Page 39 of Tainted Reasoning

“I think I need to. Maybe just for the short term. It could be longer, I don’t know. These four walls carry so many bad memories for me, and I need to figure out who I can be when I’m not surrounded by them.”

He nods.

“You’ve applied for a place?”

“I have. I’ve been accepted as well. I can go whenever I want.”

Nicholas places his own drink down on his desk.

“Whatever you need. You know I’ll always support you. Just make sure it’s somewhere I can visit whenever I need to get away from a pregnant wife.”

“Of course.”

We both stand up at the same time.

“You’re my little brother, William. I’m always here for you. I know you need to discover yourself, but you’ll always have a home here.”

“Thank you.”

Nicholas and I have never been touchy feely people, it’s not how we were brought up, but the embrace complete with backslapping, which now passes between us feels right.