Luke
Maybe I shouldn't have asked. I thought the instant Valerie raised her head at me and tears started falling off her beautiful cheeks.
"I… this…this is all too much for me." She gulped, sniffing hard before she started wailing.
My heart shredded by each sob, I closed the gap between us and gently wrapped my hands around her tiny waist, grabbing her tiny body from the couch and into my lap.
When her body rested firmly on mine, I stroked her back to console her even though I had no idea why she had suddenly broken down, but her wails didn't decrease. She kept on crying and I felt so mad at myself for having no way to make her stop.
"Hush now, don't cry. I'm here, don't cry," I cooed repeatedly as I had always done for Liana anytime she broke down due to one thing or the other.
After a while, she finally stopped crying, and my heavy heart couldn't be more grateful for that.