“Love is never safe,” Tina repeats. “It’s weird. It’s magical. It’s the moment when you break through the dark shell that protects your heart and say, this, this person. I’m going to let this person in, let him come so close that he can hurt me more than I can possibly imagine. I’m going to let him hurt me.” She inhales. “Love is never safe.” “And yet,” I say, “we do it anyway.” “We do it anyway.” Her voice is a quiet echo of mine, but her hands close on mine.”
