GRACE
One week later…
At Heaton Park, James and I stand side by side, preparing to set off into a sprint. He’s been released on a trial day, supposedly to help him adjust to the outside world. We worked out a plan yesterday, together with Peter, on how to spend our four hours together today. So…we’re running.
“Don’t go getting all suicidal on me again when you lose, will you?” I tease. I don’t say it to trivialise what he’s been through. I say it because I don’t want it to be a dirty little secret. I don’t want him to feel ashamed. It needs to be out there in the open, discussed, if only between us. He needs to know that I’m not angry or hurt, that it’s okay to talk about, that he doesn’t have to hide from me.
I say it because this is who we are. Nothing has changed. We’re the same p
