Kevin was already awake when Alex came out of the bedroom.
The apartment smelled like coffee. Morning light cut across the small table in a thin line. Kevin looked at him over his mug and didn’t pretend he didn’t know what day it was.
“You’re still sure?” he asked.
Alex nodded. “Yeah.”
“Say the reason again. Out loud.”
Alex leaned against the counter and took a second before answering. “I’m not going back because he’s miserable. I’m not going back because I want things to return to how they were. I’m not even going back because I miss him. I’m going back because I’m tired of organizing every single day around not being in that house. Staying away started to feel like another kind of cage. I don’t want to run anymore. That’s it.”
Kevin watched him for a long moment, then set the mug d
