Page 122 of Why Cheese?
“Isn’t it dangerous?” Cheddy asks.
“Or were all of these dangers nothing more than an excuse to keep us on your leash?” Brie cuts back. “To imprison us in your never-ending cycle of cheese and work while the world moved on without us?”
Roq’s head lists to the side and his eyes close. “Believe me or don’t, but it was never my intention to trap you. All I wished was…” He gulps and looks past Brie to Cam. The dashing rogue’s smirk falters. He blushes and turns away. “I can’t ask you to forgive me or force you to stay. I don’t blame you if you never want to speak to me again.”
“Give me a reason why I should,” Brie says, but instead of an angry rant pumped with venom, he’s begging for one. All Roq does is stare at him with broken eyes.
The four men shuffle apart in the four cardinal directions as if they’ve already made their choice. I’m left sitting in the middle, watching this brotherhood of centuries fall to pieces.
“Because he loves you.” Every head swivels and I clasp my hand over my mouth. Fire shoots up my spine at their disbelieving glares, but I can’t… No, Iwon’tdance around this anymore.
Dropping to my feet, I spin around to keep an eye on each of them while talking. “You love each other. You’re a family.” My voice chokes and I drop my head. Furiously scratching at my arm, my mouth runs away. “For a long time, I thought family meant suffering. That it was people who could pry open your skull with a single word and dump pain into your brain to poison your soul.”
My nails stop and I pull away just before the skin breaks. “But you’ve taught me it also means compassion.” I look to Brie. “Joy.” Cheddy smiles wide. “Protection.” I nod to Roq before landing on Cam. “And the occasional shit stirring to keep everyone honest.”
Cam laughs then shrugs with a huge grin of pride.
“I don’t know what it means to have a family like that. A family that cares and loves, but—”
“Yes, you do,” Cheddy interrupts. The others all shake their heads.
“Chedward, no.” Cam sighs.
“Did you meet her mother?” Brie asks.
Cheddy shakes his head. “Not that.” He takes my hands in his and peers down at my eyes. “You have us. And we all love—”
Cam coughs loudly.
“Love to care, and care to love. Sometimes we fight, and sometimes we…love.” Cheddy’s earnest plea turns into an eager leer with a tongue click at the end. “You may not be cheese, but you’re one of us.”
He’s lying.
“Do you mean that?” I gaze up into his always earnest face, then glance back to Brie and catch Cam just behind his shoulder.
“Of course I do. I wouldn’t have said it otherwise,” Cheddy declares.
“Yes,” Brie says, clasping a palm over his chest. “With all my heart.” He glances at Cam, who’s tapping his foot and staring at the ceiling. “Well?”
“I most certainly enjoy the loving part of this arrangement,” he says.
“Camembert!” Brie scolds him. All three men turn and slug him on the arm.
“Very well,” Cam groans. “These months with you have been the most invigorating nights of my life, which is worthy of Eros’ highest reward. Wait, don’t hit me. I have more!”
He scatters away from the second punch wind up and cups my cheek. “You are a balm to a wound I ceased noticing centuries back. A light in the eternal night. I am a better man for having met you, and will be a poorer one without you.”
I can’t stop ugly crying, my lips fighting to smile even as I mash them together to hold back a wail. It’s everything I never thought I’d hear and my heart struggles to take it.
Tracing down my cheek one last time, Cam pulls closer and kisses my forehead. With that, he steps back beside Brie and Roq. All three of them turn to glare at Cam. “Oh, fine. Yes, I love you. There, are you happy? Splitting open a man’s ribcage with a judgmental look is dirty pool.”
Then there is one.
Roq coughs. I curl my hands up and drop them to my sides. “You don’t have to say anything,” I tell him.
He smiles wanly. “That modus operandi has only wounded me and those I care most about.”
Roq taps the sale sign once more, then he stands up straight. “Brie, Cheddy…” He swerves to catch Cam’s eye and pain washes across his face. “Ber. For too long I’ve kept you trapped here and in other cellars, together. Not for your safety, but for me. Because…” Roq sputters and tears drip down his cheek. “I don’t want to face the dark alone. But that’s unfair.”
