Cole stares at the fire, listening to his mother and knowing she is right, but his gut is telling him to run to her, wanting to hold her tight and keep her safe.
“Your father and I are incredibly proud of the man you’ve become, Cole, but love is fragile, and sometimes you need to leave it alone before you can hold it again.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing, Mom.”
“I know, but that’s why we’re here to help.” She gently rubs his back like she used to do when he was a boy. They sit for a long time, listening to the fire pop as he slowly relaxes and lets the realization settle that Savannah needs space from the house, from the guys, from him.
“She’s my everything,” he finally says with a catch in his voice. “I love her, Mom.”
“I know you do, son.” She kisses his cheek softly. “And you’ll get her back.”
“Yeah, I will.”
The End