extract, page 134

"Innocence" by Kathleen Tessaro

I push the almonds round and round in the dish.
He's just sitting there, watching me.
"It's a great title" I add. "Really original".

'You don't believe in all that, do you?'
He sounds incredulous, as if I've just admitted writing a letter to Santa Claus.
"What?"


 'Love.'
"Yes of course I do!"

I'm aware of how uncool this is to say out loud, but I don't care.
"It's the 1 thing I believe in above everything else.
It gives life weight and meaning.
How else can we leave the world better off than when we came in?"

♥
And he smiles, despite himself.