Page 123 of Joey

Only this time they’re giving it to me, not Johnny.

There’s more. More. More of them come up and place these checks on my plate.

I can’t even begin to imagine how much money is sitting in front of me.

Sometime during this whole procession I realize they are leaving the ballroom after they pay me so when it’s finally over, when the last person places her check on my plate—which is just a haphazard pile of thick paper now—the room is empty of everyone but me, and Huck, and Wald, and Brooke… and Michael.

Brooke, Huck and Wald have been standing behind me the entire time.

And that’s loyalty right there. I tell you what, that’s some real fucking loyalty.

But it’s misplaced, this loyalty. They don’t know it yet, but it’s wrong.

I look at Michael.

He says, “Is it enough? Will you go away and never come back?”

I slowly shake my head. Then clear my throat to find my voice. “No,” I say. Whispering the words. “It’s not enough. Because I didn’t come here for this. I came here to meet my daughter. That’s it. That’s all I wanted. Just a chance to know her. And you’re the one who turned that into this.”

Michael’s face is red with rage. He points his finger at me. “You’re the bad guy, Joey Boston. You. Not me. Not us. You are the bad guy here. You know why you can turn your nose up at this offer?”

I have a feeling he’s going to tell me.

“Because you already have it,” Michael seethes. “You don’t need it because you already have it.” His narrowed eyes are locked with mine. He works his jaw. Clenching it. I wait for him to take a swing. I might not be much of a fighter, but I know what a man looks like when he hates you. When he wants to knock your teeth out. When he maybe even wants to kill you.

And now I also know what a man looks like when he defiantly has no intention of letting you be a father to his child. Part-time, or otherwise.

“I never asked for it,” I say. “It probably doesn’t matter to you, but I never asked for it.”

Michael shakes his head, looks at each of us. Me. Then Huck, then Wald, then Brooke. “If I were you,” he says. Talking to them. “I’d cut your losses and throw this one back.”

And then he walks out.

I watch him leave. I watch him throw open the ballroom doors and disappear.

“And then there were four,” Brooke says.

“What. The. Fuck. Just happened?” Huck asks.

“Nothing,” I say, getting to my feet. I take a deep breath, straighten my jacket, and then turn to face my friends. “Nothing happened. And we really are leaving now.”

I start to walk away but Brooke reaches out and grabs my arm. I look down at her hand. Then up at her eyes.

She shakes her head. “You’re not walking out of here like that.”

“Like what?” I ask.

“Alone.” Then she takes my hand and gives it a squeeze. “Some secrets break people apart. And some bring them together. I have no idea what I just witnessed, but… do you even know who we are?”

I don’t laugh. She’s not saying it as a joke.

“We’re Huck,” Huck says, taking Brooke’s hand.

“And Wald,” Wald says, taking my hand.

“And Brooke,” she says, giving mine another squeeze.

I nod. Frowning. Nod again. Then say, “And Joey.”