give me a life time of promises (open)

At Maea’s suggestion, Loren barked out a humorless laugh. ”Sorry. It’s just...talking to them doesn’t...I don’t know. It’s so anathema to me. Especially since they don't seem to care about my problems when I do bring them up." He offered her a tentative grin, though it didn't reach his eyes. "But like all things good for me, it probably won't feel good right away." There was a chagrined expression on his face, and an equally chagrined tone in his voice. He let her touch his cheek, reaching up with a hand to cup it gently for a moment if she'd let him, before letting it fall back into his lap.  "I was doing better. I was happy, even. And then..." he let his voice trail off. As his eyes prickled with tears, he blinked them away. LOREN Not quite an open book