“Yes,” he confirmed in the same subdued tone. “I will talk to him.”
I caressed him gently for another minute, but there was something else we needed to settle. “I think that…he needs to know. What you were planning to do. If we’re all going to be able to move past this.”
There was a brief hesitation. “I don’t want to upset him unnecessarily.”
“You don’t think throwing him out my first night home upset him?”
Julian’s head nuzzled my neck before he answered, still quiet. “That was…necessary.”
“I understand that’s how it feels to you. But he’s not going to, unless we explain.”
The crickets filled another silence before he conceded. “If you feel strongly about it, I won’t try to stop you.”
“Ok.” Carefully I guided his chin up so I could kiss his lips — affectionate, maybe a little chastising. “You think you can get some sleep now? You probably need it worse than me.”
“I’ll try,” he whispered.
“Ok. We’re gonna figure this out. But for tonight, just rest. I’m here.”
He was asleep within minutes.