blondexhurricane:

teddyaltmcn:

“So  do  I,  baby,” Teddy said sadly,
kissing her daughter’s blonde curls.
As  they stood  on the other side of
the  glass,  Henry had never felt so
far away.

Teddy didn’t have to say the exact words
out loud for Delia to know what she meant.
It was completely morbid, but there was a
far better chance of her waking up that next
morning to a dead father, rather than a live
one. While her mind was growing darker
with each ugly thought, she put on a brave
face, not ready to give up until there was
l i t e r a l l y  n o t h i n g  left to fight for.

                “Don’t be scared, Mommy.” Her words were soft as
                Delia rested her head against Teddy’s shoulder. “If
                the hippos try to take a part of him away, he can just
                stay here until you can find him a new artery. I would
                even let him have mine, if I could.”

“I’m not scared,”  Teddy  lied,  if  only to fool
herself.  She’d  long  since learned than fear
had no place standing by  duty, and her duty
right  then  was  to  make  sure  Delia would
always be okay. No, she couldn’t be scared
— she had to act  b r a v e. But she couldn’t
help thinking of how Henry had always been
brave for her before then.

                Sighing  at  Delia’s  next  words,  Teddy  closed  her  eyes
                before  speaking.  She  couldn’t afford to lose Delia’s trust.
                “Honey,  it  doesn’t  work that way. Arteries are really hard
                to fix, and you can’t just put in a new one. They’re delicate,
                and  when  they’re broken, your Daddy’s blood can’t get to
                his heart. And when that happens…” Teddy couldn’t say it.
                She wouldn’t. Not now; not  e v e r .