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When I saw the tears filling his eyes, I jumped up and walked over to hi to spend the rest of your life with You’re going to be a father, and you and I both know that you will be a dae any of that Do you understand that?"

He slowly nodded his head and gave me a weak smile "This is why you’re h I need to knohat he wanted to say toto be a father"

I turned and sat back down on the bench as I began to open the letter I took a deep breath and looked up at Layton "You ready?"

He nodded "Yeah"

I cleared an to read the words Layton’s father had written down on paper

I looked up at Layton and had to catchI quickly wiped away the tear slowlyits way down

"Layton? You okay?" I asked as I stood up

He looked at me and slowly smiled as he nodded his head "Yeah, I’m more than okay That’s all I ever wanted, Reed I only wanted him to say he was sorry and that he loved us" He looked down and kicked the dirt "That’s all I ever wanted," he whispered again

I walked up to hi "I love you like a brother, Layton I’m always here for you"

"I know, Reed Thank you for always being there for me It means more to me than you know You know I love you like a brother, too"

"A time here with you two pussies?" Kevin said fro each other’s backs harder than we needed to, Layton and I stepped back and shook hands as we smiled at each other

"Fuck off, Kevin," I said as I handed Layton the letter

He pushed it into his back pocket and started laughing "You want a beer, Kevin?" Layton asked as he reached into the cooler and pulled one out

"Hell yeah, I do So, what’s going on? I got your text, Layton, saying you had so to tell me I rushed over, but I’ in on the two of you…sharing a mohed as I sat down on the bench and downed lanced up, and the s I knew exactly what he was going to tell Kevin--Whitley was pregnant

"I’ve got soood news, dude, but you can’t tell Whit that I told you," Layton said

I started laughing He’s worse than a girl

"Oh, hell no I don’t want that girl getting irl says you can spill the beans on whatever it is"

Layton shrugged his shoulders and sat down next to me "Okay, but Reed knows"

Kevin was about to take a drink of his beer but stopped right at his lips "Reed knows the secret you’re not supposed to be telling?"

I nodded ood one, too"

Kevin dropped his head back and let out a sigh before looking back at Layton "Shit I promise not to tell Whitley you told er, if that were even possible, and said, "Whit is pregnant"

Kevin slapped his leg, jumped, and yelled out, "Damn, I knew it! When I just saw her, she looked different! She looked so happy Ah hell, Layton"

He walked over toward Layton as he stood up They shook hands and then hugged quickly before Kevin pushed Layton back Layton threw his head back and laughed

"Congratulations, dude You must be over the moon," Kevin said