Page 31 of The D Appointment

“You mean, am I going to go and yell at our mother?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“I would if I thought it would do any good.”

That bitch didn’t care what I thought. I could only hope she felt guilty when I brought Spencer home with a cast on his arm.

“Are you going to call family services?”

The knob on the hospital room door twisted, and a voice said, “Knock, knock,” before it was pushed open all the way.

Spencer’s nurse pushed in a cart with medical supplies on it. And that was the end of thefamily servicesconversation.

“Looks like someone’s getting a cast,” the nurse said.

“Yeah,” Spencer said, giving her a small smile.

The nurse looked around, and I realized she was assessing the lack of space in the room.

I stood. “I can get out of here if you need me to,” I offered.

“I’m sure Spencer would appreciate his dad being in the room for this, but if you wouldn’t mind stepping out while I move some things around, that would be great.”

I nodded. “No problem.” I turned to my brother. “I’ll be right outside.”

As I stepped out, the doctor approached me with steady eyes. I was sure she was taking in my appearance now that Spencer’s bed wasn’t blocking me and I wasn’t sitting down.

“How did you say your son broke his arm again?” she asked.

“I didn’t.” If she was trying to get me to tell her I did it, she was wasting her time. But I didn’t fault her for doing her job. In fact, I appreciated it. “I only found out after you left the room. He wouldn’t tell me what happened until it was confirmed his arm was broken.”

She narrowed her eyes and clutched both ends of her stethoscope in her hands. “And how did it happen?”

“I think you should ask him, but I’ll give you a hint. It has something to do with ou—his mother.”

“You know, I know you’re not his father.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Oh?”

“Yeah.” She looked around. “But you don’t have to worry. I won’t tell.”

“But that’s the thing, Doctor. Once you talk to my brother”—since she had figured it out, I might as well admit it—“I hope you do tell.”

She nodded in understanding.

Family services would be a lot more likely to look into my brother if an emergency room physician called.

At least, I was really hoping they would.

15

Dominick

When I broughtmy brother home, the trailer was empty.

“Go pack a bag. You’re going to stay with me for a few days.”

“What about Mom?” What Spencer meant was,Mom isn’t going to say yes to this.