The night was cool and silent by the lake. I walked a few steps away from the cabin, far enough that Alice wouldn't hear the conversation, but close enough that I could still see her silhouette on the porch, her hand on her belly, watching me with that mixture of love and concern she'd perfected over the months.
I put the phone to my ear.
"Gustavo?"
"Marco. Sorry to call so late."
"It's fine. What's wrong?"
On the other end of the line, I heard my friend and lawyer take a deep breath. Then a silence that lasted too many seconds.
"Man, I could have told you this tomorrow," he began. "But I couldn't wait."
"Just tell me, Gustavo. You're making me nervous."
He laughed. A light, relieved laugh that I hadn't heard from him in a long time.
"The debt, Marco. The last installment. It was
