[ the silence is grounding. it gives him the time he needs. even if it feels that once he says what he has to say, he's letting the genie out of the bottle. no takebacks.

but isn't that how he's lived his life anyway? ]

I got out of Eden because I hated hurting people. I couldn't take it. But I — I didn't know what to do with myself. I was so lost. Just living on the street. Hiding. Too afraid to do anything.

And . . . it was Alex. Who helped me. He got me into bars, who showed me the world. Let me experience so much. And . . . he gave me the dream of our beach. Somewhere we could be safe and happy.

I could see it. I could imagine it. Because we built it together.

[ another brief pause. ]

I'm ready to build something new with Jean. I'm ready to do that, but I'm afraid that when the time comes — nothing will come to me. It has to be something we do together and I might just . . . fall short.