Page 24 (1/2)

The one thing we’ve been avoiding is talking about rew up in I had to fightto drive back down to Florida andshe is, and she’s told o back

One step forward That’s what she keeps telling o, but I have to wonder if, with each step forward, we aren’t really taking ten back And that is because I still haven’t let her in completely

Tell her about your fa over and over toin the kitchen And for the first tirew up in and letting her see all of my broken soul I’ve battled back and forth hether just telling her could dampen some of the innocence she still has

I let ave ht direction The direction that will take ain, I was stuck back in the blast zone, pulling what should have been Morris--but it was Ehtmare only to have a new one take its place One that put Emmy in the reach of my family In the dreaer and pain because I had ruined her life I can’t even re--all I kneas that I had done that to her And before I was able to pullat her own hands because she couldn’t take the darkness in my soul

"What’s on your mind?" Emmy asks as she plops down on the couch with Cat in her arms She lazily strokes her fur and waits forslance before looking back down at es that were just into harden my heart over what I knoill be the final blow to her love

"There’s soet back for, Em"

"What kind of stuff?" she inquires She didn’t shoot it down, so that’s a plus

"Asher He’s been investigating the s in Coop’sany of us in He’s in deep, babe Deep enough that we need to decide how this plays out and quick"

"Holy shit," she whispers

"Yeah, that about su and I need to be there I would really like you to come back with me You need to come home and let your friends love you"

"Let my friends love me?" she questions sarcastically

"Yeah, Eive you that, Em I’m not even sure I kno"

"You really, truly believe that, huh?" She laughs and lets Cat juust