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Alex hasn’t been to brunch in weeks, so there’s no particular reason to miss him more this Sunday than all the previous ones. Paul goes anyway, even if he’s glad Alex is most likely sleeping off a long week in the comfort of his own home not that far away.
Paul ends up talking to Shawna, who it transpires has been in much closer contact with Alex since he hit the desert. Paul is genuinely trying to figure out where he’s been misstepping. Maybe part of treating Alex like an adult is to get his head around the fact that he has plenty of relationships that aren’t mediated by him. Or Victor.
Paul probably won’t ever not feel a little protective of Alex, but Shawna’s frank assumption of Alex’s ferociousness as they talk about the work he’s doing is a little chagrining. Alex may be more br
