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The rest of the week flew by uneventfully, and by Thursday I was glad it was al was early for ry, I stopped off at a burger place on the way hoot

Sliding into a booth at the back of the restaurant, I picked up a er and thick cut chips, the first thing I setanything about it, there was a good chance you’d walk right out Its aging interior and daggy at place to eat It wasn’t just convenience that led me here Believe it or not, Levine’s held a lot of sentimental memories for me

The first time I’d been there was as a child, way back before Muhter who had hooked up one night with nant with me There was no love in their union at all; it was all about necessity Dad’s father demanded they marry, so they did What resulted was a very cold, emotionless relationship that carried over into childhood for my brother

They were both full of blae and earound Mu

m are of his unfaithfulness, but she was also terrified of him

When I was nine and Alex was seven, Mu and never came back The note she left us in her roo our er As a nine-year-old, reading the words ‘I can’t handle being your uts How could a child not take that to heart? For years I switched between bla Now, I just blame her She s are for you, how can you justify leaving your children in an environment you can’t handle yourself?

After she left, things with Dad became even more strained If he was not around much before she left, afterwards we barely saw him at all At nine, I had more contact with my nanny thanI had to please hinored, it was like suddenly at the age of sixteen I had becoed h deep down I kneas only for his benefit If I wasn’t able to help, then I was no use If I hadn’t shown any interest in the fanored

I often thought about Mum, especially when I went to Levine’s It was the place of the last meal Alex and I had withto eat with us

“You ready to order?”

I glanced up at the uninterested waitress who stood with her pen poised, ready to take note She looked about fifty, with curly red hair and freckles I gave her my order and watched her as she walked back behind the counter

The restaurant was pretty e couple that sat two booths over were feeding each other chips in between s at each other I rolled my eyes at their behavior I turned and focused on the only other person in the place: a pretty woman who sat alone

She looked young, probably early twenties, but there was soer on Her cream-and-white striped dress that iveaway that she worked there I hadn’t seen her before—not that I came in very often She had the kind of face I’d re from me that said a lot Beauty was everywhere, and when you sleep with as many women as I did, it becomes difficult for beauty to stand out But this woman did just that She stood out from every other woman I’d been with or wanted to be with

What exactly it was about her that drewdown her back, layers flying everywhere Every now and then she had to tuck the escaping strands back behind her ear, only to have theain Her porcelain skin, so soft and creaainst her dark red lips—lips that parted into a s on her phone She looked up suddenly,

So inside me squirmed Was that embarrass besides the need for a good fuck? I busiedinto led inside me like a confused mess

“Enjoy”