Because he’s right.
“I didn’t want Dylan to see me fall apart,” I admit.
His voice softens.
Just slightly.
“He didn’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he told me you were strong.”
That breaks something open in my chest.
Just a little.
I sit down slowly.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“Yeah.”
A beat.
“Not really.”
That surprises me.
“What happened there?” I ask.
“We’re shutting it down,” he says.
“Piece by piece.”
I nod, even though he can’t see it.
Silence stretches between us.
But it’s not empty.
It’s… something else.
“I wish you were here,” I say before I can stop myself.
The words hang there.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
His breath comes through the phone.
Slow.
Controlled.
“Yeah,” he says quietly.