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41
_________
Leah
I rubbed my eyes and sat down on a stool next to Oliver in front of the bar in the kitchen where we often had breakfast. I drank a bit of orange juice.
“Leah, you know I love you, right?”
I looked at him. Surprised. Timid. Scared.
“You’re the most important person in my life. It doesn’t matter what you ask me for, I’ll always say yes. We’re alone now, you and me, but we’ll find a way to get ahead and stay together. I want you to trust me, okay? And if you ever feel like talking, no matter what time it is or if I’m in Sydney, call me. I’ll be waiting on the other line.”
I breathed, breathed, breathed deeper…
June
* * *
(WINTER)
42
_________
Axel
“How was parole? you have fun?” I asked when Oliver left. I followed Leah to her room and crossed my arms while she set her suitcase next to the closet. “What’s up?”
Leah looked at me, on edge. “I want you to help me.”
My heart started pounding. “I’m here. You can trust me.”
“Thanks.” She looked away. “I’m going to put my clothes away.”
I noticed how she wiped the sweat from the palms of her hands on her jeans, how her nerves shook her, the stiffness in her shoulders.
“What would you like for dinner? Don’t prisoners have a special day when they get to choose their menu or something?”
She smiled a little and the tension dissipated.
“Come on, it’s your chance; pick the menu.”
“Between broccoli and chard? Hm.”
“Vegetable lasagna? With lots of cheese.”
“Perfect,” she said and opened her suitcase.
I put on a record, and music filled each corner of the house while I started chopping the vegetables into little pieces. I thought about that I want you to help me that had almost been a plea, and the mixed bravery and fear and how it was hard to tell where one sentiment began and the other ended.
“Can I help you with anything?” Leah asked.
“Yeah, grab the tray.”
We ended up making it together, but I wasn’t sure if it was really a lasagna or just a scramble of vegetables, pasta, and ridiculous quantities of cheese. While it was baking, we cleaned the kitchen and washed up––I soaped, she rinsed.
We had dinner in silence on the porch.
