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He let me finish, then he looked at ht now I could take time off if I needed it (I needed routine) and I didn't have to share if I didn't want to share (I didn't) but he needed to know if he should look out for anything

And then he hugged me

It was probably inappropriate Really inappropriate But it felt so war

I didn't have to pretend anymore

Liam saw me

I didn't want him to see me, but he did

It was terrifying but it was freeing too I didn't have to hide anymore

"I've had the saer, on and off I first got help in college That hen I realized h the sa I tried to talk to her about it, but she… I don't know There's this gulf between us It's hard"

Preston nods

"I don't think it was the right tientle with her" The way I'd want soentle with me The way Liam was "Sometimes, I'm too stuck, too still, and any sort of movement is abrupt It sends me back into my shell So I still try, I still try to be soft with her when she's in another phase, but it's hard"

"It's not fair to you, having to take care of her"

"Who else will do it?"

"Your father?"

"He does In so He sleeps with other women He has affairs Some are short Some last years And they always send her into a depressive cycle, when she finds out But he still ives her space and takes her out to dinner and keeps food in the fridge He's not there to ht First, frozen chicken tenders in the hetti and meatballs"

"You father?"

"He was never hoh He'd take us to dinner on the weekends He'd dote on us on the weekends He was there He was an attentive father Until I pushed him away"

"Because of the affairs?"

I nod "I couldn't forgive hiht he abandoned Mom Abandoned us"

"It's normal to feel hurt"

"She had phases The way I do, only … when she is on the upswing, you've never ht" I alo Then I re a per because she didn't have lunch for school, the long, silent nights at hoe Kids Maybe that wasn't all of it, but it was a big part And I don't want that I don't want to lose my vibrancy" I blink and a tear catches on my lashes

Preston offers his hand

I take it Squeeze tightly "Thanks, I… I don't think I've said this out loud It's just fucked up"

His laugh is sad "It is Children shouldn't take care of their parents"