"It's okay, Bobby. I'm staying with her. She's okay," Lewis told him.
Bobby breathed a small sigh of relief. It wasn't good news that Lewis had to stay there, but it was a relief that things seemed to be under control. "What about my Dad?" Bobby asked.
"I don't know anything about your Dad, sorry, Bobby, I've been pretty busy here. No one has called us about him."
"Frank didn't say something?"
"Frank was an ass. He shoved his way past me and wheedled a hundred bucks out of your Mom. Clocked me on the jaw on his way out, too. Jackass."
Goren chewed on the inside of his cheek. "I guess Dad's in the hospital again. I'm gonna, uh, call my Captain and then I'll call you back."
"Okay, man, we'll be here."
Bobby hung up and then dropped a bunch of quarters in the pay phone again. He asked for Captain Flanagan, and was quickly patched through.
"Detective Goren?"
"Yeah, Cap, it's me."
"You're safe to make this call?"
"Yessir. Cleared it with Tutuola first and I'm halfway across town. Nobody tailed me. I wanted to know about my father."
The Captain sighed. "He's in University Hospital. As of this afternoon, he was unresponsive."
"Was it his sugar again?"
"Yes, but his blood pressure tanked, too. The Doctors were thinking he may have overdosed his medications. You want to come out?"
Goren's face was torn with emotion. He didn't want to leave the job, Fin needed him. He knew there was nothing he could really do for his father, anyway. Finally, he spoke. "N-no. I'll see the job through. Thank you, sir."
"I'll keep checking in, Detective. I'll get word to you if there's any change."
"Thanks, Cap." Goren hung up and fed his last few quarters into the machine.
"Hello?" Lewis answered on the first ring.
"Okay, I guess Dad took too much of his medicine. He's at University Hospital. I'm, uhm… I'm staying under, Lewis. With any luck, it will only be another week or so, anyway."
"Okay, Bobby. You want me to do anything?"
"You're already doing it, buddy. Just stay with Mom, okay?"
"You got it."
"Thanks, man."
Once the job was over, Fin sat down in interrogation to eat his sandwich and someone brought in a phone for Goren. He made two calls, one to Lewis and one to University Hospital. Finally, he sat down to eat.
"So how are things?" Tutuola asked.
"Uhm, status quo. Dad's still in the hospital. My friend is with my Mom."
"Lewis."
"Yeah, right, Lewis." Bobby ate a bite of his dinner.
"I'm glad we got out. You could use a little time off, eh Goren?"
He shrugged. "Yeah. Hey Fin, th-thanks for understanding."
Tutuola nodded, and the men finished their meal in silence.
Goren stopped by the hospital to see his father, planning to go home to his mother soon after. When he arrived, the nurse paged the doctor.
Bobby sat down at his father's bedside. The man looked gravely ill, in spite of being hospitalized for 8 days. Bobby studied his worn and weathered face, wondering exactly when old age had crept in.
"Mr. Goren?" The Doctor said from the doorway.
"Yes?" Bobby answered, getting to his feet. "H-how is he?"
The Doctor swallowed. "That's why I had the nurses page me. As you are aware, he's been with us for a little over a week. We still have been unable to get his sugars stabilized. In addition, he is beginning to experience renal failure."
Bobby's expression was grim. "S-so this is it, then? He's… he's uhm, n-n-not gonna make it?" he asked very quietly.
The Doctor was sympathetic. "We will keep trying, of course, but it might be best if you… prepared."
Bobby swallowed hard and listened to the details of his father's condition. As his anger bubbled underneath, he wondered about his brother's whereabouts.
It was nearly 9 p.m., and Lewis still hadn't heard back from Bobby. He had his bag packed, but he wouldn't leave until Goren got home. As he straightened the covers on the bed one more time, he heard the phone ring in the hall. Bobby's Mom got to it first. Lewis listened from the doorway.
"Bobby! Thank God you're all right! I've been worried sick!" The old woman held the phone with both hands as she listened. "Yes, yes. He's here. Bobby, when are you coming home? Frank came, but he didn't stay. Bobby, I need you."
Lewis walked slowly forward, knowing that his friend would want to talk with him. The old woman cried when Bobby said goodbye, but she handed the phone to Lewis and walked off.
"Hey, Bobby."
"Lewis, man, I'm sorry I didn't call sooner… look, things with Dad are… are worse than I thought. Uhm… he probably isn't gonna make it."
"Aw, Geez, Bobby, I'm sorry."
"Yeah, so, uhm… I'm gonna… I need to… stay here, you know, with him… until..."
"Yeah, yeah, Bobby, okay, man. I'll- I'll stay here, okay."
"Lewis, the shop-"
"The shop's okay. Your Mom is doing better, and I went in for a while yesterday. All's good." He could hear Bobby sigh on the other end.
"I-uh… I'll let you know. Uh, you can page me now, if you need me."
Lewis nodded. "Got it, man."
"Lewis, d-don't say anything to Ma about it, okay? I th-think I'm gonna have to be the one to break the news."
"Gotcha."