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Prologue
The Summer Before Senior Year
Dorian
Old fucker: Feel free to let yourself in, son I’ll be in the parlor
My thumb closed out the text, countless others above it
They’d been what led me here today
I’d driven over two hours to see this fucker, tell this fucker hat I didn’t need his old ass anymore
Today was the day I told him
I’d ader than I had anticipated I couldn’t co the old s a bit and pretend like I wanted to get to know him
I got out of my car, parked in front of a manor the size of a city block The old fucker had done well in his reclusion He was an outcast from our town At least, when it caot out of prison, he’d made a new home for himself far away from my family and me
Dad had kept watch on him the first few years he’d been out, from what I understood He hadn’t wanted the oldto do with us, with me Apparently, the old fart upstate didn’t pose er heard whispers of Dad utilizing histeam upstate He used to often talk about the details with my mother, but that stopped
“He’s dead to hed “Might as well rant any more resources to him”
But Dad did still keep tabs, and I knew that because, on occasion, he did have his PI cos he used for various reasons He ran many successful businesses and worked with h-stakes clientele he worked with, he often had to find out if those people were on the up-and-up
His PI, Marshall, usually cauy, knehat he did Dad claimed he was a friend, but I had uy up one day Marshall waswith the fact that his fucked-up kin was currently out in the real world It was Dad’s way of functioning
What I’d been doing recently was mine
Since Charlie had died, I’d needed help I hadn’t wanted to stressto see this old fuck weekly all suet what I needed He’d helped me find the wo to Thatcher, she was returning to her position as head term
Things were finally coo on with the ruse I didn’t have to take the oldseen by my mother or father I didn’t have to pretend anyrandfather today
And it’d be oh so sweet
I slarandfather’sme out on the cobblestone ay He offered to take arages