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Micha

I called ot his address He tried to talk tohi to do over the phone

He lives about two hours ahich pisses me off Two hours away and he hasn’t stopped by once When I pull up to his house,wheel He lives in a two-story white-brick antic houses and people walking their dogs along the sidewalk There’s no drug dealings going on, no fights, no junky cars parked in the front yard

I sit in ing on it There are flowers around the front of the yard and the grass is green and cut Is this why he left us? Because he wanted a fancier life Why the fuck couldn’t he do that with us?

My phone beeps in my pocket and I turn it off It’s Ella and I can’t talk to her right now

The front door opens and a man in his forties steps out onto the porch His hair is the sa a black suit and looks like an arrogant prick

He scoops up the newspaper froround and squints at my car as he trots off the porch I count to five in et out of the car He recognizes me immediately and his face drains of color

"Micha?" He tucks the newspaper under his arm "Is that you?"

I take another deep breath and walk across the front lawn "I don’t even knohy I’m here"

"Why don’t you coests I follow him into the house that’s even nicer on the inside; hardwood floors, a massive chandelier, and freshly painted walls with family pictures on them "You have a family?"

He tosses the newspaper onto a table androohter that’s twelve and a son that’s eight"

Feeling aard, I sit down in a chair that’s decorated with frilly pillows He seats hi like he has no idea what to do or say next "So how have you been?"