The Night She Got Lucky (31 page)

Ginger laughed at the irony. Just a couple months ago she was worried about whether to get a glycolic acid facial. Now she was worried about getting enough folic acid. Back then she was booking appointments with plastic surgeons who could make her look younger. Now she had to book an appointment with an OB who specialized in older moms.

She smiled at her boys. I'm going through a change all right, but not the one your dad thinks.

Jason shoved a wad of Doritos in his mouth and looked at her for a minute, as if he were weighing her last statement. You know, Dad said he didn't appreciate all the time Lucio was spending with me. He said he thought Lucio was just pretending to like me and Josh so you'd let him move in here and sponge off your alimony.

He called him a freeloader, Josh said.

And a gigolo, Jason said.

And Dad said your work at Petography wasn't a real job, Josh said.

And he said he's going to come over here one day and kick Lucio's ass, Jason added.

Ginger began laughing in earnest. It was just too hilarious. Here she was, knocked up with the disingenuous, freeloading gigolo's baby and not even gainfully employed! Was Larry going to have a field day with that, or
what
?

She was laughing so hard she didn't hear the doorbell.

Piers stayed for a quick cup of coffee, talking with the boys about his work. Eventually he told Jason they should be going. Do you mind if I speak with your mom for a moment? he asked Jason.

Sure, he said. Let me get my backpack from my room.

Piers opened the patio doors and gestured for Ginger to walk with him outside. HeatherLynn was right at her heels. It was a cool October day, and Ginger pulled her cardigan close.

Is everything all right? she asked, noticing a nervous energy in Piers.

He laughed a little. That's what I wanted to discuss with you.

Ginger stopped walking, and placed her hand on Piers's forearm. Is it Lucio? Is he all right? She couldn't prevent the horrible thought from racing through her headsomething had happened to him before she could tell him about the baby!

He is fine, physically. That's not it. Piers pulled out a chair for her at the outdoor table. Maybe you should sit down.

She did, yanking the sweater tight across her chest, suddenly shivering. HeatherLynn put her paws on her shin, whimpering to be picked up.

I don't know you very well, Ginger, but you seem like a very nice woman, and so I believe it is my duty to tell you that Lucio may not be exactly what he seems.

Ginger's heart thudded. For a second, the blood pounded so hard in her head that she couldn't hear.

I don't understand, she whispered.

Piers looked racked with uncertainty. I love him. He is like a brother to me, he said, now near tears. But I can't just sit by and watch him do this to you, the way he's done it to so many women.

Do what? Ginger asked, her head suddenly clear, the blood rushing to her limbs. She knew she would have to fight the instinct to run awaythat was how much she did not want to hear what was coming next.

You know, Lucio is not very good at keeping relationships going. He left his home in Spain and has had no contact with anyone in his family. It's sad.

I knew that, Ginger said.

And he's walked away from every woman he ever professed to love. One of them was so mad she had him tossed out of China and let go from his
Geographica
contract as her way of getting revenge.

He has told me all about this.

And my late wife, Sylvie? He crushed her heart into a million pieces.

Ginger didn't like how this sounded. It was as if Piers were trying to poison her view of Lucio.

Unfortunately, that approach even spreads to his friends, Piers went on. When Sylvie died, he didn't even bother coming to the funeral.

Despite the fact that her hands were tucked under her arms, she felt them begin to shake.

What I need to tell you is that Lucky has taken an assignment very far away and plans to leave any day.

No
.

He wouldn't do that
.

HeatherLynn suddenly jumped from her curled-up position in Ginger's lap, letting loose with a string of high-pitched yips. Ginger's throat tightened. She began frowning. She ripped a hand free so she could tap her brow.

The assignment is in Mauritius. Are you familiar with it?

Did it matter where the hell it was? she wondered. If the man was leaving for
Sacramento
it would be a deal-breakersimply because he hadn't told her in advance.

HeatherLynn would not stop barking.
Shush!
Ginger hissed.

