She said his name as if it could knock down barriers. He was heavily guarded in his mind, but it sunk through, even just a little. Once he'd imagined she didn't know him, thought he was crazy. Here he was the one skeptical, he wanted to believe her. He reached out to grab a small handful of her golden hair, letting it fan out against his fat fingers.
"Wife," he looked a little hopeful once he looked up from the hair splayed between his fingers to her face. His words were not as soft as hers, because there was some uncertainty still.