Chapter 7: Day 7
When Jared found Shai, he was crying on the neighbor’s doorstep in Borough Park. He made no sounds, but his face was flushed with grief, and streaks of wet tears marked his cheeks.
“Oh, Shai, baby,” said Jared, stretching out a single hand to this tall, lovely man now crumpled in a ball on the stoop, wrapped in his long black coat, speechless in sadness. “What happened?”
Shai did not take his hand. Instead, he buried his head into his arms and shook with sobs. Jared brushed the light snow off the step, then sat beside the man he loved, aching for him but not knowing what to say or do. He chose to hug him close with one arm. Shai accepted his comfort, his body collapsing into Jared as he wept. A minute passed, then Jared stroked his hair.
“So what happened, Shai?”
“Not
