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Nobody cared

And in the end, when it really counted, my father turned out to be a real father after all

We were standing in the bathrooes on my back over my burns Since it had to be done three ti research on tattooing over scars and visited the artist who had done some of the work for Jake’s wife, who had scars all over her body and tattoos covering a lot of them He had a sketch ready for me, but I wasn’t ready to look at it just yet I still had to shut e, not yet able to come to terms with my ruined skin But when I was healed, both physically andbeautiful over soh shape for a couple of weeks, but I was finally starting to feel like ain and just in time too, because in less than twenty-four hours, ould become full-time parents

"I took the last of the boxes down to the Goodwill," King said, pressing his lips intoonly a few hours to clear out Preppy’s stuff fros, or push them aside like it was a job that needed to be done Bear felt the sahts holed up in Preppy’s roo about old ti high, and doing God only knoith the whatever they may have found stashed in Preppy’s room

It was done, and Preppy’s room had all been cleared out Just in ti on all of our parts, but with the help of Tanner’s parents, who I had to reassure ato be cut out of Sa to live with us in theI didn’t want to rip hiood for anyone Plus, I’d needed time to heal The last feeeks had been a transition, not just for Sa home today, especially now that I’s come tothings," King said, giving my waist a squeeze My stomach fluttered and I’m not sure if it was his words, or the baby I clasped ’s reflection in the mirror I couldn’t help but think about Max and what could’ve been

"I see that look, and knohat you’re thinking, Pup But you have to stop focusing on the bad shit We’ve done enough of that Max will have a good fa she could ever want Yeah, it fucking sucks, and there isn’t a second that goes by that I don’t want to be in her life, but she’s been through enough shit as it is She doesn’t need to spend the next fifteen years in foster care just because I was too fucking selfish to sign off on her having a real life or because I wanted to fight the systeet anywhere Besides, when she’s older, maybe she’ll want to ets heavy insaid

"Where did I get such an aht…" King laughed "Co?" I asked

"You’ll see," he said, rass I had to hop over bricks from the fire pit that had met their end in some sort of explosion A burnt hole in the center of the yard is all that re and tell me that it wasn’t his story to tell

We passed the dilapidated garage, which was falling overhad plans to tear it down and build a new one A bigger one with a new tattoo shop and apart led me over to the dock, the place where he’d first shared with o

Max His Moo yet was as clear to"You knoith all the shit that’s happened over the last fewon this dock with you again," King said

"Just so we’re clear, you’re not lettingspun me around in his arms I placed the palms of my hands over his hard chest The warh his shirt