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Justin sat down, but no one reached for pizza Finally Al did, pulling a piece out of the pie and lifting it to his mouth "First, we eat," he said "Then we talk" No one ry," Justin said And once he said that, his younger brothers nearly sat on their hands

"I’d appreciate it if you’d try to choke down a piece, just to be polite Justin, take a piece of pizza so your brothers don’t feel so unco moment Then when he finally lifted a piece and took a bite, his brothers followed suit And within ten one Al hid his sry? That would make sense after their mother was taken to the hospital But it wasn’t the truth; they were growing boys

He watched the crowd, all of whoht teeth Danny was getting a peachy, fuzzy stubble Kevin wore glasses Justin was thin, but then he was also tall Maybe he’d recently shot up a few inches, growing into those big feet

Danny sat back first, hands on his stomach Kevin was next, but he pushed in one more piece first There were only three pieces left when these boys without much appetite were full "Get cleaned up while I talk to Justin," Al said "Then I’ll take you over to the hospital to see your ht"

Danny and Kevin got up froo back to work"

"Don’t worry about it Eric’s fine And we’re not going to rush this Tell ed and shook his head "We don’t know We don’t care"

"When was the last ti we can just call hiht? Listen, he left because he couldn’t stand sickness It changed his life too ht "And as that?"

"Over five years ago"

"He left you here?"

Justin shook his head "We moved here My mother needed a flat house with handicap stuff We’ve been here alht you were from around here"

"Elmore, way smaller than this, if you can wrap your brain around that We were in a two-story That wasn’t working"

"Okay, back in Elhbors you’ve knohile? Anyone we could reach out to now?"

"Look," Justin said iht? But they don’t want to have to be nice and help out forever It gets old My moe boysthey need stuff, too They don’t need as onna take ’eonna be around because no foster faives hi this?"

"Settle down," Al said "Everyone gets it--your situation sucks But your e boys can supply And you boys need a life, too So--you’re not that much trouble? Knohat that tells me? This is your father’s responsibility He doesn’t even have to do anything--just be the responsible party Pay the rent, maybe We just have to track him down"

"He doesn’t want to be tracked down! I don’t want hio? She had ht? What I need is to get to eighteen before ives up Then I can take over We’ll be fine"

Al held his tongue It was on his mind to say That ship has sailed If he understood Dr Grant, no one in this faing on when every day of her life fro to be beyond difficult, not the three boys who had spent the last half-dozen years struggling to take care of her and themselves "Maybe, if we don’t panic, a solution will coo see youryou home"

"I can take us over"

"Let me do this, Justin Concentrate on your family I won’t interfere or crowd into the hospital rooo back to--"