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"What’s going on?" Al asked

"No idea," Eric said,a T-turn to head after Justin Andhis station coveralls and steel-toed boots, he was like the daave the horn a blast, Justin didn’t even slon

"Pull alongside," Al coh town, past the diner and sheriff’s office, threeout the"Get in! We’ll drive you!"

But the kid didn’t even slon He just kept running, pu, his floppy hair slicked back ind and sweat Uphill, and still flying

Al pulled back inside "Just follow hi?"

"We’ll find out soon enough We either let hiet out and chase hi that Follow hi about five miles an hour, Eric followed behind Justin for a few et to a very small house in the middle of the block Justin’s van was in the driveway but another newer car was parked in front Justin crashed through the front door

"I guess we’re here," Al said

Eric parked his Jeep and the two men walked up the driveway to the front door, which still stood open, and what they could see inside was shocking The s roo on the edge of the bed There was a wheelchair, oxygen tank, other hospital paraphernalia Dr Grant had his stethoscope in his ears and was listening to the wo administered and the woman’s eyes were closed Justin leaned over her fro He tenderly touched her forehead while two younger boys stood off to the side, worry etched into their features

Dr Grant took his stethoscope out of his ears and looked at Justin "I’m afraid this is the end of the line, Justin"

Oh, shit, she’s dead! Eric thought

Then the doctor continued "I called for an a better now, but she needs close medical supervision"

Justin sed and said, "Then she coave it your best shot Your et her a bed This is end stage Her quality of life will be iave a short, bitter laugh "Not for too fucking long!" he barked

"I give youI can to help DHS find you boys a place together I know right now you think it’s the end of the world, but this can work out You can’t take on any more"

"Six hteen and--"

"Just being eighteen doesn’t guarantee you’ll get parental custody of the boys"

"There isn’t any other family," Justin said "It has to beto step outside and wait for the ambulance while you talk to your brothers You have to stay calet your mom upset with a lot of emotion Remeoing to happen overnight"

Scott Grant draped the stethoscope around his neck, picked up his bag and stepped past Eric and Al and outside Eric and Al followed him

"What the hell?" Eric said

"Justin’s mother is sick," Scott said "She has MS She’s had it for a long tiet better She’s been virtually bedridden for over a year now"

"And Justin takes care of her?" Eric asked

"He takes care of her days and the younger boys keep an eye on her when Justin works, but there’s also ho nurse who looks in on theularly and I check on her all the ti for the fa to her sons is also showing on her"

"He takes care of her days," Eric said It was not a question

Scott nodded

"He dropped out of school I should’ve known"

"He just wants to keep the faether, but I think his decision to do that was as hard on Sally as anything I found hiot the GED information downloaded, if he ever has tiainfully employed, so he could take on the house and his brothers So they could be together"

Eric frowned and shook his head "How’s he going to e all that on a service station attendant’s salary?"

"The faets help from the Department of Human Services Food sta It’s not a lot but it keeps body and soul together But DHS is going to want to take over, get those younger boys placed in foster care I can stall for a while--Justin and his brothers have been running that house for a long tiht away, and in fact I ht not be able to--it’s all about available space--DHS will have to be patient But they’ve been ready to pounce for a long ti boys are able to stay on their oith an invalid in the house, but they can’t stay alone without all that responsibility and stress?" Al asked Scott

"The invalid mother is not only over twenty-one with a sound ical parent, there is also a doctor and hoularly"

"What about Justin?" Eric asked

Scott shrugged "They hteen, that program closes for him"

"Why didn’t he tell me?" Eric asked "I asked hih I saw hiroceries in Bandon and he said he’d taken a day off from school to take her to the doctor He said she was in a wheelchair and I thought maybe an accident or Why didn’t he tell me the situation?"

"For the same reason he uses his food stamps in Bandon, Eric He doesn’t want anyone’s pity He doesn’t even shop for food in town He’s a proud, strong, devoted young"Where’s their father?"