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I hold my breath and wait for Van to lose his shit over that because the way his face is clouding over, it looks like he’s about to do it However, he surprisesnotes on your drinking, and I just want to remind you of what happened the other time you turned to alcohol to deal with shit It didn’t end pretty, remember?"

Jett’s behind me so I can’t see his face, but I can hear the scowl in his voice "Fuck off, Van So I had soonna deal with this however the fuck I want And I don’t need you, of all people, in rows darker and he leans forward "Don’t do this, Jett Don’t becohtens his hold on me Finally, he says, "Can Presley and I have a minute?"

"Sure," Van says, and takes a step away "Just think about what I said, okay?"

I turn in Jett’s e Van intently It’s as if so between the two of them, and I don’t doubt there is These two have an alot years of experiences together shaping this conversation, and I can’t even i hiives his attention to ises

"You don’t need to apologise, but I do think you two have a lot you need to talk about"

"Always looking out for Van," he scoffs, but I can tell he’s joking with me

I want to ask hiood response, so I ask hi else to try and lead into what I really want to know "How are your Mu pill She’s not coping at all, really" He stops talking and conte a sister; I can’t even irows shaky causes a new round of sorrow for h so much And while I feel deeply for his Mum, I am so concerned for the men in her family While Monica wants to talk about Claudia, Steve and Jett have clae in any real conversation about her, whether that is about her death or re her life

"I don’t think your Dad is, either, Jett," I suggest softly

"No, he’s okay He hasn’t broken down or anything, so I think he’s doing okay"

"Breaking down isn’t a bad thing It would probably do hi at etting this "That’s not the way Dad copes, Presley"

"Fair enough, you know hi off is probably the best thing to do at the ive Michael’s advice a whirl after all

"Will you be okay if I do the rounds with the faot a lot of extended family here today, and I know it’s important to hio and help in the kitchen You do what you need to, and I’ll be here when you’re done"

He smiles, and my heart jumps a little because I haven’t seen a smile on his face for days "Thank you," he whispers before brushing a kiss across aze follows hi him, too, distracts me I knew there wasit will take for hi, I wake up early and find Jett still asleep He drank enough alcohol after the funeral to knock himself out and was fast asleep by seven thirty

I lie next to hi him and the peaceful rise and fall of his chest At least an hour passes and just after nine, his phone rings and wakes him up

He rolls to his side to reach out and find his phone on the bedside table but he knocks it on to the floor andto reach it on the floor, he falls out of the bed

"Fuck!" he roars when he hits his head on the corner of the table "Motherfucking fuck," he continues his tirade of obscenities as he tries to push himself up onto his hands and knees while at the sa, he’s finally on his knees with the phone at his ear but it’s too late Staring at h bloodshot eyes that betray the physical pain he is in, he swears again "Fuck me!" And then he pelts the phone across the room It hits the wall and smashes on its way down to the floor

I raise aze back tofixes that," he mutters as he stands It takes him some effort and a few more sords before he’s on his feet, and then he stu the door behind hiood start to the day

I push the bed covers off and head out to the kitchen toto need a lot of it today And Ihim to join me in the kitchen, Ifor hi hio in search of him, and am surprised to hear the sound of the shohen I enter the bedrooht he’d have the capability to stand for any length of time in the shower