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“When Patrick took your place, I thought I hed “I couldn’t understand why you’d sent him to ith me”

Grunting, I thought about Derek in those days Allison had died, and he’d turned into a bigger, darker version of ry, and he was mean It wasn’t who he was

“I was a bad influence on you” I finishedfor the near-empty bottle

“You didn’t have anything to do with hoas back then” He went quiet a moment “Melissa is the skeleton key to that mystery”

“Melissa’s your fiancée?” He’d only ed, she had to be pretty special I kne he’d felt about Allison

“She’s fucking adopted your little brother” He rubbed his face “He took care of her at a time when I couldn’t”

My lips tightened against another crarunt out

His eyes cut to me then “Need another ibuprofen?”

I held out my hand in an attempt to say no He didn’t press it Another thirty seconds, another ht he’d fallen asleep when he spoke again

“You can’t fight for your country now I get it” He rubbed his forehead, probably trying to think against all the alcohol we’d consuh Fuck, Stuart Find so”

Staring at the fire, I thought about it He orking hard He was doing what I’d do in his place if the tables were turned He wouldn’t let ive up, and I appreciated the effort, even if I kneas futile

“Yeah,” I said, wanting to let hi to work on that”

My eyes rose to the stars spread over us Nothing interestedf

ulfilledmillions of Americans who never even knew my name did