Emergency Medical Dad

XVI: 7:10pm, present

JORGEN

"Hey asshole," I pick up the phone to a light laughing voice, "I just got a call from Bernie about the kid."

I glance to my Dad sitting on the couch next to me, Connor against his side, excitedly letting my Dad explain hockey to him via the last playoff series.

"Hi, Nico," I point out of the room, telling my Dad I'm going to duck out for a moment, he nods, letting me go.

"So you weren't going to tell me that when you found out?" Nico laughs. "I'm hurt."

"I've been overwhelmed."

"Miss me with that melancholic shit, how's it been? How's the kid? What's it like in Chicago? What are you doing this summer? How's the girl? What's going on?"

I wince, stepping outside to the front porch so I can sit out on the stairs and watch cars mosey through the neighborhood while talking, "it's been weird, Connor is a good kid, Chicago is windy, I'm working for Chicago East EMS this summer, Jessie is just about the same she was in high school, and I'm currently sitting outside my house watching a Nissan try a three point turn. I think it's a student driver."

She's quiet for a moment, "so his name is Connor, and hers is Jessie? I remember you mentioning a Jessie."

"I did?"

"Yeah, you were talking about your high school and how that all worked. You talked about her for like an hour because you couldn't figure out why she was popular. I really think you just had a crush on her but you wouldn't-"

"I did," I shrug, "and she was popular because demand raises price in a small market."

"What?"

"If there's only one of something and lots of people want it, it increases the price."

"You're talking about her like she's an object."

I nod, "I know that, but it's the best possible explanation as to why she was popular."

Nico is quiet for a moment, "not to go all schoolgirl on you but you actually had a crush on her?"

I stay quiet, "Nico, I swear to god."

"I just didn't think you got crushes! I thought you were above that!"

"Nico, I was seventeen."

"So? That's adorable!"

I shift my weight on the concrete stair, trying to position my elbows better to spread the weight of my shoulders. The Nissan is lining up to try another three point turn.

She realizes that I don't have a return comment on that and tries another approach, "so do you think you're coming back in the fall?"

"Depends on Jessie."

"Do you want to come back in the fall?"

I puff out my cheeks, "yeah, I do, but Connor is important. Depending on how this goes he might be more important."

"Do you think he will be?"

"I don't know."

Nico breathes out, sighing. "How old is he?"

"Seven."

"When's his birthday?"

"August 17th."

"You know I'm going to keep drilling you for information like this because you don't like to talk, right?"

The Nissan comes back in for another pass at the three point turn. "Yeah, I know. This student driver can't seem to pull off the three point turn right."