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29. Yes and No

We were lying in our separate beds wide awake in the dark. After a while Serafina said, ‘Can I come in with you?’

‘Sure.’

‘I don’t want to do anything except just be with you, OK?’

‘OK, Fina.’

When she crept in under the covers I hugged her and she hugged me back. ‘Jonno,’ she said, ‘I’m so scared.’

‘I know.’

‘Are you?’

‘Yes and no. I’m worried about the HIV test but all we can do is wait. About the other — I’ll think of something.’

She evidently found that a workable answer, because she snuggled up to me and fell asleep.