"He'll come back,"
And he says it like he knows it.
He can't imagine that he wouldn't.
"If not -" shrug "- I'll kill him." Big smile.
He's joking.
Mostly.
Idly, Florence reached for her wedding ring she still wore around her neck and held it for a moment.
โMaybe. I have my doubts most days. I still hope. . .I donโt pray anymore, so hope is all I have left.
But at least I have you. And the girls.โ
Never. It is never her and the others keeping him back, and he'd fight anyone who even thought such a thing.
"He will." He says around the bread he's soaked in the stew and put in his mouth,
"I'm not sure anyone could forget you, ever, even with magic or whatever."
While she feels a momentarily relief that he wonโt leave, thereโs still a nagging bit of sorrow in the pit of her stomach; a kernel of doubt telling her that sheโs keeping him back.
โGive it some time and really think on it? For me? Or maybe we can all go. I donโt know ifโ
The bowl is taken with a quiet thank you. It does smell good, it always does and he starts on it slowly.
"Oh, hush. I've only just got back - I'm just thinking about it, I don't think I'll actually do it. I'm not leaving you all again."
โhers.
โYou know weโd be fine. . . Weโd miss you, of course, but weโd manage. You deserve this. You deserve to chase this dream of yours. Plus, you wonโt be gone forever.โ
โOh, and youโve met every single doctor in the world and inquired after their criminal history?โ She retorted, giving him a rather pointed look in return โ all before sighing.
Features softening considerably, Florence moved to sit next to him and take one of his hands intoโ
He gives her a look - one of those 'really?' kinda
"I'm not entirely sure they'd let a man like me into medical school. Never met a doctor with a criminal record like mine....plus, it would mean not being here to help."
โLifeโs too short to keep burning bread when youโre meant to do something else.โ
Sheโs sure someone said that. Perhaps Shakespeare. Or Locke.
โWhatโs stopping you from going back? If you donโt mind me asking, of course.โ
"Not who."
He's quick to add. Not defensive, not hiding anyone but just to confirm.
"Just...I don't know, I had this pipe dream of being a medic again. Not sure I'd even be able to go to school, but I got back into my notes and stuff."
Some of the few things he was -
โI understand,โ she said gently, checking on the loaves of bread.
โWhat got you distracted? . . . Or who?โ
It was said in a teasing tone as she busied herself with warming the stew she made for breakfast by the fire.
Now he could protest, claim he's not hungry and shoo away the conversation but he's known well enough now that that would be futile, and so he does as he's told. A single nod and he's sitting down.
"It wasn't intentional. I just got.... distracted."
Thatโs when she frowned โ not at his closeness, of course, but at his statement.
โYesterday? You havenโt eaten anything since yesterday? Sit โ Iโll warm up some stew and fresh bread will be ready as well.โ
It's not as though he steps too far back from it once he's released from the hug, close and lingering - what's personal space anyway?
"Uh...I grabbed some fruit from the market yesterday I guess."