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“Okay” I was grinning again, and once inside the church, I tried to keep my spirits up

“IYou know, in a pinch if you, like, really needed a or Britney Or, oooh, I know, I could sing an Ada if you think that would help You know, hit the them into it”

Ah, Hales The girl always kne to make me smile

“I think we’re good”

Dad was already at his pulpit, arranging notes, his fingers shuffling them nervously I walked up to hi He looked like he needed one badly

I hesitated, and when I would have stepped back, he scooped me into his arms He held me until the stiffness in my limbs and muscles faded

And I let him

I was cold, and ine what he was feeling

“You came,” he whispered near my ear

“Wouldn’t be anywhere else”

He stared down at me, and I saw the new lines around his eyes, the dark circles underneath, and theto do hit me so hard that my knees buckled

“Hey, sweets Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I said, a little shaky “I’ood I just…do you have to do this? I mean, can’t we…can’t you just, I don’t know, be yourself without having to make an announcement?”

He was silent for a few seconds as he glanced over athered behind us “No,” he whispered “I’ve been hiding and lyingto lead and counsel and be there for these people, I need to be honest about who I am I need to show them that…”

“Love is love?”