All Chapters of Never the Way We Were: Chapter 11

I heard his tears too. I gathered the empty dishes, set them aside, and reached around to wipe his eyes."Don't cry, Stel. Eyes are precious."His tears broke like a dam. He cried until he could not stop."Elara, you gave me my life. I don't have a home anymore. Elara, I want to go home."It hurts so much. Where am I supposed to find my rib?"I don't know. I really don't know... I'm sorry. I'm sorry."His words tumbled out in pieces, barely coherent, but I understood every one of them. Stellan was tired."Stel, it's okay."If a pair of swallows had to carry a blind one between them in flight, of course they would tire.I held him the way I used to when we were small, gently patting his back, over and over."It's okay, Stel. You're okay. Nothing to be afraid of."His crying slowly quieted. I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his face."Stel, go home."When I found you, I told you. Go wherever you want to go."I was a cage. Keeping him locked inside for the rest of his