The Void Between Hearts ~~ongoing~~

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   "So that means I can handle it then."

   "Not telling you is like keeping a secret from myself. Plus you seem like a likely candidate for denial following Mom."

   "Am I stupid for loving you more?" I ask

   "Honestly?" she asks

   "Honestly." I say

   "Yes," she chuckles quietly. "You're pretty stupid. I know where this"—she looks between us with a small uncertain smile forming on her lower lip—"is going and I don't see a happy end."

   "Then allow me to be stupid," I smile. "Allow this." I look between us the same way she just did. "And leave the end for the end." I say.

   Her lips curl into a full smile and her eyes twinkle. I feel my veins coursing with sparks. I want to kiss her, but I must practice restraint.

   It's hard.

   "You're looking at me like you want to eat me." she says

   "Maybe I just would." I tell her.

   "You're the worst friend in the universe." She hugs me again, this time, she breathes so deep I can feel the weight fall off her shoulders. I breathe deep too. Then we're swaying. I twirl her around and hug her again, she laughs.

   "We're kind of breaking the rules," she whispers.

   "Maybe we should break more?"

   "You're bad influence."

   "It's your fault, I was good before I came back." She laughs as I run my hand over her back.

   Imagining that 'You've got a friend in me' by Randy Newman plays on an old stereo in the background, we sway, giggling along, and swaying some more. I feel her smiling on my chest. I smile too, but my eyes won't stop dribbling.

   We are jolted out of our little moment when her Mother clears her throat. We disengage and look as innocent as possible. I wipe my eyes to conceal my tears. She smiles at me.

   "As much as I'd really hate to do this," she walks down the stairs gracefully. "It's almost 7 and you should get going now," she says to me. "It's not exactly safe to be driving around in that flashy car."

   You should tell Boma everything now.

   I hear it loud and clear in my head, I turn to look at her. She still has the twinkle in her eyes.

   Just tell her!

   "Okay," I say.

   "Okay." Boma heaves and laughs like she's breathing better now. I hand her the Teddy Bear and flowers from the couch.

   "They cost more than they look," I say.

   "The VVIP tickets are a confirmation. Hope your Mom isn't going to get pissed, you've spent a lot of money today."

   "She wouldn't know, I get all the alerts."

   "Lucky you." She says, smirking at her Mom.

   "Indeed." I say, "I'm truly lucky."

   "What are you doing tomorrow?" she asks.

   Mother still hasn't called.

   "I'll be working with my mother." I say

   "Mom is travelling in the morning." She says.

   "Call me if you're bored."

   "Definitely." She smiles.

   "Uhmm, you two. Don't." Her mother shakes her head like she just heard an abomination. Boma winks at me.

   "You can trust us mom," she says.

   "No. I choose not to. Ivan don't come around till I'm back. Let's respect the rules."

   We stand there for a while. Nobody moving and nobody saying anything. Then all three of us begin laughing. We laugh for a long time only pausing to take short breaths.

   I wipe my eyes when the laughing settles down.

   "You should go now." Boma wipes hers.

   "Thank you, ma, for today, and for bringing this girl into the world." I say. Boma's cheeks flush as squints at me with her lips folded in.

   "Well, my pleasure." Her mother says.

   It's taking everything I have in me to not walk back in there and kiss her.

   Is it weird that she just told me she's dying but I feel like we're more alive?