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His hands were flying almost too fast for Bodhi to keep up, but with a small jolt, he realized he was still following along. It was almost like a live TV caption delay—the spoken words first, then the text a second later.
But he was getting it.
This was not the time to focus on that, but he filed it away for later because he was pretty sure telling Caleb that would earn him more kisses.
“Why are you upset with him?” Bodhi asked after a beat.
Caleb’s body shuddered with his sigh—something Bodhi was starting to read better and better each time. Caleb had so many physical tells, it was almost like learning a new language. But the idea wasn’t as daunting as it might have been even a month ago.
Crossing the room, Caleb offered his hand and pulled Bodhi up from his seat. There was a moment of tension, like neither one of them were sure what they were allowed to do, then Caleb brushed over Bodhi’s cheek with a firm caress and Bodhi shivered.
‘Hello,’ Caleb mouthed.
Bodhi laughed and shook his head. ‘Hi.’
Caleb’s thumb brushed over the front of Bodhi’s throat, and he lifted his other hand to ask, “Did you speak?”
Bodhi shook his head and eased himself back away from Caleb for sign space. “I know it bothers you.”
“It doesn’t,” Caleb said, and when Bodhi scoffed so hard it almost started a coughing fit, Caleb looked chagrined. “Voices don’t bother me. Voice…first…that.”
Bodhi winced. “Sorry. I don’t understand.”
“Priority,” Caleb spelled, slowing his pace. “Voice priority bothers me.”
Ah. Well, Bodhi understood that better than anyone. His old speech therapy lessons would be seared into his brain for the rest of his life. Even if he never spoke a single word with his voice ever again from that moment forward, he’d never forgethowto do it. And God, how often was he told the only way for him to function in the “normal world” was to speak?
“Am I being mean?” Caleb asked.
Bodhi realized there was probably something complicated going on with his face and he quickly shook his head. “No. Just memories.”
Caleb frowned. “Of me?”
“Speech therapy,” Bodhi said.
Caleb’s entire face darkened.
It was no surprise Caleb understood. Bodhi knew enough about Caleb’s parents to know that while they hadn’t done it to be malicious, it was still traumatizing for him. The way his own grandparents had behaved was cruel, and sadly, the impact was the same for Caleb.
He let his breath out in a whoosh. He wasn’t really in the mood to pull all those memories out of their little boxes. The shadows in his mind kept them safe and far away from his consciousness. They let him heal from how bad it had been.
They let him look forward to a life that wouldn’t be so sharp and painful.
He turned his attention back to Caleb. “Why are you mad at Ravi?” he asked once more.
Caleb’s face did that complicated thing again, and he stepped away from Bodhi completely, walking to his kettle and jabbing the button on the side to start the water heating. When he turned back, his shoulders were hunched up and stiff near his jawline.
“He’s your brother.”
Bodhi blinked. “Yes. Twin.”
Caleb rolled his eyes, but Bodhi didn’t think the gesture was directed at him. He couldn’t be sure because he often took people far too literally, but Caleb was passing a hand down his face the way he did when he was frustrated with himself. “He just left you alone in that bar.”
At that, Bodhi immediately bristled, and he took a step back. “He’s not my mom. I’m not a child. I can be in a bar alone.”
Caleb’s face fell. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Yes it is,” Bodhi argued. He’d been through this enough times over the years from people who took him on as a cute little project because they didn’t think he was capable of emotional maturity.
