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 motherfucker. 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.