She had been kind of cute, for a while. Now she was skinnier, but stinkier, both better and worse at the same time.Molly's stinky little cloud of body...odor, her dirty clothes, and hair grossed me out. As I passed by her, I wondered out loud, "Have you no pride? You ate our food. Go ahead and use our soap."I made a cup of coffee. After turning the TV down, I settled into my favorite chair and started to read a novel. It's vacation and what little time I have should be for fun. It's not so easy. We'd love ta have ya..." Miller--" Hitch began."I know, Hitch, I know. Yer a loner. I get tha'. Bu' back in tha Spring ... ya seemed ta enjoy bein' aroun' people again, even if jus' fer a night. Thought ya migh' try it out."Hitch didn't reply, trying to politely decline the man's offer, understanding what it would mean to be back in Miller's home, around his wife and daughter. It always ended in heartache and sadness, and Hitch had spent years trying to avoid those risks. "Thank you, Miller.. ”And that made sense to me, and then she said “I think it's like a dad thing to me”.And that was like 'Wham!', like a revelation, like all the thoughts that had bundled up in my mind over the last couple of years until they were like a ball of yarn with knots and tangles everywhere just suddenly came undone all at once. Because it was like a dad thing for all of us. Lucy's dad had left her mom before she was even born and Lucy's mom had never really gotten over that, and it was the same with my. ?It’s like I’ve said, everything’s done. I’ve worked, I’ve made some money. Good good money. I’ve traveled, eaten and explored. This is all about keeping that discovery going,? I say cryptically. ?It’s something I’ve always wanted and I don’t think I can finish out my life without it.? Listen to me, I sound like I’m a million years old. ?Good, that’s good. You’ve obviously thought it out quite a bit.? ?Oh yeahhhhh,? I mumble. ?Well we’ve been talking for a long time.