His Broken Plaything

, I'm fil

but the cash I got today would cover about 10% of my dad's hospital bills. The night air was cold, an

llet in the head. I'm still holding onto some dumb bit of luck, even if it's

reaming six-year-old daughter, begging her to come along. The little girl wanted to see her dad, but her mom was crying, looking like she was trying t

ring bad news to a couple, and the wife was crying her eyes out. Two girls about my age were scro

er Fifteen years, ever since her son left her here after her surgery. No one could convince her he'd abando

st desk and knocked on the wi

to wait like ever

g at me with a raised

so I thought I'd take the l

ied, g

didn't even bother to lo

Rachel. Don't

ng her my best

and a permanent scowl that made people back off. She probably hated her job, but she was damn good

one b

ion on her screen. Hurt, I knocked on the win

your dad. You kno

er you tell me how

ddo. You're an

holding my chest like

w you talk to

nt? Maybe in

shot

uc

it a littl

attitude that's keepi

k, trying

saved me from a lot of As

gling to hold b

r anyone," she added

t this is

at her wit

n old truck. Her skin was all wrinkled, making her look like she'd been around forever, and her fingers looked like they might snap off at any moment. The

andpa, uncles, or cousins. But I knew wh

leave her

lking over to me, ge

our dad,

me a wrappe

h growled. I hadn't eaten all

dwich, your

, Miss

ter pressing the button for the third floor, I waited for the doors to open and humme

the corner toward my dad's room. The sterile smell of antiseptic hit me like a

ated seeing him like this.....hooked up to machines I didn't understand. The beeping and hissing sounded like

tting down next to him. His hand was cold, but there was a litt

, Da

ispe

finally done with senior hig

, trying to keep

thing too fancy yet. I'll figure it out once I've covered

, pushing back the tears

though. Now that I'm done, I can work full time if I want. Ma

I said it all out loud, maybe he'd wake up. Maybe if I talked l

s you,

he tears came anyway, hot and painful. The frustratio

exhau

the edge of the bed. The cold sh

promise. You keep fightin

the door

ou okay

l asked, w

trying to hide it. She walked up to me, si

e tough

getting pretty

to laugh

onna be

eassu

aying for the past Six ye

d my back

est, trust me. I know w

, I k

her. It felt nice, the

Lyla. Visiting hour

I get speci

t. Don't get ahead

kid anymore

sure act

rin

up, I'll make sure

deal with a little

laug

I really meant it. I kind

ut the money I'd gotten t

me cash. Maybe it'll

of

all o

ngs. Are you doing okay in school? Ge

d labor or anything weir

t, w

ked, l

m fine. And I'm well over 18 no

her out of the room, laug

am I gonna

when you figure it

er the biggest sm