Mark rubbed his temples and didn't look up from his textbook. "What now, Roger?"
"What's shalom mean?"
Mark looked up, finally, frowning. "It means peace. Why?"
"Just -- heard you say it to Cindy yesterday, and I was curious." Roger tilted his head slightly, wearing one of his thoughtful looks. "Peace. Huh. Okay."
***
"I'm gonna go get Collins and -- and I'll be back tomorrow. Okay?" Mark doesn't wait for an answer. "Okay. I'll be back. Promise. Love you, Rog. Good night."
"I love you too," Roger says softly, struggling to get the words out, the way he always does now. "Shalom," he adds even softer, struggling to breathe.
Mark leaves quickly, before he can cry, before he can break and tell Roger that there won't be any peace for him tonight.
Shalom, Rent, Mark-Roger, shalom, G
Mark rubbed his temples and didn't look up from his textbook. "What now, Roger?"
"What's shalom mean?"
Mark looked up, finally, frowning. "It means peace. Why?"
"Just -- heard you say it to Cindy yesterday, and I was curious." Roger tilted his head slightly, wearing one of his thoughtful looks. "Peace. Huh. Okay."
***
"I'm gonna go get Collins and -- and I'll be back tomorrow. Okay?" Mark doesn't wait for an answer. "Okay. I'll be back. Promise. Love you, Rog. Good night."
"I love you too," Roger says softly, struggling to get the words out, the way he always does now. "Shalom," he adds even softer, struggling to breathe.
Mark leaves quickly, before he can cry, before he can break and tell Roger that there won't be any peace for him tonight.
--
(127 words.)