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How is this my life? I moved out here to live a nice, quiet existence, away fro to talk this fool––who one could argue is the topout of a tub filled with hay bits and ani at life looks like

“I don’t kno to fix it…” he continues as if I haven’t spoken Soood listener “I should’ve… I tried to… truth is I’m…” Another pause He rubs his face “I just… I dunno… sometimes I can’t help it”

“I beg to differ You can help it For starters, you can re in so that I can add disinfect the trough to the list of ”

He looks up atblue eyes His perfect beauty in the face of es me even more

“I’m sorry… I know I’ve been awful You shouldn’t have to put up with me… I don’t deserve your hospitality…”

Fuck He’s going with genuine remorse for once I have no defense for this It’s my Achilles heel My shoulders slu any sleep tonight With that in rab an empty tub with a few straws of hay left, flip it over, and sit

“You wanna talk about it?” I force the words out of my mouth

“No,” he blurts out defensively Then he digs the heels of his palms into his eyes “Yes… I think”

I think about what I’ht, I want it to be worth so

“Aidan… I don’t see you as the kind of person that would hurt anyone––least of all an old lady and her cat So what gives? What are you so angry about?”

A moment of silence “Do you know my father is a 3-star General?”

This sets me back His father? This is about his father? “No, I didn’t”

Aidan nods “He’s retired and living in Sarasota with my mother”

“That’s nice My parents are divorced” Then I realize the obvious ally, but they’ve been separated since I was six”

“That sucks,” he says, off-handedly

“My mother took off one day afterthe world”

“That sucks” It’s a major effort not to rollme… the old man’s favorite hobby”

My heart sinks “Aidan––”