Page 34 of Bountiful
“I’ll need the pads just for Bess.” I took a bite of my sandwich, trying to predict what my sister would say. She was going to be pissed as hell at me for causing drama during contract negotiations. Bess always told her athletes, “This is the month to be on your bestbehavior.”
Shit. She was going to rip me a new one and then kick me into nextTuesday.
“When are the other guys getting in?” Leo asked, opening a bag ofchips.
“Uh…” It was hard to believe that only a few hours ago, I’d been in vacation mode. “Couple hours, maybe. Doulie and Castro are driving uptogether.”
“Eat your sandwich. And then call your sister after you’re done. Get itoverwith.”
I grunted at the rookie. But I knew he was right about making that phone call. Even if it was going to beawful.
“Say that again?”Besswhispered.
I swallowed hard. “A baby, Bess. You heard me. Fifteenmonthsold.”
“Fifteen…months.” The quiet calm of her voice was scarier than screaming wouldhavebeen.
“That’s what she said.” I cleared my throat. “The math checksout,too.”
“This is that bartender? Long black hair.Funnyname?”
“Christ, Bess. How do you know this shit about me?” There were some things you don’t tell yoursister.
“You talk about her every time you’redrunk, Dave!” she yelled. Finally the yelling had started. “Three different times at least! You just left out the part abouttheBABY!”
“Didn’t know,” I argued. Still, I felt oddly better now that she was screaming. Sometimes Bess’s anger had to burn itself out like abrushfire.
“You said once that if you ever settled down with someone, it would be someone like her. And I said—why don’t you give her a CALL AND SEE HOW SHE’SDOING?”
I held the phone away from my ear to avoid permanent hearing loss. Across the room, Leo gave me a sympathetic look and then got up and went outside to give me someprivacy.
“I know I fucked up, Bess.” Not to mention that I didn’t ever remember telling her anything like that. Wisely, I kept that argument tomyself.
“You didn’t ever give her your NUMBER? What kind of assholedoesthat?”
“She didn’twantmy number.” I scrubbed my palm over my face. “She was really clear on the subject. Can we get past the details of how it happened, and get to the part where you tell me whattodo?”
“I need to talk to yourlawyer.”
“Right.”Thankyou.
“I’ll deal withyoulater. Text me the address where you’re staying. Do it now. The lawyer will send you some documents.”Click.
My sister actually hung uponme.
Jesus. I hung up the phone and stood up fast. The cabin walls seemed to be closing in on me. I stomped outside. Leo was sitting in a hammock strung between two trees, drinking a beer and poking at his phone. “The cell service is for shit here. I can barely check myemail.”
“Welcome to Vermont. That’s why I used thelandline.”
Leo dropped his phone onto the grass beneath the hammock. “What didBesssay?”
“Just some yelling.” I flopped down on the grass. The yelling wasn’t as bad as herdisappointment, though. I hated disappointing Bess. “She’s going to call our lawyer and get some advice, I guess. I dunno. I’ll call her back tomorrow or the next day after she’scalmeddown.”
“She’ll calm down.” Leo lifted his hand and looked at the wedding band on his finger. “I’m still not used towearingthis.”
“Would Georgia freak if you tookitoff?”
“Nah. But I don’t need to.” Leo worried the ring on his finger. “I’m not used to it yet, but I don’t mind it at all. Sometimes it catches the light and surprises me. I think—that can’t possiblybemine.”
