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Suddenly, I enty-two again, hurtling back in time “You still blame me for Dillon?”

“No one is saying that” Dermot stepped between us “But you left e needed to stick together, and it fucked us all up You need to take responsibility for that”

I agreed “I do I have That’s why I’m here But that’s not why she’s here” I looked past him to my mom “Dad confronted you about what you said and did to me before I left, didn’t he?”

That’s what he’d been stewing over for days

“What?” Dermot looked at Mom “What did you say? What did you do?”

She didn’t take her eyes off me “The truth”

I flinched like she’d slapped ain “I’m sorry that he’s mad about that, but I needed them to knohy I didn’t just leave”

“You should have stayed gone”

“Wait … I’ about?”

Moaze softened on him “What we’ve always talked about That’s she to blaone”

Dermot shook his head “That’s not e talked about” He turned, glaring atabout? What did you tell Dad? More lies?”

I narrowed ullible brother who ran to take Mo up Just like Dillon had “I started to drink after Dillon … after Dillon died”

He curled his lip “We’re fully aware of how badly you handled Dillon’s death”

I glared at hi just because of Dillon”

“Oh, here we go” Mo to lay that fuckin’ mistake at my feet too?”