IV
A Day of Surprises
“You leaving already?”
Mark stretched his frame and glanced down at his friend. Hunter stared at him, his half-empty cup of beer in danger of sliding from his fingers. In the seats beside him, Paula and Dennis continued to focus on the race, oblivious to their friend’s early departure. Only ten laps remained, and they were not missing a moment of the action.
“Yeah, I want to get out of here before it ends,” Mark informed his friend. “Otherwise, I’ll be trapped.”
“Okay,” Hunter said, confused.
Mark leaned forward and waved, catching Dennis and Paula’s attention. The noise from the crowd and the cars on the track prevented him from hearing their response. Paula appeared puzzled, but Dennis knew why he was leaving so soon. Mark’s friend smiled and nodded, gesturing
