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Prologue
January 1st, 2012
"Resolutions"
I’m confident 2012 will be our year Mine and Lake’s year
The last few years have definitely not been in our favor At the end of 2008,me to raise hn decided to end our two-year relationship on the heels of their death To top it off, I ended up having to dropback to Ypsilanti to becouardian was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made…but also one of the best decisions
I spent every single day of the next year learning how to adjust How to adjust to heartbreak, how to adjust to having no parents, how to adjust to essentially beco a parentback on it, I don't think I could havethat kept …
I don’t even remember the entire first half of 2010 That year didn't start for me until September 22nd, the day I first laid eyes on Lake Of course, 2010 turned out to be just as difficult as the previous years, but in a completely different way I'd never feltour circuuess I didn’t spend a lot of ti alive
2011 was better in its oay There was a lot of falling in love, a lot of grief, a lot of healing and evenJulia passed away in September of that year I didn't expect her death to be as hard on ain
I od I have Lake
Like me, my father loved to write He always used to tell hts doas therapeutic for his soul Maybe one of the reasons I’ve had such a difficult ti the past three years is because I didn't take his advice I assuh ‘therapy’ forI have planned for it to be…perfect With all that said (or written, rather) writing is my resolution for 2012 Even if it's just one word a day, I'et it out of me
Part One
Thursday, January 5th, 2012
I registered for classes today I didn’t get the days I wanted, but I only have two se harder to be picky aboutto local schools for another teaching job after next seain For right now, though…I’randparents have been supportive while I work on ree I wouldn’t be able to do it without them, that’s for sure
We’re having dinner with Gavin and Eddie tonight I think I’ll ood That’s all I really have to say right now…
Chapter One
“Is Layken over here or over there?” Eddie asks, peering her head in the front door
“Over there,” I say from the kitchen
Is there a sign onpeople not to knock? Of course Lake never knocks anymore, but her comfort here has apparently extended to Eddie as well Eddie heads across the street to Lake’s house and Gavin walks inside, tapping his knuckles against the front door It’s not an official knock, but at least he makes an attempt
“What are we eating?” he asks He slips his shoes off at the door and makes his way into the kitchen
“Burgers” I hand hi hiers while I pull the fries out of the oven
“Will, do you ever notice hoe so?”
“It’s probably not a bad thing,” I say as I loosen the fries from the pan “Remember Eddie’s alfredo?”
He grimaces when he remembers the alfredo “Good point,” he says
I call Kel and Caulder into the kitchen to have them set the table For the past year, since Lake and I have been together, Gavin and Eddie have been eating with us at least twice a week I finally had to invest in a dining roo a little too crowded
“Hey, Gavin,” Kel says He walks into the kitchen and grabs a stack of cups out of the cabinet
“Hey,” Gavin responds “You decide where we’re having your party next week?”
Kel shrugs “I don’t know Maybe bowling Or we could just do so here"
Caulder walks into the kitchen and starts setting places at the table I glance behindan extra place
“We expecting company?” I ask
“Kel invited Kiersten,” Caulder says, teasingly
Kiersten o, and Kel seeht crush on her He won’t admit it, of course He’s just now about to turn eleven, so Lake and I expected this to happen Kiersten’s a few months older than him, and a lot taller Girls hit puberty faster than boys, so maybe he’ll eventually catch up