‘What is this?’ I asked as Ava parked.
‘A parking lot. Now get out.’ Before I could ask another question, she got out and popped the trunk of her uncle’s car. She grabbed a flashlight and waited for me. ‘Off we go.’
‘Go where? What’s going on?’
‘A surprise.’
I groaned. I didn’t want a surprise. This was supposed to be my first night out since New Year’s – watching TV at Ava’s house didn’t count. And instead we were going into the woods?
‘Did the party get broken up?’ I asked.
‘Yes,’ she said, taking my arm and leading me into the woods. ‘Watch your step.’
‘So you guys are drinking in the Super Save Lot parking lot?’
‘Clearly not, since it’s now several paces behind us.’
Drinking in the woods wasn’t much better. I was not going to be partaking because the last thing I needed was to get drunk and fall on my healing fingers. Though that still seemed possible since we were traipsing through the woods at nine thirty at night. Ava held on to my arm as she pointed the giant flashlight ahead, reminding me to be careful as we stepped over fallen trees and branches.
The woods started to thin out a bit, and we came to an asphalt pathway. Every few yards of the path had a small blue emergency pole with a light and speaker. I knew exactly where we were now.
‘Seriously?’
It was the Sunset Estates walking path.
‘Why are you dragging me to work? And why wouldn’t you just go through the front gates?’
‘Because it’s nine thirty at night, and that would look suspicious.’
‘Yes, much less suspicious than sneaking through the woods.’
‘As long as we don’t get caught, yeah.’
We emerged near the east wing’s exit and went around the darkened windows of the casual dining room. The dumpsters by the loading dock were somehow still stinky, despite the cold weather.
Standing on the loading dock were four figures, three of them holding paper grocery bags. I could make out Morgan and Kevin in the darkness. But who—
‘Bahama Mama!’
Kevin and Morgan shushed James.
He whispered again, ‘Bahama Mama!’
So that’s one. Who was the last person? He stood off to the side of James, Morgan and Kevin. Like an outsider. My stomach lurched as I wondered if it was Gabe. But the closer I got, the less he looked like Gabe. He was lit from behind with the bright white bulb over the rear door, so I could see he wore loose-fitting jeans and a hoodie. In his left hand he also held what looked like a giant yellow plastic suitcase. I held up my hand to block the light.
‘Grant?’
‘Hey, Tommy,’ Grant said. The last time I had seen him was at Oscar’s Ice Cream the night Gabe and I kissed the second time. The thought somehow made my fingers ache and my stomach lip.
‘Let’s take this inside,’ Ava said. ‘Before we get caught on one of the cameras.’
The four on the loading dock turned and opened the door, which should have been locked.
‘What’s going on?’ I asked Ava.
‘I promised Greg in the dish room he could look at my boobs if he left the door open before leaving tonight.’
‘Ava!’
