"Cutie Pie, you still have me," Wayne said, gently patting the back of my head before letting go.
I hadn't cried at all until now. Suddenly, my eyes filled up, and the tears just started pouring. I didn't want to cry in front of him, but I couldn't stop. 'I can't let these tears fall, they'll give me away,' I told myself.
Swallowing them back only made them flow faster. I turned my head, trying to hide my face. Wayne's hand landed on my head again, gently ruffling my hair. "It's okay to cry in front of me, you remember?"
He had said that before. Now, he said it again.
But in this moment, his words tore at the last shreds of my dignity. I turned my back to him, quickly wiping away the tears.
Sensing my discomfort, he picked up my suitcase. "I'll put this in your car."
As he left, I covered my face and let the tears flow freely. When I finally went downstairs, Matthew and Lindey were still busy in the kitchen, their joy at Wayne's return overshadowing their anxiety about losing me
