Chapter 20 - A Name For It

Menzi arrived just as dinner was coming out of the oven. He had a suit carrier in one hand and a laptop bag in the other. I'd worried he would try to go home on his own after his session with Dr Mkhabela, and I'd been relieved when he phoned to say he was on his way. Still, when I opened the door and saw him standing there, a shiver of unease slid through me.

"Hey," he said quietly, following me back into the kitchen. "It smells incredible in here."

"I hope you're hungry. There's a lot of food and I'll be surprised if Neo comes out to help us eat it."

Menzi put his things down on the breakfast counter and came towards me carefully, his eyes searching my face as he got closer. "I brought some things to stay the night. But I'll go, if you want me to. At any time. Just say it."

I blew my breath out in a hard rush, determined not to let fear make my decisions for me. "I want you here."

"I want to be here." He stopped beside me. "Can I hold you?"

I turned into him and squeezed him hard. "Please."

He pressed his cheek to mine and held me close. The hug wasn't as easy and natural as we'd grown used to. There was a new wariness between us, different from anything we'd felt before.

"How are you doing?" he murmured.

"Better now that you're here."

"But still nervous." He put his lips to my forehead. "Me too. I don't know how we're ever going to fall asleep next to each other again."