10
AARON
Hearing Ezra holler had jerked my eyelids open, and I’d held my breath, listening as he’d gone downstairs.
I’d crawled out of bed and followed, not having any intention of touching or putting my lips on him.
But the slump of his shoulders, the droop of his head had demanded I offer comfort, and I’d done so without ulterior motives, knowing the thoughts that must have haunted him thanks to that damned note.
Ezra had let loose, crying like I’d never heard before, damn near breaking my heart with how he leaned against me, accepting my strength.
He made me feel like an oak, unwavering and sturdy, a place for him to rest. Like he saw me as someone he could trust to help him carry his burdens even if he didn’t speak them out loud. Same as I’d believed of him when I’d been a kid.
