Page 241 of The Bonus

I sit up. “Huh?” I can hear him breathing. I lean down and look under the bed to see him sleeping flat on his back on the hard floor with not even a blanket.

I glance at the clock. 8:20 a.m.

Shit.

“Gabriel,” I stammer. “Gabriel.”

His eyes slowly open before closing again.

“We’ve slept in,” I tell him.

“Ironic, seeing as how I didn’t sleep at all.” He keeps his eyes closed.

“Seriously, you have to get the kids up.”

“They can have the day off.”

“They can’t, it’s photo day.”

“I’ll take a photo of them with my phone.”

“Gabriel,” I snap.

He drags himself up onto his elbow and forces his weary eyes open. I burst out laughing. His hair is standing on end and his eyes are red and bloodshot.

“You look bad,” I whisper.

“I feel worse.” He pulls his hand down his face as he sits up.

“You have to go and pack the lunches and get the kids ready.”

He nods and climbs to his feet. He limps out of the bedroom.

“What happened to your foot?” I call after him.

“I broke my toe in the middle of the night…not that anyone fucking cares.”

I lie in bed and listen to him walk down each stair. “Ahh… Ohhh… Fuck… Ahh.”

“Kids,” I call. “You need to wake up. We slept in.”

My phone beeps a text.

Do you want coffee?

I reply.

You don’t have time for coffee.

I smile to myself as I wait for his reply.

I don’t have time for your negativity.

“Kids,” I call again. “You need to wake up.”

My phone beeps a text.

What do I pack them for lunch?

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