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I tilted my head “You think you were destined to be unhappily married?”

He took another sip “I think I was meant to be a father, but not a husband”

“Got it” I looked up at the sky It was too cloudy to see stars tonight “I think I was meant to be a wife and a mother”

“You’re young You’ve got plenty of time”

I chewedkind of personal?”

He gave lance “Okay”

“Did you leave your e? Or did she?”

“She asked me to leave”

“Oh” A minute ticked by in silence, while my mind wandered between the past and the present “My mom left us when I o”

He was silent a h”

“I think it was harder onin the sa her”

“You didn’t visit her?”

“At first we did She ia after she left, andthe summer for a couple weeks, but we never loved it”

He sipped his beer again “I used to go really long periods of ti my kids—months and months, when I was deployed I dealt with it because I had to But now I can’t i miss them when I don’t see them for five days”

“She used toup to see us, but she rarely kept the them” I paused “And eventually, she didn’t even make them anymore”

Dex looked at me, then reached over and touched my wrist “You deserved better”

Surprised, I glanced down at his hand, which must have made him self-conscious because he rehtenthe same relationship mistakes I’ve made in the past Or at least help e of character”

“So if I see any selfish-looking pricks on your doorstep, should I tell thee of character”

“Oh yeah?” I asked, s the next Merrick a rowl

He nodded “I can spot a narcissistic asshole a mile away I was raised by one”

“Oh” My smile faded

“It’s fine Believe it or not, his shitty exaht me a lot of valuable lessons about the kind of man and father I want to be”

“That’s good, I guess Silver lining and all”