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“I knohat I said” Greg turns in his chair, resting both palms flat on the desk in front of him We’re eye to eye, man to man “She was upset She toldso deeply that his nostrils flare “She begged me to explain, and at the tiive it to her I couldn’t see her cry and refuse what she was asking me for to make her feel better”
“That tellsthis,” I say “You put her needs before your own concerns That’s what I want you to do”
“But now I think she ret e did”
“Did you get the feeling that she did…after?”
“No She was fine We talked We…we…cuddled, but after…” he pauses again, looking around the repair shop as though he wants to knohere each of the boys is before he tellshurt I told her none of us would hurt her, but she said, ‘It’s happened before, and it’ll happen again’ She was crying, T You gotta do so you want for all of us, it’s not going to work based on broken foundations Your relationship with Sandy is the bedrock for everything that co to fuck it up”
Slu back in my chair, it’s my turn to rununderis what co but the conversation that tears out your heart and leaves it bloody and bleeding on the counter for so up about Jake I’ve never told anyone new about what happened My boys were there through it all They know everything frorief-stricken breakdowns, but I’ve never told them directly and consciously how I feel I don’t know if I can
Instead of Greg si this more complicated But maybe I don’t have to open up to Sandy Maybe, if we can keep her busy with other things, the past will become less relevant
I drop h fresh snow “I candoesn’t need to know everything about my interactions with Sandy I can show her how uts all over the sidewalk There’s a way around this where I can keep my shame buttoned up
“You better,” Greg says There’s a warning in his voice that is low and possessive
“Yo, Greg,” Arden says, strolling past us like he has a joke bubbling on his tongue
“Yo, yourself” Greg shakes his head, frowning at Arden’s retreating forreat, but they’re at opposite ends of the spectru turns to uy…did he leave here at any point today?”