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“Can you fixit?”he heardJeremyask.
“Yeah,I gotthe partsIneed in thevan,”said anotherman. “Butweneed togetsomeof this waterout beforeIcan startwork.”
“TheNYFDareon theirwayover,”Maxcalleddown.
“Thankfuckfor that.”
*
Fourhourslater, Max’sjeanswerecompletelysoakedthrough,aswell ashisshoes. Theburstpipe hadbeenfixed,the basementhadbeenpumpedand Max wasaboutagrandpoorer.Hetookdown thenames ofalltheguyswhoworkedladderthirty-threeand madesurethey wereonthelistfor opening night,and for everynightafter that.
“So,whatnow?”Jeremyasked astheywatched thefiretrucklurch awayfromthecurb.
“Now,weclean.”
When theywerefinallydone,itlooked asif nothing had happened totheclub atall.
“AreyougoingtotellEvangeline?”Jeremyasked,emptyingoneofthebucketsintothesinkin thejanitor’scloset.
“No.Shedoesn’tneedtoknow.She’sunderenoughstressasitis.”HehandedJeremythemops they’d been using.
“Who’slooking afterErin?”
Shit.Maxpulledouthisphoneandhitredialonthelastnumberhe’dcalled.Itrangtwicebefore Gigipicked up.
“Hello?”
“Gigi?Max.Howis she?”
“She’sfine,”shereplied. “Shewenttobed hoursago. I’vejustbeen herestudying.”
Hisshouldersrelaxed. “Good.That’sgood. I’mstillatwork. I won’tbemuchlonger, though.”
She yawnedontheother end of the phone.“Take your time. I don’thaveanywheretobe.”
“Who’sGigi?”Jeremyasked when hehad hung up.
Max’sjawclenched. “Do you alwayseavesdrop onother people’sphonecalls?”hesnarled before stalking off tograb hiswalletand keysoffthebar. Jeremyfollowed.
“Hey,sorry. Iwasjustasking.”
He knewhewasbeinganasshole,butlifehadgrabbedhimbytheballsand refusedtoletgo. Thatdidsomethingtoaman.“Gohome.I’llseeyouatmiddaytogothroughallthelastminute stuff.”
“You gotit,boss.”
He walkedhomequickly,practicallyburstingthroughhisfrontdoorand intothelivingroom. He listened foramoment, expecting tohearErin screaming, orsomething equallyasfrightening.The only thing hecouldhear,however, was his own breathing. Therewasabsolutelyno othersound. Marchingthroughthehouse,henudgedopenErin’sdoorquietlyandlookedinside.Hisdaughter wassound asleep in her cot,her thumb in her mouth. Hetooka second tojuststareather.Thatwas when herealized Gigiwasalsoin theroom.
Shewasasleepintherockingchairinthecorner.Shewasstillholdingthetextbookshe’dbeen reading, onefingerunderthepageasifshewasabouttoturn it.Walking overtoher, he slidthebookfreeandplaceditonthegroundbeside her.HethentookablanketfromErin’sdrawer and draped itover Gigi.
Retreating fromtheroom,he wentintothebathroomand undressed. Heturned on theshower toashotashecouldstand thengotunderthespray.Heturnedaroundandpositionedthe showerhead to spray on hisneckandshoulders,lettingthewatercarryawayallthestress oftheevening.Cominghometo realizeErinwasokayandthatGigihadn’tleftassoonashe’dleftthehousewasthebiggestrelief. Butheknewhecouldn’tdothattoGigiagainwithoutknowingwheretheystoodwithregardstothe job.Sheeitherwantedit,orshedidn’t.Hekilledthewater,wrappedatowel aroundhishipsand headed in the directionof thekitchen.
“Why didn’tyouwake me?”
Maxturnedat thesoundofGigi’svoice.Hereyeswidenedalittleastheydroppeddowntohis waist. He placed hishandsin frontof hiscrotchoutofhabit.
“Sorry,I didn’t mean tosneakup onyou,”sheadded quickly,turning around tofacethewall.
“It’sfine,” hereplied tersely. “Ijustneeded totakea shower toclean up.”
