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Chapter 1

Merrick

Dying alone isn’t the worst thing But, it’s also not great

The scent of bacon, pancakes and greasy fried food mixes with the s liquid fro as I think about the subject line of an e

It was a blog or article, or soyour site my mother won’t shut up about lately

In the booth in front of me, a Shirley Temple look alike toddler with curly hair and di me a shy smile

When I sives

“I’m sorry She has a fascination with police officers”

“It’s okay” I shake my head with a wave “It’s a perk that comes with the job”

Winking at the kid, I take another sip of coffee and wait for s a week I’start

I straightento work out the craing thinking I needed to watchmid-section a bit more

That was a mistake As a hobby, or a fitness routine, clearly isn’t et into a foot chase, I holdoff the fifteen or twenty pounds extra meat I’ve packed on over the last five years

Besides, Dad-bods are a thing these days fro anyone that is interested in mine

Wincing as I stretch, Margaret the diner owner and a friend ofkitchen door with two plates, shooting aret She and her partner, Dawn, have become friends over the years The love between theuy like me, without a romantic bone in his body, has some distant appreciation for what they share