His aunt loved him; Jeremy knew she believed that. But she also thought he was a mistake. She would always look at him and see an error in the shape of his eyes, the curve of his nose. She might have loved him, yet she had no idea how he needed to be loved. “If you say one word against my mother, I will never speak to you again.” Root out every poisonous vine. He saw it now, in startling clarity. Some of those vines cared for him, but that didn’t make their poison less toxic. He’d made excuse after excuse for his aunt. She loved him. She meant well. She wanted the best for him. None of that
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