We both agreed and said our goodbyes. Soon we were grabbing our bags and heading out the door. We walked out to a sunny summer day in Manhattan. It was only seven thirty in the morning, but humidity was probably at a hundred percent already. I was sweating by the time we took our first step onto the pavement, hand in hand. We walked the two blocks to the train together as we always did, and once again I could barely believe this was my life.

We got to the corner and moved to the side so we could say goodbye. I would take the train a few stops uptown to 161st Street, and he’d go across the street to catch the downtown one to 116th. Like he did every day, Elias grabbed my face and kissed me goodbye.

“Have a good day. See you at home, konjo.”

As I stood at the entrance to the subway, I turned around to look at him one more time, and called out as he crossed the street, “Eshi, love.”

If you liked Finding Joy you’ll love M/M romance American Dreamer. Read it now.

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Author’s Note

My partner and I moved to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia only a couple of months after we got married. We were there for a year and then returned when our daughter was just a few months old, and lived there until she was three. Just like Desta’s father I consider Ethiopia the homeland of my heart.

We met friends there that became family, and we learned to love that country and its people with a deep passion. The beauty and history of Ethiopia are unmatched, and almost ten years after leaving it, I still miss it. This book is my love letter to a place I adored and that adored me right back.

Even though Elias is a fictional character the challenges faced by the LGBTQI+ in Ethiopia are very real. Many have had to seek exile in other countries in order to live and love openly and without fear. The House of Guramayle is an organization whose mission is to advocate for the safety and health of the Ethiopian LGBTQI+ community. For more information on how to support their work, visit their website at: https://houseofguramayle.org/

Acknowledgments

Finding Joy was the first story I sat down to write. I am filled with gratitude that it is now out in the world and for those who helped me in this journey.

To my partner, Andrew, whose wanderlust matches mine perfectly and when we met had already set his eyes on Ethiopia. A place that is such a big part of our love story.

To all the friends and colleagues who in the last few years have read versions of this book and given me such valuable feedback.