A Lesson in Touch

Ben entered their home, eager to see her. 

He'd especially missed her today. They had not spent much time together recently due to, well, life. Both of their jobs were very demanding of their time. Last weekend had been spent with his parents, in town for some event or another. Leia and Han had stayed at their place. This was a new thing. Ben loved seeing them but they stressed him out so easily. 

All he and Rey wanted to do on both nights was just sleep. He'd not had much time alone with his wife in the last seven days. He missed her. 

Hoping to have a nice dinner and maybe a movie, maybe not a movie, he opened the door, calling her name. 

"Rey?"

Quiet was all he got in return. 

He glanced over at the table. Her keys and phone sat there. She was here, somewhere. 

"Rey? Babe? You here?"

He wandered down the hall, into the bedroom. There he found her, asleep. 

Immediately he knew. She was curled into a ball, her hands grasping at her stomach. She was clammy and pale. 

Oh no, not again. 

He sat next to her, peeling her hair away from her face, where it was stuck to her skin. 

He leaned and left a tender kiss on her temple. She shook her head. 

"No," she mumbled. 

Test administered and now he knew she was in pain. "No" meant don't touch me I'm hurting. 

"I know, sweetie. Just hang on," he whispered, forcing his hands to stay away from her body. 

He walked quickly to the en suite attached to their bedroom, finding what she needed. Then stopping to run the water, he poured in her lavender bath salts. Returning to the bedroom, he plugged in the heating pad and then uncurled her body. He peeled her leggings down, along with her panties, kissing the top of each knee and then each foot. Then he helped her sit up, pulling off her shirt. Well, his shirt, to be exact. His old college t-shirt, the one she stole the first time they…

Well, probably not best to think about that with his wife's beautiful naked body in front of him. Not with another attack coursing through her. 

This was his passion, his calling. Caring for her. She'd rescued him from a life of dark misery, fighting for him when no one ever had. She'd saved him and the least he could do was care for her during her horrible IBS attacks. 

The doctor said, while there was no known cause, it was probably the result of her younger life. Back when she had no home, no family, no money and no food. Sometimes for 2-3 days. Ben still felt queasy when he thought of the first time he saw her, the mechanic with not enough weight on her. She'd slid out from under his car, wearing coveralls that were too big. All he saw was her eyes. Her beautiful hazel eyes, a spill of freckles across her nose and cheeks and two deep dimples. 

He was gone for her within seconds, the melody of her British accent the most gorgeous music he'd ever heard. 

A whirlwind romance and two years later here she is, his soulmate. 

A few months into their marriage, the pain started. He'd watch her golden complexion fade to white, tears coursing down her cheeks. She gasped for air until suddenly, she'd lock herself in the bathroom. 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome seemed to rule her life at times. Other times she led a normal life. Ben sought out the best specialists, not afraid to pull strings.