Chapter 5: The Answer Key

Ben's phone was shaking in his hand, so I took it from him and sat on the loading dock steps.

The chat had three names at the top: Cass, Carson, Ben.

It was called Answer Key.

"Start at the beginning," Ben said.

"Scroll all the way up. It's long."

It took me a minute to get to the top.

The first message was from Cass, four years ago in March.

Cass: Vic got the raise, she's salaried now.

Cass: New rule for the game, boys. Vic writes what's true, we write something else.

Cass: She pays, she laughs, everybody's happy.

Carson had answered with a thumbs-up.

Ben had written: lol evil. ok.

I read the next one three times.

Cass: Don't overthink it, she LIKES picking up the check.

Cass: It makes her feel like part of things.

I did not say anything.

Ben sat on the step below mine and covered his mouth with his hand.

I scrolled.

Every dinner for four years had its own little thread. Cass would post the question the night before.

Cass: Tomorrow's is "Who ate the last slice?" Vic will say Ben.

Cass: We all say Carson.

Carson: Done.

Ben: Done.

And the next night, at the table, I would turn my napkin over with Ben's name on it, and three napkins would say Carson.

Everyone would cheer.

I would pay.

"There's a spreadsheet," Ben said into his hand.

"Cass keeps it. It's called the Tab."

He took the phone back long enough to open a file and handed it to me again.

Eighty rounds in four years. A column for the question, a column for who paid, a column for the total.

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