There’s an old tree outside the school building, in the courtyard where Avery waits for Jacob after class. Avery doesn’t know what kind of tree it is—the nuns call it a cucumber tree, but he’s not sure why. It’s a huge, sprawling thing that’s been on the school grounds since the church was first built back around the turn of the century. The cucumber tree is rounded and full now, but the leaves are starting to yellow. It’s already October, and Avery sits on one of the low branches as he waits for his boyfriend. Boyfriend… he likes the sound of that. It’s been a while since he could call someone that.
The branch he sits on is so heavy, so ancient, that it’s propped up with wooden blocks. There are a few other branches around the tree like that. They’re huge and low to the ground, and would
