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Sustained Emma Chase 14390K 2023-09-01

My eyebrows rise to Stanton "Have fun with that, buddy"

Stanton chews a cheese ball, his green eyes alight with hu the fourth ticket, it ht be nice if you cairl"

"Are you nuts?" I ask, because--obviously

"Please, Jake?" Sunshine begs "It’ll be so e there with me" She turns to her father "No offense, but you and Sofia just don’t get it"

Stanton shrugs "No offense taken I still know I’m the cool daddy"

Presley puts her hand on his arm "I love you, Daddy, but whatever you think cool is? It’s not that"

Stanton gives her a ht blue eyes plead with me "Come on, Jake I bet you’ll like them Their music is amazin’--better than the Beatles"

I fear for today’s youth

"Itht h, already knowing I’ret this

But I pick up my phone to call Chelsea anyway

• • •

The next day, Stanton, Sofia, Presley, and I arrive at Chelsea’s house after work She hasn’t told Riley about the concert yet, wanted it to be a surprise And she said she didn’t want to risk Riley’s shattering the ith her screa too Because I’ve mentioned Chelsea and the kids at lunch and he wants to ather in the foyer and I reets each ofa casual, pale blue shirtdress that displays s And I fantasize about Stanton taking the girls on his own, and Sofia and Brent taking the rest of the rabble Far, far away

"Hi," Regan says to Sofia, toddling into the roo a stuffed bear who looks like he’s seen better days

"Hi," Sofia replies, shs

And here we fucking go again

For otta teach this kid another word

Stanton and Brent pick up their conversation fro," Brent says insistently, ticking off his points on his fingers "Chances are the body will be too decomposed to retain any useful evidence, and there’s a built-in alibi because the defendant can always claim the person slipped It worked like a charm for Natalie Wood’s husband"

Stanton shakes his blond head "I’ic reaction"

Raylasses and ju about the best way to off soer "I knoay You h-powered bullet out of ice And fire it froh the heart, it’ll erprints No footprints"

We’re silent Shocked

And kind of freaked out