Between Now and Forever

by Adriana Locke

“I love you, buddy. I’m here. I’ll always be here—on your team,” I say gently. “But please remember that I’m a person and I have feelings too. And the way you’ve been talking to me hurts. I don’t want to punish you and make your life harder, but I can’t let you think that your behavior is okay.”

But just because you’ve made it to the other side of the fire doesn’t mean life returns to the way it was before. Once you’ve been through the flames, you’re burned. Those scars never totally heal.

“Because it’s not over for me. It can never be over. Because I love the hell out of you.”

“You’re in control. You call the shots. I’ll play by your rules as long as you let me play.”

“We will be married our whole lives,” Jay says, squeezing my hand. “Between now and forever.”