"I'm not giving up!" I slammed my fist on the table, teeth clenched.
"Jess, you've got to calm down," Dylan urged.
"Don't you dare! I won't let her go without justice. SHE WAS MY MOTHER! You don't know the pain of losing her after all this time!"
"Well, guess what, Jess? I don't have a mother either. I had to watch her die. I felt utterly useless as she struggled for air, as the fire consumed everything!!!" Dylan's voice cracked.
Tears streamed down my face.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean it that way. I lost control and—" I stammered.
He sank onto the sofa, head in his hands.
"Dylan, are you okay?"
He raised his tear-filled eyes. Tears! I'd never seen him cry before.
"Jess, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lashed out at you. I'm sorry for crying when I should be consoling you."
Guilt tightened around my heart. I wiped his tears away.
"It's okay to cry. I was too caught up in my own pain to realize you were hurting too."
"I never thought about how you dealt with your parents' deaths," I admitted sadly.
"It's alright, Jess. It's all in the past now," his eyes held so much sorrow.
He managed a shaky smile. "But—"
"Shh," he whispered as he touched my lips gently.
"Let me comfort you," he said softly.
I chuckled softly. "You're always comforting me. Let me make you feel safe this time."
I opened my arms, inviting him for a hug. His cold body enveloped me, and I gently patted his back.