Yesterday, 12:43 PM
Something was wrong. The look in Jay's eyes before he left lingered in Jared's mind. There were ghosts behind those eyes. Jay wasn't just hurting. Jay was in a crisis situation. They had both seen some shit in Sierra Leone, and Jay was a Dominion now. He had probably seen more shit since then, and he wasn't coping well. That was clear enough. Jared watched as Jay left, his eyes the only thing moving as Jay opened the door and walked out.
Everything in Jared longed to follow, longed to do something, but he remained frozen, glued to the spot on the floor. His eyes stared at the spot, unsure of how to proceed. He was no therapist. What could he say to help. Probably nothing. But he couldn't just stay. He couldn't do nothing while Jay was like this. But he had to stay here. This was his wedding.
Emily came to him and spoke softly, breaking him out of his thoughts. Jared could see the concern in her eyes as well. Emily had a good heart. Jared had known many brides that would have been upset at Jay's departure, but her eyes only showed compassion. She wrapped him in a hug and he held her tightly, finding comfort in her embrace.
"Go to him," Emily spoke the words Jared needed to hear, but still his feet felt glued to the ground. When he asked for clarification she only told him. "Leave no man behind."
The words hit home as his soldier's instincts kicked in. The reason he had felt compelled to follow Jay as he left. Emily had known what Jay had meant to him, and she had read his departure as one of crisis or, more than likely, had just trusted Jared's instincts on this. He thanked her with a kiss and headed in the direction Jay had left if more carefully than his colleague.
Jay hadn't left the grounds, and Jared found him fairly quickly, sitting next to a wall, and Jared, in his wedding tuxedo, sat down right next to him. For a time there was silence. Jared didn't want to push. He felt pushing wouldn't help. Instead he was present. He was also unsure of what to say.
Eventually Jared would break the silence, opting for the truth. "I'm unsure of what to say, but if you want to talk, cry, vent, or just sit in silence, I'm here. Whatever you need." Jared left it at that, unsure if there was more he could do.
Everything in Jared longed to follow, longed to do something, but he remained frozen, glued to the spot on the floor. His eyes stared at the spot, unsure of how to proceed. He was no therapist. What could he say to help. Probably nothing. But he couldn't just stay. He couldn't do nothing while Jay was like this. But he had to stay here. This was his wedding.
Emily came to him and spoke softly, breaking him out of his thoughts. Jared could see the concern in her eyes as well. Emily had a good heart. Jared had known many brides that would have been upset at Jay's departure, but her eyes only showed compassion. She wrapped him in a hug and he held her tightly, finding comfort in her embrace.
"Go to him," Emily spoke the words Jared needed to hear, but still his feet felt glued to the ground. When he asked for clarification she only told him. "Leave no man behind."
The words hit home as his soldier's instincts kicked in. The reason he had felt compelled to follow Jay as he left. Emily had known what Jay had meant to him, and she had read his departure as one of crisis or, more than likely, had just trusted Jared's instincts on this. He thanked her with a kiss and headed in the direction Jay had left if more carefully than his colleague.
Jay hadn't left the grounds, and Jared found him fairly quickly, sitting next to a wall, and Jared, in his wedding tuxedo, sat down right next to him. For a time there was silence. Jared didn't want to push. He felt pushing wouldn't help. Instead he was present. He was also unsure of what to say.
Eventually Jared would break the silence, opting for the truth. "I'm unsure of what to say, but if you want to talk, cry, vent, or just sit in silence, I'm here. Whatever you need." Jared left it at that, unsure if there was more he could do.