Whispers Turn to Whimpers: Could He Ever Change?

"I'm sorry."

Gilbert stood in front of her like a child who knew he'd messed up, his hands bound by an invisible guilt.

"It's my fault, you have every right to be mad..."

"You don't have to apologize to me!"

Tears brimmed in Sherilyn's eyes, a testament to the tension she'd been carrying these past few days, a tension Gilbert could never fully understand.

As he lay there, passed out, she feared the fragile thread of her patience would snap at any moment.

Her gaze swept over him with a frosty indifference, "The one you should be apologizing to is Jenna!"

She jabbed a finger into his chest, her voice quivering with emotion, "After all these years, you owe her so much. If something happened to you, how would you ever repay her? Huh?" Her eyelashes trembled, her lips quivered, and tears stubbornly circled her eyes.

Gilbert felt his heart soak in her tears, turning both soft and damp. He bowed his head, resting it on her shoulder.

"Gilbert!" Sherilyn gasped, a mix of anger and urgency in her voice. Had all her words fallen on deaf ears?

"I realize my mistake, I truly do."

Seizing the moment, Gilbert wrapped his arms around her.

"I wasn't trying to hurt myself... I just... didn't want to let you go."

"Let go, stand up straight, and talk properly!"

"Sherilyn, it hurts," Gilbert murmured, barely moving, his voice a whisper in her ear.

What? Sherilyn tensed up instantly, "Where does it hurt?"

"My head."

Gilbert frowned, then shook his head, "Actually, it feels like everything hurts."

"???"

Sherilyn's eyes widened in alarm, "Who told you to run off like that?"

She grabbed his arm, "We need to get you back home, now!"

"Yeah." Gilbert's lips curved in a barely noticeable smile, "I'll listen to you."

Sherilyn glanced at his slender figure, a mix of anger and concern, "If you ever take your life for granted again, don't expect me to stick around. Jenna and I will head back to Crestwood!" "I won't dare."

Gilbert gripped her hand tightly, his just-awakened eyes clear as polished obsidian.

"I promise you, for Jenna, I'll take better care of myself."

Hmph.

Sherilyn's soft chuckle was barely audible, "Is that so? I bet if something happened to Caroline, you'd still throw caution to the wind."

"?"

Gilbert was momentarily taken aback. Sherilyn thought his injuries were because of saving Caroline?

No wonder Sherilyn was so upset.

"Heh, heh."

Sherilyn gave him a puzzled look, not understanding his sudden burst of laughter.

"Sherilyn, are you jealous?" Gilbert leaned in, struggling to keep his laughter at bay.

Sherilyn was taken aback. How did he come to that conclusion?

"You think I got hurt because of Caroline, and that's why... you've been so angry... not visiting me for three days, right?" Now he felt a bit wronged.

His lips pursed as he tried to explain, "You've got it wrong. I wasn't hurt because of her. To be exact, she got dragged into this because of me. But, thinking you're jealous... makes this misunderstanding... worth it."

Caroline got dragged into it because of him? What did that mean?

QUMS

Sherilyn didn't quite understand, but she found herself wanting to laugh, her eyes narrowing slightly, "Gilbert, did you hit your head too hard? You need to get that checked right away!"

He was hallucinating if he thought she was jealous.

She couldn't help but laugh, "Me, jealous? Do I look like I have the time for that?"

"Mm, you do." Gilbert nodded confidently.

Before she could argue, Gilbert suddenly tightened his grip on her hand. He looked down at her, his eyes blazing with intensity.

"Don't speak. Just let me believe

that. Pretend my brain's broken, that's fine. My brain's not the only

is

too."

thing that's broken, my he only

As he spoke, he placed her hand against his chest, "Feel that? Does it feel like it's beating too fast?"

Sherilyn paused, caught in his gaze. Beneath her palm, his heart thudded strongly, steadily-one beat after another.