through hell and back

talk to me, honey

"Lorraine.. honey? Wake up.", Ed sat on their bed next to his wife who was still sleeping peacefully "It's past noon."
He brushed some hair out of her face and stroked her cheek softly. Only yesterday everything was so different. Lorraine had locked herself into their bedroom for eight days straight. None of them had talked to each other during this time. Ed knew she hasn't eaten anything either. Maybe she didn't sleep either. Since she opened the bedroom door last night Ed has been by her side, taking care of her. The blinds were still down and just a bedside lamp was switched on. He was worried, well beyond worried. When they had went home after the exorcism, Lorraine acted strange and hasn't said a word since. She saw something. He knew that for sure. Judy kept asking her father why her mother did that. She was young, but she wasn't stupid. Judy knew what her parents' job was. Everyone did.
Lorraine suddenly started mumbling something unclearly and kept her eyes closed. She didn't move either.
"Lorraine?", he asked with a kind and warmhearted but worried voice,"are you okay honey? What did you just say?"
Ed now laid both of his hand at his wife's cheeks, caressing them gently and tenderly with his thumbs. Her skin was soft and warm unlike to her behaviour these days. She inhaled sharply and opened her eyes in fear.
"Lorraine?", he asked again, this time with even more fear in his voice while looking deep into her pretty blue eyes.
Lorraine didn't reply anything again. She was looking at her husband in fear. She knew he wouldn't ask and he knew she wouldn't tell him. He just wanted, no needed, to make sure she was fine.
"Say something! Please!", Ed whispered.
Still nothing so he laid down next to her and pulled her in an embrace. They were looking into each others faces, one of his hands was holding her's and the other was still laying on her cheek. He usually wasn't the kind of guy stressing his wife in these situations. Ed closed his eyes and listened to his wife's breathing. It was calm. And that calmed him down. He loved Lorraine so much and needed to know she was safe. In fact he was always scared to bring something home. Their job was really dangerous, every offer they have taken so far was a matter of life and death. They knew that.
So what if, Ed thought, what if they actually brought something home and it took possession of Lorraine right now? Immediately he could feel his heart beat faster. This couldn't be. His wife was the strongest woman he has ever met. No demon could possibly possess of her. She knew how to fight it. She would have seen it anyway.
All these thoughts couldn't seem to calm Ed down at all. In truth he was driving himself crazy with every further thought in his head. What if, what if, what if? He felt so sick to his stomach and opened his eyes again only to find Lorraine's still open in fear.
"You have to talk to me, Lorraine!", he shouted in desperation,"please, I'm so scared.."
He pulled her even closer and could feel her breathing on his face. She was somewhere in this body. This is what he knew for sure.
"Dad?", Ed heard a familiar voice from behind,"what happened to mom?"
"Judy go to your room.. your mother is.. she's exhausted. You know, darling, she's been through a lot recently.", he turned around, still holding Lorraine's warm hand,"she's gonna be alright, okay?"
Judy glanced at him in anger for a second. "I'm not a child anymore and certainly not stupid!", she replied, pissed, and stomped off to her room madly. Her father sighed once and hoped she won't stay mad for too long. His daughter loved her mother but he couldn't blame her for that at all. And she was worried about her mother but so was Ed. He also would never reproach Lorraine for having been in this state and scaring Judy off. He knew if it wife behaves like this she had seen something so bad he wouldn't even want to imagine it.
"I'm so proud of you. You have helped so many people with your gift and made their life bright again. And it's okay if you need time recovering from this exorcism.. from what you just have seen there. I can't imagine what it was and I won't ask. But I need you to know that it's okay, I'll support you anyway and Lorraine, honey, you can't imagine how much I do love you! I love you so much and more everyday. Everyday I look at you I know I got so lucky finding someone like you. You're all I'm asking for in life. You and Judy are my life. And this is why I'm so worried about you.. because you've never behaved this way before and I need to know you safe. Please just give me a sign somehow that you're safe and I'll leave you alone without saying anything anymore. I promise." He looked straight into her face the whole time and realised once again how much he loved her.
Lorraine had actually noticed what he was saying and just smiled at him. Looking into his eyes. The fear vanishing out of her own eyes. Ed immediately felt relived, knowing that his Lorraine was alright.
"I love you so so much!", he said and kissed her forehead softly, smiling as well.
She still didn't say anything and she knew he was okay with it. They both had a silent communication in those situations. And so he knew she still would need to rest before turning back as Lorraine Warren, but it was alright because she was alright. That's all that mattered for him. Lorraine.
"You know what? Let's just take some rest together. I don't care about the time anyway.", Ed whispered and switched off the bedside lamp and closed his eyes, cuddling with his wife. That was just all he could ask for.