It's an independent island nation off the coast of Africa, in the Indian Ocean. It is famous for being the home of the dodo bird.

Ginger almost laughed. As Bea would say,
What the fuck?
Why did this guy feel compelled to give her a geography lesson when her world was falling down around her?

But wait.

Ginger leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath. She studied Piers's pained expression, his downturned mouth. She didn't really
know
Piers Skaarsgard. But she knew Lucio, and she loved him with everything in her. There was no way she would think the worst of Lucio simply because a near stranger told her to.

I don't believe you, she said. Ginger pointed her finger at him. Look, Piers, I don't know what game you're playing here, but Lucio wouldn't do that to me. I'm sure of it. I can only assume that you're trying to get back at him for something, but it's not going to work. Ginger adjusted the direction of her point, gesturing to the backyard gate that would take him to the driveway. You need to leave now.

Piers cast his eyes down and shook his head. He reached in his jacket pocket. Look at this first, he said, pulling out a folded document.

Ginger didn't reach for it. Whatever it is, I'm not interested.

Piers sighed. He unfolded the legal-size sheets of paper and held them in front of her. Ginger couldn't help it. She looked. It was a contract between
Nature
magazine and Lucio. She grabbed it, flipped through pages, and found where Lucio had signed and dated it. She threw it at Piers.

Lucio was leaving her. Just as she feared. And she was pregnant with his child.

HeatherLynn wouldn't shut up.

Inadvertently, Ginger let out a tiny mewl of agony. Piers did not miss it.

I am so sorry to cause you pain by telling you. He reached out, stroking her cheek with his long, cool fingers. HeatherLynn growled and then snapped at Piers's hand. He pulled away quickly but not quickly enoughGinger saw a flash of red blood on his knuckle.

I need to go lie down, Ginger said, putting Heather-Lynn on the patio. She didn't apologize for her dog's behavior. Part of her was glad HeatherLynn bit the messenger.

Piers briefly scowled at the dog before he returned his attention to Ginger. You have no idea how I debated whether to tell you. It has been eating me alive for days. I have been lost.

You knew about this last night?

Yes, he said.

Ginger thought of how sweet Lucio had been the night before, offering to get her sweater, clearing the table, holding her in his arms before he left, telling her he worried about her health, that he loved her with all his soul.

Ha! No wonder Piers had stared at them when they'd kissed at this very table last night. No wonder he'd looked surprised! Piers knew! He knew Lucio was about to break her heart, the way he'd broken Sylvie's heart and the hearts of who knew how many others?

Ginger felt as if she were going to be sick.

Oh, my God, she whispered, bringing a hand up to her shaking lips. What had Roxie told her last month?
The only thing worse than a man abandoning you is a man abandoning you when you're carrying his baby

And just that morning, Roxie had called Lucio a
low-down, dirty, no-good, chicken-shit mother
fucker
. And Ginger had defended him!

Perhaps I've made a mistake telling you.

Ginger snapped to, noticing Piers sitting next to her. She'd almost forgotten he was there. No. I needed to know.

Maybe I should show Jason my work some other time.

Just then, Jason poked his head out of the patio doors. We going? he asked.

Piers looked to Ginger, his eyes full of sorrow.

No. Go ahead and take him. Can you bring him back by nine?

Sure.

Ginger got up from the chair. She nearly tripped over HeatherLynn, the dog was sticking so close to her feet.

Have a good time, Jase, Ginger said, trying to pretend as if her world had not just spun off its axis as she walked them to the door. Next, she poked her head into the family room to see Joshua watching TV. She went up to her room and collapsed on the edge of the bed. HeatherLynn leaned against her ankle, looking nervous. Ginger picked up the phone and called Bea.

I need you guys. Ginger began to cry. I need help.

Seven at Starbucks, Bea said, not even asking what had happened.

Great, Ginger said, knowing that it wasn't great. Nothing was great. And she knew there was no way she'd be able to keep it together until seven.

Fuck that, Bea said abruptly. I'll pick you up in a half hour. Hang on, Ginger. I'm on my way.

