The statement was disguised as question; “You will come home with me tonight?” But there was no denial in Dustin’s answer. “Of course.”
They sat in the back of Christina’s car—at her insistence even though Nicolae had said they could walk—with Dustin’s head on Nicolae’s shoulder. It was a short drive, taken mostly in silence, but Dustin was glad for it. Silence, in Nicolae’s company, was peace. It bore none of the brooding or ominous quality that Dustin had grown up believing it meant. It was a welcome change of perspective.
It wasn’t until they were back in Nicolae’s apartment, lying together on the couch, with the dogs resting quietly and Dustin sporting a pair of loose track pants on loan from Nicolae that Dustin finally asked. “So what did you tell your uncle?”
Nicolae pulled Dustin
