Chapter 176 · Month 63 · Starting a Family

The Long Walk

A 3am night that neither of them handles well

Oldest line first — the newest line is at the bottom.

      
            Penny
            teacher
            14:06
          
The envelope's open on the kitchen table at 3am and your name line is still blank, so I've written mine first and left yours a millimetre of hope. Are you going to sign it or are we doing this at four as well?

            Algy
            designer
            14:07
          
It's blank because I was awake at two doing the sums — $1,240 a month and me on the twelfth. I'm not stalling, I'm just scared the pen's the easy bit.

            Penny
            teacher
            14:08
          
Then say the actual thing you want, out loud, in the park at three in the morning. Not the sums — the want.

            Algy
            designer
            14:09
          
I want to still be here at four, and at forty — so I'm signing it now and begging you to stop needing to ask. Here's the truth, though — the night I bought that test I got a loo brush and didn't tell you, because wanting it scared me more.

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