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“What in the hell is going on here?” Carly shrieks, and the two of the at us

“I plead the fifth,” Stella declares i her nose high in the air “I’ve seen CSI I kno this works”

“Darlin’, I think you’re forgetting that, on that show, they always encourage the truth,”Stella’s hand supportively “We need to tell the on”

So done with feeling confused for the night, I decide to take charge I’ht the fuck now

“Dad’s right The ti us in the dark ended when Carly turned on the light”

The second the words leave my mouth, I wince a little, and Carly’s head jerks back to mine I didn’t mean to be that cute, I swear, I try to say with my eyes, and for the first tiers, she smiles a little

“Stell and I are in love,” my dad announces, and in the distance, brakes squeal to a stop Police sirens go off A bomb is dropped in an undisclosed location

And I blink what feels like a thousand times “I’m sorry…you’re what?”

“You heard ht here are in love” He turns Stella’s hand over in his and laces their fingers together “She wasn’t quite ready for anyone to knoith Ronnie only passing away a few years ago, but I’ this a secret”

Stella gasps, andhis voice “Sorry, Stell, but I am I wanna be with you, darlin’ And now that we’re both trying to heal froet back on our feet, I don’t wanna have to sneak around, hoping they’ll be du us to the same place at the same time”

Just like that, the Winn-Dixie run earlier today makes sense, and I can’t say it doesn’t fire me up

“Back up the fucking love train a minute,” I interject with one hand held out towardjust so I would take you to the store?” I shout,so much Carly reaches out and puts a hand to ! I was fucking worried about you Hell, the phar double doses of your pills!”

“Don’t yell at er “I’m your father, not the other way around”

“Sal, relax, baby,” Stella co at her mom’s use of the word baby