Support

Support
The drive back to the cottage was heavy with tension and light on the chatter. Serena held on to Paul's hand as she looked out the window with conflicting emotions.

Although she was happy for the Paul she knew once upon for finally being given a voice, she knew the Paul next to her was hurting, and so was Ellen. Years ago, when Serena had decided to end her vicarious resentment toward Ellen, she allowed the woman in her heart. She had always been kind to Serena; a stand-in mother where her own had failed. She wanted Paul to hold off on today's conversation with Ellen, but she needed young Paul's sorrow to be set free just as much as she wanted grown Paul to let go of his festering resentment so he could find the happiness he always deserved.

In the end this was between Paul, his mother and George. It was the history the three of them created and all Serena had been was a bystander and nothing more.

Once they entered the Worthington home, she saw Ellen's hopeful face as she knit a beanie for Paul in hopes of a permanent stay, Serena completely put aside her own plans to see Iris aware of the looming cloud above them that was about to release a deluge of pain. Ellen and George had each other then and they had each other now. Serena also chose to stay with Paul to let him know he wasn't alone. She had not been able to show her support as a child, she was damned if she didn;t do it today.

Serena squeezed Paul's hand as she turned to look at him.

He pulled his face from the road for a moment to look at her.

"How are you doing?" She asked quietly.

He sighed audibly before turning his gaze back to the road. "I have conflicting emotions," he admitted. After a moment of silence, he continued. "I said what needed to be said but this feeling of liberation," he paused for a moment and looked at her as if he could find the word sought written on her face. "It's overwhelmingly restrictive."

They arrived at the cottage where he immediately pulled into her driveway. He shut off the engine but made no move to exit the vehicle.

Serena could feel the sadness exuding from him.

She raised their joined hands shaking them gently. "You know all too well that we can't change the past," she looked at him, continuing only after his eye met hers. "What you did today had to be said eventually, Paul," she reached over with the right hand and stroked his left arm repeatedly in a supportive manner. "All you can do now is process and hope that it was enough to let your enough of your pain go."

He shifted his gaze down, nodding slowly after a moment.

"Let's go inside," she whispered.

He nodded again. Their physical connection was severed only long enough to exit the vehicle. Their hold on each other's hands renewed as soon as she walked around the car next to him.

Paul pulled her into an embrace and held her tightly. In silence he held her; the act letting her know he felt supported in a way he always needed. She wrapped her arms around him as well. The two stood like this outside her home for a moment longer breathing against each other.

She felt his sadness in every heartbeat.

She tightened her hold on him briefly before releasing him to unlock and open the front door.

"Have a seat, I'll make you something to drink." She pushed him toward the sofa as soon as he was inside. "Do you want coffee, tea or something stronger?" She asked him in a gentle tone.

He shook his head, "I'll take care of it myself." He began removing his jacket.

"Don't you dare," she stood in front of him with arms akimbo. "Just this once," she said reaching up to cup his jaw in her hand in a loving manner. "Let yourself be taken care of, Paul. You had a hard day."

Paul's light blue eyes looked back into hers. A weak smile broke out on his lips. He reached up grabbing her wrist. He pulled her hand away before placing a quick kiss on her palm.

"Coffee's fine," he whispered. "Black."

Serena smiled at him, ignoring the jolts of electricity in her body that his kiss initiated.

"Coming right up," she smiled and made her way to the kitchen as he walked to the sofa.

A few minutes later she finished pouring the liquid into two coffee cups when a steady, heavy-handed knocking began from her front door. She set the coffee pot down hurriedly and she began walking toward the audible chaos ordering Paul to remain where he was when she saw him begin to stand.

The impatient pounding continued, causing her to move faster just to get the pounding to stop.

She swung the door wide open taken aback when she found Iris standing on the other side with glistening eyes and a tear-stained face. The black-haired woman opened her mouth, but no words came out. Fresh tears began to spill.

"Iris?" Serena wrapped her arms around her best-friend's shoulders ushering her inside the home.

Paul immediately stood rushing toward his sister- suddenly halting. He ran a hand through his hair mussing it up. He took a deep breath before looking at his sister. "Is it mom?" His voice breaking probably as much as his heart.