Chapter 43

• Cole’s [POV]
• “It is,” I said, “and at the same time, it isn’t. It’s just kind of what had to happen. Declan was born at the treatment center, and Marissa stayed there for a few weeks after he was born. She was on methadone at that point, so when he was born, he was addicted to opioids, too. He went through withdrawal, and it was awful. My parents had gone up there when she’d gone into labor, and I could tell after I talked to my mother on the phone that she was not going to be able to handle any of this. She had this whole idea in her mind about how things were going to be, but that was so far from the truth. I mean, they would have done it if I said I wouldn’t, but it would’ve been so hard on them. Getting to see Declan every week like they do works for them. They wouldn’t want to hear me say it like this, but they’re too old to be raising a little kid again.”
• Then we were both quiet, watching the fireflies. I did feel better. I felt as though a weight had been lifted from me, as though talking about it like this was what I had needed to do all along.