WHEN YOU LOVE

FORTY DEGREES RISING

Sana wasn't ready to see Dylan, and nothing could have prepared her.

The banging of the front door made her jump, and the music Dylan listened to was so loud one wouldn't believe he had Airpods on.

"Hi, Dylan."

The boy didn't look or acknowledge her presence. He crossed the living room and went straight to the kitchen.

Lee had warned Sana that Dylan wasn't himself since she blurted out the frozen eggs tale. Whether an adult or a child, everyone had their days when they wished to tell the world to sod off. Dylan refused to adjust his behavior to accommodate those around him. Though it pained Lee, the man tried to be understanding.

Dylan carried a lot of weight on his shoulders. Lee knew he would explode. The trouble was to know when, but no one could guess. There, Dylan still showed a lack of interest in anything except himself.

Lee was clear; he couldn't help Sana find a way to reestablish contact with his son as he struggled to do so as well.

Dylan opened the fridge, took the milk carton, and was about to drink when he heard, "Don't drink from the carton." The boy turned; his dark stare made Sana want to shrink her head into her chest. Still, she spoke, "I mean, It would be better if you used a glass."

Dylan sneered; not only did he directly drink from the carton, but he embarked the milk with him to his room.

Sana didn't see him for the rest of the evening. He came out to eat when Lee and Sana went up to sleep, and another dilemma hit the woman.

It had been over a month since she had slept in the same bed as Lee. The woman blushed shyly as she watched Lee stripe to his Adams attire.

"What?" Lee asked when he noticed Sana's stare upon him.

"ㅡEh, nothing."

"Eh, nothing what? You know how I hate it when people try to pass a thought by mixing words and onomatopoeias," Lee said.

"It's just," Sana lowered her stare, and Lee followed it to the area on his body.

"What? You're not going to tell me you're shying out on my shriveled kit. Like look at it," Lee said, pointing both palms toward his penis, "it's all depressed."

Sana blinked once and twice before bursting into laughter. Lee was the same man she had left, or at least he tried to be that guy. Her return was challenging for both. The couple knew it would take a little time to bite the last piece of their honeymoon phase.

Was there really such a phase?

Their relationship was more of a jump over the moon from their first encounter, and they had not landed since. Everything conventional got a new definition in their relationship.

"There, that's better," Lee said as he climbed into bed. He preferred seeing Sana smile rather than imagining her sulking somewhere and doubting his sentiments for her.

The two settled, and a silence full of thoughts followed.

Sana wondered how she could mend things with Dylan, while Lee hoped Sana understood he wouldn't give her another chance if she opted for one of her runaway schemes in front of adversity; for there would surely be more mountains to climb whether they were in for the hiking or not.

"Lee."

"Yes."

"Do you thinkㅡ?"

"Yes, Sana, do I think what?"

"Never mind."

Lee turned to face her, "Go on, say the damn thing?"

"It's just Dylan. Do you believe he'll forgive me?"