Raise The Bar

chapter five

It's fucking freezing outside and Vivian waves to me while I get on my bike and start the engine flipping her off, "What's going on Casey?"

"Dad- he's in the hospital." Dad?

Fuck, "I'm on my way."

I reach the hospital as soon as I can and find my siblings and Mom in the waiting room.

"Adrian, what are you doing here? Casey I told you not to call him," she mumbles. Casey looks up at her teary-eyed, while Mom's expression softens.

I hug him close and wipe his tears, "It's okay little man you did the right thing." I hug Liam who wakes up and I give him and Casey ten bucks to go get snacks for everyone from the vending machine.

"You didn't have to come Adrian. We're leaving as soon as I know why they called me."

"Like hell, I didn't have to. Tell me why Dad's in the hospital and when he came back," I'm careful not to yell since the rest of my siblings are sleeping and Luna is in Mom's lap.

Right then the Doctor comes out.

"Mrs. DiCaprio," Mom winces at the last name since she's been going by her maiden since he left. "I'm Dr. Singh, your husband's oncologist. Unfortunately, we've diagnosed stage two liver cancer. I'm sorry I don't have better news."

The words are like a blow to my chest.

"We believe a liver transplant would be the best course of treatment but that isn't possible until he's stabilized. Preferably, since it's indicated he's a drinker- we think a family donor would work best."

I feel like a bastard as the first words out of my mouth are, "How much would the transplant cost?"

"It would be a few hundred grand." Who the fuck is going to donate their liver? Not me.

The doctor leaves us to process the information and Mom looks distraught.

"What am I going to tell the kids?" She breathes out. That their father drank away his liver and is now asking for theirs. But I don't say that.

"You'll tell them Dad isn't feeling well. And that he needs to stay here so they don't get sick." None of them would want to meet him anyways. Not even baby Luna.

"It's not our responsibility to take care of him. They called me because I was still his registered emergency contact," she's hesitant to say it because she doesn't want it to seem like she's condemning him to death if she doesn't help.

She's right though, he left. He is not our responsibility.

"Momma," I hear Luna mumble rubbing her eyes. She looks at me and I smile but she just rubs her eyes again in confusion.

"Hi sweetheart," I smile down at her.

"Ady," she giggles.

I pick her up and hug her. If anything can make me feel better it's a hug from her. Her small arms make their way around my neck as I pick her up. She feels so tiny in my arms.

The rest of my siblings wake up and immediately rush over to me. "Adrian I missed you," Addison tells me.

"I missed you too Addy." The back of my mind swirls with issues of cost. I don't know what my father has been doing these past six years but finding a stable job isn't one of them.

The nurse tells her the bill will be coming to her and Mom refuses to pay. She explains that they're divorced and she is no longer obligated to shoulder his shitshow of a life and leaves.

Shortly after Dad had left, she filed for divorce which he happily accepted.

Fuck America's healthcare system.