Dennis managed to head out for the night, and as he came home in the early hours of the morning, he was smug at the sight of a letter from his brother.
He could almost feel the emotion oozing from the scribbled out and scrappy parchment. No doubt his brother was angsting, and was most likely having a horrible sleep as he worried if Dennis had been genuine.
Colin,
I'm... around (I'm not suicidal. I saw those posters around town, and with the Minister's decree, I'm not exactly going to come running down the street screaming and yahooing). I can get to town easily if I wanted to, but I understand that you need space. I was a pig, I admit. It's... hard to fight this...
I understand that you don't want to meet, but I just wanted to let you know that I regret what happened - more than you know. I also know that you're an emotional and gullible fool you're probably blaming yourself, and beating yourself up. I know you too well.
Den
First contact was made. Now he would wait until Colin was ready. He had time to wait. Plenty of time.