Page 193 of The Bonus

I begin to pace as I dial her number, ring ring…ring ring…ring ring.

You’ve reached Grace Porter, leave a message.

I hang up.

I’ll deal with Grace later; I have to get Ariana safely home to her family before anything else.

Mark arrives at the door. “The plane is ready whenever you are.”

I put a T-shirt into the bag. “We’ll leave in twenty minutes.”

Four hours later.

The plane touches down on the runway at JFK as I stare out the window.

Ariana has slept on my shoulder the whole way home, and I’m beginning to wonder if she’s had some kind of breakdown. She isn’t acting like herself at all, she’s usually so strong and proud, and I don’t know what to say that won’t just upset her even more.

Keeping my mouth shut is the best option.

Get her home safe. I’ve already called her parents. I get a vision of her crying and hitting my chest as I held her and my heart sinks.

The most horrible core memory that will forever be burned into my brain, I don’t even want to imagine that it might happen again when I leave. I feel physically sick over it.

I glance at my phone, no missed calls.

My attention turns to stare out the window. I didn’t even say goodbye to the kids.

What must they think?

A strange woman turns up screaming and crying and then they’re rushed out of their own home and suddenly I’ve gone with her.

Maybe I should drop Ariana home and then fly back to Greenville…but then I have to present to the board tomorrow here in New York.

Fuck’s sake, this is a logistical nightmare, them living so far away.

I’m going to call Grace and see if she can fly out here for the week. The kids can have one week off school, surely, these are extenuating circumstances. Dominic and I had just started to turn the corner, I don’t want this morning to be in his little brain. He’s an overthinker like me, I know how he would be reading into this. He’ll think that I’ve chosen to be with her over them, that I’ve left of my own free will.

I need to be with them.

Ariana’s hand slides up my thigh and she takes my hand in hers. “Thank you.”

I glance down at her. “For what?”

“Coming home with me.”

I didn’t come home with you. I stare at her for a moment as I do an internal risk assessment. I can’t upset her again before I get her home safely.

I squeeze her hand in mine and give her a sad smile. “Let’s get you home, hey?”

She smiles hopefully up at me and kisses my shoulder. “I love you.”

I give her a stifled smile as my heart breaks all over again for her.

This is possibly the worst day of all time.

The plane comes to a stop and I stand and grab the bags. Mark takes our bags down and I help her out of her seat. I grab her handbag and take her hand and lead her out of the plane and down the stairs to the waiting car on the tarmac.

I open the door and wait while she climbs in and I get in behind her.

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