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“Mike, calm down”

“Dad, it’s okay” I shook h it was difficult, I forced aze “I’ve been in Hartwell”

His nostrils flared “Your friend said you were only there on vacation”

“She … she knoho you are She was covering for me”

“Jesus Christ,” he said, disgust flattening his expression Soer “I never met such a coward”

“That’s enough,” Dad cautioned

“Yeah, it is” Michael curled his upper lip “Yeah, it’s definitely enough” He moved toward me and stopped “Get out of my way”

Reaching for the nuh the bad days this past decade, it eludedtome

His expression was stony as he stormed by me and a few seconds later, we listened to the front door open and then slam shut

Pain shuddered through asped for breath

All these years … all these years and he was still so mad at me

“Do you blame her?”

“Bluebell,” Dad said “I am so sorry”

I shookat the floor “He hates me”

“No, I don’t believe that” My dad clasped ainst his chest