She smiled, the relief flooding over her. Mrs. Needleman had been right about Bea. She was something else.

You've got a cool apartment, Jason said, looking around at Piers's place. He'd seen it before, when he was here with Lucio getting the equipment, but he thought it was the polite thing to say. Besides, he hadn't really had much time to wander around while he was here with Luciothey just got the stuff and left.

Jason's eyes scanned all the large photographs on the walls.

Your pictures are totally ridonkulous! Jason said. All of these are yours, right, man?

Every one of them, Piers said, following Jason as he went from picture to picture. This is the aftermath of the Exxon
Valdez
disaster. These are sandhill cranes on the Butte River here in California. This a juvenile Kodiak bear on the Kenai River of Alaska.

God! That fish is flying right into his mouth! Jason said, amazed.

It's a salmon.

That is the coolest picture I've ever seen. How did you get it?

Piers laughed. By lying on my belly in the muck for six hours, waiting for the sun to rise and for a bear to show up.

No way. Jason couldn't believe it.

That is half the job of being a photographerwaiting around, getting filthy, and staying awake for that second that makes it all worth it.

Dude, Jason said. His eyes scanned the dozens of other photos in the room. Hey, that's Lucio! Jason walked over to the framed photograph on a ledge that separated the kitchen from the living room.

This must have been right around the time you guys did that documentary together. We saw it on YouTube.

Really?

Jason bent to look closer. He looked up at Piers. Is that your wife?

Piers blinked. He shoved his hands in his pockets. Jason stood up straight, knowing he'd said something wrong. Piers's face had gone completely weird. It looked like he'd turned to stone.

Yes. That's Sylvie.

Oh. Okay. Jason felt awkward. Does she live here, too?

Piers looked directly into Jason's eyes. She's dead, he said.

Oh. Sorry. Jason took a step back, then turned on his heel to pretend to be looking at other stuff. He felt really stupid asking that because now he had a vague memory of Lucio telling him that Piers's wife had died of cancer or something.

Have you eaten? Piers asked, suddenly cheerful again, already in the kitchen.

Uh, no. Not really. I mean, I had some leftover pie from dinner last night and a bunch of bagel pizzas and some Doritos and stuff after school, but no meal or anything. What you got?

Jason could hear Piers laugh, and that made him relax a little.

I thought I'd make us some chicken and dumplings. Have you ever had that?

Not sure. Is it good?

Piers smiled at him. One of my favorites.

Great. Yeah. That's cool. Jason wandered around a few more minutes in silence, looking at Piers's photographs. As Jason strolled around, he noticed how the pictures would make him feel sad, or happy, or excited, or angryand he figured that's what Lucio meant when he'd talked about Piers's talent. Lucio said Piers's pictures always managed to tell a story while they captured an image. Jason had nodded, figuring this Piers dude might be kind of nuts but he was a great photographer.

You can go look around in the spare room if you want. Remember where you got the equipment?

Oh, yeah. The place was a mess.

Piers laughed again, cutting chicken into pieces on a cutting board. There are a bunch of portfolios of my work lying around and some loose prints on the desk in there. I'll join you once I get the chicken going.

Cool.

Jason opened the door and giggled to himselfthere was more crap in there than in his dad's garage. He ran a hand over the tripod stands, a whole pile of lighting equipment, packing crates, and what looked like the kind of trunks a roadie for a rock band would wheel around. There were stacks of photos leaning against the wall and even more hanging. Jason opened the closet and laughedit was worse than
his
.

He peeked into boxes that held camera bodies and lenses and little gadgets he had no idea of the name of. Piers had a bunch of papers jammed in there, loose and in files. Jason noticed the telltale blue of a U.S. passport sticking out from a stack of stuff.

He yanked on it. That's when half the stack of crap fell off the shelf. When he reached down to gather up all the paper he saw something that didn't make senseLucio's signature. On a
Geographica
expense report. Jason felt a stab of fear go through his body, followed by a slow and sickening understanding.