I watched, a small smile on my face as Andrew drifted into sleep. He tightly held his ring, his fingers subconsciously tracing it. His lips moved of their own accord, though he didn't speak. I gently brushed a few hairs from his face. I glanced at Ponatski, she smiled as she wrapped Andrew in a blanket.
I got up, helping her lay him down on his side. He twitched slightly as we stood back. Watching as he slowly drifted to sleep. He just looked so… vulnerable. Like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders… maybe he was, maybe not. But it was unfair that he wouldn't share that burden with us. Even recovering from his sorrow he was trying to protect us from worrying about him.
"He's too precious, you'll have to protect him." Regina whispered as we retreated to the kitchen. She fished through her bag, producing two bottles of pinot noir. We shared a glance before I started searching through the cabinet for glasses.
"Why must protecting him fall to me alone?" I asked as I found two glasses. She smiled sadly as she poured our glasses. I looked around but found no sign of Tanya, maybe she'd left?
"He trusts everyone but me… I ruined that…" she said quietly before she drained her glass. She poured another as I gently sipped mine.
"I heard that the dinner between the two of you went poorly…" I ventured as she leaned against the counter across from me.
She smiled sadly. "It… it was going so well, then…"
"What happened?" I asked as she trailed off. She glanced at Andrew, softly snoring now as he drifted further into sleep.
"I… we were walking down the beach, the sea softly singing… I… I knew he was struggling with work at the time." she took another long sip from her glass. A heavy sadness fell on her.
"I told him I wanted to carry the weight with him…" she trailed off. I paused, glancing at the man sleeping on the couch.
"He… he said I didn't value loyalty…" she allowed, draining her glass again. I slowly filled her glass for her.
I tried to imagine how I'd have responded if Andrew had said that to me… likely not well. The thought of not being able to help him, to be so untrusted… I felt a tightness in my chest. I drained my glass, filling it again.
"How'd you take it?" I asked quietly after a few minutes.
"I tried to get myself killed." she whispered quietly, swirling her glass. I looked up at Regina, a sadness in her eye.
"I drove at the front of the 2nd tank regiment into the heart of the strip. A new mutant… it dismantled my tank, its arms were scythes and they tore through my T-72s armor like soft butter." She said quietly. I listened as she told her story. I supposed i was the first to hear it.
"He came. He saved me, pulled me from my commander's seat, crying pathetically… slapped me across the face." she glanced up with a pained smile before taking another long drink.
"Why didn't we hear anything about it?" I asked.
"The Commander suppressed it. He replaced the whole regiment on the spot, almost everyone was dead anyway… he dragged me back here. I woke up in the guest room… he'd left, i spoke with her, a few hours before she left…" She finished her glass again, placing it on the counter and drained the last of the bottle. I reached for the other bottle, pulling it away from her. Regina's eyes were damp and she whipped at it with her sleeves.
"She spoke to me so kindly, like I wasn't a failure. She reassured me at my worst, spoke of witchcraft, told me I'd be his sword…" I felt a flash of envy. Veria had recognized Regina? I wondered if she'd seen me supporting her husband? I wondered if she'd even wanted me to, or if she'd even like me. I didn't even realize when I'd started taking long sips from the bottle with Regina.
"We… should stop… drinking…" I said, struggling to stand upright. Wait… no, we were leaning against the counter? Or eachother?
"You're… drunk…" Regina giggled. I started giggling too.
"I think we both are…" I slurred, trying to keep my voice down. Everything felt warm, a slight buzz. Wait… why were there five bottles on the counter now? Where'd…
"We're too… drunk…" I slurred, gesturing at the bottles.
"Oops… forget to give them to… hic… Andrew…" Regina stumbled over to the table, glancing at her phone.
"Shit… it's morning… I have… briefings… no?... I have… leave…" she stumbled around the kitchen. I stumbled over to her, we stumbled to the closet, grabbing some blankets.
"We put Andrew to bed?" I asked. Regina paused, looking at me before nodding.
"Let's sleep… on the couch…" we stumbled over, falling twice before tumbling together side by side. It was so soft… warm…. I snuggled closer, this was nice. A steady, rhythmic sound… It was so calming. I slowly craned my neck up as my eyes began to close. I caught a glimpse of Andrew's handsome face slumbering peacefully before I faded away.