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They understand that he’s been writing about his private life – and that soive hi and supportive about… a lot of things
I’es more and more quickly, as Josh throws himself back into his work He locks himself away in his rooht, he h His resolve is ad hours and the renewed shooting pains in his right hand to bring his vision onto the page
He signs up to take the GED and nails it in a weekend He talks to St Clair, learns of the engage trip, and he marks the date on his calendar But he marks it with the word Isla
His es are no longer inked, they’re pencilled sketches A onizing work in February Doubt creeps back in He considers cancelling his flight, but that’s when Hattie’s package arrives, and he’s overwhele to press forward He flies across the Atlantic He meets his friends, and he takes them to Pizza Pellino for dinner, where he knows he’ll find Kurt and me Because it’s Sunday
I have now exited Josh’s real past and entered into what he hopes is his future
The sketches get rougher Kurt and I are at the restaurant, and Josh and his friends – St Clair, Anna and Meredith – join us for dinner Our table’s conversation is siht, except that Josh is more vocal He tells me it was important for me to meet his friends, because they’re the people that he chooses to have in his life Not like the people at the Christmas party whom he deals with for his family’s sake He wants me to be friends with his friends, too
He asks me about Dartmouth, and I tell him that I was accepted "I knew you would be," he whispers We watch the proposal, glancing at each other with hope and nervousness We split apart from the others, he walks me home, and he hands me a copy of this manuscript He tellsit
I’e…
There I aht I finish it, call him, and he tells me that he’s on the corner outside of myHis hands are tucked into his pockets, and he’s shivering in the freezing February night
Isla-on-the-page runs outside Josh embraces her
"I’ to be with you"
"I’e says "I’ll wait for you"
I tell him that I’ll wait for hie I tell hiain this suain
It’s after two in theso loudly that I can’t hear h my tears I climb out of bed, pull aside the curtain, and peek out s back into place I pick it up and look outside again He’s still there He’s on the corner with his head ducked underneath his coat, shivering The snow is falling like crazy It covers him as if he were a mere postbox or bicycle or tree He doesn’t see rab my key, and race down the hall I throw open the door, and he , because he turns the corner just as I reach it
"You forgot to call," he says
I throw open my arms He pulls me into hi, and I’, and I pull back to say, "I am so in love with you, Joshua Wasserstein Of course I’ll wait for you"
Chapter thirty-three
His voice is a whisper "I don’t want to get you in trouble"