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“Oh, Tanya…” Brian pulls me into his arms, holding me close. I cling to him, overcome by a wave of emotions. We’ve forged a bond tonight that transcends any barriers between us, built on shared pain and the promise of healing.
After a long moment, he whispers, “Thank you for sharing that with me. You’re braver and stronger than you know. I’m here for you too, anytime you need me.”
“Thank you, Brian,” I say. We sit in silence for a while, and I yearn to know him more. I need to know how things got this way for him.
“Tell me, when did it get so bad?” I ask, at last.
He sighs and slouches against the couch. “After my time in the Marine Corps,” he begins, his voice haunting. “The Gulf War was a turning point in my life. I saw so much violence and destruction…I couldn’t handle it. When I got home, all I wanted to do was numb myself from the pain.”
“Did you get help?” My voice is gentle but urgent, pushing him to open up more.
Brian shakes his head. “No one could understand what I was going through—not even me. On top of all that, they started giving us these pills that were supposed to help with nightmares and PTSD, but they only made things worse.” His knuckles turn white on the arm of the couch as he fights back tears. “I kept taking them anyway, hoping it would make me forget what I saw over there.”
My heart aches for this man who’s been carrying around wounds too heavy to bear.
“And did you?” I ask. “I mean, I never would have thought. You’re so…”
“Successful?” he says, with a sarcastic smile.
“Something like that,” I say.
He nods, and I can tell he’s grateful for the compassion in my voice. “It was Laura,” he says softly. “My wife, God rest her soul.”
He sighs and continues slowly. “Before she died, she helped me find my purpose again. She was the one who believed in me when no one else did. She helped get me off of the pills, got me into therapy, and pushed me out of my comfort zone.”
He chuckles softly. “It was because of her that I gave Silicon Valley a chance and eventually became a tech billionaire.”
I listen intently, my heart breaking for him. He’s been through so much, and yet, he still finds the strength to fight every day.
“You loved her a lot,” I say, hoping to offer him some comfort.
He looks at me and nods. “More than anything in this world,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper.
Tears roll down his cheeks, and I reach out to wipe them away. He turns to look at me, his eyes searching for something. I can see the pain and desperation etched into his face. At that moment, everything falls out of place. Suddenly, I just want to kiss him. The way he’s looking at me makes me feel like that’s what he wants too.
But destiny is a funny thing; the clock begins to chime and Brian jumps up with a start.
“I can’t believe it’s already this late!” He smooths his rumpled shirt and shakes his head. “Thank you for tonight—for listening, for understanding.”
“Of course,” I say with a small smile, feeling the tension in the air dissipate. “You know, it’s okay to feel overwhelmed sometimes. You don’t always have to put on a brave face. You can lean on others for support.”
Brian nods, his expression softening. “I know that, deep down. It’s just hard to admit weakness, you know?”
I reach out to squeeze his hand. “I get it. But it takes more strength to reach out for help than it does to suffer in silence.”
He smiles, a flicker of hope in his eyes. “I’ll remember that.”
We walk to the door together, and Brian lingers for a moment. “Can we restart our sessions soon? I don’t want you to lose faith in me and I really need all the help I can get.”
I nod, a warmth spreading through me. “I’d like that. Let’s begin again tomorrow.”
“Deal.”
Chapter nine
A Friend in Need
Tanya
