Page 81 of Bliss: Part 1
And I still didn’t pressure them. I wouldn’t.
“Did any of this happen because someone felt pressured?” I asked after a moment. “Was anyone scared, confused, or...hurt in any way?”
They all shook their heads.
Bliss finally spoke. “No. It wasn’t like that. No one forced anything. We just...it happened.”
I nodded slowly. “Okay. That matters. That’s important.”
I let the words settle for a second before continuing.
“I know you probably think we can’t understand. But...we can, more than you might think. And I know this probably feels confusing. Maybe even wrong. But you’re not broken. You’re not bad. You’re not disgusting.” I looked to Bliss. “And you’re not sick in the head.” I needed her to know that. Earlier today, she had told me that she felt like something was wrong with her, and that she needed to see a therapist. I didn’t want her to think that.
She pressed her lips into a thin line and nodded. The tiniest smile tugged at the corner of her mouth
Rhys finally looked up, dried tears staining his cheeks. That was an unusual sight. He was usually the one who kept his emotions to himself. Kept a straight face when necessary and was mostly humorous and sometimes cocky. Whatever things they did made him regret it the most, which was interesting. “You’re really not mad?”
“No,” I said firmly. “I’m not. I’m scared for you. But I’m not mad.”
“Why scared?” Tripp asked quietly.
“Because...things like this, they can cause a lot of pain if they’re not talked about. If you carry it around like a secret or a shameful thing, it can hurt you more in the long run. And I don’t want that. For any of you.”
I paused and took a breath.
“We just want to know that you’re okay. That if this is something you’re feeling or exploring...it’s not coming from a place of pain. Or trauma. Or confusion.”
The room stayed quiet, but I felt something shift. The tension loosened just slightly. The air didn’t feel so suffocating anymore. They were realizing I was only trying to help them. Good.
“I’m proud of you,” I said, and their eyes all snapped to mine at once. “For being brave enough to come down here. For letting us talk to you. And I know this doesn’t fix everything, but it’s a start.”
I looked at Bliss again. “You especially. You’ve always tried to protect everyone. I can tell you’re trying to protect them now, too. But you don’t have to do that. Don’t have to feel obligated.”
She blinked quickly, swallowing hard.
“We’ll figure it out,” I said. “Together. It doesn’t have to be today, but one day. We’re here when you’re ready to talk about it.”
It was silence once again, then Dash spoke. “Thank you. For not freaking out.”
I nodded, giving him a tight smile. “Of course.”
Tripp rubbed his hands on his thighs, and I looked at him, knowing he wanted to say something.
His brows furrowed when his eyes met mine, then he asked, “You said you can understand. How?”
Odin shifted next to me, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, and his hands clasped together. I glanced at him and sighed, and he gave me a nod. He wanted me to tell them.
Shit.
I wasn’t ready for them to hear the abuse we had to endure when we were younger. Didn’t want them to worry. But I knew it would help. It would help them understand why we were able to understand them.
I lowered my head and rubbed my neck with one hand.
And with my eyes still on the ground, I started talking. It wasn’t easy. I’d gone my whole life without telling the truth. To anyone. But it felt like now was the right time. They deserved to know.
I told them about our father. About the kind of man he was, how he drank constantly, how the house never felt safe, how the sound of a bottle cap twisting off could only mean terror. I told them how Odin and I had to grow up faster than we should’ve. How we spent most of our childhood afraid. Not scared of monsters or the dark, scared of our own father. Scared of the man who was supposed to protect us.
I didn’t give them every graphic detail. But I didn’t sugarcoat anything either. They needed the truth.
