Upside Down(71)

“If you had sacrificed a real book, I would have said no.”

Hennessy laughed, but we both knew it was true.

He took the ring out. A wide black band with a brushed finish and a narrow polished finished edge. It was…

“It’s black to symbolise asexuality and how we met. And it’s titanium, because it’s one of the strongest things on earth.” He slid it onto my finger and the weight of it was new and somehow grounding.

“It’s perfect,” I mumbled through more tears.

We were then, in turn, separately hugged by everyone, and by the time my tears had stopped, I’d made my way back to Hennessy. And after a while, the only people left were our dearest friends.

Angus put his hands on my shoulders. “There once was a guy called Jay.”

We all chuckled because Angus’ limericks were a classic.

“Who was the best friend a guy could ask for.

He deserves to be happy,

and he found that with Hennessy.

So I don’t feel so bad about moving out.”





I laughed because it didn’t rhyme, but then what he actually said made sense. “You what?”

“I’m moving out,” he said quietly, but he glanced to Michael and Vee and smiled. “I’ve put it off long enough.”

“Yeah, you have. But what will I do without you?” I asked, not sobbing at all.

“I’ll be around. We’ll still do pizza and movie nights, yeah? Like on Fridays or something.”

“Yes, please.”

Angus shrugged. “And I think Hennessy wants a kitten, and you can use my room to put your bookcases in and get that library you’ve always dreamed of.”

So of course I started to cry again, and I looked at Hennessy. “You want a cat?”

He nodded. “Mr Collins’ cat had kittens, remember? He showed us the photos?”

“They were cute!” I said. “And we’re going to get one?”

“Well, yeah,” Hennessy said, all adorable and shy-like. “I asked Mr Collins and he said yes, and there’s a little boy cat that’s the cute one and I’ve already named him Lord Byron.”

Again with the tears.

So many tears.

Hennessy pulled me in for a hug and tucked me snug into his side. “How about we all grab a table at Sunan’s?” he said, kissing the side of my head. “We can order bowls of mango fries and bottles of wine. It seems we have much to celebrate.”

“Yes!” I said, trying to pull myself together. “Like the next sixty-something years.”

I took Hennessy’s hand, and surrounded by our very best friends, we walked, laughing out into Crown Street. Together, as I imagined we always would be, into the rest of our lives.



* * *



The End