11-02-2025, 04:45 PM
Rachel just simply nodded. His words didn't hurt. She knew it to be true. Knowing didn't always change how people felt about things. There was guilt there and she knew she'd have to deal with it eventually. Emily and the family had definitely been involved for love reasons. Nox seemed to care for her a good deal. She had good people helping out. She'd met people who had come out to help her too. She remembered one point holding Nox's baby girl, handed to her by a young man named Liam. He had said that Lily was good for healing the soul. It had helped. More than Liam maybe knew. Certainly more than she had told him. He lived in the same building with Elyse. She was sure sometime she'd be able to say thank you.
"I know," Rachel responded, aware of Hayden's hand on her shaking hand. It didn't bother her. "I was vulnerable. Very vulnerable and he took advantage of that. Even with that - it hurts. Some days more than others. Some days I'm completely fine. Others okay, and others a mess. Sometimes I find myself just staring at nothing." She sighed. "I'm just saying things - not even sure there's a rhyme or reason to it."
Rachel almost apologized for it. She really hoped she wasn't wasting Hayden's time. "Guess I learned a lesson though. It's why Elyse and I are taking things slow. Well - one of the reasons. She's great. I know she wants more than I can give her right now, and she's just okay with waiting." She couldn't help but smile when she talked about Elyse. "How are the kids doing at Nox's place - how's Liam? He let me hold Lily once. I never said thank you - I hope he understands why."
"I know," Rachel responded, aware of Hayden's hand on her shaking hand. It didn't bother her. "I was vulnerable. Very vulnerable and he took advantage of that. Even with that - it hurts. Some days more than others. Some days I'm completely fine. Others okay, and others a mess. Sometimes I find myself just staring at nothing." She sighed. "I'm just saying things - not even sure there's a rhyme or reason to it."
Rachel almost apologized for it. She really hoped she wasn't wasting Hayden's time. "Guess I learned a lesson though. It's why Elyse and I are taking things slow. Well - one of the reasons. She's great. I know she wants more than I can give her right now, and she's just okay with waiting." She couldn't help but smile when she talked about Elyse. "How are the kids doing at Nox's place - how's Liam? He let me hold Lily once. I never said thank you - I hope he understands why."