Chapter 32-4

Marley relaxed a little in her seat, officially intrigued. "What did he tell you?" "He told me he was where I am once," Gabby explained, her voice softening. "That there was a period of time where he pushed away those he cared about, and was dead-set on destroying any goodness in his life. All because he was lost, and confused, and hated the world almost as much as he hated himself. But what he told me is the flaw in that plan, is that he was pushing away the cure to his pain, rather than protecting himself from any more of it. 'Pain is inevitable, but love and family make it worthwhile.' He told me you taught him that." Marley blinked away sudden tears, her eyes finding the nine on his jersey as he jogged out to the field with the offensive line. "Oh." "And he said that you would stand by me no matter what, no matter how long I decide to push you away and make bad choices that hurt you, because that's who you are. Because you stand by him in his