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My face got war face He stepped aside so I could enter

“You have a key,” he stated as he closed the door

“I knowI just feel weird using it” The day of closing he’d given e door opener Both sat in a drawer at home

“Where’s Lil’ Man?” he asked, walking past me toward the fa up the rea

“Um, Dorian took him to my parents before she headed to Charlotte II knee needed to talkabout a lot of stuff”

“Why’s she headed to Charlotte?”

“Her divorce is being finalized this week, and she has a few things left to tie up with her house and such”

He nodded, but made no direct comment He picked up the remote, and turned off the TV “You can sit or do you feel weird about doing that, too?” His head snapped down and he leaned forward to put the remote back on the table then looked over at nore what I said You want a beer?”

He got up, and walked into the kitchen without waiting on a reply I droppeda seat I heard the pop of two bottles being opened, but kept ing over the fireplace A bottle appeared inhim quietly Malcolm resu drink, trying to decide how to start this conversation I rubbed ers brushed over the chain of the necklace I wore,down until I held the infinity syave it a squeeze and took a breath

“You could have finished watching your game”

“It’s fine My tea anyway”

I took another drink Why was this so hard? It was Malcoluy

“I’ll make this easy for you We can just pretend the last month didn’t happen”

I turned to look at hiure out if the indifferent look on his face was real or an act My knee bounced, and my hands twisted around the beer bottle

I sed My uzzled the rest of the contents This hat I’d wanted, what I’d been aiive me the relief I’d expected?