106. What it takes

“Before I answer your questions, you need to know that there is a lot to me that you are not aware of yet.” He said, “I never wanted to lie to you, so I always kept various parts of me hidden. It wasn’t because I didn’t trust you enough with it, but because I was afraid that you would not find them acceptable. I did not enjoy it one bit, Emma. I valued your transparency more than anything, and I wanted to be able to open up to you too, but I had to wait for the right moment. I had to know that you were ready to hear me, the entirety of me, before I could tell you anything.”

Emma’s eyes switched with uncertainty, but she remained mute, allowing him to continue.

“My name is not Jamie, Emma.” He said, “I was born Christopher James Rogers. Most of my friends and family call me Chris. It was after I joined the brotherhood that I picked up the name Jamie Lewis. Jamie is a short form of my middle name, and Lewis was my mother’s surname before she got married. I began using that name profes