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Clinton

My knees curled againston ht with otten How proud I was of Cecilia standing up to him

How much my heart hurt that Rae witnessed any of it

I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of Michael’s SUV pull out of the driveway No, not pull out Peel out Tires squealed along the concrete and the sainst my knees as the rain cahtning flashed above ?

Could it wash away my sins?

I felt sick to my stomach I wanted to vohtThings were simply… silent The sound of the rain soothedof thunder reminded me of reality

Reminded me of the presence of my unconscious father

My back rested heavily against the railing as I slowly looked up I stared at the house as water dripped froo after Rae I wanted to wrap her up in my arms and tell her I didn’t mean it But I couldn't I knew I couldn't Because I was bad news, and I alould be

She had her life ahead of her

And I had nothing in my future

My eyes slowly gravitated tounconscious on the porch I didn’t even knohat to do with hi? I saw his back softly retted it

Al killed my father when I had the chance

What kind of person does that make me?

I grinored hio away Maybe if I blinked my eyes rapidly, it would soainst Rae’s body Back to the last tieous eyes

So I blinked as quickly as I could Faster, and faster, while I prayed it tookin quick succession was the key to time travel

It wasn’t, though

It only served to hold back my tears

Rae deserves someone better

Those four words kept rushing around in rew and the wind howled My leather jacket shrunk against me as the rain continued to batter it Rae did deserve someone better Soerous The life I lead wasn’t a life to pull someone into The family I had wasn’t a family I needed to add to