Chapter 123 Safety
Amelia didn’t argue. She simply held her. Sometimes that was the only comfort a person needed. After a few moments, Amelia gently pulled back and guided her toward the house.
“Come inside,” she said softly. “You look like you’re about to collapse.”
Rebecca let herself be led in. The warmth of the house wrapped around her immediately. It smelled like coffee and freshly baked bread, the comforting scent filling the air.
Amelia closed the door behind them and guided Rebecca to the couch.
“Sit,” she said gently.
Rebecca sank down slowly. Amelia disappeared into the kitchen and came back a moment later with a glass of water and a box of tissues.
“Drink this first,” she said, handing her the glass.
Rebecca obeyed silently. The cool water soothed her dry throat a little.
Amelia sat beside her, studying her face carefully. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Amelia sighed softly.
“You really went through it last night, didn’t you?”
Rebecca nodded faintly. “I left before he woke up. Didn't want him trying to stop me.”
Amelia’s eyebrows lifted. “You mean Derek?”
Rebecca nodded again. “He… slept outside the guest room door.”
Amelia blinked. “He what?”
Rebecca wiped her nose quietly with a tissue. “He must have been there all night,” she murmured. “Curled up against the wall.”
Amelia leaned back slightly, surprised.
“Well… that’s… dramatic.”
Rebecca gave a small tired laugh. “I didn’t wake him.”
Amelia looked at her. “You just left and he didn't see you leave?”
Rebecca nodded slowly. “I couldn’t talk to him,” she whispered. “Not when everything still hurts like this.”
Amelia reached over and squeezed her hand gently. “That’s fair.”
Rebecca looked down at her fingers. “He kept saying nothing happened,” she murmured. “But why was he there, with Amelia? Why was he in Celia’s house? Why lie to me for weeks?”
Amelia shook her head. “I don’t know what that man was thinking,” she said bluntly.
Rebecca’s shoulders slumped. “I feel stupid,” she admitted quietly. “I trusted him.”
“Hey,” Amelia said firmly.
Rebecca looked up, her lips wobbling.
“Don’t do that,” Amelia continued. “Don’t start blaming yourself.”
Rebecca blinked, trying to keep herself from crying.
“You trusted your husband. That’s not stupidity. That’s normal.”
Rebecca swallowed. “But what if everything we had wasn’t real?”
Amelia frowned. “Rebecca.”
Rebecca looked away. “What if I just imagined it?” she continued softly. “The way he cared about me… the way he comforted me after the miscarriage… what if it was just guilt?”
Amelia turned fully toward her. “Listen to me carefully.”
Rebecca hesitated before looking back at her.
“That man nearly lost his mind when Vanessa kidnapped you,” Amelia said firmly. “Do you remember that? He matched into the fire just to rescue you.”
Rebecca said nothing. “He searched everywhere for you,” Amelia continued. “He barely slept. He looked like a ghost until they found you.”
Rebecca’s chest tightened. “He stayed with you every day at the hospital,” Amelia added. “You think that was fake?”
Rebecca’s eyes filled with tears again. “I don’t know anymore,” she whispered.
Amelia softened slightly. “I get why you’re hurt,” she said gently. “Anyone would be.”
Rebecca sniffed quietly.
“But one picture doesn’t tell the whole story,” Amelia continued. “And Derek being stupid enough to lie about where he was doesn’t automatically mean he betrayed you.”
Rebecca stared at the floor. “He should have told me the truth.”
“Yes,” Amelia agreed immediately. “He absolutely should have.”
She crossed her arms slightly. “Men have this incredible talent for making situations worse by hiding things they think will upset us.”
Rebecca let out a faint sad laugh. “That sounds exactly like him.”
Amelia sighed. “But right now, you don’t need to solve everything today,” she said gently.
Rebecca looked up.
“You don’t have to decide the future of your marriage in one morning.”
Rebecca leaned back against the couch slowly. “I just feel tired.”
“I can see that,” Amelia said softly as Rebecca stared at the ceiling.
“I’ve lost so much already,” she whispered.
Amelia’s expression softened deeply. “I know.”
“My dad,” Rebecca continued quietly while Amelia squeezed her hand.
“My baby,” she said, her voice cracking.
“And now this.”
Amelia moved closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “You haven’t lost everything,” she said gently but Rebecca didn’t answer.
“You still have people who love you,” Amelia continued. “You have me. And whether you like it or not, you also have Derek… who apparently slept on the floor all night like a guilty puppy.”
Rebecca huffed a weak laugh despite herself, making Amelia smile slightly.
“See? You can still laugh.”
Rebecca wiped her eyes. “Barely.”
Amelia leaned back. “Well, that’s a start.”
She stood up suddenly and Rebecca looked at her, confused.
“What are you doing?”
Amelia stretched her arms.
“First rule of surviving emotional disasters,” she declared.
Rebecca blinked in amusement. “What is that?”
“You eat.”
Rebecca stared at her and then shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”
Amelia pointed toward the kitchen. “Too bad. I made breakfast.”
Rebecca groaned faintly. “Amelia…”
“No arguments,” Amelia said firmly. “You’re eating something, then you’re taking a shower, then you’re sleeping.”
Rebecca raised an eyebrow. “You’re very bossy today.”
Amelia grinned. “Someone has to be.”
Rebecca looked around the warm living room again, and for the first time since the night before, the tightness in her chest loosened slightly.
She was still heartbroken. She was still confused and was very much still hurting, but sitting there beside Amelia, she felt something she hadn’t felt in hours.
Safety.