Chapter 15
"You should have told me," Alan said again, looking over the hospital bed of one bald son to confront the other, who sat grinning at him. "I might have wanted to play, too."
"But Dad," protested Don, "it's not like you'll have hair all that much longer anyway…I thought I was doing you a favor! Besides, I tried to call — you didn't answer your cell, again."
"I told you," answered Alan, "I hate those things." He looked at the photo that was taped onto the side of Charlie's bedside table, so that he could easily see it. The night of "the balding", as Colby referred to it, Megan had brought her digital camera, and Katie had taken a picture of the group. Megan printed out copies for each of the participants, and had sent an enlargement in to Charlie. "Those women," Alan said quietly. "I can't get over those women."
Don didn't know how to respond to that, so he just looked at Charlie. He was curled up on his side, wearing a stocking cap because he was cold all the time. One arm stretched out toward the photo, his fingers just barely touching it. Don doubted that it was an accident that those fingers were closest to Amita. "Ami?" he found himself thinking. "When did he start calling her Ami?"
Charlie stirred and started to roll over onto his back, then blanched. Don deftly grabbed the emesis basin and had it ready when Charlie began to retch. He stood and awkwardly tried to support his brother's back while still holding the basin in the front, but he soon felt other hands and looked up briefly to lock eyes with his father.
"It's all right, Don," the older man said, "you let me do this." He sighed, then continued. "Today, I can do this. I just can't make any promises about tomorrow."
"That's okay, Dad," Don answered, lightly rubbing his brother's shoulder. "Today is all we have."
