Page 123 of Hail Marry
Much as I love that place, I’d so much rather be with Luca. It’s the last day before I find out whether my future will consist of researching ways to reunite with my deported spouse.
Most of the kids start showing up to Summit around 2:45, and I help one of the freshman-aged girls on her history essay. We’ve come up with a general outline when someone taps me on the shoulder.
I turn and find Dallin looking at me.
I veil my surprise. Dallin never seeks me out. “What’s up?”
“I just wanted to say bye.”
I raise my brows. “Didn’t you just get here?”
“I’m not staying.”
“Okay…” I’m thoroughly confused because this is a very un-Dallin-like conversation.
“I won’t be back,” he says.
I straighten and face him, my stomach sinking. “Oh? Why’s that?”
And that’s when I realize why his expression is so weird: he’s trying to suppress a smile. Which is more baffling than ever. Compared to Dallin, Luca is Buddy the Elf.
“I have football practice after school now,” he explains.
“Football practice?”
He nods, and the smile grows a little more apparent. “I tried out for a club team a few weeks back, and I made it, but I didn’t have enough money.”
I search his face, trying to put together the puzzle pieces he’s giving me. “But now you do?”
“Angela called me last night to let me know I got a scholarship.”
My eyes widen, and I grab him by the shoulders. “Are you serious?”
He nods, his efforts to mask a smile weakening by the second.
Now I’m the one grinning like a fool. “You mean…you got lucky?”
He laughs, and I’ve never been happier to see a kid smile in my life. “I guess I did.”
I want to hug him, but I’m actually not clear on the rules around that, so to be safe, I put up my arms to signal a touchdown and then break into my dance.
To my utter delight, Dallin joins in. For like 1.5 seconds. But those seconds are marvelous.
“I gotta run,” he says. “To practice.” He can’t stop smiling as he says the words, and I can’t either as he turns back toward the door. He stops when he gets to it and looks back at me again. “Tell your husband thank you.”
“Good luck, Dallin,” Angela says, coming up beside me and waving at him. “Don’t be a stranger.”
The door closes behind him, and I stare at it for a few seconds.
“That scholarship may just change his life,” Angela says.
“I really hope so,” I say. “Who gave it to him?”
There’s no response, so I look over at Angela, who’s looking at me strangely.
“Oh,” I say, “is it confidential? Sorry. I’m still figuring out how this all works. I almost hugged Dallin just now, but I’m assuming that’s a liability.”
She gives a breathy laugh. “Tori, it was your husband. Luca gave him the scholarship. And to three other kids too. I assumed you knew.”
