Avice had an odd look on her face, and Aubrey reached for Jack. Avice offered the baby. "Do you want to take her? I'm going to get some air."
He frowned, clearly detecting that something was wrong, but Aubrey claimed his attention, tugging on his hair.
Avice moved stiffly. She didn't know he was following, and she wrapped her arms around herself, just taking shaky breaths as she walked. She covered her mouth after a bit, stifling a whimper.
She stopped by a tree, sitting at the base as she looked at the sky, tears in her eyes. She shut them for a moment, a soft sob escaping her.
He sighed and approached her, pausing for a moment before sitting next to her and pulling her into his lap without a word.
Her hands covered her face, as she continued to shake with sobs. "I can't do this. I-I can't do this anymore, Jack. I can't feel like an outsider. I can't.. I can't do that. You don't trust me. You don't love me as much as you used to."
He rocked her back and forth, his hand brushing through her hair as they sat. His heart was pounding, but he didn’t reply.
She shook her head. "I didn't do it just for Aubrey. I did it for you, too. I just want.. I don't know. I don't know what I want anymore." She took a breath, pulling away from him. "It is so hard to spend time with you, trying to pretend like everything is okay but it's not. It's not anymore." Her hands were shaking. "I don't know what to do. I'll never do anything to make up for it." She raised her hands in defeat. "I tried. I'm trying, and I guess you were right because it seems like things won't be the same."
He listened to her words and his expression softened. He took her shaking hands and rested them against his chest. "I know you're trying. I know you are. You just... you have to give me some time, okay? Damaged goods, remember?" He sighed and shook his head, his thumb rubbing circles on the back of her hand. "I've been taught that trusting people after they've hurt you is a dangerous thing. I'm not good at it. But you just have to give me time."
She took heavy breaths, grasping his shirt. "Will it ever even happen? Are you sure? You said it yourself. It won't ever be the same."
"I don't know," he replied honestly. "I don't know. It's going to be tough going, Av, but I'm in if you are."
She nodded slowly, her brows furrowed. "Okay. Okay. I'll keep trying." She sighed shakily. "Can we at least.. Can we at least pretend to be a little more happy..?"
"I want to be happy," she said, her voice quiet. "I really, really want to be happy. I can't do that unless you're happy."
