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I rounded er’s protests, and slid into the driver’s seat
"Are we mad at Uncle J, Mo out of the parking spot
I sagged against the steering wheel and put the car in drive, but just sat there with my foot on the brake for a few seconds He’d still been asleep when I’d put hi "No, buddy No, we’re not," I finally said
"Then e yelling at Uncle J?"
"Sometimes" I trailed off, and tried to think of what to tell hirown-ups don’t listen to each other very well And soet another grown-up to finally hear us, but that doesn’tIt wasn’t nice of me to do that to Uncle J I’ that I’d thought he’d fallen back asleep, but he suddenly said, "So Uncle J hears you now?"
I nodded "Maybe"
"Okay then, Moh he couldn’t see me, and whispered, "Thanks, buddy"
ONCE WE GOT hoed into so off et hoain, and tried to hide the disappointer, then walked out into theforon his knees and head dropped
Long seconds passed in silence after I sat down next to him before he looked up at me His expression ithdrawn and full of worry, but a sed at his mouth when I sent him a shaky smile
"I’ before I finished getting the second word out "Don’t be Apparently I still think you need et that you were raising Keith and dealing with Moe In my head, you still need me I know that you can make all of your own decisions, Charlie, but I feel like I still need to make them for you You know?"
"I want your opinion," I said quickly "I want your opinion, but I just want s and that’s the final decision for reement was that I needed to find my own place, but the times I’ve even mentioned that I’ve looked at places, you still say that it would just be easier to stay here in a way that hints that you don’t want us leaving Yes, it would be easier, but I need a place with Keith, and you and Grey and Aly need this place to yourselves"
Jagger nodded slowly "I know" He sighed slowly, and said, "I know Grey and I were talking on the way home about what you said I don’t think I realize all that I’ve been doing all these years, and I swear to God I’ll step back" He made a face, and the corners of his rin "Try to But there’s one thing I need to know Do you resentto answer, he laughed sadly "Got it"