BRAND OF BODHI (BOYXBOY)

TWELVE

Moving towards the car, Gil's fingers are laced in mine. It had been a nice service, and being a pallbearer for Bradley had been an honor. My chest still hurts from when I watched them lower him into the ground and start to cover him over with dirt. Now everyone is leaving, going back to Eaden's house for the Wake.

I stop Gil before we reach my car. "Hey go ahead without me. Mina will give you a ride."

He pauses beside me, looking up into my eyes. I can see the questions written on his face, even before he asks them. "What? Where are you going?"

I shake my head. It isn't that I want to keep this meeting a secret from Gil, it's just that I don't have the time to explain it all right now. I need to meet up with Detective Isaco Tucker at Bachi Burger. I wanted to ask him a few questions about Sara's case. He had been the lead detective working her missing person case and may have some answers that I need.

"I have a few things to do," I say instead. "Don't wait up."

Sara is also apart of The Prophet investigation. That means I won't be sharing any of the details of an open case with Gil, even if I had the time to explain everything. Normally he doesn't want to know about my work anyway.

Gil reaches up, his fingers press against the side of my face. "Drix, we just buried Bradley. It's okay to take a day off."

I grab his wrist, holding his fingers to me. My other hand moves to his hips. His eyes are slightly puffy from the tears he had shed for Bradley. I know he is right. There is nothing wrong with taking a day off. I probably could use one. That doesn't mean I will be getting it any time soon.

"I know, but catching this guy is important to me, Gil." I avert my eyes to the ground. Maybe running off to do work is just my way of avoiding the Wake. I don't want to talk about how great Bradley had been. I hate talking about him in the past tense. "And it was important to Bradley too. I have to do this, Gil."

"What if people ask where you are?"

Gil's fingers move higher, pushing into the thick black hair that I need to cut. I bow my head so my forehead can press against his. If he went and I wasn't there people would ask what happened. They would want to know why I hadn't come to mourn with the rest of them.

"Just tell them I had something to do,' I say, pressing a gentle kiss to the tip of his nose. "Or that I was overcome with emotions."

Gil scoffs at the notion that I could be overcome with emotions. I don't know if I should be proud of myself that my emotions were in check, or offended that my boyfriend doesn't think I have any. "No one would believe that."

I laugh because even if Gil believes it and tells the others at Bradley's Wake, no one will believe him. I am not the type to lose my shit. I guess I had learnt that skill from my mother.

"What about the party?" he asks. "Will you make it?"

His birthday had been wasted with me in the hospital. The three days that followed was spent at work. Tonight I had promised him, Galen and our friends that we would meet at The Griffin Bar so that we could have drinks, listen to music and celebrate the twins' birthdays finally.

"I'll definitely make it." It was around three in the afternoon and the gathering wasn't until nine tonight. Even if I'm still working, I will cut it short to keep my promise to Gil.

Gil's eyes harden, at odds with the smile pulling at his lips. "I won't forgive you if you miss my party."

I smile pulling him closer to me. "Don't worry. I'll make it. I promise."

Even if he is upset with me for a while, he will forgive me if I miss it. I've missed a lot of his parties over the fifteen years that we've known each other. Gil always forgives me. That doesn't mean I won't try my hardest to be there.