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Prologue

Magnolia

Three years ago

Two Advils sit in the palm of my hand, and I’m quick to throw them back and wash them doith a bit of tea It’s the perfect temperature A black and white caricature of a Boston terrier wearing pink glasses with a fifties-style bow adorning her ear looks back atas I set it down on the counter Quietly Everything is done oh so quietly so I don’t wake up Bridget … again Please, Lord, let irl sleep for more than twentyon to my shirt, sleep is hit or miss

Everyone keeps telling , so a It’s like she’s begging h I don’t know that I can do anything right, but I can at least hold irl

I’h Just a moment

I shouldn’t even have caffeine this late, but I needed so that would calm me down after the day I’ve had Or maybe I should say, the day we’ve had

The sudden knock, knock, knock at the front door hasit in as I race to answer it on the balls of my bare feet

Just as I’h the peephole, Robert raises his hand

Don’t you dare I seethe with apprehension and rip the door open as quickly as I can before his knuckles rap on the door again

“Shhh,” I scold hi out that breath “She’s asleep,” I say, stressing the word asleep although he has no idea how much it means thatat me