Thursday - 3/28
MARTIN HOUSE
Julie and Steven were putting on their coats. Benny came down the stairs. She was wearing a jersey and baseball cap.
BENNY: You guys ready?
STEVEN: Absolutely.
JULIE: Yes, yes. We’ve got everything together. Oh, I do wish your father could have come up for this. It would have been so nice to have the entire family together for Matilda’s first game of the season.
BENNY: I know. But, Dad promised Mattie he’d come see her games when she plays closer to Chicago.
JULIE: Well, in the meantime, we’ll have to send him pictures. Oh, and I hope they have new merchandise since they renamed the team to the Salem Panthers. As nice as the old jerseys are, it doesn’t feel right wearing the jersey with the old team name on it.
Steven chuckled and put a hand on Julie’s shoulder.
STEVEN: Jules, I’m sure they’ll have plenty of merchandise to support the team. Now, let’s go so we don’t miss the opening pitch.
Benny got her coat on, and she, Julie and Steven headed out to the car.
HUDSON STREET DINER
Jan brought Megan and Rolf’s plates, then sat down in the booth with them.
JAN: Okay, I only have, like, a little less than half an hour.
MEGAN: Understandable. Though I don’t know why you continue to work for that beastly man we saw the last time my…husband and I were in here. Surely you can do better.
JAN: I wish. If I could I would, believe me. The thing is, I have a bit of a record.
MEGAN: Oh, yes. We know.
JAN: Anyway, not very many people are willing to hire me because of what I did. Even though I did my time and am genuinely remorseful for the awful things I did, people still don’t trust me for some reason. Mr. Burke, despite not being great, was the only person to give me a shot.
MEGAN: That’s the funny thing about trust, isn’t it? It’s so easy to break, yet so difficult to gain, even more difficult to build back.
JAN: You’re telling me. I’m guessing you didn’t come here to talk about why I’m still working here, though?
MEGAN: Not as such, though your employment does interest me. I have a feeling I could be of help to you.
JAN: Why? You don’t even know me.
MEGAN: No, but I can sense a kindred spirit. You remind me of myself when I was younger, Jan.
JAN: I do?
MEGAN: Yes. Very much so. I’d like to get to know you a bit better, see if I am correct in my assumption. If this works out the way I think it will, it could be beneficial for both of us.
JAN: How?
WILL & SONNY’S APARTMENT
Ari and Liv sat on the floor of Ari’s bedroom. As far as Sonny and Will knew, they were doing homework. What they were really doing, however, was looking over the objects Liv had taken from the old abandoned house they’d come across at camp last summer.
ARI: We’ve gotta find out more about this. You still wanna investigate this, right?
LIV: Of course! We’ve just gotta find a time to go back. I know, we should see if we can do it during spring break!
ARI: That’s, like, tomorrow.
LIV: Yeah, I know. I’m going to my aunt’s for the week, the one I told you about who lives not too far from there.
ARI: Yeah, but I don’t know if I can go. I was more thinking that we could do it during summer vacation while we’re at camp.
LIV: Yeah, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t do some investigating while I’m there. I promise, I’ll tell you everything that I find.
ARI: Okay, sure. It’s cool that you’re staying with your aunt.
LIV: Yeah, she’s really nice.
There was a knock at the door.
ARI: Come in!
Ari and Liv hastily got out their school book and pens. Sonny opened the door and walked in.
ARI: Hi, Daddy.
SONNY: Hi, girls.
Liv curled a lock of hair around her finger.
LIV: Hi…
SONNY: How’s the homework going?
ARI: Good, we’re almost done.
SONNY: Good, that’s good. Ari, your other dad’s picking up pizza on his way home from work tonight, and he should be home in a bit. You wanna stay for dinner, Olivia?
LIV: That would be great! Thank you so much! I’ll just check with my parents, but I’m sure they won’t mind.
SONNY: Great. Is there any particular toppings you like or don’t like? We usually get chicken, bacon and artichoke for Will and I, and Ari usually gets sausage and pepperoni.
LIV: I’m good with that, if you don’t mind sharing, Ari.
ARI: Of course I don’t.
SONNY: Sounds good. I’ll let you guys get back to it, and let you know when it gets here.
LIV: Okay. Thanks so much for letting me stay for dinner.
SONNY: No problem. Hope the homework goes well.
ARI: Thanks.
Sonny walked out, shutting the door behind him.
LIV: He is so cute!
ARI: Okay, you have gotta stop referring to my stepdad as cute. He’s not cute, he’s my stepdad. Anyway, let’s get back to this.
SALEM HIGH
Tate had just gotten finished with his first day of baseball practice. He had finished getting dressed and was about to leave when his phone rang. The caller I.D. said “Unknown”. Tate furrowed his brow, but answered it anyway.
TATE: Hello?
The voice on the other end of the line was heavily distorted.
VOICE: We need to talk.
TATE: Who is this?
VOICE: A friend.
TATE: No, really, who is this?
VOICE: Someone who knows the truth, and is willing to share it with you.
TATE: What? What does that even-
VOICE: Don’t ask anymore questions. You’ll know everything soon enough if you do exactly what I say. There is a bench in Salem Park, one that is particularly well used. You’ll know the one when you see it.
TATE: You know this sounds really creepy, right? Some weird dude I don’t know calling me out of nowhere, telling me to meet him at the Park.
VOICE: Think of me as…a friend.
TATE: And how am I supposed to do that when I know nothing about you?
VOICE: You’ll know everything you need to soon enough. Meet me at the park bench in one hour. I’ll be waiting.
The line clicked. Tate looked at his phone.
TATE (thinking): The hell was that about?
