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“Seems like you ca” I shake my head with a smile Nobody does comebacks like my old man

“Well, I’ correctly, you didn’t even want age claio home”

“Because I didn’t want you to come,” he replies bluntly “It’s dumb I sure as shit never flew halfway across the country to take care of my dad’s broken balls”

I chuckle “I don’t think this is the kind of thing that hits every generation”

“Whatever”

I lean into the botto the subject “What happened anyway? How’d you hurt yourself?”

He wavesto climb out of the bed

I ju him by the shoulders “Dad, relax”

“You’re here They told o It’s tio”

“I’e papers That sort of thing”

“Fuck those papers”

“Dad,” I say, exasperated “If you’ll just lie back and relax, I’ll go talk to the nurse and see if I can get the on the paperwork But you have to promise to stay put for now Can you promise?”

“Don’t treat me like a kid, Ry”

I shrug “What a like one?”

He huffs and then, finally, sits back in the bed and glares “Go get the damn papers”

I sigh and step away to head for the door, but before I go, he calls my attention back one more time

“Ry”

“Yeah, Dad?”

“Thanks for co”

“Of course,” I say softly “I’ll go find the nurse”

I lean down, pullingforward so I can help hi room