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I felt every single word slash through me

I loved Rita And, thanks to a bottle of tequila on Lucas’s fourth birthday, she and Greg knew all about my situation But my affections for her didn’t stop the fa to life within me

It happened when people tried to syuing their lives at the moment to the utter devastation that had destroyed , but the words felt like a lo, trivializing everything I’d experienced Even co from someone as kind as Rita, it felt like an insult

She was losing her husband I’ It hadn’t been ripped froreatest eneray, but they wouldn’t be ht, every sunrise darker than the last She had no co had turned out to be such a dick It had pained me for her when the truth had coet over hih and realize that it had all been for the best She’d find so her lucky stars that he’d let her go so she could bask in the sunlight of her new life

Meanwhile, I’d still be frozen in ti my breath for a future that would never co hard, I faked a smile and tried to keep the cyclone of pain hidden

"Enough heavy for one day," I urged quietly

"Yes Yes You’re right" She sniffled and swiped under her eyes, though no tears had escaped "Go on Get out of here and have so my tickets, I pointedly shook my them at her andmy mask, I turned back to face her "What’s up?"

"Do rill?" She thrust an empty pickle jar in my direction "He needs a way to collect the tickets for lunch" She se that I went on alert "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" she said innocently, but that fucking ser in the air to indicate her face "Like that"

She shrugged "I don’t knohat you’re talking about?"

Swear to God

Her

Slanced over rill with a plu out of it There was a tallout in all directions The cause was clear as he fisted the top of it in frustration He earing a pair of jeans and a white apron that had large, black handprints sed across the front His mouthinto a cardboard box at his feet

Rita pressed the jar into one and rescued what I feared was going to be lunch fro hiers down, sparks shooting up around the?" I asked

"I don’t know Go ask hi dawned onto set uy?"

"Dear God, no" She slapped a hand over her heart "I’ht years I can’t afford to risk that you’ll praying-mantis a hot one like that" She shovedso damn suspicious He looks like he could use soh to know that you’re about to find somewhere to hide for the next hour until you can leave So do us all a favor and do it"--she pointed a perfectly French manicured nail at the man--"over there"

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but she had been pretty much spot-on, so I quickly closed it

"Go make sure there will be edible food to serve people and then you have my full permission to leave in two hours"