Listen to "Give me love" by Ed Sheeran.

"Enos." I reached out for him from the other side of the door. "Can I come inside please?"

It had been nearly three hours since Enos entered that bathroom, shutting everyone, including April out.

Three hours since that man showed up here to threaten Enos, warning him to stay miles away from his former home, far enough to dissappear out of their lives, possibly forever.

Enos had great plans for today, for us to visit the kids. But before we could even walk out that door, his stepfather showed up. Angry, violent , heartless and ready to inflict damage if ever he'd find Enos anywhere near the children.

The murderous look in that man's eyes was amongst the most intimidating and terrifying things to come across-- for me. I'd never met him before, and after seeing him for the very first time, I felt so pained and horrified that Enos was battling against such a person.

I marveled on how brave Enos was for even challenging his step father, who so happened to be an awful, conniving and remorseless human being.

How was he even appointed as the Sheriff of this town?

"Enos___please." I knocked once again, praying that Enos wasn't doing anything bad behind those walls. That he'd just let me in, that Enos would allow me to be there for him.

The shower was running, water flowing and I knew that Enos was under it. But he's been under for longer than an hour. I needed to get in there and be with him. So I removed an hairpin from my head and used it to unlock the door.

Stepping inside, I saw him, behind the glass and sited on the tiled floor as water soaked him. Enos seemed unaware I was even inside there. He was staring at nothing, lost in his own thoughts, drowning in flooded visible misery.

I felt my heart clench as I watched his face. He looked like the saddest person I'd ever seen. My legs stayed glued to the ground. Was I to go nearer to him? Was it even right for me to interrupt his thoughts?

Something inside my chest ached for me to be next to him in that moment. I felt the urge to just cloth him with comfort and assurance that he wasn't alone. To remind Enos that I wasn't going anywhere, I was here for him.

I wanted him to lean on me, instead of the cold hard walls of the bathroom. I was softer than those cemented bricks with neither soul, heart nor warm flesh.

I approached him, slowly, leaving behind my own ghosts so I could carefully tend to his. Enos didn't move even though he sensed my presence. He didn't even glance at me as I knelt infront of him.

The pouring water instantly fell on my head and onto my clothes. I didn't mind it though, all I could do was stare at Enos's form before me.

Those blue eyes were now red and puffy from anger against life. He was a man wounded in the pursuit for love, happiness and fulfillment. And that wasn't fair.

"They say the worst things come free to us." His voice was heavy and yet he never once locked eyes with me. "It appears as though I'm a regular custome in that section."

I so deeply wanted to correct him, but the demeanor Enos showed was a straight warning that I couldn't do that.

"We'll get through this." My hands itches to claim his. But I was frozen the second Enos set his eyes on me. It was a strong stare, the way he glued those intense orbs on my slowly shrinking ones paralyzed everything in me. I saw such grief in them and somehow, the pain he was feeling vibrated through me.

"We?" He challenged. "What do you mean by__we?"

I averted my gaze from him, afraid that I may say something that wouldn't sit well with Enos. Especially in his current state of mind. I knew what I wanted to do, but Enos made me feel like I shouldn't even dare do anything right now.

But I spoke anyways, "Don't push me away, I want...." I stopped for a second, holding my breath. "....to stay with you, together, right now you need someone."

It was hard pleading and even asking something from someone who was drained from......giving giving and always giving. But I needed Enos to let me be there for him.

Glancing above the waters, I saw something in the way Enos looked at me. A sense of____doubt that I hated to see. So I held his hands without a second thought, hoping Enos would draw me near rather than pulling away. And below that shower, he chose to reciprocate my gentle touch with a tight grip.

And then I witnessed Enos choking in his own tears before me, breaking down for the first time since he stepped into this bathroom. Clinging and bringing my palms to his face as he cried and released a heart throbbing growl that could've easily been a scream.

"Elisabeth......Please don't ever leave me."

I myself had no idea what he meant by that, and I wondered if he himself knew what he meant to mean. But a feeling in my belly just willed to do exactly what Enos had asked.

"I don't know what to do anymore." He broke harder, quieter, "I'm just so so sick of everything." The way he said it, was there ever such defeat in a man's voice?.

My scorched soul dropped to my knees...... I couldn't stop myself but silently hurt along with him. Enos loves his siblings, and despite everything__ he still cares about his mother. He worries about that family, he thinks of his dad often than not, trying to ensure that wherever his father is...that he's feed and taken care of. Enos had pressed pause to his own plans, dreams, just to be here and make sure that his brothers and sisters are safe. But nobody stands up for him, not even his mother.

I just wanted to hold him, tightly, with the remainer of my unspent heart and love that was still left inside me, hoping it'd be enough.

For all Enos had done since I arrived in this town was cover me with his selfless embrace in our darkest hours, when I was afraid and felt alone.

I moved myself to his side and brought his shuttering body closer to mine, coaxing him between my arms and watched as he crumbled over and over again. Enos didn't hold back, he held onto me like a lifeline, as though his spirit depended on it. Shielding himself from the world against my neck and shoulders.

The shower rained on us until the water turned cold before it stopped pouring. And we sat there, drenched and pale and not ready nor willing to stand up.

That bathroom felt like the only thing blocking the rest of the world from our reach. The glass above and around us was a barrier. That corner was our haven. The only place that seemed safe enough.

Enos felt so small in my arms, defeated, broken and exhausted beyond repair. He felt so beneath everything and everyone.

"I won't leave you, promise."

Then he turned to me, met my gaze once again. Enos wanted to tell me something right there and then, I could feel it, but he was holding himself back.

May be it was because he had doubts.....or may be because in this state, he feared that he'd tell me everything hidden.

There was an openness in that face, the kind of truth that drew me into planting my lips on his.

Connecting our shaking selfs for a tender kiss.

_________