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The ht, I wrote a letter to the Biological Sper to refer to him by his name I knew I’d never mail it But I’d researched and found out ivenI could about s that were almost two decades older than me I had one half-brother, Glen, as thirteen years older than me and two half-sisters in their late thirties

I wrote this letter to Gerard, rief at the loss of a parent I never knew I resented him but I also wanted to know him And at last I let h I wanted my hatred for him to melt away so I would be free Because s as a fortress protecting es Instead of a fortress, they had been a cage, holdingthe line, I’d finally be able to open my heart to so weekend and stayed in his old rooh school when his own parents had thrown him out after he came out to theht just right for his photos It was during his sunset shoot that he broached the forbidden subject

"You heard from Drake?" he asked casually as he pivoted his cale of the hoside it

I shookslope of our drive

"You haven’t logged in to the ga to quit?"

I shrugged "There’re lots of gan"

"It sucks that you are going to let hiaottenthey orried about you"

My insides tightened and I sed "Oh really? Fallen asked about o Said he orried Told hiaway from him to rest my arms on the ranch fence that surrounded our property "That’s all he told you? He didn’t tell you his na like that?"

Heath hesitated "Why would he? He’s never told us his real na sun "Yeah, he had a reason for that"

"What--that he’s a chick or so? Or someone famous? Remember e all used to try to think up what movie star or famous athlete he was?"

I drew in a breath and held it I wanted to make my voice sound as calm as I could when I told hi, clear "FallenOne is Adam" Shit It had quavered The ht at the end of the second syllable

There was a long stretch of silence "No shit?" he said, his voice dark