She stared, wide-eyed, at the office. Her heart was thudding in her chest, and for a moment she didn't know what to do. It seemed that lately, everything around her broke. She was a bad luck charm. This poor man had been put through hell, and there she was making it worse. Clutching the doorway with one hand, she took a tentative step forwards as she looked down at the ceramic shards.
Edward's temper had always been a slight point of contention between them. Gina rarely got angry, while it took little to send Edward over the edge. During stressful times - exams, mostly - these differences created a grating friction between them. And the way he snapped at the trial was, really, the final nail in the coffin for her - seeing him rage like that had frightened her beyond comprehension.
Her gaze snapped to the vase in his hand, and she cringed. Would he throw it? Thankfully, he lowered it, spitting out an obvious lie. Even Gina knew it wasn't okay. She considered correcting him, but held her tongue as he put the vase away with tension in every muscle.
As he finally turned to her, her expression softened into concern and guilt. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. It was silly, she knew. What was one apology to twelve years of suffering? But it was all she could say. As he approached swiftly, she stayed rooted to the spot. She looked up at him when he reached her, eyes wide, and for a moment she wanted to say something.
Then he cut her off.
She reacted immediately. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she pressed against his front, returning the kiss greedily. The moment consumed her, swallowed her whole and possessed her completely. She was a lightning rod for guilt, sorrow, passion, and need. Her fingers clenched in the back of his wifebeater, a harsh handhold that allowed her to press closer to his chest. Everything else had disappeared - this kiss was all that she knew.