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Unable to avoid or change course, Jess ran right into

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” I asked, putting the pile of ga up my little niece

“Owie,” she said more as a matter of fact than an expression of pain

I kissed her on the cheek, and she giggled, sounding so much like her mother, my heart broke a little But it also war Jess as a renized her for what she was A little bit of Simone that I still had with me

“Are you crying, Uncle Dean?” Jessica asked as I held her close

“No, sweetheart,” I said

I wasn't, I wanted to Everything in ates, but I persevered, showing a near Vulcan level of e wasn't always healthy

“What are the gah the boxes

“I thought I would take Saturday off and we could have a game day”

“Yay!” Jessica enthused

“Really?” Becky asked, more surprised than sarcastic

I sht blush Things were changing, in a good wayChapter Eight - BeckyI could hardly believe the change I had heard of on-a-di out in front of ht, Dean went fro hiht to be an authority figure to really involved with his little niece

He still worked buthi out and eating enuine interest in everything Jessica had to say

My boss was also really different with er standoffish and rude, Dean had beco if there was anything he could do to help I started to think that the attention he showed that day at lunch was not a spur of theto feel the saood!

Since Dean’s apparently epiphany after his confession, he showed a completely different side of himself One I quickly realized that I could coe difference, Dean being a full decade older than ht cultural differences, Dean spending land and his entire life in a social strata I couldn't really even iine I had an idea, based mostly on rumor and second-hand accounts but realized that I really had no idea what it was like or what he ot in trouble I had never really felt bad for the rich Assu they wanted and could do whatever they felt like I was quickly beginning to reassess this notion Realizing that while it ht be true for some, Dean was, at the very least, an exception to the rule

We went into the parlor, Dean carrying Jessica, her cheek pressed against his muscular chest I hadn't really noticed before, but reat shape I followed close behind, carrying the pile of games he had selected I didn't really feel irl and Dean having seen most of what I had anyway As such, I opted for coa shorts with a tank top Truth be told, had it seeone naked

I had been raised to be very proud and open withof beauty and really just another part of nature It was so-called “civilization” with all of its, -ups that made people feel bad about themselves

Setting the gaether on the couch Jessica sat on Dean's lap, and he let her pick the game we played first To my surprise, she chose Trivial Pursuit I wouldn't have really expected her to knohat that was Apparently, she was a bit of a hustler, leaving both Dean andher I really did have to wonder if intelligence was genetic I didn't think ofparticularly slow but also really never considered that I a his defeat really well