“I know I keep doing this. I…make excuses every time you guys invite me somewhere. I skip out of family dinners and I—I don’t always answer text messages.” “Aiden—” “It’s easier for me like this. I think I convinced myself that if I loved you guys less—if I loved Mom less—it wouldn’t hurt so bad if I had—if I had to lose her.” I choke on the words. “So I kept myself apart and hoped it would help.”
