders On Water

This changes everything

Mj stood by the bathroom door, incapable of forming words with her mouth & being able to speak them. 

She stood with a silent stair, a stunning looking expression splattered from one ear to the next. 

The only thing that could have been heard was her deep breathing, in & out. Which only grew louder as the room fell quieter. Her chest rose & fell, as if she was now done with a marathon. 

Mj's mouth opened ever so slowly, but was followed by nothingness. It was like her vocal cords were incapable of making any phrase, word, or sound. 

She closed her mouth again, followed by her eyes, hoping the question would be part of a dream, or nightmare. But as her eyes fluttered open, she saw Peter still standing on the other end of the bed, arms crossed & waiting for her answer. 

A mutter of sound escaped her ajar lips. 

Peter raised his eyebrows, even he was incapable of making out what she had muttered to herself. 

Mj's lips further open, but only slightly. She let out her heavy breaths, which were the only sounds to fill the vacuum of silence. 

Mj's forced her breath to slow, her chest rising slower than the previous minute, when he first asked the question. 

"Well", Peter asked? His face was now covered in concern & worry. He knew the answer, he just wanted her to say it aloud. 

The floor started to blur for Mj, she had the feeling in her chest & the stinging pain in her eyes. Her hand rose to wipe the water from the corner of her eyes. Her nose started to run, but her hand rose once more & wipe the runoff from her upper lip. 

"Hey", Peter spoke softly. He walked around the bed & wrapped his arms around Mj. "It's okay, we'll make it work". 

Mj buried her face in the nape of Peter's neck, soaking the collar of his shirt. 

Peter wrapped one arm around her waist & the other rest on the back of her head. 

Peter heard the quick gasps for air from her tears. Every so often followed by a sniffle due to her running nose. 

Mj's grip grew stronger as her breathing started to calm. 

Eventually her chest started rising & falling normally. 

She started to release her grip on Peter & unwrap her arms from his body. But her tears still set hold on her eyelids. 

"I'm sure you have a million questions-", Mj started to speak. 

"Just one", Peter interrupted. "Why were you so worried to tell me about this"? 

"Everyone leaves me", Mj said, a tear fell from her eye to her cheek, & to her jaw before falling onto her shirt. "I didn't want you to be one of the long list". 

Peter wrapped his arms tightly around Michelle again. 

She felt a drop of water hit her shoulder. 

"I would never leave you", Peter said as he pulled away from his unexpected hug, holding onto her arms. "Especially now". 

Mj noticed his reddish eyes with tears lining the bottom of them, the wet stream leading from them, & the water droplets on his jawline & chin. But she particularly noticed the smile across his face. 

"What's wrong", Mj whispers, terrified of the "but" to follow his previous words. She held her breath as she waited for him to speak again. 

"I just love you, so so much", Peter says as he wipes a tear from his eye & again, engulfing Mj into a hug.