“For what?” I asked softly with my eyes closed, my forehead still on his, and he still held my hand. “What did you do?”

“I just… I feel so useless. There’s nothing I can do about any of this, but I just can't stand by and watch you be in pain.”

“Then you could hold me,” I whispered, opening my eyes slowly, and they landed on him. “You could kiss me, and make love to me, and tell me how everything’s going to be fine. You could be there for me when I need you. You could be everything but distance and so far away.”

A sliver of tears lined...