Had Melody not been contemplating the same thought only seconds prior, she would've been stunned by Ben's admission. This wouldn't have happened if they hadn't had a reason to be in London. This wouldn't have happened if Melody hadn't been drugged and made the second worst mistake of her life. They wouldn't be here with their daughter clinging to life by a thin miracle if Ben had only listened to her for more than thirty seconds. There were so many mistakes, so many opportunities for them to have arrived anywhere but here.
And yet, here they stood.
And, as always it seemed, Nora was the victim of their choices.
Melody shook her head, her body tense as she shut her eyes against his admission. "No, Ben." He had to leave to allow them to heal, and even in his leaving he had done all he could to keep Melody and Nora in comfort. If Ben had had even an inkling that they might arrive here he never would have left at all. He would have continued to suffer miserably in that house alongside them until their relationship deteriorated to the point of destruction. Melody understood that more now than she did when he first informed her of his decision to leave, because she, too, had begun to heal with space between them. Even if it hurt, even if she longed to be held by him at least once more, even if she would have chosen to suffer if it meant still being near him, she understood why he had had to go.
And, if she was being honest with herself, she felt grateful to him for it.
Melody reluctantly released Nora's hand to turn and face Ben fully, her ribs screaming in agony at the motion. She then reached for his other hand and looked him squarely in the eyes, her gaze focused despite the pain and grief she currently felt. "This isn't on you anymore than its on me. You would've been in London today either way with the debate and having to support Aldous. We might've made a trip out of it. Your leaving has nothing to do with this."
And yet, here they stood.
And, as always it seemed, Nora was the victim of their choices.
Melody shook her head, her body tense as she shut her eyes against his admission. "No, Ben." He had to leave to allow them to heal, and even in his leaving he had done all he could to keep Melody and Nora in comfort. If Ben had had even an inkling that they might arrive here he never would have left at all. He would have continued to suffer miserably in that house alongside them until their relationship deteriorated to the point of destruction. Melody understood that more now than she did when he first informed her of his decision to leave, because she, too, had begun to heal with space between them. Even if it hurt, even if she longed to be held by him at least once more, even if she would have chosen to suffer if it meant still being near him, she understood why he had had to go.
And, if she was being honest with herself, she felt grateful to him for it.
Melody reluctantly released Nora's hand to turn and face Ben fully, her ribs screaming in agony at the motion. She then reached for his other hand and looked him squarely in the eyes, her gaze focused despite the pain and grief she currently felt. "This isn't on you anymore than its on me. You would've been in London today either way with the debate and having to support Aldous. We might've made a trip out of it. Your leaving has nothing to do with this."