#Chapter 37 – Freedom

I smile down into my cup of tea, enjoying the fresh herbal scent. My belly is full of scone, and I'm listening passively as Daniel explains the ins and outs of some new philosophical theory that he's learning about for his class. I don't really care about it, but it's nice to hear him think through something about which he's passionate. It's really a gorgeous day – the sun is shining in little pieces through the grape leaves that wrap around the pergola, and I lean my face back to enjoy the warmth on the soft skin on my cheeks. Next to me, I hear Daniel laugh a little. "Are you even listening to me anymore?" he says. "No," I reply, smiling. "But that's okay, it's good to hear you talk." He laughs again, a soft thing, and then takes my hand. “It’s nice, Fay,” he says, and I open my eyes to look at him, seeing him smile at me. “That you enjoy listening to me, even when you’re not hearing my words.” I squeeze his hand and return his smile, considering him. It's funny – I wa