Page 54 of The Bonus

Oh. My. God.

“How does that sound?”

I glance back up at him, having no idea what he just said. “Good,” I lie, there is nothing sounding good about this at all.

“Okay then, I’ll see you in four weeks.” He writes something down on a piece of paper and passes it over. “Take these vitamins and eat a varied diet. Try to have as broad a range of vegetables and fruit as you can and keep up the fluids.”

I stare at him, mystified.

That’s it? He’s going to casually send me home carrying an entire fucking army in my stomach?

“Goodbye, Grace.”

“Goodbye.” On autopilot, I stumble out of the doctor’s surgery and wander to my car. I slump into my seat and stare out through the windscreen.

Too shocked to cry, too panicked to think and unable to speak.

Twins.

Gabriel

The car pulls into the curb and I open the door.

“Have a nice day,” Mark says as I climb out of the car.

“You too.”

I walk in through the front doors of the Ferrara building and stride to the elevator. Roderick the attendant gives me a polite nod as he pushes the button. “Good morning, Mr. Ferrara.”

“Morning.”

I stare at the doors as I straighten my tie, I can feel all eyes on me as I wait.

Hurry up.

“Beautiful day today,” Roderick says, trying to make polite conversation.

“It is.”

Why is this elevator so slow?

“Looking forward to getting to work today, sir?”

My unimpressed eyes rise to meet his. “Why are you so chatty?”

“Oh.” He gives me a lopsided smile. “I think it makes things less awkward.”

My eyes hold his. “I disagree.”

The doors open and I walk past him into it and turn toward the front, I see his face fall as the doors close.

Ugh, every morning he annoys me with his perky can-do attitude.

I don’t want to talk to you.

Fuck off.

I push the button and begin the climb to the top floor, the elevator stops on level three and I exhale heavily.

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