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“Maybe, but that didn’teven if it wasn’t true”

The light flashes green Ryan turns to the road Taps the gas The car moves forward

Houses and businesses blur together

“She had the bar hanging on every word At least, every ti her drinks Didn’t pay o, but the pain is still fresh The wound is still there “Closing rolled around and she was still there Slu her own”

“You could have got in trouble”

“Yeah, but I didn’t care about that” I suck a breath betweenfor her”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“It was her daughter”

Ryan’s attention turns to me

“You’re driving”

“You’re talking”

“I want to live to see tomorrow”

He looks at the road “I want to hear this”

A snappy coue I want hi Eleven Maybe twelve But that wasn’t the worst part It was hoeary she was Like she did this every night”

“Did she?”