Page 152 of The Bonus

“I was,” she agrees.

I smile at her innocence. “I wish I knew you then.”

She nods as she thinks. “Me too.”

“Do you have any photos of you when you were a baby?”

“Mom does.” She nods. “There are even some when we are still in her belly.”

“Really?”

Pregnant Grace.

“Can I see them?” I ask.

“Okay.” She smiles, all excited, she takes off and I follow her down the hallway into Grace’s bedroom. She bends down and looks under the bed.

“What are you doing?” I frown.

“They’re under here.” She slides a chest out from under the bed.

“Oh.”

She opens the lid and smiles proudly. “These are all our photos.”

I stare at the box in awe, a transportation to the past, to all I’ve missed. “Thanks, Lucia, this is perfect.”

“Mom keeps everything special under her bed.”

“Does she?”

Hmm…

“Well, this is great. Thank you.” I push the hair back from her forehead as I stare down at her. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more perfect child, not that I’ve ever looked closely at any, I guess. “Is your brother awake yet?”

“Don’t know. Where’s Mom?”

“Downstairs.”

“I’m going to go see her.”

“Okay.”

She toddles off and I wait until she has gone down the stairs and I quietly close the door.

Let’s see what other special things Mom keeps under her bed.

I kneel down and peer under, there are a few boxes and I slowly slide them out.

Photographs mainly.

Hmm, right at the very end is another box that looks identical to the one with the baby pictures. I wonder what’s in there. I slide everything out of the way and nearly have to half crawl under the bed to retrieve it.

It’s dusty and looks like it hasn’t been opened in a long time.

I glance back up at the door. If Grace comes in now, I’m dead. I slowly open the box and frown, it’s full of notes and trinkets and random things. I pick up a coaster and turn it over.

Peter’s New York

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