tests tender_square “i can’t believe they’re making me do this at-home test. this is ridiculous. it makes me feel like i just want to go home and i can’t.” he’d been complaining for fifteen minutes. she assured him that she would help with whatever the border was requiring. “okay. if you want to take the car, you can drop me off and pick me up again in a few days.” she said it more brightly than she meant to. “that’s nice,” he pouted. “i just meant if you’re that upset about it, you don’t have to stay.” “i can’t believe you would say that to me.” * “am i as cute as rufus the corgi reporting for his first day of work with his little bow tie?” she rubbed his beard as she lay across his chest. “of course. and i love you just as much, if not more, than all the furry corgs.” she felt his body stiffen. “gee, thanks.” she looked up at him. “you’re my guy.” “you’re not making it better.” “it didn’t come out the way that i meant it to, i’m sorry.” * “i’m dreading being alone in the house tomorrow.” she didn’t want to ask, but felt she was supposed to: “do you want to come along with amanda and i?” “i don’t want to rain on your parade.” “it’s okay.” he looked at her in disbelief, waiting. she nearly forgot to add, “and you’re not raining on our parade,” even though it wasn’t exactly true. 220130 ... tender_square “it feels like you’re avoiding me, that you don’t want to spend time with me. am i wrong about that?” “no,” she said, then realized what she’d uttered. “sorry, i mean that’s not what’s happening; not no to you not being wrong.” 220201 ... tender_square “i feel like you’re upset because you feel misunderstood.” “no.” “what’s going on then?” “it feels like you don’t want to try to understand me.” “that’s unfair. how can you say that when i just asked you a series of questions to get a better sense of where you’re coming from?” 220210 ... tender_square “i feel like, it i wasn’t here, you would be fine without me.” “no! i don’t want it to feel that way for you.” 220214 what's it to you? who go blather from