Jason went very, very still.
Please don't hate me.
"I didn't know he was a gang member," Kyara explained. "We met at church. We went out, had fun together. I thought he was just a normal guy."
"You didn't know what he did," Jason concluded.
He's figuring out why I was so upset when he hid his work from me.
"He never tried to tell me, I never asked," confirmed Kyara. "Years of living with my father, knowing not to ask, well, I think it became a habit. And now ....”
"You just assume people will tell you if you need to know," finished Jason.
"Yeah," agreed Kyara.
And I still do. Even now, when it's caused so much pain, it's still a part of me.
"Where is he now?" asked Jason.
"My father?"
"Him, too, but I meant the gang member.
"Oh. After I told the cops what I'd seen, they arrested him, but it wasn't enough. I'd only seen the car, not who was inside. No license plates on it. And the things they promised to do to me for telling, to do to my brothers? I decided I was better off far away."
But I could have done more. I should have done more. Maybe I could have gotten a confession or something. But I ran.
"So you came here," concluded Jason.
"As far away as I could," agreed Kyara softly. "Where I would recognize anyone new who came into town immediately. I took my father's life insurance and my savings and opened the restaurant."
"Wait, so you came to a small Vermont town because ....”
"Hard to hide being a Black gang member in one of the whitest places on Earth," pointed out Kyara.
Though I didn't really think through how hard it would be not to have anyone, Kyara admitted to herself.
"I don't know whether that's genius, or crazy," Jason said.
"Me neither," admitted Kyara. "But it seemed like a good idea at the time. I had to get out. I just ... I had to."
Jason held her, squeezing her tight for a moment. The silence was deafening.
He thinks I should have stayed, that I should have faced them.
"You are so brave," said Jason into the darkness. "I don't know anyone who could have gone through that and still been as strong as you are." Kyara blushed, her skin hot against his.
Here comes the 'but', Kyara thought.
"But," Jason continued, "You don't have to do it alone. There are people who ... people who care for you. We can be here, if you need us."
Not the objection I was expecting. He's so kind. Kinder than I deserve.
"Thank you," said Kyara, snuggling up against his body. "I ... thank you."
Jason didn't reply. Instead he held her, his hand gently brushing along her back. Sleep took them together. If there were dreams this time, Kyara didn't remember them.
Kyara woke slowly. It was still dark, but the alarm clock showed she'd slept in until almost 5:30 – an eternity for her. She began to stretch, her arms reaching out, and then felt warm skin against the back of her hand.