The heaviness of my body slips away and I give in to the fantasy. That long-forgotten dream. Evander is there with me, existing in this place constructed by our hearts and shared wish. He inhales sharply as, in my mind, we come to a stop before the redwood. His lips move soundlessly against my skin as he recites simple and pure vows to me. And I do the same. We exist beyond our mortal shells. Are more than flesh and bone. “I love you,” he breathes. “And I love you.”
