Rootbound

by Tarah DeWitt

She’d apologize when she realized that she’d been yelling, and instinctively I know that someone’s made her feel bad about it before—a fact that slides an angry, oily feeling through my skull.

Barf. Give me a fucking break. That’s not the best part. The best part is when you get past all that and get to feel that peace, when you know the other person feels for you what you feel for them, and they’ve already seen you at your worst, smelliest self, or love the effort you’ve put into being high-maintenance and can actually appreciate it. When someone’s gotten to know all of that and still wants to get to know you more as you change and grow—to figure out the changing you, and you them. That’s the most intense and best feeling.”

Also, how do I keep you? Is it way too soon to feel like this? I think you’re my soulmate and I never thought that was a real thing before I met you.

I meant what I said. I will be here, waiting, and ready whenever you are, however long you need. And here’s the thing … As much as you make me want to be a better man for myself, you’d be the main character in my life, Tait, whether you like it or not. I don’t think those things are mutually exclusive. I’d make sure you’d never forget how fascinating you are, always. If you’d let me, I’d cherish you. I love you.

“Even if this fails in a less than spectacular fashion, Henry, I want to love you until then. I want to love you until it’s devastating.