05
After Dad fell asleep on New Year’s Eve,
Mom grabbed a spatula from the kitchen.
She whacked Dad’s hand, the one he’d used
to hit me.
Dad shot up in bed, groaning in pain.
Mom didn’t give him a chance to argue. She
marched over to my aunt and uncle’s house
and kicked down their door.
She made Uncle Mark drive Dad to the
hospital on his motorcycle.
Dad spent New Year’s Day in the hospital.
<
He’d fractured his hand.
Aunt Sarah, seeing the cast, kept Ethan away
from our house.
When Dad came home, his arm in a sling, he
still expected me to fetch him tea and food.
I looked at him, then went to Grandma’s
house to find Ethan.
“My dad brought you a present from the
hospital.”
Ethan followed me back. Dad was cursing me
under his breath.
When he saw Ethan, his face lit up. He
reached out to hug him.
“Dad says if you pour him tea, he’ll live ten
years longer.”
I pointed to the stainless steel cup filled with
boiling hot water.
<
Ethan hesitated, then carefully picked up the
cup.
“Ethan, put that down! It’s hot! Let your
cousin do it. Come give your uncle a hug.”
Ethan immediately set down the cup and gave
me a smug look.
I ignored him and went upstairs, tuning out
Dad’s yells.
