Page 161 of The Bonus

Friday afternoon, I grab the four cartons of milk and put them into the fridge. The worst part of grocery shopping is unpacking it when you get home.

My phone dings and I read the text as it comes through, it’s from Gabriel.

Finally here and settled.

I’ll see you tonight.

My address is.

I read the address and frown, ugh, he’s so predictable. Of course he got a house on the most exclusive street in town.

My stomach flips. He’s here.

“Guys,” I call as I act unexcited. “We’re going to have dinner tonight with our friend Gabriel from New York, remember him?”

“Really?” Lucia gushes with excitement.

Dominic looks up from his place on the couch. “Can I stay home?”

“No, baby.” My heart sinks, damn it I hate that Dom saw Gabriel and me fight that first visit, definitely not my finest hour. “Gabriel’s a nice man and you’ll like him if you just give him a chance.”

Dominic curls his lip, unimpressed.

“What will you wear?” I ask him to change the subject.

“Can’t I wear this?” He looks down at himself.

“Why don’t you wear something nice?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, dress up with some nice pants and a shirt or something.”

“Can I wear my new yellow dress?” Lucia butts in.

“Of course you can.”

“Can you braid my hair?”

“Yep.” I smile.

Dom goes back to watching television and I know I have to move him along or else he will sit there procrastinating forever. “Dominic, go upstairs and have a shower and wash your hair, sweetheart,” I tell him.

“Now?”

“Yes, now.” I widen my eyes. “Turn the television off, please.”

He grumbles his way up the stairs and I hear the bathroom door close behind him.

Nerves dance around in my stomach. Tonight is the night. Up until now they’ve never really asked questions about their biological father, they’ve been too young to really understand it all.

Please let this go well.

Lucia takes off up the stairs all excited, and then another thought hits me, what the hell will I wear?

An hour and a half later, we drive up the road as I glance at maps on my phone. “It should be just up here on the left.” I keep driving. “And remember, we are using our best manners here tonight. It was very nice of Gabriel to ask us to dinner.”

I just want tonight to run smoothly without the drama of Dominic’s cheeky shenanigans.

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