Page 159

Black Flamingo impression.”

With the flowers in their hand,

Vass copies the pose

of The Black Flamingo in the poster.

Vass bursts out laughing,

and I can’t help but join them

despite the pain in my elbow as I laugh.

“I’ll let myself out,” says Obi.

“See you at bouldering,” says Vass,

striking the one-legged pose again.

My laughter is irrepressibly painful,

for me and perhaps for Obi as well.

“I’ll text you, shall I?” Obi asks me.

“Yes, text me,” I say,

gasping to catch my breath.

“Thanks for the flowers.”

I squeeze out the words

through laughter and happy tears

as Obi disappears

around Vass’s bedroom door.

Vass hands me a tissue

from the box on their desk.

I dry my eyes with it.

And when I hear the front door open

and close behind Obi,

everything clicks into place for me.

I remember

Matt telling me:

Real life is messy,

it doesn’t always make sense.