Page 104 of Liam

I went out to the car and assembled Jamal's wheelchair and then retrieved him. The rain had stopped so it wasn't too soggy a trip down to my favourite restaurant, Rosie's.

There was only booth seating, an oversight on my part, but Jamal managed to transfer onto his side of the table. We both ordered cola and then perused the menu. I'd eaten here so often; I knew everything on it. They hadn't changed their offerings in the fifteen years I'd been coming.

"I'm getting their full breakfast," I said.

Jamal's gaze skirted down the menu. "Yum. That sounds amazing. Me too."

After we placed our order, Jamal extended his hand across the table. Didn't even have to think twice. I took it in mine and clung on tightly. "That was epic sex."

"Based on the sounds we were making, I'm in agreement." Jamal smiled at me. "Did you know, each sperm carries 37.5 MB of DNA information?"

I snorted, unable to contain it. "Then you coaxed a massive data dump out of me."

Jamal smirked. "Happy to assist at any time."

There was something I wanted to talk to Jamal about. Something that had been taking up space in the forefront of my mind. "I'm thinking about going back to school."

Jamal's eyebrows rose. "Really?"

"Yeah, there's a two-year post undergrad course at Camosun. It would give me the qualifications to offer counseling to people. Not like a psychologist or anything, but I was thinking I could become a counsellor for LGBTQ+ youth, especially those transitioning."

The love coming from Jamal's expression … wow. He'd never looked at me that way before.

"I don't know what to say," Jamal confessed. "Every single day, you amaze me more."

"You think it's a good idea?"

"I think it's a brilliant idea, and I'm so proud of you for even considering it."

"Could you use someone like me at the youth centre?"

"I would find the funding." Tears rimmed Jamal's lower lids. "You'd be so good with those kids. They would benefit greatly from guidance coming from someone like you."

"Someone like me?"

"Someone who has seen stuff. Being shuffled off to foster care. Been bullied and beaten up. Not being accepted by your birth parents. Overcoming so much adversity. Despite it all, you became a sweet, caring, and gentle man who has so much love to share."

"That's what you see?"

Jamal smiled at me. "That's what I see."

So much fell away with his words. I'd left my phone in that bedside drawer, and I didn't even care. My obsession with my body had been broken. I'd found someone who loved me so much deeper than that. We'd shared our fears and considered them, then moved forward.

And we would continue moving forward.

I was going to take Jamal down to the beach tomorrow. To share the joy I felt when I was out on the cresting waves. A joy only surpassed when I was with him.

I was going to tell him that and I knew in my heart, he felt the same. I trusted his love. I trusted every single word he spoke when it came to me and how much he loved me.

We stayed up watching television for a few hours when we returned to the B&B. I even got Jamal to check out one of my favourite British crime dramas.

As he lay beside me asleep later, my phone dinged. It was Freya, my birth mother.

Freya: How's my gorgeous boy?

Me: I'm on holiday with my boyfriend.

Freya: You have a boyfriend! Tell me all about him.

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