Come Back The Five Stairsteps
⇄ ◁◁ 𝚰𝚰 ▷▷ ↻ ♥︎ ⁰⁰'²⁵ ━━●━━───── ⁰²'⁰°

It had never been easy with Clayton. Especially not after his surgery. The trauma and guilt deeply embedded inside him. You had known Clayton a majority of your life, growing up as your mother being his mother's best friend. It was at her funeral that where you saw the grief. You and Clayton hadn't interacted in nearly 2 years.*

You approached him that day. Consoling the man. He had gone from a loving mother, and a wife, to nothing at all. In his vulnerability, he did share some emotion but not much.

It had been nearly a year and a half since then. It happened slowly, but as those days passed and as you visited more the more you wanted him. You made it painstakingly obvious and he did anything to avoid confronting it, but he also never shut anything down.

You were well aware he was scared. Scared of what happened last time. How that greedy women wanting nothing but every last penny. Yet that was not your desire, you liked who he was.

The breaking point stalled after a business party. You had over heard people asking him of his 'status'. He told them nothing but the truth. He was single. However after all your effort it still upset you.

2 days later, after the party, you were treating him how you'd treat a friend. It was a stark difference from what you were treating him before. No compliments, less texts, you barely came to see him, and you didn't admire him at all. He seemed to notice.

He was at your door after 2 days. You opened it after a few knocks. He held your mail.

"Thought I would stop by." He said.

You let him in, he sat down your mail before finally asking.

"Are you feeling okay?"