Page 80 of The Bonus

He asked me to stay away and I did just that.

Dominic walks out in his Little League uniform and I smile. “You ready to go?”

He nods in an over exaggerated way. “Uh-huh.”

“Lucy,” I call. “We’re leaving, honey.”

“Coming.”

I throw our bag of snacks over my shoulder. I just need to get on with it.

I tap my foot as I wait for Deb to answer her phone. Ring ring, ring ring.

“Pick up.”

The crowd cheers and I pretend to be excited. The very last place I want to be today is at Little League.

I can’t get on with it, I’m freaking the hell out.

You’ve reached Deborah, leave a message.

“Call me urgently,” I whisper into the phone. The crowd all cheers and I push the phone into my ear to try and cancel the noise. “Shit’s gone down, bad shit.” I hang up in a rush. “Where the hell is she?”

Debbie is the only person who knows the whole story.

“Where is she?” I dial her number again.

“What’s wrong?” She answers first ring.

“Thank god.” I stand. “Excuse me.” I squeeze past the other parents who are sitting in the stand. “Excuse me.” I need to get away from everyone so I can talk privately.

“Where are you?” I ask.

“I’m away for the wedding.”

“Oh god, I completely forgot.” I drag my hand through my hair. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Gabriel turned up at my house.”

Silence.

“Did you hear me?” I stammer.

“Gabriel who?”

“Gabriel Ferrara,” I snap as my eyes bulge from their sockets. “What other Gabriel is there?”

“Oh…fuck.”

“He knows.”

“He knows?” she whispers in a panic. “How does he know?”

“I don’t know.”

“What happened?”

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