left-behind grocery lists,” he
says, as if this were completely normal.
We are quiet, lost in our own little worlds. And then we truly process what batshit-crazy thing Leo just said.
“
What?
” We all ask one after another. Leo doesn’t miss a beat.
“Whenever I go to the store, I always look for lost or left-behind grocery lists. There have been some great ones.”
“Great ones?” Abigail laughs.
“What constitutes a ‘great one’?” I ask.
“I like trying to figure out what people are making, what kind of lives they have… who they’re cooking for. I’m incredibly
jealous of people who buy kale,” Leo explains.
“Kale,” I repeat. Huston smiles, finally calming down.
“You have to really know what you’re doing in the kitchen to buy kale,” Leo says dreamily.
“A kitchen… isn’t that where the doggie bags from business dinners go?” Huston asks, yielding.
“I haven’t made something without a hot dog in it for years,” Abigail sighs. I laugh. Abigail sneaks a quick glance at me,
smiling.
“John’s waving me in,” Huston says, walking toward the hospital room. Abigail follows at his heels.
“You’re such a weird kid,” I whisper to Leo, as we trail.
“It was either that or growing my fingernails to like twenty feet or something,” Leo says, opening the door to Dad’s hospital
room for me. “I would think you’d prefer the grocery lists.” I shoot him a quick look and focus in on the scene already in
progress.
“—Our privacy,” Dennis finishes. I only catch the tail end of his request, but I can certainly guess how it began.
“Mr. Hawkes—” The head nurse looks to Dennis.
“Noonan. Mr.
Noonan
,” Dennis corrects her.
“Mr. Noonan, once again, I’m afraid Mr. Hawkes has a right to know what’s going on with his father’s health. He has his power
of attorney. I know this is going to be a difficult transition, but I’m sure—” Connie clutches at Dad’s hand, never turning
around. No longer even noting our presence.
“Ms—” Dennis begins.
“
Nurse
Miller,” she answers.
“Nurse Miller, this man has no right to any information, I assure you. He was no son to Ray. He left you… he left all of them… when?”
Dennis stutters.
“Twenty-two years ago,” Huston finishes. His voice is steady and low. My heart breaks into a million pieces.
Again
.
“Twenty-two years ago! He wasn’t a father to them at all!” Dennis announces.
“Whatever our relationship, it’s simply not pertinent to the power of attorney, Mr. Noonan,” Huston explains.
“Not pertinent! Get a load of this guy,” Dennis guffaws.
“Then why did he put his name on the document, Mr. Noonan?” Abigail asks, her voice calm, but climbing.
“I don’t know… you could have, you could have made him,” Dennis answers.
“He could have just as easily put your name on there,” I say. Huston looks from me to Dennis. Abigail does not shoot me a
look. We all wait for an answer.
“This isn’t helping,” John whispers, looking mostly at me.
“You don’t even know the man,” Dennis argues, using the same reasoning I did just this morning.
“My name is on that document, Mr. Noonan. I intend to see that Dad’s estate is handled the way he wants. The way the power
of attorney legally allows,” Huston says, his voice clear and calm.
“You’re going to take our house away,” Connie sobs.
“I don’t intend to do any such thing,” Huston answers.
“All of our belongings are going to be put out on the street,” Connie sobs again.
“I don’t intend to do any such thing,” Huston says again.
“Then why do you even want the power of attorney?” Dennis questions again.
“Because my father wanted me to have it,” Huston answers.
“Why do
you
want Dad’s power of attorney?” I ask, stepping to Dennis. The room stops. Everyone turns to Dennis. Silence. Waiting.
“Isn’t one of you a criminal?” Dennis blurts, looking at the head nurse. All
says, as if this were completely normal.
We are quiet, lost in our own little worlds. And then we truly process what batshit-crazy thing Leo just said.
“
What?
” We all ask one after another. Leo doesn’t miss a beat.
“Whenever I go to the store, I always look for lost or left-behind grocery lists. There have been some great ones.”
“Great ones?” Abigail laughs.
“What constitutes a ‘great one’?” I ask.
“I like trying to figure out what people are making, what kind of lives they have… who they’re cooking for. I’m incredibly
jealous of people who buy kale,” Leo explains.
“Kale,” I repeat. Huston smiles, finally calming down.
“You have to really know what you’re doing in the kitchen to buy kale,” Leo says dreamily.
“A kitchen… isn’t that where the doggie bags from business dinners go?” Huston asks, yielding.
“I haven’t made something without a hot dog in it for years,” Abigail sighs. I laugh. Abigail sneaks a quick glance at me,
smiling.
“John’s waving me in,” Huston says, walking toward the hospital room. Abigail follows at his heels.
“You’re such a weird kid,” I whisper to Leo, as we trail.
“It was either that or growing my fingernails to like twenty feet or something,” Leo says, opening the door to Dad’s hospital
room for me. “I would think you’d prefer the grocery lists.” I shoot him a quick look and focus in on the scene already in
progress.
“—Our privacy,” Dennis finishes. I only catch the tail end of his request, but I can certainly guess how it began.
“Mr. Hawkes—” The head nurse looks to Dennis.
“Noonan. Mr.
Noonan
,” Dennis corrects her.
“Mr. Noonan, once again, I’m afraid Mr. Hawkes has a right to know what’s going on with his father’s health. He has his power
of attorney. I know this is going to be a difficult transition, but I’m sure—” Connie clutches at Dad’s hand, never turning
around. No longer even noting our presence.
“Ms—” Dennis begins.
“
Nurse
Miller,” she answers.
“Nurse Miller, this man has no right to any information, I assure you. He was no son to Ray. He left you… he left all of them… when?”
Dennis stutters.
“Twenty-two years ago,” Huston finishes. His voice is steady and low. My heart breaks into a million pieces.
Again
.
“Twenty-two years ago! He wasn’t a father to them at all!” Dennis announces.
“Whatever our relationship, it’s simply not pertinent to the power of attorney, Mr. Noonan,” Huston explains.
“Not pertinent! Get a load of this guy,” Dennis guffaws.
“Then why did he put his name on the document, Mr. Noonan?” Abigail asks, her voice calm, but climbing.
“I don’t know… you could have, you could have made him,” Dennis answers.
“He could have just as easily put your name on there,” I say. Huston looks from me to Dennis. Abigail does not shoot me a
look. We all wait for an answer.
“This isn’t helping,” John whispers, looking mostly at me.
“You don’t even know the man,” Dennis argues, using the same reasoning I did just this morning.
“My name is on that document, Mr. Noonan. I intend to see that Dad’s estate is handled the way he wants. The way the power
of attorney legally allows,” Huston says, his voice clear and calm.
“You’re going to take our house away,” Connie sobs.
“I don’t intend to do any such thing,” Huston answers.
“All of our belongings are going to be put out on the street,” Connie sobs again.
“I don’t intend to do any such thing,” Huston says again.
“Then why do you even want the power of attorney?” Dennis questions again.
“Because my father wanted me to have it,” Huston answers.
“Why do
you
want Dad’s power of attorney?” I ask, stepping to Dennis. The room stops. Everyone turns to Dennis. Silence. Waiting.
“Isn’t one of you a criminal?” Dennis blurts, looking at the head nurse. All
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