Bare Yourself (Consumed)

“Nancy,” Tegan acknowledges. “We were just leaving. This’ll be my last visit here.”

She smiles sadly at him. “I know. I heard you talking to her.” She holds out a white envelope. “I rushed away to get this. It’s for you.”

“What is it?” Tegan asks, not taking the envelope, instead eyeing it suspiciously.

“She wrote it a couple years ago and asked me to try and find you and give it to you when she died.”

Tegan shakes his head. “What she had to say, I don’t want to hear.”

“Please, Tegan,” she says, her voice urgent. “I don’t know what happened between you two, but I know she hurt you in some way. It’s there in your eyes each time you visit.” She shakes the envelope. “This may not make whatever happened better, but it may explain things. Read it if you want or don’t read it, but take it just in case.”

His jaw works furiously as he eyes the envelope. Instead of making him make the decision, I reach out and take the envelope for him. He may burn it later so he can never read it, but I want him to have that choice. I’ll keep it for him until he decides.

“Thank you,” I tell the nurse.

She smiles at me, steps up to Tegan, and places a hand on his arm. “I’ve only known you for a few months, but I’m going to miss seeing you. I’m so sorry for whatever you went through. Take care of yourself, Tegan.”

“Thank you, Nancy,” he says gruffly. “You as well.”

I slip the envelope in my purse and we leave. His grip on my hand is tighter than normal as we walk back out to the truck. He releases it just long enough for both of us to get inside, then takes my hand again. He doesn’t talk and neither do I for most of the trip. We’re both exhausted when we walk into his house later that evening. We shower together, then climb into bed, where we both fall into a deep sleep.