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Bailey My dad They were probably wondering where I was

I needed to check ue recollection of dropping it when Michael sweptroom

Once I put ether (well, sort of), I made my way down the hall I wasn’t sure it was possible to ever be put back together the way I had been before sex with Michael It had funda kick to my metaphorical cojones?

The kitchen sat off the sitting roo at the awful emptiness of the place Why did it bother me so much that his apartment was filled only with the necessities? There was no war deep in hts, Michael wandered into the room Thankfully, he was dressed in sweatpants and a T-shirt

“Coffee?” He walked over to the coffeeon a tis out of a cupboard

“I need to go Can you give me my boots?”

In answer, he threw me my balled-up socks “Your feet will be cold”

I glowered as I bent to put ive me my boots back”

“Dahlia, stay and have a coffee with me”

“I need to checkaround the place Moving out of the kitchen into the sitting roo as I bent down to pick it up, and once I found ers

Suddenly Michael was there, bending down for the phone

I opened my mouth to protest, but he took my hands, squeezed them in reassurance, and placed the cell in between the like the tenderness they used to “It’s okay, dahlin’”

I bit ainst the well of emotion that wanted to pour out of me and instead opened es from my dad and Bailey

Michaelbecause he said, “Tell them you’re fine That you’re here”

“I’ them I’m on my way home”