A Modern Day Fairy Tale Teaser

I was sitting in the doctor’s office, flipping through a magazine angrily. I was exhausted. Beyond exhausted, really. Sleep didn’t come at all after Masen had left the bakery.

I tossed and turned on my couch, waking up when I heard a thump from my father’s bedroom. I ran to his room and found him on the ground, his hands shaking uncontrollably and he looked up at me with a pained expression. I gave him his medications and eventually got him off the floor. He was covered in bruises and his wrist was swollen. When my alarm went off, I woke up Alice.

“What do you want?” she sneered.

“Dad’s fallen,” I said.

“Big fucking deal,” she shrugged, turning over and covering herself with her quilt.

“Alice,” I snapped. “I’m taking Dad to the hospital. I think he may have broken his wrist. I need you to mind the shop.”

“Why? That’s your responsibility,” Alice said, covering her head with a pillow.

“ALICE!” Dad bellowed. “Get your ass in here!”

She shot up, pushing her way past me and I took a deep breath. I changed into a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, grabbing Dad’s insurance card, wallet and my purse. I called for a cab and they said one would be at our house in ten minutes. I heard my dad hissing at my sister and she stomped past me. She slammed the door to the bathroom. I shook my head, checking on Dad. He was in a pair of sweatpants and sneakers, fumbling with the ties. “I’ve got it, Dad,” I said, crouching to tie his shoes. “Did Alice help with the pants?”

“I did it myself. I’m not completely incapable,” he said, his brow furrowed. I nodded, helping him to his feet and we made our way to the living room. “Alice is going to mind the shop. However, she’s not going to open it. She’s going to scour the kitchen.”

“We need the money, Dad,” I said.

“We’ll make it up. Extend the hours?” Dad grimaced, his hands shaking. I helped him to his feet and we made our way downstairs. A cab was pulling up and we got inside. I told the driver where to go. Fifteen minutes later, we made it to the emergency department. Inside, we were brought back and my dad was taken back for an x-ray. I paced the small cubicle, hoping that my dad’s wrist wasn’t broken. I also put in a phone call into my dad’s neurologist, asking to bring him in.

By mid-morning, my dad’s tests were finished and he had a sprain in his wrist along with a bruise on his hip. He’d have to wear a brace for a couple of weeks. I also heard from my dad’s neurologist that he did want him to come in. Thankfully, the office was in a medical building near the hospital. We used the medical shuttle to make it to the office. My dad was tired and very sore. The mild pain killer he’d received in the hospital did little to help with his pain.

“Dad, we’re here,” I said, nudging him.

“Hmmmm?” he mumbled, his eyes blinking open.

“Come on, Dad,” I murmured, helping him to his feet and we made our way out of the shuttle. He was clumsier than usual. I got a wheelchair. I wheeled him to the office and checked him in. The nurse asked for our copay and I forked over the money, trying to hide my fear of the money we were losing from not having the shop open and the money for this visit.