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tside of extending a courteous olive branch to ht of my dad's condition, Hawke's shownhiht probably widened the void between us If I break things off with Todd, there's no guarantee that Hawke is the one I'm supposed to be with

And besides that, pinningthat I'e proposal asto rekindle a flame with someone from my past Vale Ca

So take Hawke out of the picture Remove him completely and let's just say the most we'll ever be is common friends because of my father In fact, let's just pretend he doesn't even exist in my world

No do I feel about Todd?

--

"Hey, kiddo," ot on his old, ratty plaid robe over a pair of gray pajama bottoms "Want to talk?"

It's alo to sleep My s went down tonight

"Todd and I broke up," I say glumly

"I'iving my knee a squeeze

"I'm not," I say softly, but then aht thing to do"

"What happened?"

"He proposed to me"

"Oh,"faintly surprised butthat "You said no, I assume?"

"I don't love him," I say

"Because you love souess

I turn to face hiive hi smile "No, Dad I don't love another What Hawke and I hadthat loveit dried up a long tio"

"But he played some role in your decision," he pushes at me, and is that hope in his eyes?

"No, he didn't," I ad his, for sure, but that's all anger and bitterness I think I realized that Todd just wasn't the one for ut I didn't love him Not like he deserves, anyway"

"Is he okay?" my dad asks kindly I knoasn't overly crazy about Todd, but he didn't dislike him And he did like hihout the years, though I know the top spot has always been reserved for Hawke in s off with Hawke, and he never minced words with o through major heartbreak when I reached out to Hawke and he turned his back on me

"I think he's okay," I say, referencing his question about Todd "I took hi to fly out in the ed s settle doith you, I ht come back to Columbus"

My dad is silent, his face lowered and his fingers playing with the belt of his robe When he looks back up at me, his eyes are sad and weary "You know, Vale, I never wanted e on your life"

I react instinctively, pushing up and lunging towardon etherthick and thin There's nowhere else in the world I'd rather be than by your side, so I don't ever want to hear that out of your ain"

His arive hi at his face whiskered with gray He sment "Thick and thin"

"We're agreed," I say with a grin "Now co appointym and I need a few hours of shut-eye"

We both push up off the couch, hts himself

"You okay?" I ask,to his lower back

"Yeah, just a little dizzy for a htly "But I's back"

"Okay," I say dubiously, letting hiait carefully, and he looks fine