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“That’s the rule?”

“Kinda, yeah”

“What about the husband? What does he get?”

“Sex,” he said, then laughed

“Sounds like a shitty deal, Richard”

“Welco We have responsibilities in life, but we also get the happiness of companionship and sex, which makes it all worth it It’s not much better for the ladies They have to keep us happy, too, even if neither sex likes to admit it about the other”

I laughed Pretty ballsy the way he was talking If I told mom half the stuff he said, she’d probably have a fit

“Shit, Richard This is getting pretty real”

“If you don’t have truth, you don’t have ,” he offered “If I can’t be real with you, you won’t trust me Not that I expect you to instantly trustto build a bridge”

“After you destroyed one between my mom and dad”

“That wasn’t all me,” he pointed out “Couldn’t possibly be You don’t stray fro honest, they were having proble”

That was true They had bickered a lot over the years My hed Maybe I didn’t want this conversation

“Look, if this is too real, Phil, I---” he started tos ay

“No, you’re talking to ed “You knoanted to punch you in the face I vowed to do it if we ever were alone”

He put down his drink and his cigar, then stretched out his arms

“Okay, but you only get one”

“You know I’ wryly “What would you tell mom?”

“That I walked into a door or fell down Just so I’m ready when you do it Don’t surpriseout of the bathroom, okay?”