I will never be the same without you...

Chapter 29

Death Cab For Cuties, "Transatlanticism"

I chuckled as the bedroom door closed behind Zon. I enjoyed knowing I could still make him a little nervous. He looked so absolutely adorable, I would have hugged him if he was still in the room. Curious about his place, I started to look around. It reminded me of his room at his parents' house. It was modern and sleek, but with an artistic vibe. The minimalistic furniture was beautifully combined with art and collectibles. It was like him. I walked around, appreciating the well-organized space, much less cluttered than my apartment. The kitchen, like mine, opened into the living room. He didn't have a table, just an island with a bar. I nosed into the cupboards and discovered that he was indeed not lying. He only had the barest of necessities. I laughed, seeing the take out containers and the nearly empty fridge. He needed someone to make sure he ate well, and I was more than happy to be that person.

I walked over to the couch with a wide smile on my face, grabbed his guitar and sat down. I started playing, letting my fingers move freely on the strings. I thought about our conversation earlier. I was surprised by my confession. Both mom and I spent time in therapy, she made sure of that. However, it was still something I didn't feel comfortable talking about, even with her. When Zon asked me to let him be there for me, the whole story came out without difficulty or effort. Instead of feeling ashamed, as I usually do when I tell anyone, I felt comforted by his words and his physical presence. He didn't push me, didn't ask any questions or got angry. He just offered support. He had no idea how priceless that had been and how touched I was. I was suddenly aware of his presence and saw him at the edge of the room, his shoulder leaning against the corner, frowning as he watched me.

"Is my kitchen that bad that you feel the need to play such a sad tune?"

He didn't fool me for a second, he was well aware of the direction in which my thoughts had wandered. I was grateful he chose to distract me. I smiled at him, feeling both my mind and my heart settle.

"It is indeed quite appallingly bad, I wonder how you managed to survive until now."

He laughed heartily and walked toward the couch, looking absolutely gorgeous in a well fitting shirt open at the collar and a pair of Bermuda shorts. He sat down beside me and rested his head on my shoulder, closing his eyes to listen to me play. If I could describe heaven, it would be this moment. We just sat there, enjoying the music for a little while, until both our stomachs grumbled.

"Come on, let's get moving, or we will end up staying here all day. I'm sure you've seen my fridge, and you know that if we don't go out, we will starve."

Laughing, I put the guitar back on its stand and pulled him into my arms as I stood up. I kissed the top of his head as his arms circled my waist.

"Thank you, my Zon. You have no idea how much you did for me. I am grateful."

He looked up at me and kissed me lightly.

"I did very little, but I am glad to be of help."

He gave me another quick peck and walked back out of my arms, taking my hand.

"Let's go, I'm famished."

"When are you not?"

Smiling, I happily followed him, relishing the feel of his hand in mine. The drive to the market was quick, and finding a parking spot was straightforward for once. As we walked around, buying a supply of fruits and vegetables for the week, I brushed past him as often as possible, reaching over him sometimes just so I could come closer. I wanted to hold his hand and hug him, but we hadn't discussed how we'd behave in public yet, and I didn't want to make him uncomfortable. We ate lunch at one of the small restaurants, taking our time and enjoying the hustle and bustle around us. I could do this with him every Sunday until I was old and could barely walk. I looked at him. He was still eating food he'd stolen from my plate. I couldn't help smile, some things hadn't changed.

"Would you like some coffee after this enormous meal? There's a great place around the corner."

He wiped his face with a napkin and smiled.

"Most definitely."

"Great, let's grab some takeaway and go back to my place. I want to put all the food in the fridge, if we leave it in the car, it will spoil."

"Oh yes, for sure. Maybe, we can drink coffee on your roof? I don't feel ready to be indoors quite yet."

I nodded in assent and waited for him to finish his eating. We grabbed our coffees and headed back to the car.