There was a difference between thinking about something and going into the center of it, as Noah’s instructor had said. Cole had sunk into his nightmares, and the world was different now. The edges were sharper, the shadows deeper. The nights longer. But the dawn was brighter, too. The sun shone warmer. He looked at Katie and Noah and thought, This is happiness. This is joy. He looked into Noah’s eyes as they made love, and he watched Noah sleep, watched him breathe in and out. Cherished every moment, every second. This is the life I love. This is everything I want.
