Page 11 of Wrench

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stupid? What were you thinking? I get home at this time of the day every day. You

couldn¡¯t even try to hide the evidence?¡±

¡°I¡­ I lost track of time¡­¡±

¡°Oh, that makes sense.¡± I threw my hands up in the air. ¡°Having too much fun with

your whore to notice the time!¡± I dropped my arms and paused before asking, ¡°Wait. Why

aren¡¯t you at work?¡±

¡°I umm¡­ I booked the day off¡­¡±

My stomach dropped. ¡°You booked the day off? You planned this? Who the fuck is

that woman, Travis!?¡±

¡°Her name is Gina¡­¡±

¡°I don¡¯t want to know her name! Where the fuck did you find her? Do you work with

her or something?¡±

¡°No, umm¡­¡±

¡°Obviously, this has been going on for a while, Travis,¡± I snapped. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. You

don¡¯t have the moves to stroll into a bar at happy hour and take someone home with you.¡±

Offended, he quipped back, ¡°Well, I managed to pick you up.¡±

¡°Yeah, when we were dumb and twenty-two, hammered at a frat party,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s

dinner time and you¡¯re sober. Unless you paid her¡ª¡±

¡°I didn¡¯t fucking pay her, Sam, Jesus.¡±

¡°Then I know this is serious,¡± I said, my voice beginning to tremble. ¡°I know you. You

wouldn¡¯t do this unless you¡­ you had real feelings for her¡­if this was going on for a

while, behind my back. So, answer the question. Where¡¯d she come from, Travis?¡±

He gulped, knowing I had him cornered.

¡°Spit it out.¡±

¡°Uh¡­ we met online,¡± he finally said. ¡°When I was playing video games¡­ about three

years ago.¡±

My heart sank into my stomach and burned away in the acid as I absorbed what the

sentence meant. ¡°Online¡­? Three years ago¡­?¡± That was how they had all that quiet time

to develop a bond. I was in the same room as him while he had her in his pocket. Tears

welled in my eyes. ¡°Really, Travis? Are you serious? You¡¯ve been talking to her for the

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