“How’d it go?” Del asked as he opened his front door and the kids rushed inside. He looked concerned, and Justin felt a rush of affection for him that was as warm as sunlight. It hadn’t occurred to him that Del would be as worried about Emily’s visit as he was.
“Good,” Justin said. “We’re still gonna get visits every month and stuff, but she said she thinks I’m doing a good job.”
“You are,” Del said, smiling. He reached out and out a hand on Justin’s shoulder. Gripped him firmly but gently. “You really are.”
“I wouldn’t be, without you.” Justin had said it plenty of times, but the words still felt like they should come with a sting of embarrassment as though he was revealing too much even though it was just the plain truth. Somehow the words were becoming less a humiliation every time h
