Page 166 of Seeing Grayscale

“I bought your house and it's in your name.”

“H-How? Why? They…those people…”

“Were looking to sell anyway. They bought the house at an auction when you turned eighteen. The taxes went too long without being paid, so the property went up for sale. But the Haddens are expecting a new baby and want something bigger than three bedrooms. I bought it before they ever listed it.”

Finally, Gray looks at me. His lower lip wobbles, and I can't help but reach out to touch it. “You bought it?”

“For you. For us.”

“You bought my home?”

“I did.”

His face crumbles as an ugly sob rips from his chest. I pull him to me, the center divider digging into my stomach, but I don’t care. He clings to me, burying his face in the crook of my neck.“I can go home. I can finally gohome,” he cries, tears dripping down my shirt collar.

“You can go home, sweetheart. It’s yours. No one will take it away again.”

“I love you. Thank you.Thank you.” He holds me tighter, crying hard.

“Do you want to go inside?”

“Yes. Please.”

“Let’s go inside.”

He slowly lets me go, turns over the engine, and drives down the block to his childhood home. I open the door for him as he shakily climbs out of the car. Instantly, he snakes his hand into mine, squeezing my fingers so hard they pop. I let him take it in for a second, watching as his eyes bounce all over from the front door, to the yard, to the window on the second story.

“Here’s the key,” I whisper, sliding it into his free hand.

He takes a single step, then turns to face me and launches into my body. Curling into me, Gray rubs his face into my chest, pressing little kisses that make all the stress over this fucking house worth it. “This is the proof.This.You’ve shown me.”

I chuckle, rubbing his back. “Just had to buy you a house?”

“No,” he sniffles, looking up at me, “you know me well enough that I wouldn’t want to make a home anywhere else. And now, I belong here. All because of you. You gave me somewhere to belong.”

“It’s only fair I return the favor, baby, because you’ve been my home from day one.”

He kisses me hard and fast. “Okay. Let’s go inside.”

“Still think it’s too soon?” I tease.

“Fuck no. I’m already picking out paint.”

EPILOGUE

TWO YEARS LATER...

“Ihavethisbusinesslicense, and I’ve sold one painting,” I huff, throwing myself on ourcozy as fuck couch.

Hunter hands me the plate with some sliced banana bread on it, and I stuff it into my face. “It's a very expensive painting.”

“Yeah,” I say through chewing, “because your mom bought it.”

I quickly got tired of the warehouse, quitting a little over a year after working there, just before we moved into our house. Hunter told me I need to pursue my passion, which has always been art, and I’ve tried.

I listened to him when he said to get the business license so I could legally sell it and collect taxes. I listened to him when he said it would all work out. I even listened toAlexwhen he told me my website would take time to build an audience.

My social media page for my art is pretty popular, but not much else. No one wants my stupid art.

---