Page 66 of Fruit
“I’m glad. I mean, I’m sorry about what happened, Sebastián. About your brother. About how shitty life can be to people that are different from the norm. But, I’m glad you had people when you needed them. I’m glad you’re here, now.”
Sebastián holds me a little tighter.
“And, thanks for telling me,” I say quietly in the intimacy of the dark and the comfort of his body against mine.
I feel him nod and then kiss the top of my head.
“What does Thiago’s mom think about the youth centre?”
“She loves it. She used to come by a lot more, but she’s actually set up this little knitted goods business that one of her other sons helps her sell online.”
“What a badass.”
“I know. She is,” he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice.
“Give me a link to the shop. Winter is coming up, and I can never have enough hats.”
“Done. Although don’t tell her you paid for one if you meet her, she’ll pinch the back of my neck for it.”
“Cross my heart,” I promise.
We fall silent, just holding each other. It takes me a while to go to sleep, and I can tell he’s awake too, his hand brushing over my skin lightly, but we are comfortable in the silence, even as it lays heavily on us.
I close my eyes and feel his chest rise and fall against me.
Eventually, it lulls me to sleep.
