All Gabriel could manage to do was cling to his wife, to sob out all the anguish, the pain, the heartache, the fear that had consumed him. They were sobs of relief as well. She was here, he was going to take her home, and they were going to work this all out. He refused to lose her.
So she spoke and he listened, rocking them both gently as his ever elusive and unfathomable wife finally, after all these years, shared what was going on. By the time Valia's voice broke as she choked back a sob Gabriel had managed to quiet himself to a slow flow of silent tears. His mind was trying to work over what he'd been told, and he felt confused and hurt by what he'd learned. Six years they had lost in time that could have been spent making their marriage strong, and for what? Valia's pride?
He should be resentful of that. He really should. However he couldn't find it in himself to resent his beautiful bride. Gabriel held her tighter. "Valia you should have told me sooner. I love you and I'm your husband, you can tell me anything. I didn't realize how afraid you've been all this time..."
Gabriel felt his chest tighten painfully at the thought of her living in fear for years. Afraid of him. That hurt more than words could even say. "I wish you would have told me. I won't say that I understand how afraid you were when you gave birth to Tyler, only a mother could understand what you went through, but Valia..."
Oh Ansgar, he didn't know what to say! She needed him to say something, he knew that. "Tyler is the light of my life. Our son is beautiful, he's so smart, and sweet. You gave him to me Valia, I hadn't realized I could love you more than I already had, but when he was born I couldn't imagine my life without either of you. These years apart have been killing me.
"I want more beautiful children with you Valia, but if you don't want them I would never try to make you go through that again. If you had just told me we would have been careful to prevent it and I would have simply been grateful that Ansgar blessed us with such a wonderful little boy."
He pulled back enough to gaze down at his wife, and he lifted a hand to her chin to gently make sure she was looking at his eyes, which were full of love and longing. "That same wonderful little boy that is waiting at home for us to return, and who loves you unconditionally. He has missed you very much, but he will just be happy to have you home. We will just be happy to have you home."