Chapter 24: Everything

The arrivals doors opened on a crowd of strangers holding signs.

I pushed my trolley through them with the grey coat over my arm.

Piers stood at the rail at the far end, a little apart from everyone.

He had a paper cup in each hand.

His glasses were slightly crooked, and he had not slept either.

He saw me, and his whole face changed.

I let go of the trolley.

I didn't walk the rest of the way.

I ran, and he put both cups down on the floor without looking and caught me.

He lifted me clean off the ground.

"You're not supposed to lift anything," I said into his neck.

"You're not lifting. I am."

"Put me down."

"Is that a request?"

"No," I said. "Keep going."

He laughed, and he held on.

People walked around us, and nobody stared for long.

When he set me on my feet, his hands stayed at my waist.

"You came back," he said.

"I told you I would."

"People say that."

"I'm not people. I asked you to be here, and you're here."

"I'm very much here," said Piers.

He bent and picked up the cups.

"Tea," he said. "Milk, one sugar, the way you take it, though you've never said so."

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