Helen. What’s the deal?”
“Wow, let’s just jump right into the conversation why don’t we?”
“Sorry. I’m just anxious. I really need your help.”
“Yeah. I get that. Anyway, I’m cool with keeping Liam through this coming weekend. I need to bring him back Sunday night, though, because I’m leaving for Denver on Monday morning.”
“That’ll work. She’s getting out Friday. That’ll give us a couple days to settle in.”
“Why is she getting discharged so soon? She must not have been hurt that bad.”
“Actually her injuries are pretty terrible, but she doesn’t have insurance.”
Helen hisses out an angry breath. “Now, that just pisses me off. Are they actually kicking her out?”
“Not exactly. But I’ve talked to the billing department, and it’s just better if she can do some of her rehab outside their facility. Her bill is already more money than she’ll probably ever make in a lifetime.”
“She’ll have to declare bankruptcy.”
“Maybe. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Do you need to go by the house to get more clothes for Liam?”
“No. I took him shopping. He’s all hooked up with plenty of tacky Spiderman-wear.”
“Good. You’ll be the favorite parent for the next month.”
“Ha. Who are you kidding? I’m the favorite parent all the time.”
Brian doesn’t argue the point because he hopes it’s true. Both Liam and Helen need that closeness emotionally since they can’t always be together physically. Brian knows he’s the lucky one, favorite parent title or not; he gets to tuck Liam in most nights and see him first thing in the morning with his hair sticking out all over the place. Those are the times when he’s an absolute angel who can do no wrong. It’s later on in the day when he starts hitting autographed baseballs through neighbors’ windows that Brian’s perspective changes on that a little.
“Whatever,” says Brian. “Would you do me a favor and warn him that someone’s at the house? But don’t tell him who it is.”
“Why not?” Helen asks. “Maybe preparing him for her injuries is a better idea.”
Brian sighs, not looking forward to this part of the conversation. “Because. He’s already seen her once, and it wasn’t pleasant.”
“How’s that? And why am I just hearing about this now?”
“Because it’s kind of a long story I’d rather tell you in person. But I guess I can’t wait that long since you should know now and I don’t want you to bring him here to discuss it.”
“So talk. Spill it, bud. I have things to do.”
“Hot date?”
“Yeah. With a six-year-old.”
“Remember the other night when we went to the Marlins’ game and caught that ball?”
“How could I forget? I’m still suffering hearing loss from the good news phone call.”
“Well, the trouble-maker decided he wanted to try and hit like Wilson, so he snuck the ball outside and went one street over to take a couple swings where I wouldn’t see him.”
“Don’t tell me…”
“Yeah. He hit the ball through her window. And when he went to get it, he caught a glimpse of her and freaked out. He ran all the way home and wouldn’t come out of his room for hours.”
“I don’t get it. Was she all beat up then? Why wasn’t she in the hospital already?”
“No. Yes. Well, kind of.”
“Which is it?”
“Like I said before, she’s been beat up many times. It’s permanently disfigured her. That’s what Liam saw.”
“And she got beat up after that again?”
“Yes. Apparently. The day Liam hit the ball through her window, I went over there later to apologize and offer to pay for it. We met her boyfriend. Something about him seemed off, and then Liam was really bothered by something he said about Nicole. That’s her name, by the way. But we’re calling her Briana.”
There’s
“Wow, let’s just jump right into the conversation why don’t we?”
“Sorry. I’m just anxious. I really need your help.”
“Yeah. I get that. Anyway, I’m cool with keeping Liam through this coming weekend. I need to bring him back Sunday night, though, because I’m leaving for Denver on Monday morning.”
“That’ll work. She’s getting out Friday. That’ll give us a couple days to settle in.”
“Why is she getting discharged so soon? She must not have been hurt that bad.”
“Actually her injuries are pretty terrible, but she doesn’t have insurance.”
Helen hisses out an angry breath. “Now, that just pisses me off. Are they actually kicking her out?”
“Not exactly. But I’ve talked to the billing department, and it’s just better if she can do some of her rehab outside their facility. Her bill is already more money than she’ll probably ever make in a lifetime.”
“She’ll have to declare bankruptcy.”
“Maybe. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Do you need to go by the house to get more clothes for Liam?”
“No. I took him shopping. He’s all hooked up with plenty of tacky Spiderman-wear.”
“Good. You’ll be the favorite parent for the next month.”
“Ha. Who are you kidding? I’m the favorite parent all the time.”
Brian doesn’t argue the point because he hopes it’s true. Both Liam and Helen need that closeness emotionally since they can’t always be together physically. Brian knows he’s the lucky one, favorite parent title or not; he gets to tuck Liam in most nights and see him first thing in the morning with his hair sticking out all over the place. Those are the times when he’s an absolute angel who can do no wrong. It’s later on in the day when he starts hitting autographed baseballs through neighbors’ windows that Brian’s perspective changes on that a little.
“Whatever,” says Brian. “Would you do me a favor and warn him that someone’s at the house? But don’t tell him who it is.”
“Why not?” Helen asks. “Maybe preparing him for her injuries is a better idea.”
Brian sighs, not looking forward to this part of the conversation. “Because. He’s already seen her once, and it wasn’t pleasant.”
“How’s that? And why am I just hearing about this now?”
“Because it’s kind of a long story I’d rather tell you in person. But I guess I can’t wait that long since you should know now and I don’t want you to bring him here to discuss it.”
“So talk. Spill it, bud. I have things to do.”
“Hot date?”
“Yeah. With a six-year-old.”
“Remember the other night when we went to the Marlins’ game and caught that ball?”
“How could I forget? I’m still suffering hearing loss from the good news phone call.”
“Well, the trouble-maker decided he wanted to try and hit like Wilson, so he snuck the ball outside and went one street over to take a couple swings where I wouldn’t see him.”
“Don’t tell me…”
“Yeah. He hit the ball through her window. And when he went to get it, he caught a glimpse of her and freaked out. He ran all the way home and wouldn’t come out of his room for hours.”
“I don’t get it. Was she all beat up then? Why wasn’t she in the hospital already?”
“No. Yes. Well, kind of.”
“Which is it?”
“Like I said before, she’s been beat up many times. It’s permanently disfigured her. That’s what Liam saw.”
“And she got beat up after that again?”
“Yes. Apparently. The day Liam hit the ball through her window, I went over there later to apologize and offer to pay for it. We met her boyfriend. Something about him seemed off, and then Liam was really bothered by something he said about Nicole. That’s her name, by the way. But we’re calling her Briana.”
There’s
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