11. #2
I looked up and asked, “What did I miss?”
“We were talking about you, not to you,” my sister retorted with a grin. “Catch up, little brother.”
I flipped her off and looked at Ian before I asked, “Stab her for me, will you?”
“Gladly!” Ian replied as he picked up his fork and aimed it her way.
“Try it and see what happens,” Tana said with narrowed eyes.
“Ah, the bright love of siblings never dims, does it?” Papa asked sarcastically. He looked at Dad and said, “If I didn’t know that your family still fucks with each other like it’s a well-paying job, I’d ask when they may get over the urge to beat each other senseless.”
“I’ll let you know when it happens with my siblings,” Dad assured him with a grin.
“I won’t hold my breath.”
“It’s been a while since we sparred,” Tana announced. She gave Ian a smile that was half-glare and suggested, “We should schedule a time soon.”
“Oh, goody!” Ian replied with a fake smile. “I know we’re not supposed to hit girls and all that, but I’m so glad you’re an exception to the rule.”
“I’m so awesome that the rules don’t apply to me.”
“Shit’s getting deep now,” I muttered before I looked around and then lifted my hand to catch the server’s attention. Once she nodded at me, I looked around the table and said, “I’m glad y’all got to hang out with me today, but I’ve gotta run.”
“Where are you headed?” Ian asked.
“I need to go to the hospital and pick up some braces. While I’m there, I want to check in with one of the kids who is trying to decide what he wants on his,” I explained.
“Want some company? When we’re done there, we can go for a ride.”
“Sure,” I said as I took the ticket from the server. When my brother reached for his wallet, I waved him off and said, “You can get it next time. We’ve gotta start feeding the old men because Papa has lost his mojo and can’t catch a single fish no matter how long he sits out on the river.”
Papa smirked and said, “I don’t see your catch feeding us today.”
“I think Dad’s snoring is scaring the fish away.”
Papa grinned and said, “Yep. That’s why we didn’t catch a single thing today!”
“You can’t blame me!” Dad argued.
“Yeah, we sure can,” I joked before I stood up. I walked around the table and rested my hand on Dad’s shoulder before I put the other one on Papa’s. “I had fun today. We need to do this again soon.”
“I’m available anytime,” Dad assured me. “I always enjoy our fishing trips.”
Papa rolled his eyes before he said, “Of course he does.”
“Love y’all,” I told them before I walked toward my sister’s chair. She tilted her head so I could kiss her cheek, and then I pretended to put her in a headlock before I said, “Love you, hag.”
“What’s not to love?” Tana asked before she kissed my jaw. “Love you, too, asshole.”
“You boys ride safe,” Papa warned.
In chorus, my brother and I answered, “Yes sir.”
Once I’d taken care of the bill at the register and Ian had added a substantial cash tip for the server, we walked outside, and I asked, “Do you have anywhere you need to go today?”
“Nowhere specific. I just want to ride.”
“Let’s go by the hospital, and then we’ll take that route up the mountain and stop by Uncle Styx and Aunt Katrine’s in the hopes that she has something good for dessert.”
Ian slapped my shoulder before he said, “Big brother always has the best ideas!”
The ride to the hospital didn’t take long, but it seemed to take forever to get to the therapy room. Since I didn’t see the therapist I was looking for, I waited off to the side until one I’d met a few times looked over.
I hated to bother her since it seemed like she was having a little trouble getting her patient to cooperate, but after I watched them for a minute, I had a good idea of what may be wrong, so I stepped closer before I cleared my throat to get her attention.
She looked up and smiled before she said, “Can I help you?”
“I hate to interrupt, but I’m here to see Chloe and can’t seem to find her.”
I could tell that my request irritated her, probably because the man in the chair in front of her was shaking his head and trying to push her hands away. I looked at him and asked, “Is something pinching you?”
He looked up at me and nodded before he threw his hands up in frustration. Ian, who had been standing a few feet away, burst out laughing before he said, “That’s gotta suck, dude, but she’s a woman, so she wouldn’t understand.”
“What?” the therapist asked.
I squatted down next to the man’s wheelchair and explained, “That harness you’ve got on him is pinching a sensitive area, and he needs to readjust.” I looked at him before I asked, “Am I right?”
“Yes!” he said loudly.
The woman gasped and put her hand over her mouth before she said, “I’m so sorry, Sully! I had no idea.”
From his response, I knew the guy could talk at least a little, so I said, “Maybe y’all could come up with a code word or something.”
The man chuckled before he slurred, “Safe word.”
“I guess since we’re in mixed company, it wouldn’t be appropriate to yell, ‘My nuts!,’ huh?” I asked.
The man burst out laughing and put his fist out to bump mine. I tilted my head and asked, “What about ‘knuckles’ for your safe word? Does that work?”
He nodded and looked at her before he said, “Knuckles!”
“That’s perfect,” the therapist said with a grin. “Wow. I’m so sorry!”
“S’okay,” the man said.
I stuck my hand out and said, “I’m Rin Martin.”
“Sully,” he said as he shook my hand. “Thanks.”
“We’ve gotta stick together, man.”
“Yeah.”
“Who were you looking for again?” the therapist asked.
“Chloe.”
“She took her patient back to his room, but she should be back any minute now. Would you like me to page her?”
“Nah. We can hang out and wait,” I said as I watched her loosen the harness. I looked away as the guy adjusted it and then smiled when he sighed in relief. “Better?”
“Yes!”
“I’ll let you guys get back to work.”
“Thanks.”
“Anytime, friend.”
I walked with Ian toward the door to wait for Chloe and sat on the bench next to him before he said, “I can’t imagine how bad it must suck to not be able to communicate.”
“Me either.”
“I wonder what happened for that guy to end up here.”
“I don’t know, but he’s got some gnarly scars on his head,” I replied.
“Does it make me a horrible person to think of how lucky I am when I meet someone in his situation?” Ian asked.
“It just makes you human.”