She recoiled slightly from the door. "Sorry…" Quickly, she headed back to her little 'office-like' room.
John buried his face in his hands, and began to cry in sparse, shaky breaths. Not even a full year into their marriage and he had already obliterated it..
Jane sat at her desk, admiring the supplies that she'd arranged and waiting for John to come out. She had no idea of what her husband had done.
He had to hide this. He'd been lucky enough that Murielle had no harsh intentions– her infatuation with the Officer would keep her quiet, he hoped. As for the letter, he tore it up into the tiniest pieces he could physically manage. No mistakes in this. Eventually this would blow over. It had to.
Slowly, Jane approached the doors of John's office. Three light knocks. "John? Is everything alright?"
He pulled his sleeve across his wet eyes. "I'm okay." He murmured back.
"May I come in?" she asked hesitantly.
"Yes…" He mumbled weakly.
She entered slowly. "Are you alright?" she asked hesitantly.
He rubbed his hands slowly down his face. "Just.. thinking.."
She walked around behind him and gently massaged his shoulders.
He rested his head down on his arms. "I make an awful soldier, Jane.."
"Of course you don't," Jane said softly. "Why on earth would you say that?"
Pierre tensed and raised his gun, fear tearing through him.
"Of course you don't," Jane said softly. "Why on earth would you say that?"
"I can't handle it," he whimpered, "I'm breaking myself.."
Pierre tensed and raised his gun, fear tearing through him.
The first enemy gunshot fired from the opposite side of the camp, and then chaos burst like a bubble.
"Of course you don't," Jane said softly. "Why on earth would you say that?"
"I can't handle it," he whimpered, "I'm breaking myself.."
She gently rubbed his back to calm him down. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"No, just… I don't want to burden you." He murmured.
"You don't need to worry about me," Jane replied softly. "I'll be just fine."
He sat up, a weak groan escaping his lungs. "I'm.. I'm going to have some wine. Do you need anything?" He kept his gaze heavy, averted.
"No. I can get it for you," she suggested. "You stay here. I'll be right back."
"Okay." He exhaled. If he had the will, he wouldn't let his pregnant wife go out of her way for anything. In a way, he was punishing himself by multiplying his guilt. Paradoxical, but painfully satisfying.
Jane left the room and returned later with a bottle and wine glass.
"Thank you." He mumbled.
"It was nothing," she said, pressing a light kiss to his cheek.
He turned his head to look at her stomach, where his first child rest. Oh… They would never know they had a sibling.
She took his hand and placed it on her stomach so he could feel Roo kicking. She smiled happily.